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My last little bit of planning

9K views 101 replies 19 participants last post by  northoceanbeach 
#1 ·
As some of you may know, I have recently purchased and done my best to outfit a 1971 Ranger 23 in Port Townsend Washington.

I got hit by a couple of late winter storms in late march and early april and I have returned to Eugene Oregon to get the title switched to my name and registered. While here I got insanely lucky and just happened to check craigslist Eugene and that morning a Avon 8 was listed for $100 firm. It's in great shape and now I have a uniquely tribal painted dinghy.

I'm returning the end of April when the forecast shows 66-68 and sunny. I picked up my passport that arrived at home while I was gone so now I can get into Canada. I dropped my road bike and 60 pounds of road bike clothes off because I thought my little boat could take it, but it turned out to be too much of a pain and it took up the entire v berth.

I plan to go to the San Juans, specifically Lopez Island May first, then the Gulf's, and up as far as I can, which I think will be Desolation Sound.

Here is how my boat is outfitted and please recommend things I need, because I should get them here. I know I don't have everything, but I am doing better than I thought.

Sailboat, newer sails, deck hardware and lines, older but good looking standing rigging.
2006 Yamaha 6hp, 6 gallon tank(how many extra tanks should I bring?), seafoam
8 foot dinghy, neatly folded in bag, footpump
Smallish dog with food, water and lifejacket, Corgi
All safety equipment required by law, nothing more
Good selection of charts from Bellingham to Victoria, down to the bottom of Whidbey Island
Washburns Tables, Tide Book, and book with pictures of the currents that complements the tables. Goes from Port Townsend to Powell River.
Butane Stove, backup tiny backpacking stove.
Pot, pan, silverware, dishes.
2 sets of coastal foul weather gear
5 quick dry camping pants, 5 shirts, 4 jackets, 5 wool socks, 5 camping underwear, 2 wool hats, sun hats, 2 pairs sunglasses, sailing gloves, hiking shoes, Sperry deck shoes.
120 amp newish battery(no charger)
150, 130, 90 jibs. Spinnaker. Main with one reef.
Boat hook, spinnaker pole(most likely use as backup boom in case...)
Portable Vhf
one book!
Porta potti
led interior battery powered lights
Tool box, some spare hardware, Epoxy kit, rig tape, electric and plumbing tape.
22 lb. Bruce anchor, chain, 150 feet rode
big and small danforth, chain and rode
iPhone

So that's about it. How does my plan sound, anything that you have found indespensible that I just have to have??

Any ideas on places I need to stop at? I plan to mostly anchor, and dinghy ashore for showers, hikes, visits and supplies.

I hope to learn alot of skills so I can one day cross the ocean or sail all the way to Alaska, or both.
 
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#77 ·
Mansons lagoon on the south side of Cortes Island is a great place in summer. On a high tide with less than 5 ft draft you can sail right up inside the lagoon , along the northside and anchor at the SE corner, with 8 ft of water at low tide. A short hike takes you to Hague lake , a white sand beach with 79 degree water in august( Bahamas North). Store, good hamburgers and chicken burgers for around $5. internet access, post office, and Credit Union. They even have a nude beach ( blubber rock) where single handers go to reassure themselves they aint missing much.
Around the corner is Gorge Harbour, good internet access, store, gas dock and the Whaletown commons, good hiking.
Go to Heriot Bay on Quadra for groceries , too expensive on Cortes. Great music in the Heriot Bay Inn on friday nites
When you get to Comox, look for me west of the marinas where my twin keelers dry out. I may be still there, or in Mansons, Heriot Bay, etc ..
 
#81 ·
Once you cross the border the most convenient checkin for customs will be Bedwell Harbour or Cabbage Island (by phone). If Bedwell then Beaumont Park in the bay is a decent anchorage with some hiking trails. From there I'd check out Sidney Spit, Portland Island, Ganges, Montague harbour, Wallace Is, Pirates Cove, on your way North.. once out of the islands, Nanaimo, Schooner Cove, Tribune Bay, Comox on the Island side, and/or Plumper Cove, Secret Cove, Smuggler Cove, Blind Bay/Hardy Is, Vananda (Sturt Bay), Westview and the Copelands on the mainland side. By then you're in Desolation Sound or near enough.
 
#79 ·
My first stop wouldn't be in the Gulf Islands. Go to Stuart Island (Provost Harbor). There is a really nice hike there up to an old school house and the island is beautiful.

Then I'd go to Sucia.

Then I'd go to the Gulf Islands.
 
#82 ·
You will need to clear customs and immigration. I would go to Sidney or Bedwell (CBSA Office - Detailed Information). At Sidney go to the customs dock (blue signs) at either Port Sidney (CBSA Office - Detailed Information) or Van Isle (gas dock) (CBSA Office - Detailed Information) and phone in.

Only the skipper is allowed ashore.

You will require
your passport(s)
ships papers
names, addresses, birthdates and citizenship of all aboard.

Be aware that certain items cannot be brought into Canada.
(bsf5082: Visitors to Canada and other Temporary Residents)

Private boats

If you arrive in Canada aboard a private boat, you must proceed directly to the nearest designated telephone reporting marine site. Upon arrival in Canada, the master of the boat must report to the CBSA by calling 1-888-226-7277. The master of the boat will provide details of the voyage, the passengers and their declaration. No one except the master may leave the boat until authorized to do so by the CBSA. As proof of presentation, masters will be provided with a report number for their records. Masters must provide this number to a border services officer upon request. You do not have to report to the CBSA when you leave by private boat unless you are exporting goods that need to be documented. To get a list of the designated telephone reporting marine sites, call 1-888-226-7277 before you arrive in Canada.
 
