ASD 2021 Preparations for SE Alaska Cruiese

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

So the purpose of this thread is to share what ASD's crew is doing to prepare for a summer cruise to SE Alaska. We have a check list of items that need to be accomplish before Crossing the Columbia River Bar.

I would respectively request those who want to discuss COVID to please take your comments to a different thread.

While sitting on the dock yesterday, the Admiral and I started to run down the list of things we would have to do to get ASD ready. It's been a year since she has tasted salt water.

So what have we done so Far? Not much, but it is a start.

1. Received my 2021 Waggoner and Tides and Current

2. Payed the (extortion) annual tax for border patrol

3. Re-applied for my NEXUS Card. It was a good thing the Admiral brought this up as it expired in April.

4. I have arranged for an annual two week haul out at the end of March. Inspect and fix anything on the hull. Cut, buff and wax the hull.


Come March we start unloading storage and packing the boat. We will also run each system and update the navigation charts.

The chart updates are a spendy one, $100 per card. I have 3 Navionics cards and CE Canadian charts.

Not much to start, and lots of $$ but we are making the process.

We will keep everyone updated on our progress.

Again, take your COVID discussions to a different thread.

 

[w8n4sun]

That sounds like a fun trip for you coming up. Good luck and thanks for sharing your process and preparation on undertaking this trip.

 

[GFC]

Tom, I'd suggest you leave all your fishing gear behind but make sure you bring Miss Kay's gear. After all, hers is the only gear that seems to work. At least that's what Crusty reports on here. Oh, and don't forget to renew HER fishing licenses.

This is a thread I'll enjoy watching.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Tom, have you and Kay considered the outside run to Alaska? After many overnight runs down here I’m a lot more comfortable doing the longer runs. I would think that a good weather window from Nea Bay outside of Vancouver Island and further up would allow more time up north than day hops up the inside, night runs on the inside would make me pretty nervous with all the crap that we had to dodge.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Tom, I'd suggest you leave all your fishing gear behind but make sure you bring Miss Kay's gear. After all, hers is the only gear that seems to work. At least that's what Crusty reports on here. Oh, and don't forget to renew HER fishing licenses.

This is a thread I'll enjoy watching.

Miss Kay is in charge of all the fishing gear. She seems to change her line every year, but not mine......mmmmmm interesting

Tom, have you and Kay considered the outside run to Alaska? After many overnight runs down here I’m a lot more comfortable doing the longer runs. I would think that a good weather window from Nea Bay outside of Vancouver Island and further up would allow more time up north than day hops up the inside, night runs on the inside would make me pretty nervous with all the crap that we had to dodge.

Yeah, but I don't have the range from Neah Bay to K-Town. Plus no fuel at Neah Bay. Plus the weather and seas on the outside are not so good most of the time. Fighting the current is not fun either. I'll stick to the inside.

 

[sunchaser]

ASD
You might consider a layover in Anacortes to address any mechanical or electrical glitches that show up. With BC stops most likely being for fuel only, any problems would be difficult to address until Ketchikan.

With our vessel unavailable to us in Sidney, my concern is the odd operational happening that normal PM can't address will pop up along the remote stretches of the BC coast. Our boat watcher is great but those darn gothcas are always lurking.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

ASD
You might consider a layover in Anacortes to address any mechanical or electrical glitches that show up. With BC stops most likely being for fuel only, any problems would be difficult to address until Ketchikan.

With our vessel in Sidney my concern is the odd operational happening that normal PM can't address will pop up along the remote stretches of the BC coast. Our boat watcher is great but those darn gothcas are always lurking.

Good point. Our normal stop over is Friday Harbor. Then we work our way up the Island side to Port McNeill.

 

[EyeOnAlaska]

I"ll be watching this thread closely for tips. We bought a boat in Port Orchard over the winter and I'm flying down at the end of March to prep her for the trip up to Alaska, where she'll be homeported in Seward. Tentatively planning on beginning the trip at the end of April.

