Want to go for a boat ride?

[GFC]

These pics are from our last cruising day aboard Beachcomber. I was feeling pretty morose and I'm just glad the rest of the crew put up with my definite lack of enthusiasm.

Here's our starting point at the fuel dock in Port Angeles.

Here's the little tiny sailboat we had to maneuver around the bowsprit of to get to the fuel dock.

Here's the railroad bridge at the entrance from Admiralty Inlet to the Ballard locks.

Safely inside the small lock and tucked up pretty tight to the Ranger Tug next to us. I think we made the tug owner more than a bit nervous.

Tight against the wall and ready to be lifted.

Now take a close look at these next two pics. In the first one, note the boat in front of Beachcomber, then note how close we are on the stbd side to the blue metal building. To get in there we had to back around the boat in front of us. This was just like parallel parking a car except you're on the water. After swinging the stern to the port side to get into the right position I had to back up so the bow would clear the boat in front of us and do that without hitting the building.

QUICK, get the captain a cold beer.

We spent much of the afternoon and evening unloading what seemed like a never-ending line of boxes and plastic bags from the boat to the dock. We also had Jim's dive gear and electronics and Tom's electronics. Jim did a great job the next morning of packing it all into the Suburban.

There has to be one final photo and this is it. A shot of Lake Union taken from I-5 as we head south. Check out all the boats lining both sides of the lake.

I can't say enough good about the jobs Tom and Jim did as members of the crew. This trip would not have been possible with just one other person, and Tina was not about to go out on the ocean. They stepped up and I appreciate all they did.

The trip was darn near perfect. The weather cooperated, the waters were pretty smooth in most parts and the boat ran without a flaw. Oh, and a good time was had by all.

<SNIFF><SNIFF>

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

How lucky we were. The next day the weather on Juan De Fuca got ugly and naughtical!!

Had a fun trip. Most of all Jim and I wanted Mike to have a good time checking off some bucket list items. I was honored to be a crew member.

 

[w8n4sun]

Excellent recap, great way to send off BC after many adventures.


And I agree with you on the state of the City. :-(

 

[GFC]

I was going through some of the photos on my phone and found two videos and a few assorted photos that didn't get posted earlier so I uploaded the videos and am posting them here. I'll upload the photos tomorrow I hope, and I say that because I'm still working on the honey do list.
This one was taken as we're leaving Ilwaco and heading out to cross the bar. Those waves in the background are on the bar and are waiting to grab us!

This one is from that afternoon as we're running about 24kts down the Strait of Juan de Fuca heading to Port Angeles. This was taken from inside the salon. It was too rocky to trust my tired old legs to keep me up if I stood out in the cockpit.

 

[GFC]

Here's a shot of the miles we'd traveled to get to Tom's dock where we spent one night. This was the next morning as we were heading back out to the Columbia River. That mileage reading at trip's end was 556nm, or about 640 miles. Wowzers!

These darn small fishing boats kept gettting in the way...

An old, abandoned cannery along the river....

A shot of Astoria, OR where we pulled in to top off the fuel. I don't know if anybody has mentioned this, but while we were tied up at the fuel dock a young guy in about a 24' aluminum fishing boat loaded with people who had chartered with him came in too hot and was about to ram the back of the swim platform. A guy in the front of his boat jumped off onto the swim platform and put his body between the aluminum boat and my swim platform and in doing so saved a lot of damage. All we ended up with was a small chip in the gelcoat. I was pi$$ed off enough to have ripped the boat driver a new one but decided to let it go and just chewed on him for a minute or two.

Beachcomber's first view of the Pacific. We're still in the Columbia on our way to the marina at Ilwaco.

Here's Tom at the helm as we were making our way up the coast. Once we got away from the effects of the Columbia (which took us about 20 miles IIRC) we were left with gentle rolling swells about 4' high with almost no wind chop on top. Nice cruising waters in anyone's book.

Our happy crew. Me, Tom and Jim. Without these guys along to pitch in I could not have made this trip.

