Hello from the great white North, and a couple questions

[canadanorth]

Hi all,

My husband and I are from Yukon, Canada. We are in the final stages of acquiring a liveaboard (we are looking at the Selene 53/55) and are looking to move aboard April 1st. My name is Wendy (51) and my husband's name is Leif (44). Our first cruise will be to travel up to SE Alaska, which is a part of the world we are very familiar with and a great place to get acquainted with our home on the water. We have both spent our careers in aviation (he as a commercial pilot, myself as an owner/operator of an aviation company) We are very much looking forward to joining your community on the water.

Two questions we have early on relate to timing for a couple of our planned cruises.
1. When is the earliest you would consider transiting to Anacortes to Alaska?
2. When is the latest you would consider transiting to San Francisco.

 

[READY]

Welcome. @mvweebles or @ksanders may be able to shed light on those cruising conditions.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard.

 

[mikehar]

Your insurance company might have an opinion, but for me April is the earliest I would head up and I have headed south in late September without any problems.

 

[tiltrider1]

May 15 to Sept 15 is the standard insurance rider. For a significantly larger fee you can get earlier transit dates.

 

[canadanorth]

Your insurance company might have an opinion, but for me April is the earliest I would head up and I have headed south in late September without any problems.

Thank you!

 

[canadanorth]

May 15 to Sept 15 is the standard insurance rider. For a significantly larger fee you can get earlier transit dates.

Thank you. We will check with insurance

 

[twistedtree]

I usually start heading to AK around April 1. You may have a few more waits for weather windows, but it's never been a problem. Just remember that you will be even more on your own than usual since most boaters are still hibernating.

As for the Pacific coast south of BC, I have come north in early October without issue. Again, you should expect more waiting for weather windows vs other times of year.

 

[canadanorth]

Great, thanks! Underpopulated anchorages are a plus in our book so early season may be perfect.

 

[tozz]

If you haven't already done so, join the fb group: "Boating The Inside Passage to Alaska". Lots of experienced AK cruisers in there as well.

Log into Facebook

 

[Jklotz]

Can't help you with your questions, but might I suggest you bring some warm clothes? I suspect it's going to be a bit chilly up that way around April.

 

[mvweebles]

2. When is the latest you would consider transiting to San Francisco.

Mid September through late October usually brings comparatively settled weather and the days aren't too short......yet. Nighttime temps are pretty cold.

Peter

 

[ksanders]

I have left the seattle area northbound as early as April 15 and there were very few other recreational boats on the water.

If you are planning on crossing the Gulf of Alaska you need to do that no later than 15 August, or you will have long delays.

The challenge along the north pacific coast from above SF bay to the gulf of Alaska is the normal cycling of the pacific high pressure.

In the summer the pacific high pressure builds and storms tend to get pushed above it into the Alaska land mass. As the high starts to break down the storms tend to track further south, and this is what defines the weather along the entire north coast.

In August we experience frequent and violent storms in the gulf of Alaska, and as fall sets in those storms drop down to the Washington and Oregon coasts.

Our plan, and we are heading North is that we will be in Puget sound by about 1-September.

 

[Iggy]

Welcome!

 

[mvweebles]

Mid September through late October usually brings comparatively settled weather and the days aren't too short......yet. Nighttime temps are pretty cold.

Peter

@ksanders is an authority on Puget Sound north to Alaska. I can only speak to my experience from Puget Sound southward, certainly to San Francisco.

Another point of reference are Canadian and US sailboats boats headed south for the Baja Ha Ha that formally kicks off around October 31st in San Diego. Most leave the PNW as early as August but probably biggest group leaves mid September.

There are two distinct weather zones along this stretch separated by Cape Mendocino. Although weather and sea state is generally favorable and from the north, it is not unusual to see southerly conditions north of Cape Mendocino. Also some of the fuel docks have reduced hours which can confound logistics if you don't have range.

Peter

 

[ljboyers]

I live in Ketchikan and have made the trip between Ketchikan and Anacortes in the fall, January, and April. January had 40 kn SE winds at Green Island by Pr Rupert but April had winds gusting 50 out of the West coming out of Anacortes, Guemez channel?, but nice by Friday Harbor. I say go anytime but be willing to anchor up for a day or two to let weather pass and stow the boat shipshape before leaving.

 

[canadanorth]

Thanks so much for this. See you on the water!

 

[ljboyers]

Thanks so much for this. See you on the water!

 

[ljboyers]

Only Nauticat 44 in KTN

 

[Tacklow]

My vote is for April as the earliest I would do the trip to Alaska. I lived just south of the Alaskan border (Porcher Island) for some years and have done that voyage in both directions. As for heading south from BC I would leave in September. Too early and you risk hurricanes further south; too late and you can get some nasty weather off the Oregon coast. To be honest, although our trawler went to Hawaii and back on her maiden voyage from Victoria, our trips further south have been under sail. I typically stand off about two hundred miles to avoid the near coastal disturbances and clear in at San Francisco but I suspect this may not be the ideal route for a power boat. In any event, best wishes and bon voyage from a fellow Canadian!

 

[canadanorth]

Thanks all. The April/September thoughts above are about what I was thinking. And yes, the offshore routing to San Francisco is probably what we ll do. With some crew who have done it before of course.