Hello I'm brand new to sailing. Just purchased my first boat macgregor 26d. So I live on the Columbia river and wanna know the ins and outs of sailing the columbia river mostly from Bonneville dam to the dalles dam thanks for any and all info.
Sailing the columbia river
- Thread starter Captaindon1991
- Start date
Yes the locals lol. I guess I am the locals lived here my whole life. Always had powerboats. And our marina here is very quiet hardly see people around let alone a sailboat owner. do i just hold a sign out that says do you own a sailboat!! Haha
Good one. I'd look for the boats with big sticks and white things on them.
There are plenty of resources available to you (try Google). There have been books written about sailing in that area, which is beautiful - I took a road trip through it many summers ago.
Fair winds, and you'll get a lot of wind!!!
Apparently not local to the river. That river has some current, so it's good know what you're up against.
I couldn't resist....Good one. I'd look for the boats with big sticks and white things on them.
There are plenty of resources available to you (try Google). There have been books written about sailing in that area, which is beautiful - I took a road trip through it many summers ago.
Fair winds, and you'll get a lot of wind!!!
The book is a great resource I bought a couple been reading alot I researched for months finally told myself just get a boat and go hands on. So I talked the wife into it bought the boat now it's sitting in my driveway. And I'm thinking to myself wow what have you got yourself into this time... Thanks for the quick replies! I appreciate it
A great way to learn is to crew for others, ask questions and watch. Then practice what your learning with your boat.
Les
Les
I started with a Mac 26D (hull number 35). It sails well as long as the ballast is clear full and the dagger board and rudder are clear down. If things don't go your way, just drop sails and fire up the outboard.
In the river is another story. With a 9.9 Honda, I couldn't plan on anything over about 6.5 mph. So make sure you can go against the current. I've found a few places I needed to wait for the tide in Puget Sound. The Colombia tide may take thousands of years to reverse. (Ask another local sailor or even a kayaker.)
Here is a Mac 26 trick worth the admission. When you go to put her back on the trailer: get a 12 volt pool inflator (I tried a cordless one, but the battery gave out a bit too soon), and put it into the vent right next to your ballast valve. Turn on the blower and open the ballast valve. Once bubbles start coming up the outside of the boat, shut your fill valve, then turn off the blower. Your ballast tank is now nearly empty. This reduces the weight loading it on the trailer, and you don't tie up the launch ramp for 10 to 15 minutes waiting for the ballast to empty. You will still need to open the valve once out of the water to drain the last few gallons.
PM me if you want a few more hints from my past experience. These are simple boats but some small hints like this really help.
Ken
In the river is another story. With a 9.9 Honda, I couldn't plan on anything over about 6.5 mph. So make sure you can go against the current. I've found a few places I needed to wait for the tide in Puget Sound. The Colombia tide may take thousands of years to reverse. (Ask another local sailor or even a kayaker.)
Here is a Mac 26 trick worth the admission. When you go to put her back on the trailer: get a 12 volt pool inflator (I tried a cordless one, but the battery gave out a bit too soon), and put it into the vent right next to your ballast valve. Turn on the blower and open the ballast valve. Once bubbles start coming up the outside of the boat, shut your fill valve, then turn off the blower. Your ballast tank is now nearly empty. This reduces the weight loading it on the trailer, and you don't tie up the launch ramp for 10 to 15 minutes waiting for the ballast to empty. You will still need to open the valve once out of the water to drain the last few gallons.
PM me if you want a few more hints from my past experience. These are simple boats but some small hints like this really help.
Ken
Well I guess I'm probably just
Thanks Ken that's the kind of info I was looking for appreciate the tip I have read about blowing the ballast tank out but nobody explained how to do so very clearly but that makes perfect sense. Thanks I will pm you if I figure it out lol
I havent been on the Columbia river with a larger sailboat but did a lot of windsurfing there years ago mostly between Cascade locks and Maryhill and have a similar sailboat (26S). It seems to me that the Columbia has some particularly windy spots and less windy spots and the current also varies from spot to spot and time of day and year (which you likely know already since you are local). And of course barges. In the windy spots and big current, I think your situation would be similar to a beginning skier going straight for a black diamond ski slope. You probably will make it down the slope but may not have fun or learn much. The thought of sailing my Mac 26S at Hood River in some of the conditions I used to windsurf in would really require you to have the boat set up for high winds and have experience using what you have setup. I think you probably can pick places and times where you have lower winds and currents and I would do that until you feel the urge to go out in the higher winds. Best to get the hang of things would be almost no current and a light breeze - say even under 10 mph or knts.
Another thing about the boat you have that helps when you need to maneuver in a tight area such as coming into a slip or dock. If the dagger board is all the way up, the boat will not turn well. I have the swing centerboard so dont know how much daggerboard you need down.. but you will need some. Also, if the boat is going very slow, the rudder does not have enough water moving past it to create lift - plus its more prone to stalling. If the boat is moving slow, its fairly easy to sit just in front of the outboard so that you can vector the outboard thrust along with the rudder. If you can vector the outboard thrust plus have some dagger board down, the boat can almost turn in its own diameter but without those.. it may hardly turn at all. Check your outboard to make sure you can rotate it in the well.
Another thing about the boat you have that helps when you need to maneuver in a tight area such as coming into a slip or dock. If the dagger board is all the way up, the boat will not turn well. I have the swing centerboard so dont know how much daggerboard you need down.. but you will need some. Also, if the boat is going very slow, the rudder does not have enough water moving past it to create lift - plus its more prone to stalling. If the boat is moving slow, its fairly easy to sit just in front of the outboard so that you can vector the outboard thrust along with the rudder. If you can vector the outboard thrust plus have some dagger board down, the boat can almost turn in its own diameter but without those.. it may hardly turn at all. Check your outboard to make sure you can rotate it in the well.
