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Our first week+ trip: San Juan Islands (WA)

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/31/2012 : 12:46:25

My wife and I came back from a 11 day trip to the San Juan islands a week ago today. It was our first trip that was longer than one night and we had a great time.

Map, photos, and text are on my blog:
http://alexwetmore.org/?p=1283

It was really fun to go on a trip long enough that we had rest days for hiking and could take our time seeing a little bit of the islands. It would be nice to have even more down time up there on other trips.

The C-25 was a great boat for this trip. I'm looking at upgrading to something a little bit larger (with a bit more storage and standing height in the cabin), but don't feel the need to change anything about how the boat sails. We had some rough waves and high winds at different times during the trip and the C-25 did great. I think that really shows when you look at our first full day: 75 miles in a little over 12 hours reefed with a 110% jib and dealing with 3' waves early in the day. We were close hauled almost the entire day.

I'm running what is probably an oversized anchor (10kg Bruce with 30' of chain), but like that extra bit of security when I'm in somewhat crowded anchorages and can't run out the ideal 7:1 scope. At one point I'd thought about sizing down to a 7.5kg, but decided to keep the larger one.

I'm looking forward to doing more trips like this in the future. Next years will probably be an extra long 4-6 weeks.

Alex W
Seattle, WA
Express 37 "re-Quest"
previously owned 1984 Catalina 25 "Lutra"

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2012 : 13:00:34

Looks like a fun trip. We also carry 30 ft of chain, I like the weight in the nose. We have a danforth up front for quick deployment with a bruce below as a backup, and a little 5 lb as a lunch hook. I think we have too many anchors.

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2012 : 13:07:32

I used to carry our Danforth clone (I think it is 13lbs) up front as well, but on this trip I found it annoying to manage two long anchor rodes, chain for them, and the anchors in the anchor locker. The 10kg (22lb) Bruce just barely fits in the locker and it's a lot easier to get in there when the locker is mostly empty.

Do you keep one of your foredeck anchors out of the locker? It sounds like the Danforth may live on the bow pulpit?

I need to see what anchors come with our new boat. I may move the Bruce over there. We're looking at 28-30ft boats that displace about 8000lbs, which is still in a suitable size for that anchor.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2012 : 13:10:13

Nice trip! Wondered where you had gone.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2012 : 13:16:01

Hi Alex

The danforth lives in the locker. You have to turn it just right to get it in there. Our Bruce is a little too big to fit in, but it lives under the Vee berth while cruising, or in the basement other times. it has a spare rode on it, with 15 ft of chain. The lunch hook fits nicely in the dumpster.

I don't mean to hijack your thread with anchor stuff, but I wonder if anyone keeps a dog tie-out or similar aboard as a land anchor for a med-mooring type setup where trees aren't available (some breakwalls at parks come to mind) - one line to shore and one anchor off the bow.

Edited by - Prospector on 08/31/2012 13:18:17

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2012 : 17:18:53

Alex....thanks for sharing. You guys live in a beautiful part of the world.

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2012 : 22:59:08

Thanks Gerry and Leslie. I agree, we have some really nice sailing here. I hope to experience more of it soon.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2013 : 17:36:20

I have made five trips to the San Juans with my sailing club, in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2009, and 2010, and we had a wonderful time every trip.

Photo of "Quiet Time" at anchor in Fossil Bay, Sucia, 07/26/2010.
Sucia Island is one of those places on this earth where time seems to stand still, and my senses are at their sharpest. The smell of sea salt in the air, the luminous, slightly hazy quality of the sunlight, and the awesome spectacle of a summer sunset through the isthmus between Fossil Bay and Fox Cove will live with me forever.

Photo of Catalina 22 Fleet 4 Raft-up at Prevost Harbor, Stuart Island, July 21, 2010. This 2010 trip had the most participation of the five San Juan/Gulf Island cruises I have been on. On the left end of the raft is my "Quiet Time" (C-25 Mk IV, TR/WK), then "Slow Dancer" (C-25 Mk. IV, SR/WK, inboard diesel), "Robyn's Nest" (Island Packet 35), "Akuna Matada" (Hunter 26), and "Carpe Diem" (C-22) on the right end.

Photo of me at the tiller of "Quiet Time" in Bellingham Bay, July 18, 2010. This was a day sail out of Bellingham Marina the day prior to our heading out for the actual cruise. The day had started out wet and very rough and windy, so the group decided to wait a day for better weather. I put on foulies and went for a day sail despite the lousy weather, and was rewarded with a perfect day in the afternoon. I sailed almost 26 miles in 6 hours that day.

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glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2013 : 17:26:24

Larry, That' a good looking canopy over the cockpit. Is that a SailRite kit or something you came up with??? What did you use for the curved end pieces?

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2013 : 18:39:34

I have a sun shade similar to Larry's. The curved end pieces on mine are 1/2" or 3/4" white pvc pipe.

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glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2013 : 17:39:07

Thanks Gary...

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