Advice for Inland Passageway to Alaska

[bowball]

After three seasons exploring the Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and the Broughtons, I’d like to spend next season going from Vancouver to Alaska. Sufficient experience with tides, currents, and weather. My boat is capable, and I spend most of the time at anchor. Enough fuel and a water maker.

Having said all that, I’m trying to decide whether I should do this on my own or whether I would get benefit from a flotilla like Slow Boats, which does come at a cost. While I prefer to anchor, I assume I will need or want to dock at places, and at 60’ LOA that might be an issue at some places?

Any suggestions as to itinerary (im looking at what the slow boat group does), helpful suggestions, must see sights, time of departure and return, what to do in Alaska, etc. further, what spares are essential, where to change oil before return trip, etc. Get prawn traps to supplement ny crab traps? (Though I don’t have a puller). Are there stretches where you can tow a tender or always want it on top?

I’m trying to arrange my “crew” for the trip as to who can take time off or where to easily take on new crew and whether I should consider running some stretches single handed which while I’ve done at times before I prefer not to.

The other big issue a where in Alaska I can dock for several weeks to leave it to return? Does it make sense to leave the boat in Alaska over the winter to do the return trip the following season?

Many questions!

 

[RCook]

After three seasons exploring the Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and the Broughtons, I’d like to spend next season going from Vancouver to Alaska. Sufficient experience with tides, currents, and weather. My boat is capable, and I spend most of the time at anchor. Enough fuel and a water maker.

Having said all that, I’m trying to decide whether I should do this on my own or whether I would get benefit from a flotilla like Slow Boats, which does come at a cost. While I prefer to anchor, I assume I will need or want to dock at places, and at 60’ LOA that might be an issue at some places?

Any suggestions as to itinerary (im looking at what the slow boat group does), helpful suggestions, must see sights, time of departure and return, what to do in Alaska, etc. further, what spares are essential, where to change oil before return trip, etc. Get prawn traps to supplement ny crab traps? (Though I don’t have a puller). Are there stretches where you can tow a tender or always want it on top?

I’m trying to arrange my “crew” for the trip as to who can take time off or where to easily take on new crew and whether I should consider running some stretches single handed which while I’ve done at times before I prefer not to.

The other big issue a where in Alaska I can dock for several weeks to leave it to return? Does it make sense to leave the boat in Alaska over the winter to do the return trip the following season?

Many questions!

There's much to discuss, probably easier via phone.

We've wandered the Inside Passage starting around May 1, and returning to Puget Sound around Sept 15. Also in smaller boats, trailered up to Prince Rupert and done SE Alaska 2-3 months from there. How much time for cruising do you have, and how far do you like to travel in a day?

We often have 3-4 different sets of crew join us. Pretty easy to fly in to Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Wrangell. Smaller towns are possible too, some via float plane connections. I also often do considerable portions single-handed.

Etc, etc, etc.

Send me your email, and I'll send you my phone number.

 

[twistedtree]

Yes, many questions, and I’m sure you will get lots of replies. I’ll start with your last question about leaving the boat for a while. I have found that difficult, and unpredictable. Virtually all moorage in AK is first come first serve with no reservations possible. As a result, you can’t know ahead of time if you will be able to get space wherever you want leave the boat.

The second issue is that a lot of transients are accommodated in hot berthing which means you get out in someone’s permanent stall (they are called stalls, not slips) while they are out. But you need to always be ready to relocate if the owner returns. That makes leaving the boat impossible unless you have somehow who you trust to move it for you.

Some places have designated transient space, again first come first serve, where once you are there you can stay as long as you want and not have to move. But that space is often hard to come by.

That said, there are a couple of places that will take a reservation, but it is typically VERY expensive. In Sitka you can reserve, but it’s $4.50/ft/day based on the float length, not the boat length. I think there is a place in Auke Bay, and a private place way south of town in Ketchikan (or maybe Juneau and I’m having harbor blend).

Wrangell may be your best bet. They have a lot of open moorage, so a better chance of finding space. I have also rented a slip there in advance for a month or two, but I think they only have one or two spots that they will rent out like that.

 

[tiltrider1]

Everyone is different. If you feel insecure in reading wind maps and predicting crossings at Cape Caution
and Dixon, then a flotilla to keep you out of trouble might make sense.

As far as reserving dock space there is Port McNeil, Shearwater(Bella Bella) and Prince Rupert. Ketchikan is first come first served. Everything else is anchor out.

 

[Ken E.]

On your topic of traveling with a flotilla to SE AK vs going solo....NW Explorations, Slow Boat and others have group trips up and down. The attraction is having someone there to help you if you have trouble and who has been there before, knows the route, sights, other details. There's a social part of it too, dinners and happy hours when anchored. How you feel about these flotilla aspects will stear you on how to travel.

We always make the SE AK trip by ourselves, solo. We like the solitude, being on our own timing and not being with the same group night after night which can get stale. Also, when a number of boats travel together, your group will be affected by any mechanical problems with any of the boats, which may alter the trip. But, as educational trip to learn places to go, where to anchor, things to see, it might have merit for you

 

[tiltrider1]

Retriever who contributes here often, did or still does run the Slow Boat flotilla from Puget Sound to Alaska. His Nordhavn even came from one of his customers who can’t say enough good things about Sam. So obviously Slow Boat does something right.

I just couldn’t see enough value for the cost and I didn’t want to be tied to someone else’s schedule. So as I said before, everyone is different.

