ASD 2021 Preparations for SE Alaska Cruiese

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

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

Well that what I thought too. But it doesn't have an anode. On the new unit if I want an anode, I would buy one and remove the spigot and install the anode.

This one lasted 12 years and failed at the weld. I did strip all the parts off the old one for spare parts.

 

[IRENE]

Tom,

I just changed mine last month, same model as yours. I also had the sediment in the old one, and we did NOT have the anode installed. We figure it was just mineral build up from 10 years of non-soft water use.

I installed the anode in the new tank.

Are you changing your coolant hoses too?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Tom,

I just changed mine last month, same model as yours. I also had the sediment in the old one, and we did NOT have the anode installed. We figure it was just mineral build up from 10 years of non-soft water use.

I installed the anode in the new tank.

Are you changing your coolant hoses too?

The collant lines are just a couple of years old. I changed them out when I changed all the engine hoses.

 

[IRENE]

So my hoses were 10 years old but looked pretty good. No regrets changing them based on the advice of some smart folks, who advised 7-10 years for hot coolant hoses. I have some engine coolant hoses that we will renew during the next haul-out.

Thanks Tom

 

[BonesD]

What is the annual border tax?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

What is the annual border tax?

If you cross the border to Canada or Mexico (other places too?) when you re-enter the USA you must provide U.S. Customs the number that is on the sticker you bought for $29. Basically an additional tax.

I believe this is only for vessels over 30 ft. Here is the weblink:


https://dtops.cbp.dhs.gov/main/#

 

[Ken E.]

What is the annual border tax?

Further to Tom's comments, if you intend to re-enter the US from, say, Canada using Nexus, you have to have one of these decals. They will ask you for the decal number when you call them for permission to enter the US.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Further to Tom's comments, if you intend to re-enter the US from, say, Canada using Nexus, you have to have one of these decals. They will ask you for the decal number when you call them for permission to enter the US.

I didn't know it was tied to NEXUS. I thought all USA boats re-entering had to have one.

 

[SteveK]

I didn't know it was tied to NEXUS. I thought all USA boats re-entering had to have one.

May be different, but Canadian boats need something too over 30 feet. I was so informed when moored in point Roberts, but that could be why. Moored in PR I already needed a permit so this was on top of that.

 

[Ken E.]

I didn't know it was tied to NEXUS. I thought all USA boats re-entering had to have one.

The decal is issued by Homeland Security showing that you and your boat have been screened and you're in their system. That's why Nexus requires a decal and you give them the decal's number when you phone in for Nexus clearance. But, if you arrive at customs dock from Canada in person and don't have a decal, you still have to pay the $29 to be allowed through. So....it is tied to Nexus, but everyone has to pay it, if you use Nexus or not.

 

[BonesD]

Thanks for the info. I hadn’t seen that before. Plans for S E Ak were canceled last year so I’m glad I know about it now in case I get to go this year.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

PFD Inspections

I inspected all my inflatable PFDs (6 ea). I found one that was torn. 4 had out of date CO2 bottles, I was told every 5 years. I found 2 that were within dates, but the CO2 bottles were corroded.

Inspect yours ASAP! You life may depend on it.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I have a new Fusion 8 zone Amp showing up later this week. Be nice to hear my music up in the fly bridge.

I installed LED strip lights in the aft berth. We never had DC lights in the aft berth. Admiral likes them too.

What's next....Engine zincs

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I have a new Fusion 8 zone Amp showing up later this week. Be nice to hear my music up in the fly bridge.

I installed LED strip lights in the aft berth. We never had DC lights in the aft berth. Admiral likes them too.

What's next....Engine zincs

Have the Amp installed. That was a wiring mess. All 4 zones sound great. Need an Amp for the sub-woofer.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Received my Border extortion sticker today. Took them 4 months to get it after applying.

Also recieved my USCG documentation which took 8 days.

 

[SteveK]

Received my Border extortion sticker today. Took them 4 months to get it after applying.

Also recieved my USCG documentation which took 8 days.View attachment 114572

Is that all you got in the package. I do not see the instructions and code words for Canada Customs anywhere.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Is that all you got in the package. I do not see the instructions and code words for Canada Customs anywhere.

That's it. It is used for re-entry to the US.

 

[SteveK]

That's it. It is used for re-entry to the US.

