I may be doing a delivery from Seattle, WA to Vancouver, BC. I would
appreciate any advice. I am familiar with the San Juans, but I have
not been further south. Especially interested in whether the
Swinomish Channel makes any difference in time?

The vessel is a planning powerboat that will cruise at 20 knots.

Thanks

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
Swiftsure Sailing Academy
Director/ISPA and CYA Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
Phone: 1 (877) 470-SAIL (toll free)
__________________________________________________

"Jack Dale" wrote in message
...

Especially interested in whether the
Swinomish Channel makes any difference in time?

The vessel is a planning powerboat that will cruise at 20 knots.


It's been a few years since I transited the Swinomish Channel but I would
expect that there is some speed restriction and 20 knots would be
excessive..

However, it does save sometime, especially if the weather and water
conditions on Admiralty Inlet would keep you from running on a plane..

I assume this delivery is in the near future, winter months, so things could
get rough and I would recommend the Channel and then lay over in Anacortes
or Bellingham if the rest of the passage looks rough.. Then you only have
open water while in the Straits of Georgia.

Good luck, even this time of year it can be a nice trip..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

"Jack Dale" wrote in message
...

Especially interested in whether the
Swinomish Channel makes any difference in time?

The vessel is a planning powerboat that will cruise at 20 knots.


It's been a few years since I transited the Swinomish Channel but I would
expect that there is some speed restriction and 20 knots would be
excessive..

However, it does save sometime, especially if the weather and water
conditions on Admiralty Inlet would keep you from running on a plane..

I assume this delivery is in the near future, winter months, so things could
get rough and I would recommend the Channel and then lay over in Anacortes
or Bellingham if the rest of the passage looks rough.. Then you only have
open water while in the Straits of Georgia.

Good luck, even this time of year it can be a nice trip..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

In article ,
says...

"Jack Dale" wrote in message
...

Especially interested in whether the
Swinomish Channel makes any difference in time?

The vessel is a planning powerboat that will cruise at 20 knots.


It's been a few years since I transited the Swinomish Channel but I would
expect that there is some speed restriction and 20 knots would be
excessive..

However, it does save sometime, especially if the weather and water
conditions on Admiralty Inlet would keep you from running on a plane..

I assume this delivery is in the near future, winter months, so things could
get rough and I would recommend the Channel and then lay over in Anacortes
or Bellingham if the rest of the passage looks rough.. Then you only have
open water while in the Straits of Georgia.

Good luck, even this time of year it can be a nice trip..

I've made the trip from Seattle to the San Juans a number of times.
Unless I planned to head over toward Port Townsend, I always made
the trip to the East of Whidbey Island. It is generally much calmer
and more protected.

I've never taken the Swinomish channel, so I can't help much there. If
it ends up being unsuitable, you can always get to the East of
Whidbey through Deception Pass. You will probably have to time
your passage to the tidal currents, even at 20 Knots, unless
you're a real risk taker. If I was delivering someone else's
boat, I'd moderate my quest for adventure! ;-)


Mark Borgerson

In article ,
says...

"Jack Dale" wrote in message
...

Especially interested in whether the
Swinomish Channel makes any difference in time?

The vessel is a planning powerboat that will cruise at 20 knots.


It's been a few years since I transited the Swinomish Channel but I would
expect that there is some speed restriction and 20 knots would be
excessive..

However, it does save sometime, especially if the weather and water
conditions on Admiralty Inlet would keep you from running on a plane..

I assume this delivery is in the near future, winter months, so things could
get rough and I would recommend the Channel and then lay over in Anacortes
or Bellingham if the rest of the passage looks rough.. Then you only have
open water while in the Straits of Georgia.

Good luck, even this time of year it can be a nice trip..

I've made the trip from Seattle to the San Juans a number of times.
Unless I planned to head over toward Port Townsend, I always made
the trip to the East of Whidbey Island. It is generally much calmer
and more protected.

I've never taken the Swinomish channel, so I can't help much there. If
it ends up being unsuitable, you can always get to the East of
Whidbey through Deception Pass. You will probably have to time
your passage to the tidal currents, even at 20 Knots, unless
you're a real risk taker. If I was delivering someone else's
boat, I'd moderate my quest for adventure! ;-)


Mark Borgerson

Watch the channel makers carefully at both ends of the Swinomish channel...
I've seen quite a few boats ground in the mud by trying to cut a corner,or
misaligned the buoys. Check the tides, as they can run significantly in
the channel, and you'd like to have them to your advantage. It's a pretty
easy trip from Seattle to Belligham if you stay on the inside of Whidby, and
reasonably well protected. From B'ham north can be more exposed with fairly
long fetch when winds blow from the NW.

If it's perfectly calm (unlikely), you would make better time going outside
Whidby Is., but I wouldn't recommend it because it's a long haul and if the
wind pipes up from the west, you've got the the straight of Juan de Fuca
staight out to the pacific to port and you're on a lee shore. Taking the
inside of Whidby offers much better protection, and the Swinomish channel is
fun, anyway.

Watch out for the sandbar (extends 3-4mi out from the shore) just south of
Vancouver off Steveston/mouth of the Frasier river. If it's not crystal
clear, it's pretty much impossible to sight landmarks/markers to judge
whether you're far enough offshore or not due to the distances involved and
the rather flat land surrounding. (i.e. bring a GPS and you'll be fine).
I've eyeball navigated the trip from B'ham south several times without any
trouble (using charts, of course).

