Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-26-2020, 08:05 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
schrater's Avatar
 
City: Tacoma, WA
Vessel Name: Matilda
Vessel Model: Ponderosa (CHB) 35' Sundeck
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 130
N/S Coastal Pacific Transit

I’m getting ready to take my boat north up to the Puget Sound in the next couple weeks. I’ll of course look for a good weather window. But I notice swells are almost always straight out of the west, meaning they’ll be directly across my beam the whole way up.

Given my rolly single engine semi-displacement CHB, are there any strategies I should consider? I could tack to keep them off my quarter, but then half the trip they’d be following, which might even be worse. Is it possible riding with swells across my beam isn’t as bad as I am imagining?
schrater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2020, 10:51 AM   #2
Guru
 
tiltrider1's Avatar
 
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: AZZURRA
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 54
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,280
This time of year wind waves are your big issues. Swells have such long periods that you won’t notice them. That said, do pay attention to the swell forecast so as not to pick the one window with a short period.
tiltrider1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-27-2020, 12:23 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
schrater's Avatar
 
City: Tacoma, WA
Vessel Name: Matilda
Vessel Model: Ponderosa (CHB) 35' Sundeck
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 130
Thanks, that’s a good point. A swell with a broad period is more like an elevator than an escalator.
schrater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2020, 10:53 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
schrater's Avatar
 
City: Tacoma, WA
Vessel Name: Matilda
Vessel Model: Ponderosa (CHB) 35' Sundeck
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 130
N/S Coastal Pacific Transit

What are the recommendations for transiting from the ocean around Cape Flattery and into the Straits of Juan de Fuca? I guess riding in on a flood is still advisable?
schrater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2020, 11:12 PM   #5
Guru
 
tiltrider1's Avatar
 
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: AZZURRA
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 54
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,280
There are no recommendations. Riding the tide is helpful for the push. Once you turn the corner wind is on the stern. It’s not a river and there is no bar but there is current so a strong ebb with 20kts of wind can get uncomfortable.
tiltrider1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2020, 12:46 AM   #6
Guru
 
78puget-trawler's Avatar
 
City: LaConner
Vessel Model: 34' CHB
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,257
The worse ride you take may be when you get to the corner around Port Townsend at Admiralty Inlet. If you get there on a big ebb and a west/nw wind you'll be looking for cover.
78puget-trawler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2020, 02:13 AM   #7
Guru
 
Lepke's Avatar
 
City: Between Oregon and Alaska
Vessel Name: Charlie Harper
Vessel Model: Wheeler Shipyard 83'
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,021
I fished the North Pacific. Summertime weather is usually winds from the NW and get more westerly the closer you get to Cape Flattery. Windy.com is probably better than the forecasts. Your concern will be waves driven by the wind. About every 7-10 days a low goes thru and the wind blows for a day or two from the SW.
Most likely, you'll have swells on the port beam. I run in 100 fathoms or more about 25 miles out. Otherwise you have the ground swell effect where the swells get higher and steeper in water that's becoming shallower. Also, you miss most of the crab pot buoys and lines.

Grays Harbor is usually easy to get into, La Push is only good if the wind is from the west or NW. The La Push bar is usually closed if it's blowing heavy from the SW.
On bars, you want to avoid low tide, especially if the wind is blowing in and the tide going out. That's where you get the steepest waves.
I make the run from Astoria to Neah Bay in one shot. Usually starting about 3am on a favorable tide. The way I go it's 175 miles.
Lepke is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:40 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012