 

[SeaDogAK]

You should always be able to get transient space in pretty much every town in SE Alaska, but you might very well be hot berthed in someone else’s slip. Wrangell is probably your best bet for leaving the boat.

 

[twistedtree]

To address some of your other questions, so far I have always been able to get dock space on arrival in Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, Wrangell, Petersburg, Valdez, Cordova, and Seward. That's with both a 60' and a 68' boat. It's not guaranteed, but odds are in your favor.

The majority, if not all of the above ports have used oil collection right at the marina. These are all municipal marinas, not private, so fluids collection is available along with trash disposal. Oil is certainly available in the larger ports, but I would suggest just taking supplies with you so you don't have to go chasing around trying to find stuff.

The more comfortable you are with deep anchoring, the more places will be open to you to visit, including some of the most spectacular spots. Before the PNW, my boating was all on the east coast where anchoring is typically in 30' or less with a 5:1 to 7:1 scope. So I brought that mentality with me to the PNW. The first year I struggled to find places to anchor because I thought 400' of chain limited me to 80' (5:1) of depth, and even that was for fair weather only. What I figured out in subsequent years is that the deeper you go, the less scope you need because the chain itself is so darn heavy. The result is that I now routinely anchor in 100' with 300' of chain out, and have anchored many times in 200' with 450-500' out. I did outfit this boat with 600' of chain vs my previous 400', which I'm very glad I did.

If you look at the itinerary for the flotillas or boutique cruises, you can make a list of all the first timer, must-see places. We went to them all our first time and enjoyed them. They are great, and I don't want to discourage going to any of them. But we have only returned to a few of them, instead seeking out different, more remote, and less frequented spots. We started early this year, and are having a comparatively short season, but so far have only had another boat in the same anchorage 2 or maybe 3 times. And the only port call we have made since leaving Seattle was Sitka, and now Prince Rupert to check back into Canada.

 

[bowball]

I have to get comfortable anchoring in deeper water. The max I generally have gone to is 60’ and I carry 400’ of chain, with a 100 pound Uktra anchor. My windlass wouldn’t be happy probably with a lot more chain but I haven’t calculated it. Seems like 100’ might be my comfort zone?

 

[bowball]

I can see the appeal of Slow Boats. $15k is indeed a lot of money so I can also see doing it alone. I’m not worried about someone teaching me the timing of rapids for example but there is an appeal to nit having to make decisions of where to anchor at each stop, finding the gems… I don’t know. It’s hard to quantify what I will get out of it but people find it’s useful as the reviews are always positive. Is it just another insurance policy?

 

[RCook]

I have to get comfortable anchoring in deeper water. The max I generally have gone to is 60’ and I carry 400’ of chain, with a 100 pound Uktra anchor. My windlass wouldn’t be happy probably with a lot more chain but I haven’t calculated it. Seems like 100’ might be my comfort zone?

In almost 30 years of cruising the Inside Passage, from Puget Sound to Skagway and 80-90% of everywhere in between, I've never needed or wanted to anchor deeper than 80 feet. More than 70 only rarely. 300 feet of chain has always been enough, and I very rarely use more than 250. For our 37 NT a 20kg Rocna has always done the job.

 

[Ken E.]

Just to add my anchoring experiences to TT's and Richard's, for northern BC and SE AK.

Almost every anchoring spot will be deeper up there, than south of Cape Caution. For us, a usual spot will 50-60' deep and unless the wind is blowing, I'm at 3:1 scope. I have 300' of 3/8" all-chain rode and a 66 lb claw anchor. As TT mentioned, I've learned that more scope is not necessary unless it gets windy.

 

[ktdtx]

but there is an appeal to nit having to make decisions of where to anchor at each stop, finding the gems

If this is the first time in the northern part of the Inside Passage then I suggest that almost every place you choose to anchor will be a "Gem"

 

[rslifkin]

I have to get comfortable anchoring in deeper water. The max I generally have gone to is 60’ and I carry 400’ of chain, with a 100 pound Uktra anchor. My windlass wouldn’t be happy probably with a lot more chain but I haven’t calculated it. Seems like 100’ might be my comfort zone?

With 400 ft of chain I'd be comfortable in 100 - 125 feet. Deeper than 125ft and you'd be below 3:1 scope (assuming about 7 ft for bow height). Generally you need less scope in deeper water, as chain catenary is more effective in deeper water.

400 ft of chain is pretty much in "can anchor anywhere you'd realistically want to" territory.

 

[twistedtree]

As for places to visit, seeing the various towns is good at least once, but for the most part that’s not the attraction to Alaska. I wouldn’t miss Tracy Arm and Glacier bay, but note that you will need a permit to enter Glacier Bay. Aside from that, there are countless anchorages, each unique and stunning.

 

[bowball]

Thank you. That’s all really useful info.
Tracy Arm is on my list. To also include Glacier Bay, and do the trip justice, what overall time would you recommend? I also wanted to visit Ford’s Terror if it wasn’t too far off the path.

 

[SeaDogAK]

Ford’s Terror is well worth the stop but you have to time the tides to come in and out on high slack.

 

[twistedtree]

Ford’s Terror is well worth the stop but you have to time the tides to come in and out on high slack.

And deep water isn't where the charts show it.

 

[ktdtx]

Ford's Terror is close..... Endicott Arm is the right side where Tracy Arm goes left. As you go up Endicott, Ford's Terror entrance is on your left. As I recall you enter/exit one hour after Juneau high tide would be best.
Double check that.