The Dash Point Pirate

Small Sailboat Camping

Why explore Puget Sound in a kayak when you could sail in a small open boat? You can take advantage of the wind and row when there isn’t any. Like a kayak, a 13 ft centerboard boat is small enough to land on a beach and tie up to shore. You have a lot more room for camping gear than in a kayak. That’s the idea anyway. I built Annabel Lee with camping in mind but didn’t try it until this week and it worked out beautifully. Here are few things I learned so far:

AVOID ROWING AGAINST TIDAL CURRENTS

A 13 ft boat is going to be slower and the wetted surface area much greater than a 17 ft sea kayak. It’s much harder to row against a 4.0 knot current. Early on my first day after I launched from the Point Defiance boathouse I rowed against a current for some distance in order to get to Colvos Passage, where the ebb current would take me north. I hugged the shore to take advantage of small eddies but eventually had to actually get out of the boat and tow her behind me, walking in knee deep water. Even in July the water is very cold. I recommend waders.

SPEND TIME ROWING INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE WIND

Anyone who has spent time sailing in Puget Sound knows that you can waste a lot of time waiting for the wind to pick up. It takes some effort to put the sails up so that one is reluctant to take them down right away. This is why it will take longer to get anywhere in a little sailboat than in a sea kayak. That, along with having to beat upwind.

THE CENTERBOARD IMPROVES TRACKING WHILE ROWING

I usually keep the centerboard up to reduce the drag when rowing but dropping it down really improved tracking in a strong wind. I usually keep the rudder down too. It was fixed in the central position with rope but I would tap it one direction or the other to fine tune my tracking.

THE ELECTRIC PADDLE IS COOL

I bought my Electric Paddle motor last year and find it very useful. The Electric Paddle is a lightweight, portable motor optimized for small boats. “Portable motors for portable boats” is their slogan. The entire unit including the battery only weighs 16 pounds. I keep the motor locked onto my boat and take the battery pack home to recharge it. At full speed (about 3.5 knots, depending on the size of your boat) a fully−charged battery will last 2 hours. At half speed or about 2 knots it will last 4 hours. If you want to go faster you can row at the same time.

The Electric Paddle is manufactured locally. The founder of Electric Paddle, Joe Grez, is a physicist by training, the inventor of many US patents, and is passionate about well-designed marine products. When I ordered an Electric Paddle Joe even delivered it to me personally! There is something very satisfying about buying a well−made product from a local manufacturer, and also to have met the inventor face to face.

The situations in which it really helped me were when I was rowing against a tidal current, rowing against a strong headwind, maneuvering among other boats in the Ballard Locks, maneuvering among other boats trying to dock at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival, and avoiding being run over by a large container ship while crossing traffic lanes in Commencement Bay.

YOU DON'T NEED AN ANCHOR

My friend Ricardo likes to use a Bruce anchor with a 15 ft of chain rode for his small sailboat. Because his boat is skin−on−frame, he prefers to keep her in the water, and to drop anchor and walk on and off at low tide. So far I haven’t bothered with an anchor. I have been simply running my boat on the beach at high tide and tying her up to large driftwood logs. In order to launch I need to wait until high tide again, or gradually pull her out into the water as the water level decreases so she isn’t left high and dry. It would be nearly impossible to pull her across a rocky beach into the water by myself. At the very least that would really scratch up the bottom.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOOD SAILING CONDITIONS

If you are lucky enough to have a strong breeze that will take you where you want to go, take advantage of it as long as possible. On my return trip from Seattle, I enjoyed a sustained 15 knot wind from the north and was able to run south for hours. I originally thought I would stay the night at Blake Island 7 nm away but instead pulled into the shelter of Point Robinson 18 nm away around sunset. Although I was eating dinner and setting up my tent in the dark, it turned out to be a good decision because the next day the wind died down to almost nothing.

IMMERSION WEAR, MANAGING CAPSIZE AND SELF−RESCUE

I don’t always dress for immersion on a sailboat. Usually I just wear shorts and a t-shirt. Realistically though, the risk of capsize and prolonged immersion is probably greater for me when sailing than it is when kayaking. I sometimes wear my Kokatat Whirlpool bibs to keep the lower half of my body dry. In a boat you could easily slip on a drytop if you think things will get rough.

I also haven’t practiced a capsize recovery in my boat. I should do that sometime. There were times on this trip when capsize was definitely a risk, and under those conditions would have been a disaster, with unsecured bags of gear sinking or blowing away and prolonged cold−water immersion a possibility. Just as when kayaking, self-rescue should be reliable enough so that capsize will not be an event where you  need to call 911.

