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Fast Trip to Alaska
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May 18, 2007
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Bob,
I have a 35 foot, 12 foot beam aluminum boat that I want to leave from Everett and take to Craig Alaska. The boat will cruise at 30 knots. Do you think I could get there in 4 to 5 days? It is 823 miles. My concerns are the rapids on the east side of Vancouver Island. I have a Raymarine C120, and Nobeltec navigation on a separate computer. This will be a fast trip up to get to the area to do fishing and then a return trip in Aug. or Sept.
Thank you for your advice.
Wayne Myers
fv Soupen
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Response
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Hi, Wayne,
Weather and the rapids will dictate how long it takes to make the trip. From Everett to Alaska by boat is not the same as Everett to San Francisco by car. You’re asking a lot, but with luck you could make it in a week or a little less. I can predict one thing: you’ll be tired when you get there.
Plan your fuel stops in advance, and remember that it takes time to slow down, tie up, refuel, untie and get going again.
Remember that you can find big seas even in calm conditions. A big ebb flowing against incoming swells will make high speeds impossible. It happened to us last year in Richards Channel, north of Blunden Harbour, on the mainland side. The morning was sunny and calm, but the seas got bigger and bigger. We turned into Alison Harbour until things quieted down. We were there two nights because the wind came up.
It’s easy to think the boat can take it so you can too, but when you’re confronted with the power of the ocean you’ll change your mind.
Fog will slow you down. I consider it unwise to go fast in fog, radar and Nobeltec notwithstanding. Hull speed is the appropriate speed, which means 8-9 knots, maximum.
Even in ideal conditions, a couple of 12-hour days in a row are more tiring than you might imagine.
Plan for the best, prepare for the worst, and make responsible decisions as you go. Don’t be afraid to change your plans. Never forget that the goal is a happy and successful passage, not an adventure.
Good luck.
--Bob Hale
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