Mac from Seattle to Skagway/Glacier Bay and return?

[kelseydo]

Has anyone considered or better yet taken a Mac from Seattle to Skagway/Glacier Bay and return? It is about 900 NM each way through the intercostal with three short (30 NM) stretches of open water. There are several routing options and the ferry system could be used to shuttle family and friend in and out of the voyage. I’m thinking 6 – 9 months (leave in the spring, return in the fall) for the trip which means only having to make 10 – 20 NM per day. All the mods and upgrades I’ve made to my X are with this trip in mind. If I don’t get to take the trip I’ll still have a very nice X. The window opens for me in about two years. Two or more boats would be safer, who would like to go.

[Daniel]

KELSEYDO, IF YOU GOOGLE NORTH TO ALASKA MACGREGORSAILORS YOU WILL FIND THE LINK. I WOULD POST THE LINK BUT WE WOULD BOTH BE MUCH OLDER. ENJOY

[Sumner]

Here is what you want...

http://cecka.no-ip.org:8080/chinook/

Chinook's voyage. Do you want to go to the Sea of Cortez or the Bahamas? They have done that also. Quite impressive ,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[kelseydo]

Daniel,
Thanks so much,
The link and story is outstanding. I'm more energized that the trip is within scope. Who's in?
Dan

[kelseydo]

Thanks Sum,
Your posts are always on the mark. I grew up on the lower end of Lake Powell and this last summer spent a week (my first time) on the northern end of the finest lake in the world. Another item on my list is a round trip (Waweap to bullfrog and back) similar to your well documented trip. Keep it coming.
Dan

[metronome]

What a great trip that would be. May be able to swing a trip like this in a couple years. Looking foward to heading down to Lake Powell as well, what is the best time of year for extended cruising there ?

[Whipsyjac]

On the homepage of this site there's a button on the header labelled "Features" click it and you'll see options including "Exploring" click that and you'll find "North To Alaska" which journals a trip starting in Bellingham.

I found it a good read since they document their trials along with their triumphs. Of special note is passing through Yaculta Rapids a little too far from slack current.

Its one of our dreams as well.

Willy

[yukonbob]

If you're considering the trip get Charlie's Charts North to Alaska. http://charliescharts.com/index.php?mai ... ducts_id=1 It is not a chart book , but has a ton of great info including which ports have what (gas, diesel, laundry, harbour master ph#'s groceries ect) also has tips on which inlets/channels to hit and which ones to avoid, currents weather patterns ect. It also contains info on alot of the elusive hot springs along the way customs info and on and on and on. It is much easier for southerners to come north as the prevailing winds come out of the south most of the summer and then switch to the north in mid to late september.

This is one of the best put together videos of the subject. Trevor also does all the music.
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZHuV2K3Ac&feature=plcp
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFl-rjDaLQU&feature=plcp
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2o4pcHUGTw&feature=plcp
Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxl9Kuskd-4&feature=plcp

[Sumner]

...Looking foward to heading down to Lake Powell as well, what is the best time of year for extended cruising there ?

We live in the first town to the east of the Lake and my favorite time of the year here is mid-sept to mid-oct. 1st week of Sept. to the end of that month and you will find the water temps still warm and the daytime temps getting cooler.

The spring here can be nice, but the fronts are still going through and it can be very windy, I mean over 50 mph winds at times. Mid to late May is an option if you aren't looking for warmer water but remember the lake is fed by the Colorado, Green River and San Juan that are all running high then from mountain snow melt.

The summer on the lake can be very hot (day time average highs in Jun/Jul/Aug are in the mid 90's with a number of days over 100). Also not a much wind in the summer.

http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimat ... h/USAZ0152

The lake can be very frustrating to sail....



..... with the canyon walls and strange wind patterns. I'd plan on a lot of motoring if you want to see things and sail when you can. We sailed only, motoring on and off anchorages and shore moorings and some days only made a few miles.

Because of the depths it can be impossible to anchor places so you need to have shore line or use the anchor lines as such and it really is safest...



....to beach the boat if you can anyways.

It is a beautiful place. There is a lot more info on our trip reports there,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[metronome]

Thanks for the info on Lake Powell Sumner. Great pictures, I read some of your travel logs, nice work, great information.
Hope to get down that way in a couple years.

PaulT

[skipperpaul88]

Hi Kelsey, I would be very interested in the trip you describe! Are you going to set up a web site or blog for planning and idea exchange?

I have been sailing the Pacific Northwest from Olympia to Desolation Sound for the past 11 years with my daughter as crew with my wife flying where ever we are for as much time as she can get off work. We usually sail for three to ten weeks with my wife joining us for from one to five weeks. My daughter is now 16 and has other social interests, although she says she still wants to sail for shorter trips which is one of the reasons why I recently bought the Mac26.

My sailing has been on my extensively modified Catalina 250 which is a water ballasted trailer sailer and a great boat for this type of cruising. I bought my Mac26 in September and parked it in the back yard and have been doing cruising modifications since.

I would really like to know the modifications you have made and/or have planned. I shamelessly pirate ideas and mods wherever I find them and I have quite a few of my own that I am more than willing to share.

I have launched from Anacortes many times, from Bellingham and Porteau on Howe sound on numerous occasions and a few places I would not recommend.

[kelseydo]

All,
Thanks for the encouragement, or at least not pointing out that this inland boat owner still has a lot to learn about sailing.
YukonBob,
I have a copy of Charlie's Charts (5th edition) and since it has been a while since I've read it, it is now on the night stand for anther read. Great YouTube links; are you familiar with the stars?
SkipperPaul88,
I have no plans for a web site but include a decent camera with video one of my upgrades. Other upgrades to date include dual axle trailer, E-Tec 90, Lowrance 3rd gen Chartplotter, pressure water, sail pack with lazy jack, larger ballast drain aft with the hull forward drain permanently sealed, AirHead Head, Upgraded Galley, completely rewired boat with 1600 amp-hours of cabin batteries - LEDs all around, and new sails. Future upgrades planned include a new best mate, New marine band radio/s with AIS & DSC, more drawers to increase the size of the V-birth, more freshwater forward, emergency tiller with tiller pilot, AC/DC fridge, shore power with on board generator, ....

It will be at least two years before I can take a shot at the passage, three years if I decide to take a summer dry run (so as to speak) around the San Juans.
Dan