A New Home for Annabel Lee

Yesterday Ricardo and I moved my Pooduck Skiff Annabel Lee from Dash Point into her new home at the historic Point Defiance Marina Boathouse. Tacoma has been called the "salmon capital of the Puget Sound", and the Boathouse serves primarily fishermen who store their small power boats in the boat lockers. It dates back to 1944, when it replaced the original boathouse pavilion of the early 1900s. Keeping Annabel Lee at Point Defiance will make it easier for me to put her in the water by myself. It also will give me easier access to Gig Harbor, Vashon Island and the Tacoma waterfront. I'm probably the only person who keeps a wooden sailboat there and who doesn't fish.

It turned out to be a perfect day for sailing: 90 degrees with a refreshing breeze blowing from the north. We sailed in a broad reach all the way, probably making about 4 knots even against a strengthening ebb current. We even sailed passed the Boathouse and played around the channel just off Owen Beach before heading back to take Annabel Lee out of the water. The wind was still blowing and it seemed a shame to leave such perfect sailing conditions.

There are a couple of elevators that take boats in and out of the water at the Boathouse. When you approach the elevator with your boat, the crew in a control tower will lower an elevator for you to let you motor (in our case, row) your boat into the elevator.  When you are ready they will take you up to the first or second floor, depending on where your locker is. I asked for a locker on the first floor so I could also keep a kayak or two in it and not have to carry it up and down stairs. Once you have arrived at your floor you slide your boat onto a dolly that you provide yourself and wheel it into your locker. 

I'm renting half of a double locker. The fishermen store all of their gear in these lockers, hanging their crabpots from the ceiling and putting their rods and other gear on racks on the wall. Some of these guys have even furnished their lockers with small refrigerators full of beer, easy chairs and camp stoves. I've even seen one with an elk head mounted on the wall. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that it's against the fire code to operate a propane stove around an area where people keep boats and containers of gasoline around. It sure makes for a very cool man cave!

Set a Course for Adventure and Raise the Muslin!

Another great day for sailing. I'm really getting a hang of it now: the practicalities of preparing Annabel Lee for launching from the beach, where to sit on the boat (straddling the middle thwart), and how to change position when tacking (turn to face the stern while ducking under the boom).  

  

The wind died when I reached Dumas Bay. I just bobbed along enjoying the scenery with my feet up. 

   

I rowed for a while until the wind picked up again. I can do about 3 knots rowing (woo-hoo!). I think I need to add a seat cushion. The wind picked up again and here is the boat on a run. When I got back home I just let her run right up onto the beach and I stepped off the bow onto the sand. Smooth!

I like how everything fits neatly inside: sails, spars, and oars, all rinsed off and ready for the next trip out.

Sunset Sail

September may be my favorite month to be out on the water in the Pacific Northwest. The temperature at midday reaches into the high 70s while the nights are cool and crisp. The days are consistently clear and dry, except for the occasional morning fog. And yet everyone seems to think that summer is over: no one else is on the water.

I like to go out during the last couple hours before sunset. Usually that's the only time I can get out after work anyway, but it's also cooler and the sun low in the sky gives off a special light. The wind tends to calm down quite a bit too (as you can see from the pictures) -- not so good when you are out sailing. 

Beating to Windward

I'm finally entering the 21st century when it comes to navigation tools and figured out how to download tracks from my GPS and import them into Google Earth.  Mac users can be a little slow on the uptake regarding these things, you know.  After all, it wasn't until 2006 that Garmin finally announced support for the Mac and I had given up long before then.  Well now I've discovered that you can download a lot of awesome data from your handheld!

I turned on my GPS a while after I had launched and drifted west of Dash Point. There was a nice breeze from the north so I had a good run south toward Browns Point (yellow path), then I turned around and headed back, beating to windward (blue path).  As you can see, she doesn't sail too close to the wind, so going upwind can be a real slog.

Messing About on YouTube

It turned out to be a great afternoon for sailing so I put Annabel Lee in the water. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics of her under sail from land but I did make a little video. Check it out -- I'm really moving. I think I was making 4.6 knots! (The music is Heave Away Me Johnnys from an album called The Wind in the Rigging.)

Remember the first few times you ever went kayaking on your own?  It remember vividly taking my kayak out on sunny days and practicing rolling, back when I would wet exit more than roll.  Well, it felt a little like that today. Things I learned: 

• A drysuit is essential, especially for getting in and out of the boat on the beach. 
• Rig the boat completely before getting out on the water.
• A purple toy bucket can serve as a bailer and double as a head! 
• A lee shore is not the best place to put in and take out, unless you want to get crushed by your boat or get your teeth smashed out. 
• Lastly, remember to charge your VHF radio and test it before shoving off. 

