Appreciate hearing the pros and cons about sailing under power, or any comments about crossing the straits under power and sail to decrease the time it takes to cross. Turtle
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Hi, maybe check first what are the rules or regulations about that in your ports/straits. They might not allow you to use sails while crossing as you can easily loose control while other boats are crossing. It is always a good idea to have the best control of your boat while only under power. If going against the tide, better check tide tables to see which are the best times to cross in either direction. This will reduce considerable the time you spend crossing and will save you lots of $$ in gas too. You can increase your speed at crossing by 100% just by doing so at the right time.
Hull Speed
Unless you have a planning hulled boat you can only go so fast. It doesn't matter if you are sailing or motoring, or both. So the best and fastest way to cross the Juan De Fuca Straits is to go when there is a 18-22 knot wind that will put you on a beam reach on a flooding tide. It is approximately 22 1/2 nautical miles from John Wayne to San Juan Channel. That should take you 3 hours, and 50 minutes at 6 knots (SOG). The flood should add 1-2 knots in some places, so knock say 20 minutes off of that. You can sail or motor, or both while crossing the straits (however, if you are motor sailing YOU ARE A MOTOR BOAT, AND MUST ACT LIKE ONE), but you also MUST know the rules regarding shipping traffic, which there is a lot of in all directions.
Unless you have a planning hulled boat you can only go so fast. It doesn't matter if you are sailing or motoring, or both. So the best and fastest way to cross the Juan De Fuca Straits is to go when there is a 18-22 knot wind that will put you on a beam reach on a flooding tide. It is approximately 22 1/2 nautical miles from John Wayne to San Juan Channel. That should take you 3 hours, and 50 minutes at 6 knots (SOG). The flood should add 1-2 knots in some places, so knock say 20 minutes off of that. You can sail or motor, or both while crossing the straits (however, if you are motor sailing YOU ARE A MOTOR BOAT, AND MUST ACT LIKE ONE), but you also MUST know the rules regarding shipping traffic, which there is a lot of in all directions.
didn't know
Thanks for your info. I thought as long as you wern't in the shipping lanes you can hoist the sails. Yes, I will try to time the tides and currents the best I can leaving Sequim Bay and entering Oak Bay. I have a 9hp Yanmar for my 27' sailboat which isn't a whole lot of power. So, I guess I'm hearing you say cross the straits as quick as I can under power? Turtle
Thanks for your info. I thought as long as you wern't in the shipping lanes you can hoist the sails. Yes, I will try to time the tides and currents the best I can leaving Sequim Bay and entering Oak Bay. I have a 9hp Yanmar for my 27' sailboat which isn't a whole lot of power. So, I guess I'm hearing you say cross the straits as quick as I can under power? Turtle
Turtle
It is recommended that you cross the VTS lanes perpendicular to the lanes to keep your time in the lanes to a minimum. This requires you to know where those lanes are, and wether or not you are in them (they do some wierd things in that area). YOU CAN SAIL IN THE TRAFFIC LANES IF YOU WANT, just don't spend all day there.
It is recommended that you cross the VTS lanes perpendicular to the lanes to keep your time in the lanes to a minimum. This requires you to know where those lanes are, and wether or not you are in them (they do some wierd things in that area). YOU CAN SAIL IN THE TRAFFIC LANES IF YOU WANT, just don't spend all day there.
Motorsaiing
International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea(COLREGS) require that any vessel proceeding under power AND sail carries a black cone, point downwards, in the forward part of the vessel. This is to indicate that the vessel is lo longer entitled to the privileges accorded to a sailing vessel. We normally hang ours from the spin pole uphaul with a second line down to the foredeck to prevent it from banging the mast. COLREGS Rule 25 (e) A vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled by machinery shall exhibit forward where it can best be seen a conical shape, apex downwards. Hope this helps. NB:- In the event of an accident insurers might not pay out unless the above is complied with!
International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea(COLREGS) require that any vessel proceeding under power AND sail carries a black cone, point downwards, in the forward part of the vessel. This is to indicate that the vessel is lo longer entitled to the privileges accorded to a sailing vessel. We normally hang ours from the spin pole uphaul with a second line down to the foredeck to prevent it from banging the mast. COLREGS Rule 25 (e) A vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled by machinery shall exhibit forward where it can best be seen a conical shape, apex downwards. Hope this helps. NB:- In the event of an accident insurers might not pay out unless the above is complied with!
Turtle Oak Bay
is a couple miles farther (I assume you are talking the Oak Bay near Victoria) than Cattle Pass, and is a tighter sail if you have that 'ideal' west wind . The flooding tide won't do you any favors either, so I would make the crossing around the ebb slack.
is a couple miles farther (I assume you are talking the Oak Bay near Victoria) than Cattle Pass, and is a tighter sail if you have that 'ideal' west wind . The flooding tide won't do you any favors either, so I would make the crossing around the ebb slack.
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