 

[Kawini]

Sunchaser-

I’ve been spending the fall and winter in Friday Harbor, and I’m tied up right opposite the customs dock at the breakwater. Deliveries of US boats by Canadian commercial captains is pretty routine. Americans who generally keep their boats in Sidney but are looking to be reunited with them during the border closure are able to arrange a delivery to Friday Harbor pretty easily.

 

[SteveK]

Miss Kay is in charge of all the fishing gear. She seems to change her line every year, but not mine......mmmmmm interesting.

Back when I fished to the limits, I also changed my line annually. Now the same line is on the unused rods.

There may be a clue in why your line is not changed as often, no wear and tear.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Back when I fished to the limits, I also changed my line annually. Now the same line is on the unused rods.

There may be a clue in why your line is not changed as often, no wear and tear.

True, but I think she is setting me up with rotten line.......[emoji38]

 

[GFC]

True, but I think she is setting me up with rotten line.......[emoji38]

Fortunately you never have the occasion to put the line to the test!

 

[Ken E.]

True, but I think she is setting me up with rotten line.......[emoji38]

Kay's methods work. I've seen a couple big king salmon she's caught.

 

[sunchaser]

Sunchaser-

I’ve been spending the fall and winter in Friday Harbor, and I’m tied up right opposite the customs dock at the breakwater. Deliveries of US boats by Canadian commercial captains is pretty routine. Americans who generally keep their boats in Sidney but are looking to be reunited with them during the border closure are able to arrange a delivery to Friday Harbor pretty easily.

Thanks. We elected to take a season off (all of 2020) and do some other things. A boat delivery as you describe is likely to happen this spring and then we'd meander to AK. I'm not keen on boating in WA for very long as the tax guys are merciless. Right now we're talking about joining some friends onboard their large vessel in the spring for Seattle to AK. There are some interesting options out there.

 

[ksanders]

I"ll be watching this thread closely for tips. We bought a boat in Port Orchard over the winter and I'm flying down at the end of March to prep her for the trip up to Alaska, where she'll be homeported in Seward. Tentatively planning on beginning the trip at the end of April.

End of April to Seward is Easy Peasy. I've done it a few times.

The weather is getting nice, daylight is increasing and it is pretty quiet.

You will find fuel is available during "winter" hours meaning 8-5 or thereabouts.

your weather hold points will be either Port Mcneil or Port Hardy, then Prince Rupert, then Elfin Cove, and Yakutat.

Remember that the Candian forecast system is based on sea states in meters.

Make sure you have tools to fix anything that can happen, and perhaps a satellite phone. Parts can be UPS or FEDEX'sd to Alaskan ports pretty easially.

 

[Retriever]

We're getting ready, too. Akeeva is on the hard for bottom paint, stabilizer seals, etc. Everything looked pretty good when it came out of the water. I'm working down the list...building a serious offshore medical kit, stocking up on consumables and spare parts, getting the liferaft repacked and a new battery in the EPIRB and PLBs...the list never seems to get shorter!

We're hoping to do the Inside Passage but ready to go offshore, too. We won't need fuel or supplies after such a short time (it's less than four days non-stop). If the weather is good and we're not too exhausted we'd probably go past Ketchikan to Coronation Island. It would be a fun place to make landfall.

Kevin, since you're out of Seward and have way more Gulf of Alaska knowledge than me, how long are typical weather windows in the spring and summer? Is there much chance of a week of good weather for a non-stop Seattle to Seward run?

 

[SteveK]

IIRC running up on the outside is usually with a following sea, that would not, has not appealed. Heading down on the outside they can be tamed by quartering.
I have only done from offshore to mid island and several fishing trips out of Tofino. Been to Port Hardy from the inside and could see the rollers coming around.
That sea can get calm too, good luck.
Mind you if you make a sail plan to go the outside offshore and the weather gets bad, that is your excuse for going the inside passage for safety.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

We're getting ready, too. Akeeva is on the hard for bottom paint, stabilizer seals, etc. Everything looked pretty good when it came out of the water. I'm working down the list...building a serious offshore medical kit, stocking up on consumables and spare parts, getting the liferaft repacked and a new battery in the EPIRB and PLBs...the list never seems to get shorter!