Adventures on Paper and Water

I’m going to toot my own horn again really loudly here:  I passed my ASA Coastal Navigation and Advanced Coastal Cruising certification exams!  So within one year I’ve gone from being a complete and total newbie, not knowing the difference between a bimini and a boobie hatch, to something resembling a real mariner.  The Advanced Coastal Cruising Standard states that the student should be "able to safely act as skipper and crew of a sailing vessel about 30 to 50 feet in length in coastal and inland waters, in ANY CONDITIONS" (emphasis mine).

Why get certified?  For someone like me who is big on book knowledge but lacking in real world experience I’m hoping it will give more credibility with charter companies when it comes time to do another bareboat charter.  And preparing for the exam gives you something to do when the weather is crappy or you can't spare any daylight hours outside. Plus it’s a real ego boost when you pass. 

Both exams took about five hours together.  During that time I plotted my course carefully around islands shrouded in thick fog, avoiding sunken wrecks, and taking into account leeway, current set and drift.  Later I sharpened my #2 pencils, all the while scanning the sky for signs of the approaching cold front.  I had to deal with my engine failing in a busy channel, running aground, and getting caught far from shelter in sea conditions way beyond my skill level. 

The questions are all “short answer” type, so, as an example, a concise answer to the above scenario would go something like this:

1) Put on PFDs/safety harnesses
2) Dog the hatches
3) Reef
4) Obtain a fix
5) Stow and secure gear below
6) Locate emergency equipment (VHF, flares, bilge pump, lifeboat)
7) Assign helm to most experience helmsman
8) Maintain course parallel to or away from the lee shore
9) Maintain crew morale!

In the end my ship was dismasted and I had to manage that too (best taken care of after sharpening the pencils again, a quick bathroom break and few more sips of coffee).  So it was quite an eventful few hours before we finally hauled her out and put her away for the winter.

*     *     *

Yesterday Ricardo and I sailed the sailing club's Catalina 27 "Duck" out to Point Defiance.  Anthony’s Fish House still had their dock put away for the winter, so we ended up floating into the Breakwater Marina next door.  It was a little tense maneuvering around in those narrow channels, with four powerboats coming up right behind me and a sailboat in front.  But I appreciated the opportunity to get some practice turning in tight quarters and docking.

After one pass through the marina to scope out our options we tied up at the fuel dock and the manager assigned us a different slip that wasn’t normally used for keelboats for $5.  We walked over to the spot and you could easily see the sandy bottom through the clear water.  And I wasn’t exactly sure how deep the draft of the Duck was.

“It’s pretty shallow”, he said, “but the tide is rising so if you run aground on the way there all you’d have to do is wait a little while to refloat.”

And as we cast off from the fuel dock he said, “By the way, do you have a fixed or swing keel?”

“It’s fixed."

“Oh.  Well, just go really slow.”

Well we made it OK and had a good walk up to the Point Defiance Zoo and then a stopped for a beer at Anthony’s.  On the way back we ran into the marina manager who looked somewhat surprised to see that we made it OK.

Olga

Last stop on our tour: Olga.  There's a public dock and an old general store that serves sandwiches and coffee.   And yes, we did dump our garbage there.

It was a welcome break after trying to motor north against the a very strong ebb current.  Even with the wind in our favor we wasted 2 hours and probably a couple gallons of gas going 3 nm before giving up and turning around.  That was my mistake.  It would have been OK once the tide turned but then we would have had to fight the flood as we turned south in the afternoon anyway.

Not visible from the dock but just a short walk up the street is Orcas Island Artworks and Café Olga in a renovated strawberry packing plant.  Orcas Island Artworks features local arts and crafts from 60 local artists, including block prints by Body Boat Blade’s Shawna Franklin. The café has excellent pies. 

Check out the boat made from an old sailboat hull and a lawnmower.  We were lucky enough to be there to take a little video when the guys who built it fired it up!

Return to Doe Bay

First this important notice:  Ricardo has found the GIS for San Juan County on the web.  With it you can find tax parcels, ownership, aerial photos, and contour lines.  Try out the interactive map.  It will tell you the market value of the land and who owns it.  It may prove useful for finding public waterfront land on which to land your kayak!  Another solution may be to submit a formal request for information to the San Juan County assessor’s office. 

As the cold front closed in Ricardo and I stopped outside of Doe Bay.  Although there was good holding ground there, there wasn’t a lot of shelter from the wind coming from the south.  Ricardo dropped the anchor and we dragged it around for a few minutes before I decided we should go to the more sheltered cove beyond the next point.  We successfullly anchored and rowed in on the dinghy, trying not to draw attention.  It was a bit of a wet ride. 

