addressing the West Coast sailors in Canada

[kazo]

Although COVID put the stick in the spokes of my life I'm still on with my intentions of buying a capable blue water boat and putting it into proper use eventually.
I still feel need to augment my (offshore) sailing skills. Sailing for 40+ years fresh waters, presently Georgian Bay (Lake Huron).
I did a passage from Bermuda to Lunenburg, 3 years ago to test my sea legs and see if it fits my vision of ocean sailing, the answer was resounding yes.

For some time I've been researching and contacting different sailing outfits, Machina Expedition comes to the top, but like the others they are US based which makes the arrangements complicated if not impossible right now and I don't want to lose another season.

So I'm thinking sailing school off of Canadian West Coast, Vancouver, Victoria, maybe even a private arrangements with experience skipper that would be willing to take me offshore and instruct me, maybe deliveries...

I may even consider making BC a home (most likely I'll sell the house in the spring) for some time and buying a boat there.
Your thoughts/advise/suggestions?
Thanks

[sv_pelagia]

Coopers used to/may still do courses circumnavigating Vancouver Island (or parts thereof)

https://www.cooperboating.com/events/round-the-island/)

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by kazo

Although COVID put the stick in the spokes of my life I'm still on with my intentions of buying a capable blue water boat and putting it into proper use eventually.
I still feel need to augment my (offshore) sailing skills. Sailing for 40+ years fresh waters, presently Georgian Bay (Lake Huron).
I did a passage from Bermuda to Lunenburg, 3 years ago to test my sea legs and see if it fits my vision of ocean sailing, the answer was resounding yes.

For some time I've been researching and contacting different sailing outfits, Machina Expedition comes to the top, but like the others they are US based which makes the arrangements complicated if not impossible right now and I don't want to lose another season.

So I'm thinking sailing school off of Canadian West Coast, Vancouver, Victoria, maybe even a private arrangements with experience skipper that would be willing to take me offshore and instruct me, maybe deliveries...

I may even consider making BC a home (most likely I'll sell the house in the spring) for some time and buying a boat there.
Your thoughts/advise/suggestions?
Thanks

Coopers and Nanaimo Yacht Charters both do circumnavigation trips, although that's only ~1 week on the outside and it you are "unlucky" it can turn out to be an unremarkable trip. NYC does offer celestial navigation as well on their trips so that's something.

Quiet often there are return trips from the Vic-Maui that take on crew/students and that would be a great trip—don't know if its running in 2021 as most of the other big races have been cancelled already. If you have the money, your best bet might be a private charter. Charter the boat, hire a good instructor/skipper (Jack Dale is here on the site) and head off with a custom route/curriculum.

Island Cruising Charters might also be worth exploring. In the last couple of years they have been buying big cats and chartering out portions of the trip from the Atlantic to the PNW.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Coopers and Nanaimo Yacht Charters both do circumnavigation trips, although that's only ~1 week on the outside and it you are "unlucky" it can turn out to be an unremarkable trip. NYC does offer celestial navigation as well on their trips so that's something.

Quiet often there are return trips from the Vic-Maui that take on crew/students and that would be a great trip—don't know if its running in 2021 as most of the other big races have been cancelled already. If you have the money, your best bet might be a private charter. Charter the boat, hire a good instructor/skipper (Jack Dale is here on the site) and head off with a custom route/curriculum.

Island Cruising Charters might also be worth exploring. In the last couple of years they have been buying big cats and chartering out portions of the trip from the Atlantic to the PNW.

Thanks for the plug.

Even during these tough times I did four trips last summer. I had to turn down an Around Vancouver Island trip due to another commitment. Nanaimo ran a multi-boat circumnavigation.

Jack

[jackdale]

kazo

PM sent.

Jack

[Uricanejack]

I would recommend Cooper,
There are a few other operators.
Actually, charters or courses out to the west coast of the island.are few and further between.
Most are on the inside.
Timing is not good for offshore. As you are probably aware the Canada US border is pretty much closed.

At this time most small coastal communities are not very open to visitors.

BC Government is recommending not traveling between regions at this time.

Some small First Nation communities are definitely closed.

Hopefully thing will start to change by the summer.

[Nanamuk]

Join the Bluewater Cruising Association. We have a program which runs annually called VICE - Vancouver Island Cruising Experience - where a group of members meet on the West Coast - sail west for 2 days then back to the Island. Several of these boats take crew so move here, join up and get involved. Alternatively there are many members heading south, or other crossings who use members as crew but you will have better luck if you get known by being active in the club.

[c-level]

In 2018, the Nanaimo Yacht Club Sailing School (Jon Rose) put together a 30 day live aboard cruising course for my wife and me. We both achieved our IYT Coastal Yachtmaster certification, and had a lot of fun in the process. I am not sure what the current status of the school is given COVID-19, but it might be worth checking into.