We're hoping to do the Inside Passage but ready to go offshore, too. We won't need fuel or supplies after such a short time (it's less than four days non-stop). If the weather is good and we're not too exhausted we'd probably go past Ketchikan to Coronation Island. It would be a fun place to make landfall.

Kevin, since you're out of Seward and have way more Gulf of Alaska knowledge than me, how long are typical weather windows in the spring and summer? Is there much chance of a week of good weather for a non-stop Seattle to Seward run?

Don't forget Customs in K-Town

 

[Retriever]

Don't forget Customs in K-Town

If we run non-stop from Washington, we wouldn't clear into Canada (although we would check in with the Coast Guard, like the fish boats do). Since our last port of call would be in the US, I don't see why we'd need to clear US Customs. But I'll double check with CBP in Ketchikan to be sure.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

If we run non-stop from Washington, we wouldn't clear into Canada (although we would check in with the Coast Guard, like the fish boats do). Since our last port of call would be in the US, I don't see why we'd need to clear US Customs. But I'll double check with CBP in Ketchikan to be sure.

I believe you are correct unless you have to Quarantine.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Adding to the list. A hot water heater...

Heard the bilge pump go off and on. Oh oh. I went to the ER and water was pouring out. Its been in use since 2007.

It is a Seaward 11 gallon SS tank. Electric and port engine heat exchanger.

I want to go to a 20 gallon tank, but I have to do some measurements and see how much stuff I would have to relocate.

 

[Ken E.]

Torrid has 20 gallon tanks that you can get with 2 heat exchangers, one to be plumbed into engine coolant and the other into your hydronic heating system. I did this some years ago when my old tank started leaking.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Torrid has 20 gallon tanks that you can get with 2 heat exchangers, one to be plumbed into engine coolant and the other into your hydronic heating system. I did this some years ago when my old tank started leaking.

Thanks Ken. HWH are not cheap. I was looking at Isotherm and wow must be gold in it somewhere.

 

[SteveK]

Have you considered tankless electric, Has anyone and is that feasible?

Or this diesel fired on demand

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Nice. Looks big!!

 

[nwboater]

Have you considered tankless electric, Has anyone and is that feasible?

Or this diesel fired on demand

ITR Hurricane is not a stand-a-alone HWH. It is also a combo heater unit requiring a full hydronic installation with air handlers and all the rest. The only on-demand HWH that I could find is the ShowerMate which is propane fired M550-EC Propane Tankless Water Heater – PrecisionTemp

 

[sunchaser]

It is a Seaward 11 gallon SS tank. Electric and port engine heat exchanger.

More likely an Al tank. We replaced our failed Seaward with a Torrid unit. A new Seaward 11 gallon costs about $700.

 

[SteveK]

ITR Hurricane is not a stand-a-alone HWH. It is also a combo heater unit requiring a full hydronic installation with air handlers and all the rest. The only on-demand HWH that I could find is the ShowerMate which is propane fired https://precisiontemp.com/products/showermate-m-550/

I will review more. The video suggests a dual function on demand domestic water and coolant furnace system. The size of a 6 gallon tank

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Thanks everyone for the tips and help. After doing some measurements and looking at the project as a whole, I decided to just replace it with the same model. Fisheries had a SS model so we had a nice drive to Seattle.

Pics below. One installed. I left the protective film on it. Then a pic of the old one. It appears the weld seam came apart.

Question: When I poured the water in the old tank a milky white stuff came out. What is that nasty stuff?

Well back to the list.

 

[Painless]

Thanks everyone for the tips and help. After doing some measurements and looking at the project as a whole, I decided to just replace it with the same model. Fisheries had a SS model so we had a nice drive to Seattle.

Pics below. One installed. I left the protective film on it. Then a pic of the old one. It appears the weld seam came apart.

Question: When I poured the water in the old tank a milky white stuff came out. What is that nasty stuff?

Well back to the list.

Maybe the residue from the anode inside the hot water tank.