hitching space available - leaving from WA in August

[ashleigh]

Hi Steve,
I crossed the straight of Juan de Fuca once last summer on a 34' boat with a couple guys but we didn't have much trouble and at the time I was just along for the ride, I'll definitely make it a point to go back out on my own boat to be sure its something I can handle. I'd be interested to hear about your trips, did you track them online anywhere?
thanks,
ashleigh

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by ashleigh

Hi Steve,
I crossed the straight of Juan de Fuca once last summer on a 34' boat with a couple guys but we didn't have much trouble and at the time I was just along for the ride, I'll definitely make it a point to go back out on my own boat to be sure its something I can handle. I'd be interested to hear about your trips, did you track them online anywhere?
thanks,
ashleigh

Here is a link to my recent trip with photos.Sailing - Astoria to SF
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...f-15096-2.html

[hellosailor]

Ashleigh, I think any of us would have loved to be in your position and no one wants to discourage the dream. But sail long enough and you will find out "What happened to so and so...didn't you know, lost at sea." I know someone who had inland experience, but no ocean storm experience, and after a couple of years of building an dplanning and fitting he set out without the "spend a few days coastal in bad wx" that several friends recommended.

He was lost at sea within 36 hours of his departure, within eyesight of the new Jersey coast. And the east coast--unlike where you will be starting out--usually is not a lee shore. No one knows what happened to him, his body was never recovered. it is known that there was a sail or rigging failure on the boat, and the authorities guessed that he got caught up in something and went overboard, perhaps without a PFD.

The question is, have you experienced "small craft warnings" conditions on your boat? 4-8 foot seas are not unusual offshore, throw in 20-30 knots of wind and the question is, how does the boat hold up? It has to be controllable and able to stay off that lee shore, and the crew has to stay able as well. Little things like having storm sails aboard and knowing the rigging is good also count.

As none of us know you, you may understand why the well wishes are tempered with some concerns. Some thorough inspections, some longer jaunts out into progressively worse weather (and some weathercasting skills, because bare skin and eyeballs still work better than all the radio casts sometimes!) are really not optional is you want to ensure a safe trip. A couple of daysails or weekends getting to know those strangers who sign up to travel with you, also counts. Remember, when you are asleep-they have to be not just "nice guys", but able to captain your boat safely, even in those same bad wx conditions with a lee shore.

[disco192]

You are a couch surfer!!! I C YOU!!!

:P

Good luck finding good peeps. I might be in Australia by then. Best of luck!

[CharlieCobra]

Originally Posted by ashleigh

Hi Steve,
I crossed the straight of Juan de Fuca once last summer on a 34' boat with a couple guys but we didn't have much trouble and at the time I was just along for the ride, I'll definitely make it a point to go back out on my own boat to be sure its something I can handle. I'd be interested to hear about your trips, did you track them online anywhere?
thanks,
ashleigh

Do it in your little boat during an SCA at least. Try different tacks during the event to see how your boat and you handles it. I've been in four Gales, one Force 11 Storm and a couple of SCA's since I got my boat and while I'm sure I could do it, I'm not quite ready to make that run either. Weather's the biggest thing. Off that coast you've got nowhere to go if it comes up unless you're at least 100 NM out. Good luck with your dream.

[Intentional Drifter]

Hi, Ashleigh, and welcome to the forum. Coming in here and asking your questions is a great thing to do. I'll try not to repeat what others have already said, as you've already gotten a lot of great responses.

I am going to encourage you, though, to think much harder about whether your SJ 26 is the boat in which to take on the W. Coast. While they are great boats for what they do, you quickly get into the conundrum of "smaller boat = go slower = need more provisions" which does NOT equal "smaller boat". E.G., a friend went down the W. Coast a couple of years ago in a 50' Herreschoff ketch -- a very strong, incredibly well built ocean cruiser. They got caught in a gale off the Oregon coast, in August, 8 days in 35 to 55 knot winds and 25 to 35 foot seas. All this time was spent clawing off that lee shore, since the harbors were closed. The two of them had over 50 years sailing experience, with one of them a national sailing champion. Both of them said it was the nastiest sailing experience they've ever had. You may recall just last summer, in late July, when we got the tale end of a typhoon that came into the Straits of Juan Defuca and up the Straits of Georgia. We were in the Gulf Islands for that one and spent a couple of anxious nights.

This isn't intended to scare you off of your plans -- far from it! It is intended to either consider trailering the SJ down the coast (as previously suggested), or get something far more blue water capable in which to do it.

By the way, another site you might want to check out, from folks who did the same trip, also in a smaller boat, is: Adventures of S/V Felicity - Welcome! Very well done, and quite informative, website.

Go for it! Do it, now!

ID

P.S. Congratulations on graduating -- I assume from WWU. My son is a junior there and loves the university, and Bellingham.