First you have to get out before you can get back in.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

You trickster!!!! LOL

 

[Cruising Sea Venture]

Great thread. A couple of thoughts - we transited up in July of 2020. Some thoughts from our experience:

US Customs has nothing to do with quarantining requirements. That is at the discretion of the state, and in Alaska, it's being handled by harbor masters when boats are entering the state.

To clear US Customs you do not need to go to Ketchikan, and they would prefer you do not. They will request you use the ROAM App for clearing. You can do it by phone from Dixon Entrance, then as far as customs is concerned, you are done.

At least in 2020 they allowed your transit time to count toward your 14 day quarantine time. We came up in 5 travel days from Washington. We then spent the next week playing around in Misty Fjords before arriving in Ketchikan. We checked in and were free to go.

Currently, to enter Alaska, you must have a negative Covid19 test, either 3 days before departure or when you arrive. Since we stayed in Alaska for the winter cruising and have not come across any cruisers who recently arrived, I don't know how they are handling this testing requirement currently.

Looks like there is a lot of pent up demand to come on up in 2021. We spent the last summer up here with very few other boats around - almost all anchorages where by ourselves. Of course, if you really want to be by yourself, just stay up and spend the winter cruising.

Wishing everyone "no wind and flat seas".
Jim and Rosy
M/V Sea Venture

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Hey Jim and Rosey, hope we bump into each other.

 

[Cruising Sea Venture]

That would be great. We will continue to play around SE until early May, then go up to Prince William Sound for the 2nd half of May and June, back to SE of July, then in August back to Puget Sound, September to San Diego and November to the Sea of Cortez.

Somewhere along the way we should try to find each other.

Once winter in Alaska has earned us a winter in Mexico.

Jim

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

So not exactly boat prep. When the big freeze came last week while blowing out the deck water lines, I noticed the ground was very wet around the shut off valve. I dug it up and found a small water leak between the pressure valve and the city meter.

Took the plumber about 30 minutes to fix. But I was impressed with the white type Pex pipe he used. He slid a collar over the end and used a tool to "stretch" the opening then placed the end on the valve. The collar has a memory and in about 45 sec it shrank tight around the valve.

It is pretty cool. Yes we now have dock water again.

 

[Ken E.]

The Pex system using expander rings is made by Uponor, very popular with new building construction as well as RVs and boats. I replumbed my boat a few years ago with it and it has worked out well. There are several YouTube demos of it if you want to learn more.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Sofa

Well after 5 months we finally got our sofa back from Carol's Upholstery in Woodland WA.

The quality of the work is awesome, but customer service SUCKS!

I would NOT recommend them in the future. That's all I will say.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Tomorrow we head to Ilwaco WA to have ASD hualed out for annual bottom inspection. On the agenda is swim platform repair, fiberglass guy fixing dinges on the hull gel-coat, cut, wax and buff hull, change zincs if needed, repack prop shafts.

I have a volunteer crew making the 5.5 hour run. They have never been on a boat this size, so this should be fun. Post pics later.

 

[Ken E.]

Anxious to see pictures of your travels. Don't forget the beer.

 

[w8n4sun]

Good times, have fun with your new crew and yes on the pictures!

 

[jungpeter]

At least in 2020 they allowed your transit time to count toward your 14 day quarantine time. We came up in 5 travel days from Washington. We then spent the next week playing around in Misty Fjords before arriving in Ketchikan. We checked in and were free to go.
Jim and Rosy
M/V Sea Venture

Wait, huh, wha??? You played around in Misty Fjords, BEFORE checking in with AK customs? Or did you clear into AK with ROAM ASAP you crossed the border, went to Misty Fjords, then into Ketchikan? I suspect the later. But then, how did the ROAM application deal with the quarantine time?

And if you had already cleared via ROAM (haven't used ROAM for a while, but presumably they issued you a clearance number), what do you mean by "...We checked in (in Ketchikan) and were free to go." Checked in with whom? If you'd already cleared via ROAM, why "check in" again?

Regards,

Pete

Regards,

Pete

 

[Nomad Willy]

I would think Pete that if they were isolated during the trip north that could count for isolation.

We take over 20 days so unless we went ashore we’d be “free to go” upon arrival in K town. Of course that would only hold water if we didn’t go ashore.