05/04 - 05/05 - Lopez Opening Day 2007

Weren't you at the C-Dory party?



Just kidding, Just thought I would stir the pot. There isn't any charge that week-end. The boat really is about 28 ft with the anchor and outboards. But there is that new 28 ft C-Dory being built. I think it is about 30+ ft with the outboards though.
 
C-Cakes reservations have been made. Looking forward to another good time (with less wind and a much better Rosario crossing on the way home :crook :crook
 
Anna Leigh":3eg99elv said:
Weren't you at the C-Dory party?



Just kidding, Just thought I would stir the pot. There isn't any charge that week-end. The boat really is about 28 ft with the anchor and outboards. But there is that new 28 ft C-Dory being built. I think it is about 30+ ft with the outboards though.
Click to expand...

I had just assumed you were inspired by Dave's 2' extension... You could add 3' to Anna Leigh - maybe do the whole deal out of madrona or teak. I know it would look sweet. :wink:
 
By the way - for those planning on shrimping this year - area 7 will only be open for shrimping Wed-Sat - WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SHRIMP on Sunday. So if you want your spot prawns, get out early on Friday (so you can get two days of shrimping in).
 
I called, and I'm booked in. I'm positively giddy, folks. I just called and made reservations for space at a marina! Like...for my BOAT, you know? :-)
 
Tin,

Congratulations!! You got a BOAT and its a really nice boat at that. Last year Lopez was our first trip away from our protected waters with C-Cakes. We had a great time, learned a lot, met some of the good people on this site. We're sure your experience will be at least as good. Where are you planning to launch from??
 
May 4, and 5th. Friday and Sat. Hope to see you there. I mailed your Teak Helm Hub off today. No one has ever paid $40,000 plus for one before. You have set a new standard.
 
Thanks, David. Looking forward to it.

Not sure where we'll start from. I'm considering just starting in Seattle, staying overnight Thursday in Port Townsend to visit my sister, and then running north-northwest from there, straight for Cattle Pass. Low tide is right around noon, so as long as we don't leave PT too early (not likely!), we won't be fighting current to get through the pass. Should be easy. Famous last words. :-)
 
For a first outing, I would run up Saratoga Passage inside Whidbey, through Swinomish Channel, and out Guemes Channel to cross Rosario to Thatcher Pass, rather than braving it outside, and especially through Cattle Pass - you could get your fillings knocked loose, and Julie and the kids might be put off boating for good...just a suggestion, I don't know what others think...
timflan":3hy7mq40 said:
Thanks, David. Looking forward to it.

Not sure where we'll start from. I'm considering just starting in Seattle, staying overnight Thursday in Port Townsend to visit my sister, and then running north-northwest from there, straight for Cattle Pass. Low tide is right around noon, so as long as we don't leave PT too early (not likely!), we won't be fighting current to get through the pass. Should be easy. Famous last words. :-)
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If'n the weather is sloppy from Port Townsend to Cattle, Pat is spot on.(pat. pending). If the weather is flat, your route through Cattle should be easy. Just watch the depth sounder as you head up toward the entrance to the Islander... gets pretty shoal and props ain't all that cheap. My "normal" route is through Cattle, but I've been hammered there too.

Dusty
 
I appreciate the suggestion. I agree...I don't think I would do this as a first outing.

However, there's some time between now and then. We might get some experience under out belt by then. If not, we can stay inside on our way north.

I'm new to the C-Dory, but not to boating or these waters. Before Kiera was born, Julia and I rode aboard a friend's Hallberg-Rassy 36 from Port Angeles to Victoria. Great sailing weather, making hull speed the whole way. Poor Julia was...um..."indisposed" pretty much the entire time, though. She took the Blackball ferry home the next day, while we sailed. Of course, the weather on the return trip was perfect, milder than the day before, less swell coming up the straight, and sunny. Ah well.

Anyway...all that by way of explanation that yes, I understand how uncomfortable the Straight of Juan de Fuca can be, and no, I'm not particularly interested in turning this fun family outing into some sort of death march for Julia. The kids are pretty resilient; I'm not worried about them.

So, assuming we've done a few outings as a family, and at least one overnight (Poulsbo gathering, perhaps?), and assuming the weather is reasonable, this trip could be a good introduction to the big water. We'll have to keep an eye on the forecast. I figure Julia will be at the helm, and we'll have some of her favorite meds along. If it's crappy out, we can wait a day, or just not go. If the forecast tells us beforehand that it's going to be lumpy in the straight, we can go up inside as you suggest.

Please let me know if my attitude seems naïve. I'm accustomed to sailboats, and maybe I'm just not appreciating the magnitude of the difference between sailing and motoring.

Oh, and I know the Fish Bay entrance is tricky...I did it in a chartered sailboat (with a fixed fin keel drawing five feet or so) several years back. Don't cut inside the red marker outside the spit, stay close to all the red ones and take the green ones wide. Does that sound right? The incoming tide will, once again, be on our side. :-)
 
Tim,

Slack at Cattle Point occurs at 1255pm on Fri May 4. That would be a good time to arrive there.

Here is the link to the NOAA current predictions

http://www.co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/currents07/tab2pc2.html#121

However, I agree with Pat that taking the inside route behind Whidbey Is is perhaps a better way to go.

Good seamanship and consideration of the weather trumps schedules and visiting people. If the weather is not so good, I would forgo the visit in PT Townsend to achieve a smooth, safe trip.
 
Glad to see you got a good boat tim. As far as the trip, its all about wind direction v.s. tide. if the wind is really bad and from the west then leaving p.t. can be bad or good. if the tide is incoming and with the wind then the ride will not be to bad. but if the tide is outgoinig then getting to cattle pass is a no go. Then you have to take the inside, but where do you pop out at. if he tide and wind are against each other you do not want to pop out at deception pass. better to go thru la connor to anacotizes and out past the ferry dock. even there if the wind is out of the south you will have to go around the north side of cypress. Any way is doable depending on the weather and tide direction. one think that I have learned in the last year is to match the tide and weather when making long crossings. I plan my travel times to take advanetage of both. Also pilot far away from the bars when the wind and tide are working against each other. better to trave in deeper water when you can. also to hit the passes at slack tide. hope this helps and congrats on the new boat.
 
Howdy
Julie and I are new two C Dory-dom and would like to meet some of you folks. We did run into Pat Anderson a few weeks back at a boat ramp here in Bellingham. Anyway, I called Kathy and signed us up for May 4th and 5th. C U then.
Dick
 
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