Tom's Scotch glass at the end of the day after we got into Seattle.

Your happy/sad captain. Happy because we made it in one piece, sad because that would be my last night aboard Beachcomber.

I've said many times since this trip that if a guy has to give up a boat he REALLY likes, you couldn't find a better, or more fitting end than to do it on a long and pleasant journey like ours was.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

It was a privilege and honor to help you check that box. You sir took your boat over the Columbia River bar, the graveyard of 2000 ships. You did it with class and safty. No AA though as we were too darn tired by the time we got to PA. Where are the Klondike bars? He is hiding them again....lol

 

[WayneDana2]

If Tom brought out the Monkey Shoulder it musta been a very fine trip!

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

If Tom brought out the Monkey Shoulder it musta been a very fine trip!

I did!!! GFC really enjoyed it. That bottle didn't last long. Cigars supplied by ship mate Jim added to the full taste of monkey shoulder and the headache the next day!!

 

[GFC]

I did enjoy the Monkey Shoulder and I'm not a whiskey or Scotch or Irish drinker. Just give me some tequila neat or rocks or a Tanqueray and tonic and I'm good.

This trip with Tom and Jim. I don't really think of me as the Captain and them as crew because we were all on the same level as far as doing stuff on the boat. I know that ultimately someone has to be the one to make final decisions but that was so far back in my mind I basically ignored it. Before we set out I told everyone the top 10 rules on the boat were safety, safety, etc. Also that any one of us had the right to say "No, I don't think we should go out today" and that was like the word from God.

I can imagine that a trip like this with a crew whose personalities don't click could be a helluva long and nasty trip. Before I asked Jim and Tom to be part of the crew I took their personalities and their experience into my selection process.

Jim had been on the boat and helped me get it to Portland to get new canvas made, then again when it was time to bring it back from Portland after a transmission repair, so I knew he was familiar with the boat. We encounted some 6'-7' waves on the trip to Portland and he didn't flinch so I knew he'd be up for a bar crossing. Jim is also an accomplished diver and brought his dive gear in case we wrapped a crab pot line around the props. Fortunately we didn't need to use that stuff.

I asked Tom to join our merry bunch because of his experience in going across the bar several times and also his experience going up the coast and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I'd met Tom a few years ago when he and Crusty Chief were in Portland and got to know him better when those two brought their boats up the Columbia and stopped at our marina before heading up the Snake River. From what I saw in those two encounters I figured he'd be a good addition to our trip.

My wife was concerned about me making the trip because I'd recently finished my chemo treatments and was not up to full strength. Tom promised her that they wouldn't let me do anything, that the two of them would take care of things on the boat and they did. I was not allowed on deck at all and my main duty was chief cook and bottle washer.

I did about 20% of the driving including all the docking and the fast run (24kts) down the Strait of Juan de Fuca as we headed to Port Angeles. That 63 mile fast run was a kick in the arse and a fitting way to draw the cruise to an end.

So a big THANKS to Tom and Jim. I will be forever indebted to both of you.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

First time in a "fast boat" on the coast. Once they warmed up Beachcomber's kitties zipped us up the coast. Wish ASD could go like that. But at that speed you could almost see the fuel gauges move toward "E!"

Enjoyed the whole trip. GFC maneuvered Beachcomber into some tied parking spots. When offered the helm to park, my response was "nope not doing it!"

Thanks for asking us along.

 

[GFC]

As a fitting way of closing out this long tale, we finally got our schedules aligned with Jim (the boat yard owner who repaired my boat after the first unsuccessful start) and his wife and took them to dinner.

It was much nicer spending a couple of hours wining and dining them than it would have been just watching him work on the boat.

I consider Jim and Mel to be good friends; much more than just the boat mechanic.

Jim, thanks for all the love you gave us when the boat was broken down. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.

 

[BandB]

As a fitting way of closing out this long tale, we finally got our schedules aligned with Jim (the boat yard owner who repaired my boat after the first unsuccessful start) and his wife and took them to dinner.