-Pete

"Jack Dale" wrote in message
...
I may be doing a delivery from Seattle, WA to Vancouver, BC. I would
appreciate any advice. I am familiar with the San Juans, but I have
not been further south. Especially interested in whether the
Swinomish Channel makes any difference in time?

The vessel is a planning powerboat that will cruise at 20 knots.

Thanks

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
Swiftsure Sailing Academy
Director/ISPA and CYA Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
Phone: 1 (877) 470-SAIL (toll free)
__________________________________________________

Watch the channel makers carefully at both ends of the Swinomish channel...
I've seen quite a few boats ground in the mud by trying to cut a corner,or
misaligned the buoys. Check the tides, as they can run significantly in
the channel, and you'd like to have them to your advantage. It's a pretty
easy trip from Seattle to Belligham if you stay on the inside of Whidby, and
reasonably well protected. From B'ham north can be more exposed with fairly
long fetch when winds blow from the NW.

If it's perfectly calm (unlikely), you would make better time going outside
Whidby Is., but I wouldn't recommend it because it's a long haul and if the
wind pipes up from the west, you've got the the straight of Juan de Fuca
staight out to the pacific to port and you're on a lee shore. Taking the
inside of Whidby offers much better protection, and the Swinomish channel is
fun, anyway.

Watch out for the sandbar (extends 3-4mi out from the shore) just south of
Vancouver off Steveston/mouth of the Frasier river. If it's not crystal
clear, it's pretty much impossible to sight landmarks/markers to judge
whether you're far enough offshore or not due to the distances involved and
the rather flat land surrounding. (i.e. bring a GPS and you'll be fine).
I've eyeball navigated the trip from B'ham south several times without any
trouble (using charts, of course).

-Pete

"Jack Dale" wrote in message
...
I may be doing a delivery from Seattle, WA to Vancouver, BC. I would
appreciate any advice. I am familiar with the San Juans, but I have
not been further south. Especially interested in whether the
Swinomish Channel makes any difference in time?

The vessel is a planning powerboat that will cruise at 20 knots.

Thanks

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
Swiftsure Sailing Academy
Director/ISPA and CYA Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
Phone: 1 (877) 470-SAIL (toll free)
__________________________________________________

Pete wrote:


Watch out for the sandbar (extends 3-4mi out from the shore) just south of
Vancouver off Steveston/mouth of the Frasier river. If it's not crystal
clear, it's pretty much impossible to sight landmarks/markers to judge
whether you're far enough offshore or not due to the distances involved and
the rather flat land surrounding. (i.e. bring a GPS and you'll be fine).
I've eyeball navigated the trip from B'ham south several times without any
trouble (using charts, of course).

That's Roberts Bank, and it's dangerous for the reasons you cited. However
there is one advantage in that the shoaling is gradual. Keeping a close eye on
depth is a great defense. You can hear about the weather and sea state of that
area by listening for "Sandheads" in the Can broadcast.

Pete wrote:


Watch out for the sandbar (extends 3-4mi out from the shore) just south of
Vancouver off Steveston/mouth of the Frasier river. If it's not crystal
clear, it's pretty much impossible to sight landmarks/markers to judge
whether you're far enough offshore or not due to the distances involved and
the rather flat land surrounding. (i.e. bring a GPS and you'll be fine).
I've eyeball navigated the trip from B'ham south several times without any
trouble (using charts, of course).

That's Roberts Bank, and it's dangerous for the reasons you cited. However
there is one advantage in that the shoaling is gradual. Keeping a close eye on
depth is a great defense. You can hear about the weather and sea state of that
area by listening for "Sandheads" in the Can broadcast.

Thanks to those who provided us with the advice. We made the trip
this weekend.

A quick report:

After late start and locking out, we headed out of Seattle at about
3:30 on Saturday.

Later we had a classic cold front go through: big dark clouds, dark
wind line on the water, 90 degree wind shift. The pictures are quite
dramatic.

We approached Everett in the dark and after much poking around to find
the end of the jetty, and we found guest moorage and had a great meal.
The next morning after a fine breakfast we headed up the east side of
Whidbey, which was quite thick with logs.

The boat ( a re-po) had just a bit too much corrosion on the props and
the starboard prop was cavitating. We initially thought we had spun
it. After some phone calls we arranged a haulout at LaConner.

At the entrance to the channel we were hailed by a sailboat that had
lost its engines and had attempted to sail into LaConner again the
current. Goat Island had blanketed the wind.

After a quick stop and a new (used) prop we motored up to Anacortes.

On Monday, after re-fueling, we headed for Sand Heads at the south arm
of the Fraser River. This day was uneventful, except for a rolly ride
up the arm until we were at Steveston and sheltered from the wind. We
got to play with the radar and found the buoys with racon quite
valuable.

Thanks again. I found a couple of places I would like to re-visit on
a cruise.

Jack ( Back in Calgary at -30 Celsius)

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
Swiftsure Sailing Academy
Director/ISPA and CYA Instructor
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
Phone: 1 (877) 470-SAIL (toll free)
__________________________________________________