Doe Bay has no mooring buoys, no float, no dinghy dock, and as I’ve noted before, a rocky beach.  At the resort office I asked if they had ever thought of putting out a few mooring buoys or a dock.  Apparently they had given it plenty of thought and decided against it.  For one thing, a dock just seems to invite power boaters to stop by and drop off their garbage.  They didn’t want to make it too easy for them.  Also, because of concerns about the environmental impact, permits for mooring buoys are becoming more difficult to obtain in the San Juans.  Plus, they said it would cost about $30,000 per buoy!  On the other hand, they were also concerned about how anchors would scar the eelgrass beds, especially when dropped by those who don’t know how to use them properly and just drag them around.  Oops!  Well, I guess you can still leave a big environmental footprint even in a 20 ft sailboat.

As it started to rain, we set off for the ritual bath at the famous soaking tubs, which were a little crowded this time.  Although Ricardo found it thoroughly relaxing, I thought the conversation was a bit dull, so after a while I left him there and set off to get a drink at the bar.  I must admit that having done the naked hot tub thing quite a few times before, I think it’s gotten kind of old.  Honestly, I’d rather talk to a fully-clothed Canadian girl than a naked American one.  Canadians girls are much friendlier and are less prone to display that toxic attitude.  There I go, spreading that tired "foreign women are better" meme, as if we all needed yet another reason to leave the country!  Well, both Ricardo and Jim, the boat repair guy at the Charters Northwest, share my observation, so maybe there's something to it!

By the way, information about emigrating to Canada can be found here.  ;-)

The wind and waves made for a rough night sleeping in the V-berth.  I guess I was worried about the anchor more than anything.  Occasionally I would take a peak outside to make sure we weren’t dragging and getting closer to the cliff.  In the middle of the night, when I emptied my pee bottle over the side, I set off a spectacular bright cloud of bioluminescence!

Lopez Island

Lopez Island is known for it’s beautiful rocky southern shoreline, characterized by high cliffs and several islets.  Because of rocks awash I tended to be overly careful about going in close to shore in a big boat (as evidenced by the complete absence of any good pictures of the cliffs).  Here is one area where sea kayaking really shines over being in a big boat: one can paddle in close to shore, literally touch the cliffs and play among the rocks, if you don’t mind getting an occasional scratch on your hull. 

South Lopez is exposed to the swells and the SW wind blowing 15 miles across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, so I’ve been cautious about paddling there alone.  Plus getting there is a little inconvenient.  It requires crossing Rosario Strait from Anacortes, or taking the ferry to Lopez.  There are really no public facilities in South Lopez – no public beaches, campsites, or marinas.  So as far as kayaking goes it’s a very scenic destination, but in a relatively inhospitable area of the San Juan Islands.

Right on cue, while we were leaving Mackaye Harbor talking about how great it would be to explore this area in a kayak, we spotted a kayaker.  From a distance I could recognize a Greenland paddle, so I took a look with Ricardo’s binoculars and couldn’t believe my eyes.  It was Warren!  I’m sure he didn’t expect to see me hailing him from the bow pulpit of a sailboat!  He had paddled across Rosario Strait from Anacortes, headed toward Friday Harbor through Cattle Pass.  The tidal race at Cattle Pass can be pretty rough, especially when the current opposes the wind.  Body Boat Blade regularly conducts tidal current workshops there, for those who have graduated from playing at Deception Pass.  Warren said it only took him an hour flat to ride the ebb current from Anacortes to the south end of Lopez Island, a distance of at least 6 nm.  Once at Friday Harbor he was going to take the ferry back to Anacortes, which is free on the return trip, by the way.  He told us the story of how just a few days earlier he was paddling up from Deception Pass to Burrows Island and ran into a pod of Orcas.  One of them dove under his kayak and surfaced right under him, the dorsal fin an arms length away, bumping his kayak as it came up.

We rounded the southeast end of the island and continued north through Rosario Strait.  Over the last couple of days we had been experiencing a “heat wave’ but now a cold front was following close on our heels.  “When you face the wind, the high pressure zone is on your left,” Ricardo said, reciting the chapter in Chapman’s that he had recently read when we were trying to figure out the weather.  “Clouds moving right to left indicate that the weather will deteriorate.”

Indeed it would.

[For those interested in the practical considerations for making the 18 nm paddle from Anacortes to Friday Harbor:  Warren recommends parking in the Washington State Ferry terminal upper lot at Anacortes, in the back corner.  It costs 10 dollars for the day.  Carry your kayak down a trail at the back corner through the woods down to the water.  In Friday Harbor there are kayak slips on the public dock and also a public boat ramp.  You must bring wheels for your kayak to push it on the ferry.  You’ll get to be the first on and the first to get off. Back at Anacortes you just push your kayak back up to the parking lot.  It’s very close.]