[bcboomer]

Originally Posted by Nanamuk

Join the Bluewater Cruising Association. We have a program which runs annually called VICE - Vancouver Island Cruising Experience - where a group of members meet on the West Coast - sail west for 2 days then back to the Island. Several of these boats take crew so move here, join up and get involved. Alternatively there are many members heading south, or other crossings who use members as crew but you will have better luck if you get known by being active in the club.

+1

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by c-level

In 2018, the Nanaimo Yacht Club Sailing School (Jon Rose) put together a 30 day live aboard cruising course for my wife and me. We both achieved our IYT Coastal Yachtmaster certification, and had a lot of fun in the process. I am not sure what the current status of the school is given COVID-19, but it might be worth checking into.

Nanaimo Yacht Charters and Sailing School operated this year. They were actually quite busy.

[Marathon1150]

Originally Posted by Nanamuk

Join the Bluewater Cruising Association. We have a program which runs annually called VICE - Vancouver Island Cruising Experience - where a group of members meet on the West Coast - sail west for 2 days then back to the Island. Several of these boats take crew so move here, join up and get involved. Alternatively there are many members heading south, or other crossings who use members as crew but you will have better luck if you get known by being active in the club.

I took the Cooper's CYA Advanced class about 20 years ago. It was very good. One of the other participants encouraged me to join the BCA noted in the above quote. It is an outstanding organization for several reasons.

Members are "dreamers" or "doners". The opportunity to participate in VICE, also noted above is great for dreamers. It was probably the most important thing that I did to learn what was needed to get the boat and myself ready for an offshore passage. I organized VICE under the guidance of a "doner" . Eighteen boats registered, eleven showed up in Victoria prior to heading out Juan de Fuca and 3 of us actually made the trip out and back. Weather was a primary reason for drop outs, in addition to crew conflicts, gear failures and "changes of heart". One boat turned back after a couple of hours out of Port Renfrew, our last anchorage. As noted in the quoted post, there were a couple of boats looking for crew prior to the exercise.

Secondly, there is a sub-group that forms each year called "the Fleet". These are people who intend to head offshore this year or maybe next. It is an invaluable opportunity to compare notes, listen to invited doners who describe their personal experience preparing for and sailing offshore, and other educational activities (e.g. touring a life raft company, rigging companies, etc). I suspect that it will be virtual this year but I am only guessing.

At the moment everything is virtual via Zoom so you could participate in meetings from wherever you can connect to the internet. Meetings are monthly and typically include a presentation relevant to preparing for or experiencing an offshore voyage. The next presentation is of a recent circumnavigator but long time BCA member. In fact he participated in the VICE that I organized but did not head out into the ocean because of gear issues on that boat. He subsequently bought a different vessel for the circumnavigation.

BTW, Mahina Offshore are members of BCA. They were our dock neighbours in Papeete on a couple of occasions and we met their very satisfied "students" who had just completed a NZ to Papeete leg.

Good luck.

[foothillsailor]

About 15 years ago, I did the Cooper's around Vancouver Island course and finished off my certifications by getting my Offshore Skipper and Offshore Navigator Certifications --- was worth the time and money not only for what I learned to do but equally important, what not to do (eg: don't leave port without knowing where your emergency back-up tiller is ... or ... how to reef and sail when your steering cables have broken ).
Before doing that I had earned my "desk" certifications from a bunch of on-land CPSS courses (radio, navigation, piloting, navigation, weather etc) and doubt whether I would have successfully passed the 2 week around Vancouver Island course if I had not.
I strongly suggest that before you invest in a boat that at least you should do one or two bareboat charters (assuming you have or will get the proper qualifications) ...best advice I ever got was from a boat-broker who told me to go and charter some boats and then come come back to see him AFTER I had found out what it was that I really wanted.

I wouldn't be too quick to sell off your Ontario home and buy a boat in BC. The stories are legion of people selling their homes (for example in sunny, but cold, Alberta) and then a year later returning from BC because they could not endure its winter gloom and rain for 6-8 months a year.

You should also be aware that the actual sailing isn't really that great in BC (the scenery is 'though) --light, intermittent winds in the summer, F'August, rainy, dreary and chilly in the winter, significant tides and tidal currents, and the water isn't really ever warm enough to enjoy swimming in.
Just my two bits--- after sailing in BC, down the west coast of the USA, and spending 10+ years in Mexico aboard my boat in Mexico ... and having spent the last couple of summers on my 'summer' boat in Georgian Bay --- good luck ----follow the dream ... but as they say "plan your work, and work your plan" so develop a logical step-by-step plan to achieve your dream without having too many disappointments or set backs

[Uricanejack]

I did the CYA advanced course many moons ago with Coopers.
Partly because I used to work for them.
Mostly because it was an opportunity to sail to the west coast of the island.
Which was spectacular and memorable trip over and above the course.

There is only a few opportunity’s per year.

[kazo]

thanks for the feedback.
Out of three outfits only Cooper responded and I'm in communication with them; but everything is in rather a reactive mode and so are my plans are by extension.

[chris mac]

I also have used coopers and was pleased with them.
Hope it works out for you