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Ken: This is an email group of hundreds of local Columbia (and Puget Sound) sailors. These folks have vast local knowledge. cascadia-sailing-association@talk.netatlantic.com
I'm far downriver from you, so wouldn't be much help with advice about 20 years of Portland and points downriver.
I'm far downriver from you, so wouldn't be much help with advice about 20 years of Portland and points downriver.
This is very true. Every once in a while I forget to lower my daggerboard. Without it the boat will handle fine in reverse but once I try to go forward it reminds me that I need lower it. It only takes about a foot of daggerbard to get her back under control.
Enjoy your new boat. I love mine. It's been over 25 years since I sailed the Columbia so I can't help with that.
Get the NOAA maps of the river. You can ride it all the way to Idaho...
Google the various Locks so you learn the procedure to step up or down the river.
If you fish you know that below a rock there is slack water. Slack water is where the river silt deposits. The islands in the river act like big rocks. Expect shallow water directly downstream of every Island. Was sailing my 15 ft Montgomery between Hood River and The Dalles, when the rudder and center board both popped up. I was .5 miles down stream when I found the silt bar.
Keep a careful eye out for the barges and Tugs. You would think that the Tug crew could see out of the 30 perch they have. Think again. Your in the way your fish food. The river is pushing them down stream and they can not spin around and get out of your way. Advise caution during fishing season. The tribes have gill net fishing rights. You see a string of buoys or Clorox bottles expect a gill net. You get caught in one and it will ruin your day... Sailing from Portland to Bonneville Dam can be fun. If the weather is warm stick to the Washington side giving the islands up stream from Rooster Rock Park fair distance. It is a bathing suit optional area, and your not talking Grande Saline, St. Bart’s.
Google the various Locks so you learn the procedure to step up or down the river.
If you fish you know that below a rock there is slack water. Slack water is where the river silt deposits. The islands in the river act like big rocks. Expect shallow water directly downstream of every Island. Was sailing my 15 ft Montgomery between Hood River and The Dalles, when the rudder and center board both popped up. I was .5 miles down stream when I found the silt bar.
Keep a careful eye out for the barges and Tugs. You would think that the Tug crew could see out of the 30 perch they have. Think again. Your in the way your fish food. The river is pushing them down stream and they can not spin around and get out of your way. Advise caution during fishing season. The tribes have gill net fishing rights. You see a string of buoys or Clorox bottles expect a gill net. You get caught in one and it will ruin your day... Sailing from Portland to Bonneville Dam can be fun. If the weather is warm stick to the Washington side giving the islands up stream from Rooster Rock Park fair distance. It is a bathing suit optional area, and your not talking Grande Saline, St. Bart’s.
The area you're going to sail in will probably have winds like a wind tunnel as they rocket up-river, or, gusty winds as they come down the canyons behind and around Mount Hood. Nobody has really talked about gusty winds but given the topography that's what I'd expect.
An almost life changing event occurred to me several years ago as I flew down the river. Came up from Bend, got a briefing and they said "No reported turbulence." Okay, so I filed my flight plan and took off to the north and the river. It was in early march with a low overcast ceiling, snow cells all around but a number of blue holes (still eastern Oregon). Approaching the river it became solid overcast but no snow cells. Flying down river I got to just about the Dalles [Edit: actually, I think that was more like between Hood River and the Cascade Locks] and all hell broke loose, I thought the wings would be torn off. I could see Portland up ahead but due to the turbulence had difficulty talking to them to report my position in case I went down.
After I landed in Portland I asked them about the "No reported..." and they said I was the first one to make it through that day. Lesson learned about weather reports.
Having sailed lakes and canyons (Johnston Strait for example), I know how topography can influence wind patterns. So .... if you're kinda new to sailing one suggestion, until you become familiar with the local weather (i.e., wind patterns), would be to consider sailing with a reef in the main or have the main sheet set up to dump the wind load in the main in a hurry.
Stuff can go from very benign, then the little ripples or waves up ahead show signs of stronger wind on the surface, it's time to be prepared.
Going down I-5 near Kelso there looks like some sloughs that would be interesting to go gunkholing (sp?) in but, of course, one would have to tow or lock through to get there.
An almost life changing event occurred to me several years ago as I flew down the river. Came up from Bend, got a briefing and they said "No reported turbulence." Okay, so I filed my flight plan and took off to the north and the river. It was in early march with a low overcast ceiling, snow cells all around but a number of blue holes (still eastern Oregon). Approaching the river it became solid overcast but no snow cells. Flying down river I got to just about the Dalles [Edit: actually, I think that was more like between Hood River and the Cascade Locks] and all hell broke loose, I thought the wings would be torn off. I could see Portland up ahead but due to the turbulence had difficulty talking to them to report my position in case I went down.
After I landed in Portland I asked them about the "No reported..." and they said I was the first one to make it through that day. Lesson learned about weather reports.
Having sailed lakes and canyons (Johnston Strait for example), I know how topography can influence wind patterns. So .... if you're kinda new to sailing one suggestion, until you become familiar with the local weather (i.e., wind patterns), would be to consider sailing with a reef in the main or have the main sheet set up to dump the wind load in the main in a hurry.
Stuff can go from very benign, then the little ripples or waves up ahead show signs of stronger wind on the surface, it's time to be prepared.
Going down I-5 near Kelso there looks like some sloughs that would be interesting to go gunkholing (sp?) in but, of course, one would have to tow or lock through to get there.
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