Does anyone cruise the PNW during the winter?

[ScottMeilicke]

We are not sure we will be heading South this Fall from Seattle, WA, USA, so we are considering cruising the Pacific Northwest this Winter. We would mostly anchor, maybe hit a marina once a week. Other than the rain and cold, any reason not to do this with the right ground tackle?

We are six - me, wife, kids 10 & 14, two dogs, 43' ketch, four anchors, 300' chain, etc.

Thanks.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[exMaggieDrum]

There are a few hardy souls who cruise year round up here. They have enclosed cockpits and diesel heaters. They are couples so no kids.

Sure you can do it. The rain and clouds are an issue, as is the short daylight. But the wind is the real issue in the winter. It can blow very hard from different directions for days every once in a while. It may be too nasty to get off the boat, or if you do, very wet and miserable.

Some people who live on land here hate the weather so much they pack up and leave. Others endure it because of what it brings in the way of relatively mild winter conditions and all the green, plus the mountains, the water, etc. Others just complain about it ad nauseum. I encourage those people to just leave. For us, it is too hot when it gets to 85F. But it rarely snows at sea level.

But a big family? - I hope you have lots of activities planned aboard and ways to get out and about. And have really good ground tackle for high winds and find secure snug moorages. Not unusual to get 50kt winds in our marina here for 24 hours or more.

We don't have kids so not expert on the subject, but I suspect the kids will not like being cooped up on a boat so much.

[goat]

I've sailed for a few years in the straits of Georgia usually in winter. As said above, a pilot house and espar heater go a long way as do appropriate clothing for all aboard. Winds are fickle, skies are gray, but it was such a nice change from -40, I didn't complain. Hardly any traffic (except ferries) plenty of beautiful coves to anchor in, and when you get a nice day, there no place on earth that's better.

goat

Sent from my SGH-I257M using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Capt Phil]

You really need to talk to a few PNW folks who have worked full time commercially in these waters. There is really nothing so invigorating as dragging 125lb boom chains across a boom of water logged hemlock logs in a February snow storm to appreciate what a PNW winter is like. You begin to really yearn for one sunny day so you can dry out your socks!
I spent about 20 odd years towing logs, barges, fuel and bundle log, commercial fishing for salmon, herring, and halibut, seining, trolling and gill netting as well as a couple of seasons beach combing. Spent the next thirty years delivering boats up and down the west coast from Alaska to Panama which was like a retirement job compared to commercial work year round in the PNW! Can't imagine doing it with kids underfoot concerned about their health and education.
Although if you can find a quite protected little cove to hide out in up coast somewhere and are comfortable with home schooling it should certainly be doable. Cheers, Phil

[cal40john]

Never did the liveaboard thing, but have done many long weekends in the winter here. There are lots of protected anchorages. One Thanksgiving weekend anchored in behind the islands in the back of Port Ludlow there were a few ripples on the water when it was blowing 50 on the Sound.

Short daylight, rain, 45 degree days, either you like outdoors in those conditions, or you're good at living in cramped quarters together. We read alot.

[Sand crab]

This might be a good winter to do it.
I'm a snow skiier in Montana so I watch the weather regularly. This year is predicted to be one of the biggest El Nino events lately or even of all time. When this happens we are pretty dry and warm up here in the winter (Montana is in the PNW) and all the storm tracks run south. That's when LA gets all those floods and mudslides.
La Nina is when it's wet here. The bigger the event the more reliable is the long term outlook and this year's El Nino is a doozy. All the long term forecasts are looking that way.

[newhaul]

Year round cruising would be fine here the main issue I would see is homeschooling I suggest looking into n online program like the K12 program and good reliable internet at least for a couple hours a day. If you don't currently have a marina to call home there are several that offer winter rates on the kitsap peninsula. Like in poulsbo and with liberty bay being a really nice place to day sail year round. Or up in Kingston with quick access to the San Juan's and the Salish sea eagle harbor has good anchorage with good winter storm protection and quick to main sound and sailing when the mood strikes you. For me I would love to spend another winter on the hook in liberty bay they have free access to the dock for tenders and access to the marinas facilities. Stores are a quick walk away.

[jdazey]

It sounds like you've got the boat and ground tackle. You already know the weather. While kids that age can get REALLY LARGE, you already know them. Dogs will be happy if you are. Winter cruising will mean quiet anchorages and fewer crowds.

I can't think of any reasons not to do it. In fact it sounds like a good time.

[ScottMeilicke]

Thanks everyone, I am feeling better. My biggest fear is the high winds, but if that really bothers me we can duck into a marina just about anywhere. We have anchored in Ludlow in the past, but not sure we can fit behind those islands depth wise. That can be shallow water!

For the past four years, I have walked about a mile every day for work, so I'm somewhat aware of the weather conditions, but only in 20 minute snatches. We'll see what happens!

-Scott

[fryewe]

South sound (south of Tacoma Narrows Bridge) has a lot of holes out of the blow when it gets really nasty.

Hope you have a good cockpit enclosure.

[Cheechako]

I've done it quite a bit, as we lived aboard up here for years off and on.. You learn the real enclosed anchorages as you don't want to be exposed to high wind. Strangely, some real high winds sometimes come out of the East in winter. You have to watch for that as they are not the typical wind direction up here.
The dark short days, as mentioned can be bit gloomy... but you know that... even more so when raining and you are trapped on the boat.
With El Nina (Nino?) this year it's supposed to be mild though. Been as far north as Nanaimo BC in winter. Places like Garrison Bay in the San Juans is completely protected and interesting.
One of the issues is sometimes real strong winds ( to 70mph) can occur unpredicted. So I would opt for super protected anchorages most the time then when we get into a clear and cold/North wind situation try others. That North wind/cold/clear situation is usually better predicted and reliable. These pocket anchorages are strewn thru-out the sound... just need to search them out.

[Dhillen]

We cruised the PNW all year round and loved it. You do need a heater and plenty of hot water (especially with kids and a wife, it seems). We bit the bullet at wife's insistence and installed a Webasto-fired hydronic system and love it.

For the PNW, all the nice places (including Puget Sound) are virtually deserted during the winter. You will have one of the world's best cruising grounds to yourselves (especially since we are not there now...). The weather is well forecast and there are thousands of places to hole up. The holding is mostly mud and pretty good and the scenery is unbeatable.

Yep, do it.

Dhillen

[ScottMeilicke]

Dhillen, you had kids with you? Ages? How did they do in the PNW? I am concerned there will be essentially no kids about during the Winter. Not that I can do much about that...

[Cheechako]

Not only will there be no kids about, there will be no one about. You will be stuck in the boat much of the time due to cold or rain. Just the way it is. A quiet anchorage with a dusting of snow coming down can be beautiful.... but boring eventually!

[DeepFrz]

But its not like you are stuck in the boonies unless you head north up the inside passage or the west coast of V.I. You are never far from a city or town.