#83 · (Edited)
After clearing customs and anchoring for the night, I would give Ganges a look see, especially on a Saturday morning (market day). The anchoring needs attention, 180 wind shifts and a tricky bottom. Ron (Faster) gave some good advise.
 
#84 ·
... I dropped my road bike and 60 pounds of road bike clothes off ...
Wait, what?

60 lbs of road bike clothes??? What the heck is it all made of? I have tons of road bike clothes, I have bib-shorts and jerseys (long sleeves, short sleeves, no sleeves), I have arm warmers and leg warmers and knee warmers. I have booties and winter gloves and summer gloves, cold weather socks, warm weather socks, normal weather socks. Base layers and a jacket and a wind vest. Balaclava. And fancy Italian bike shoes. And if I threw it all on a scale there's no way it would weigh 60 lbs. In fact, if I threw my bike on the scale too I don't think the whole shebang would weigh 60 lbs.
 
#86 ·
Lol well I didn't weight it. But I had probably.

2 shoes
5 socks
3 arm warmers, leg warmers
5 hats, balaclava
5 gloves
8-10 jerseys, some wool winter.
6-8 jackets
4 vests
4 base layers
8 bibs
3 overshoes

Floor pump, hand pump, co2, pre an post ride vega drinks
Two extra tubulars, glue, Giles remover, extra SRAM chain, lube, degreaser
Wheel bags And... I think maybe I'm forgetting some.

That's why the v berth was so comfy last night. Miss my bike though. Just doesn't spoon well. And it's greasy. I keep it spotless but there's always grease. First one I took it out sort a half hour with shout to my cushion.

Go folding bike!!!
 
#94 ·
Great weekend to get started! I was staying up at Fort Ebey on Whidbey this weekend, looking over towards both Port Townsend and Smith Island and thinking how nice of a weekend it would be on the water. Have a great trip.

Do enjoy the San Juans before you push into Canada. There are tons of wonderful spots in there. Lopez is my favorite "big" island, Stuart and Sucia are my favorite small ones (both have nice walks/hiking).
 
#89 ·
Sure got a nice weekend to start things off!! Enjoy.
 
#91 ·
Not bad water in Tsehum Harbour, good in Maple Bay, bleachy in Ladysmith, very bleachy in Sechelt and most of the Sunshine Coast, with arsenic concerns, exellent in Deep Bay, bleachy in Comox, excellent in Heriot Bay.
 
#95 · (Edited)
I will. I'm heading to Friday harbor today. I didn't get hardly any food. It's alway hard to decide what to bring on "camping" type trips.

The solar panel is charging. I think it will take some time to get the battery topped off. My circuit panel has a control box with a switch for battery test. It's yellow on the bottom half and almost but not quite at the top of the yellow there is a bar. Then the top half is green. Where would a fully topped battery fall. So far it's always between the yellow bar and just touching the green. After sitting on the bar and charging for five hours it hit the green. Then I charged mt phone and now it is halfway between green and bar.

Second question thy has come up. I know I've talked about anchoring before but now that j am doing it. I thought I would have obvious wind or current. Point into that and then back down on the anchor, but the bays(fishermans) are so protected that I just float. Which way to set the anchor?

I sailed from harbor to harbor getting to Lopez. That made me happy. I want to 'sail' as much ad possible. It took 9 hours to mackaye harbor from port Townsend and 33.97 miles with the tacking. Glad I didn't leave later in the day because everyone told me five hours max. I think they motor more.
 
#96 ·
There are pretty good big grocery stores on both Lopez and San Juan, in both cases it is about a 20ish minute walk from the marinas.

Anchor in the same direction as the rest of the boats. There might not be much current or wind, but there will be some. Don't forget to back down (either under sail or motor) to set the anchor.
 
#97 ·
Thanks. I've been backing down. Maybe 1/3-1/2 throttle in reverse for 30 seconds and looking to see if I move. So far so good. I have been picking anchorages the books say have good bottoms.

Fun stuff. Sunburned the s out of my face though. Forgot about that.

Some 15-25 mph southwesterlies coming Monday night into Tuesday so hopefully that can zip me northwest fast.
 
#98 ·
Personaly I would like 2 reefs for my main.
your standard 6 gal fuel tank should be pleanty of gas. I would recomend a small 1gallon reserve tank. it will fit in cockpit locker. and is easy to carry up road to gas stations.
Worked for me on a C&C 24 with honda 10hp.
I don't like boat water. a store bought water bottle is nice. refillable at potable water taps and can be taken ashore in dingy.
I found the square one with spigot worked well.
A stainless gas barbeque is a must have. you will use far more than stove.
If you are going north.
Canadian tide and current atlas and tide tables.
There is also a Gulf Island, Desolation Sound, Crusing Charts
Chart Atlas saves a lot of space but not cheep.
Good pair of Bino's I like 10 x 50 most use 7 x 50.
HBC compas. plotter or P rule or triangles. pencil and drawing comp.
Digital Camera.
 
#100 ·
What are you doing for phone/internet on your trip?

I was looking into Canadian GSM pre-pay cards and am not finding the deals that I was hoping for. In the US it isn't hard to find unlimited internet for under $50/mo (and usually more like $30/mo), but in BC the best that I'm finding is 1gb for $60/mo.

I don't need the internet every day. Do most marinas have coverage?
 
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