"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

Calif Bill wrote:

One faster than 8 knts. And one big enough to avoid killing your
shipmate.
And one big enough to handle the trip from the top of Vancouver Island
to
the passage. I understand there are some tidal rips that make the
slow
trawlers have to wait for slack tide to make the passage at different
locations. Probably a 27' minimum powerboat.

There are several areas like you describe. Slower boaters take the
traditional step of timing departure, etc, to hit these rapids at or
around slack. As do all sailors.

As do many thoughtful boaters who can run at enough speed to make
headway against a 5-10 knt current. These swift currents typically
occur in very narrow areas.
OK, so you can make headway and steer. But who's steering that giant
deadhead
(aimed straight for your stem and with an appetite for struts)
approaching at perhaps 7 knots? And, in a narrow pass with rocks on
either side how do you propose to avoid it?


This discussion reminds me of the story from back in the day. Seems that
a reporter or some such person asked Dan Gurney, who was a well known
race car driver for the Ferrari team among others, "what car would you
prefer for a drive across the united states?" expecting him to name some
exotic sports car. He looked at the reporter and said " Why, an air
conditioned Cadillac, of course".

Seems to me that the same principle would apply to a boat trip like this.

del cecchi