Alaska 2007

Knotty C · Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:39 pm Post subject:

Don here,

Thanks to all for the helpful advice. I have read Small-Boat Cruising to Alaska by Lief G. Terdal at least twice. His book and his advice led us to purchase our 2005 CD 25 Cruiser at the Seattle boat show a couple years ago.

Gene, I took your advice and I am half way through Charlie’s Charts North to Alaska. The drawings are the unique feature of this guide. Charlie passed on almost twenty years ago and his wife Margo Wood has maintained and updated his work. Dee and I had an opportunity to meet her at the last Seattle boat show. We obtained a personalized autographed copy of her book “A Prairie, Chicken Goes to Sea”. Dee enjoyed Margo’s account of how a Midwestern woman went from a non-swimmer/boater to a person who frequently solos her sailboat.

Jdower, Our approximate departure date from Cornet Bay is the second week in July. Our plan is to take five weeks, getting to Skagway post haste and take our time on the trip back. I’ll update you when we finalize. Can you provide a way to email or PM you?

Pat and Jay, I have seen the Douglass cruising guides and will pick up a copy/copies, thanks.

Casey, we have both of the Inside Passage Fine Edge “maps” as well as the San Juan and Gulf Islands “map”. They are very handy for planning. I like your suggestion for spiral binding. We have a Raymarine C80 and I am hoping Santa will drop a couple of chips in the Christmas Sherpa sock this year, but if it comes up empty I may take you up on the loan. Thank you for your kind offer.

Thanks also to El and Bill, Casey, Penny and George, Pat and Patty, David and many others for insights drawn from their experiences and inspirations from the photo albums and slide shows.

Thanks again to the Brats,

Don and Dee

Catman · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:01 am Post subject:

Hey, Pat and David (also known as Beer Guys), that helicopter photo by Neil Rabinowitz is a once in a lifetime shot. How many guys have an experience like that?

The January issue of Motorboating Magazine is coming soon to a news stand near me. Then I can look from the cameraman's angle at two enterprising Brats on a spree.
Rainbow

Casey · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:38 am Post subject:

Don,

If you have the Raymarine C80 you probably use Navionic's chips. Our Raymarine system is the older RL70 series, and uses the C-Map NT+ chips (the two chips systems are not compatible). Sorry. But for other C-Brat's who may be planning a BC/AK trip this summer (and use C-Map NT+ chips), give me a shout.

One more thought RE the FineEdge maps. If you opt to do the cut and laminate idea; you can do the entire North and South maps in three laminations if you put the North series on one side and the South series on reverse side. Pretty handy.

Have a Great trip!

Casey
C-Dory Naknek

Sundog

thataway · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:15 pm Post subject:

I hope to see you on the water this summer. Great web site!

Sundog

If it is o.k. -- I would like to ask some questions to those that have done this trip as I organize for it.

My first question as it would be a big purchase is --- is it safe or reasonable to do this without Radar? I have boated now for over 3 years withouth one but never in the inside passage. Any thoughts would be great.

Thanks,

Joe

Dreamer · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

The short answer, Absolutely Not!

Notayot · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:32 pm Post subject:

I am not sure I would be so emphatic about Radar as an essential. We spent three seasons cruising Alaska, and each year only had a couple of days where we had fog absolutely requiring radar--and only a couple total with pea soup fog, where radar was essential. I have radar but I also run at night a fair amount. There is not much boat traffic in the inland passage (relitative to other areas)--and we found that the fishing boats and large vessels were pretty good about fog signals. The biggest problem was gill netters with heavy fog--but with gill netters at any time there is a problem with an opening--they basically cut off some channels.
No disrespect meant.

El and Bill · Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:44 am Post subject:

Our opinion -- radar on the Inside Pasage is a very big safety factor. There are times when there could be dense fog that drops quickly, or when a sudden storm drops visibility to near zero -- then the radar is a must for safe travel on the Passage. Cruise ships move deceptively fast; fishing boats are common (as Bob states, and often apparently erratic in their movements); and there are lots of private boats -- in a dense fog, they can all be a serious threat. We have only used our radar a few times in Alaska, but we were thankful to have it during those times.

We have a thread on our website about general hazards in cruising AK -- http://www.geocities.com/bill_fiero/cruisingak.htm Note the picture of the cruise ship, in the fog.

Again, an opinion -- don't cruise at night there -- too many logs in the water. Our radar doesn't reflect from most logs.

Forget the auto pilot -- worthless waste of money, on a CD-22 anyway, in our opinion, unless you are going to be (fishing) trolling. Dangerous, in AK, in our experience, since your eyes should be on the water watching for logs, and your hands on the wheel for instant reaction. Save money on it and buy a radar!

Also, radar won't be a help for this, but beware of the KUSHTAKAS!!

Pat Anderson · Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:25 am Post subject:

OK, Wikipedia to the rescue:

Kushtaka are mythical creatures to the Tlingit Indians of Southeatern Alaska. Loosely translated, Kushtaka means, "land otter man".

Dora~Jean · Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:32 am Post subject:

El and Bill, one very and explicit write-up of the general nature of the trip and subtleties of cruising the Alaskan Southeast. Not for the inexperienced or timid for sure. Thanks so much for your thoughts and experience, it enlightened me on so many questions I've had.

We too are contemplating a trip through the inside or another option or two. My son wants to do the trip for his HS graduation 'present' after viewing Wanderer's slide show. For me to get 4 weeks off will be a major event, 3 weeks more doable.

I'm considering 3 options. 1st, trailer to Prince Rupert and boat North as far as prudent (weather concerns/delays), hopefully see a glacier, ice bergs, a few bear, and do some crabbing/shrimping/fishing. 2nd, to trailer to Ketchican, launch our trip from there (not stay there of course). 3rd, launch much closer to home in Wash state and explore the San Juans, possibly sites along Vancover Is, or maybe Northward along BC.

Side note, the Bahamas WAS his first choice before the slide show, but starting that trip mid to late June puts us too close to the stormy season there.

Steve

Chris · Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:41 am Post subject:

KUSHTAKAS......Mythical creatures??? Yeah right! Just try to anchor in Ruth Cove! That place is crawling with them!

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:39 pm Post subject:

Dora-Jean wrote:

"2nd, to trailer to Ketchican,"

Steve- You can indeed drive to and launch from Prince Rupert, but Ketchikan has no roads to it from the mainland and is reachable only over the water or through the air.

You could, however, ship your boat there on a ferry, like the Alaskan Marine Highway System. Good luck whatever you choose! Joe.

Sundog · Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:56 pm Post subject: Radar

Thanks folks for the feedback on radar. It will help in selling the idea to my better half. If all the dreams come true -- it sounds like there could be quite a few c-brats plying the waters together in AK this summer -- once we all have our itineraries a litte finer tuned maybe we can even plan on having a bit of a gathering somewhere along route.

Again, thanks for the feedback and I will be asking more questions:) now if I can get a bunch of people to say that a small portable generator is a must for trip like this?

Cheers,

Joe Law with Sundog Hot