Les and John’s 2019 EXTREME Winter Cruise

[Ward H]

Stu, that was today shortly after arrival in Port Townsend.
On the ride over....

Lighthouse at the entrance of PT

The crew having dinner in PT

 

[Terry Cox]

Must be photo shopped. Snowless in Port Townsend after all this white stuff here. Squim had feet of it. What a great cruise. Be safe on your last leg. Some envy here. Hope to spend some water time this coming week.

 

[Terry Cox]

Also had water clogged fuel filter just after Pt Wilson just before dropping the main

Hi Les, where is the water source? Defective filler cap “O” ring? Where was the last place you got fuel? Maybe fuel station contaminated?

Also, is it sea water or fresh? If sea water, maybe through the vent scupper?

 

[jssailem]

Terry. Not sure. All good possibilities. Currently the theory is Pt Roberts or Friday Harbor. With all the wave action Fuel got stirred up and what water was at the bottom of the tank found the pickup tube and the filter.

Great dinner last night. Very comforting to see snowless dry land and the UFO bright and yellow/orange in the sky.

 

[Hayden Watson]

Back in post #173 you said something about testing the dry suits. Did any or all of you have dry suits and if so which make and model and what were your impressions.

 

[Stu Jackson]

dry suits...and what were your impressions.

Ah, the Michelin MEN?

 

[Terry Cox]

Ah, the Michelin MEN?

Real PNW men would have been out there in commando shorts, flip flops and tank tops. These young whipper snappers, they just...

 

[jssailem]

Les and I have dry suits. I tested mine and I can still get into it. That was important.

I have an Ocean Rodeo Heat. It is a light weight waterproof cloth one piece. Feet are part of the suit.
https://oceanrodeo.com/product/heat/
Wandered in to Fisheries in 2017 and they were clearing out the last years model. Tried it on. It fit. And met the intent I have for it. Use when solo sailing. Figure it might stretch my survival should I miss step on the deck and take an immersion.

This trip conditions were not as bad as expected. I used my WM Foulies. They were another end of season clear out on sale. Work great.

It is all about layers under the outer gear. double socks. Got a pair of SealSkinz from WM. They are great. Feet warm in Gill rubber deck boots the entire cruise... Even when we were seeing 25degree windchill and 4ft swells. Water washing over decks and the remainder of the snow in the cockpit that we could not get out with the dustpan.

The hand warmers in the gloves were a key to non frozen digits.

 

[jssailem]

Having sailed across the Georgia Strait in Small Craft Warrnings conditions, We like to think of ourselves as Yukon Men. Eh?

 

[Hayden Watson]

Good to know. I have a very good set of Slam that is sized for two layers of thermal. The part I like best about it is the inner pockets and collar. The outer pockets have Velcro closures to keep things secure. behind them are the inner pockets that are angled perfectly to put your hands into a get them warm. these pockets are line with a fleece that somehow never feels wet and constructed so that they do not transfer any moisture through the inner lining. Great for hand warming. The Collar is made with the same fleece which is soft and warm on the neck but somehow does not let water wick below to the inner garments.
For hands in really cold weather, I have a set of neoprene fishing gloves that are waterproof and very warm.

 

[Meriachee]

We like to think of ourselves as Yukon Men. Eh?

Got that covered off the list. Heck, the Georgia Strait in the middle of summer can be ugly.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

@Stu Jackson that was taken last night in Pr Townsend. Enjoying a Cafe Breakfast after a nice long shower and change into clean cloths.

 

[lehighsail]

Those pictures are great. Love the one with the old sea lions (that would be the first one).

 

[LeslieTroyer]

I have a kokatat - mostly kayaker use them.

 

[Hayden Watson]

Did you wear it on this cruise or just your foulies?

 

[jssailem]

No he did not. We both just wore follies and layers.

I figured one of the two guys could turn the boat around and get me out of the water in less than an hour. It was as much as a hope then a yep they will save me. I figure they would give it their best.

Do you have a dry suit?

 

[Hayden Watson]

Now I don't but have thought about getting one. I was on the Duwamish Head Race in 2008 on a J90 and the bowman had one. It was light weight and he was warm and comfortable the entire race which was saying a lot. We had wind up to 40 knots and the first leg was down wind run under spinnaker. We were jumping off the tops of waves at 20+ knots of boat speed then punching into the back of the next one which put 6"-12" of water over the whole deck before jumping back onto a plane and jumping off the top of the next wave. During one of our two broaches, the bowman was pinned against the leeward lifeline with only his head showing above water. Several started to help him get up but he said "I am fine just get the boat going again. He didn't even get wet!

 

[Will Gilmore]

Real PNW men would have been out there in commando shorts,

Aren't "commando" and "shorts" mutually exclusive?

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[jssailem]

They can be marvelous. The manufacturer says they are made for Wind surfing. They are certainly light weight. I have a fleece bibs that I bought for fly fishing. They work great as a layer for the dry suit.

 

[Michael Davis]

Just down to the pub for dinner. Bob and Christine (pub owners)were asking after you guys. Worried about valued customers I guess. Wanted to know if you'd gotten home OK. AIS says you spent the day in a "no snow" zone. Seattle tomorrow?