It was much nicer spending a couple of hours wining and dining them than it would have been just watching him work on the boat.

I consider Jim and Mel to be good friends; much more than just the boat mechanic.

Jim, thanks for all the love you gave us when the boat was broken down. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.

There are a lot of good people in the industry and nice to see one praised.

Now, I think of how many people you've thanked and praised and I see one commonality to it all, you. When I see someone blasting and declaring everyone they deal with to be horrible, I think of them as the only common factor. But I think the same when it's positive like coming from you. By you being the person you are, good to be around, good to work with, courteous and friendly, honest and fair, then you find similar and they respond by treating you as you treat them. So, it speaks highly of you that you have so many to thank for their assistance. Payback comes in many forms and it can just as easily be good as bad. You reap what you sow and clearly you've sown well.

 

[GFC]

BandB, I'm not quite sure how to respond to that because I'm blushing and at a loss for words. Two words come to mind that seem to sum up my feelings:

Thank You

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

What? Lost for words? Surley NOT! Kay landed this today.....

 

[Ken E.]

I always knew that Kay was the ace of the ASD fishing operation. Is that from Bouy 10? I know you're not in AK. Any Photoshop help on that prize?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I always knew that Kay was the ace of the ASD fishing operation. Is that from Bouy 10? I know you're not in AK. Any Photoshop help on that prize?

She landed it at about mile 55 of the Columbia-Longview WA. No photo shop. Nice big hen. Took her about 15 minutes to get it in the boat!

Sorry, I know off thread.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Same story, different day. Kay in her beast mode! That gal can outfish just about anyone, including her old man!

Congrats Kay!

 

[GFC]

Nicely done Kay!

 

[WayneDana2]

That should fill the freezer fer awhile!

 

[Osdsed]

This journey must be wonderful, with beautiful scenery.

 

[GFC]

I thought I'd add a PS to this thread. I got a call from the broker who is handling the sale of Beachcomber. He got an offer that, at best, could be described as a Low Ball offer. There was no discussion about a sea trial, survey, haulout. And the "buyer" had not even seen Beachcomber. I gave the broker my counter which was WAY above the initial offer and the guy ran. The broker told me when he called the guy and gave him my counter offer there was only silence.

He then quietly told the buyer "Well, I think maybe this might be too much boat for you." The buyer couldn't get off the phone fast enough.

My take on this is that the buyer was trying to find out how big a hurry I was to sell the boat. He found out I'm not in THAT big a hurry.

I figure it'll be some time in late February or March or April before serious buyers could out of the woodwork.

 

[NWpilot]

GFC - For some reason the forum didn't notify me of posts to my "Hello" to the forum. So, I read about your adventure in taking your boat to Seattle for sale. Your description shows just how much planning goes into virtually every trip and that we can be sideling by the smallest thing. A good read. I couldn't help but find your boat on Yachtworld. It's really in beautiful shape. I also see a sale pending on it. I hope you got what you were expecting out of it.
It's a bit ironic that I am selling my motorhome and taking up boating as my new hobby. We mostly traveled the west coast and enjoyed an extended stay in Laughlin, Nev in the spring during River Run, a motorcycle event.
I'm currently working on a long list of maintenance items that the previous owner ignored. Nothing big, but a long list of minor items. Once done I do plan to run the Columbia River and when I get to the Tri Cities I'll take you up on that "first drink".

Chas

 

[GFC]

Chas, yup, we're going in different directions. You're selling an RV to buy a boat, we're selling the boat to buy an RV. The irony is staring me in the face.

That "first round" offer still stands!

 

[NWpilot]

Mike, once you're on the road I think you'll feel better about your decision. I'm alone, but you and Tina will be able to share some wonderful experiences and sights together. I joined the Good Sam club and scheduled my stays one day in advance allowing us to divert or be impulsive. You're also going to find that maintenance and troubleshooting is about the same for an RV as it is a boat. There are many good forums to help you with that process. I personally liked https://www.irv2.com/forums/ for help and the on road experience.
I hope you both have a great adventure and don't forget, you can always come back to boating. Keep us informed.

