Hawaiʻi

[Amgine]

Okay, I've studied this route to death. But I need to know everything anyone here knows about the route from Cape Flattery to Hawaiʻi. ::dances a jig:: 'Cuz I hope to be sailing it in about 6 months.

[Hooligan6a]

What do you want to know? I sailed the route 4 times in boats under 30 feet.
  hooliganx6@aol.com

[Amgine]

Mostly questions about weather and nav strategy during the trip. The trip has, for financial reasons, been postponed until next year. Which is going to give me a winter's worth of additional systems upgrades.

If the passage goes as expected, the weather will have a reasonably good chance for two or more gales, most likely between 43° and 40° N. I've tracked several boats down the coast, and those whose strategy is to get out to about 40 nm offshore and work straight down seem to have the shortest over-all time en route. Boats closer in or going port-to-port tend to spend more time trapped in ports by weather/bar closures. Boats further out tend to have both more heavy weather and calms (although one boat on this route this summer reported no gales, but only averaged 65 nm per day due to calms.) The boats about 40 nm out seem to get better currents, and are far enough out to make running for cover less an option so they keep on moving.

So I'd love to hear if your experiences have matched up with what I've gleaned so far? What strategies would you suggest for a fast, safe passage down the coast in a small boat? With the gales on this route, do they have a general pattern how they develop and pass? What are some of the strategies for dealing with them?

[Auspicious]

The trip has, for financial reasons, been postponed until next year. Which is going to give me a winter's worth of additional systems upgrades.

The longer I stay at the dock the more money I spend. Cruising may be the best thing I can do to save money.

*grin*

[Amgine]

::laughing:: Well, I haven't been staying at the dock. I just finished 1000 nm worth of cruising the islands, the strait, etc. Which wasn't as expensive as the couple months at the dock *before* the trip; new sails and standing rigging.

But I'd really like a dodger. And a dozen other things that came up during the trip. ::sigh:: What I really need is sponsors for my vacation.

[newt]

Are you going with anyone else Amgine? And do you have you dates down pat?