Chas

 

[GFC]

Chas, funny you should mention that IRV2 forum. I found it a few months ago and have been lurking there, soaking up knowledge. We're headed over to Seattle to see kids and grands and will be looking at an RV (or two) while we're over there. Not in a hurry, don't want to rush in and buy the wrong one.

My advice to people looking to buy their first boat is to buy their second boat first. In other words, take your time, make sure you get one that suits your needs so you don't own it for a year or two and decide it's not what you need. That can get VERY expensive.

Mike

 

[NWpilot]

Mike, the best advice I can offer is to look at those companies that are still building RV's. I bought a National Dolphin and it's been a good investment, but there is no factory support when you have problems. I used company names and model numbers to search the net for owners/operators manuals on equipment. For wiring, plumbing, lights and other misc. items your on your own.

Also, as expected, the prices go up in the spring and down in the fall. Feel free to shoot me any questions and I'll try to help. I looked at a ton of them before buying.

Lastly, if you want TV on the road you can take a satellite tuner/receiver for Direct TV with you and use it at no additional cost. Maybe for Dish Network also.

Chas

 

[koliver]

Chas, funny you should mention that IRV2 forum. I found it a few months ago and have been lurking there, soaking up knowledge. We're headed over to Seattle to see kids and grands and will be looking at an RV (or two) while we're over there. Not in a hurry, don't want to rush in and buy the wrong one.

My advice to people looking to buy their first boat is to buy their second boat first. In other words, take your time, make sure you get one that suits your needs so you don't own it for a year or two and decide it's not what you need. That can get VERY expensive.

Mike

Mike

Good to see you have a sale pending. I too hope you are happy with the price and can now start seriously looking for your "right" RV.
I am waiting for the border to open, as it will give me access to that huge US market for my motorhome. Mine is way too big for the Canadian market, as there are few RV parks up here that can handle "Big Rigs". Another factor for you to be aware of, if you are planning to bring yours to Canada to tour around.
On the way to your second RV when you have settled on how you will be using yours, I don't advocate buying the second one first. My original idea of how we would use ours was completely wrong, and what we ended up doing for most of the time we have been using ours got us out of the first one after three years, into a much bigger one that we were quite happy with, for the next 6 years, till Covid brought that lifestyle to a halt.
Good luck in your hunt.
Hi to Tina

 

[slowgoesit]

Chas, funny you should mention that IRV2 forum. I found it a few months ago and have been lurking there, soaking up knowledge. We're headed over to Seattle to see kids and grands and will be looking at an RV (or two) while we're over there. Not in a hurry, don't want to rush in and buy the wrong one.

My advice to people looking to buy their first boat is to buy their second boat first. In other words, take your time, make sure you get one that suits your needs so you don't own it for a year or two and decide it's not what you need. That can get VERY expensive.

Mike

X2 on IRV2. We just bought a boat, and will be selling our Class A, but IRV2 has saved me a BUNDLE on stuff on our RV! My first post was with a water heater that would start, run for 30 seconds, stop, then try again a few times. . . . . I posted the symptoms, and within two hours a guy I'd never met responded, with a pic of my water heater with the door open, arrows drawn on the pic, that said, remove screw, remove combustion elbow, reach in with a long Q-tip, and remove the spider web in the combustion chamber, reinstall elbow, taking care to position in the same place as it was originally . . . . I did as directed . . . it was really eerie, I took off the elbow after marking the position, and shined a flashlight into the tube . . . . and there was a whispy white spider/bug web! I cleaned it out, put the elbow back on, fired it up, and it worked perfectly! Then I looked around for the Candid Camera! That guy NAILED it! The dealer had looked at it, said, "Yeah, it's an old unit, need to replace it, That'll be $700.00!"

We're probably driving our Newmar Dutch Star up to La Conner, WA in June, transitioning to the boat, wanta buy it?:lol: