Yep...part of the skill-building opportunities there for sail or paddle powered craft, planning passages to go with the flow so to speak, or at least not against it. Another item to prepare, if you're going to be on moorings in those areas, is a stand-off or hold-off that keeps your boat from bumping against the mooring. Partly because they are often crusted with barnacles etc. and will scrape your hull. Partly because it can be really annoying trying to sleep with random bumping noises all night long. A couple pieces of stiff plastic pipe with line through them will make a flexible but solid enough triangle between the mooring point and the bow and somewhere aft along the side of your boat. You can still swing with wind & current but not bump bump bump the mooring float. The only parts I've been to in the south end (so far) is Cypress island and James island (little marine park island just east of Decatur) island. Cypress has some nice hiking trails if you want to get off the boat and stretch your legs. Also camping on shore. A great high lookout point at one end. A small lake up in the middle also, no views there but it is swimmable. James is tiny, but pretty views and pleasant to walk around or picnic on, a dock & water trail campsite on the west side, a few moorings on the east side. We also went close by Strawberry island, a bit of rock & trees just west of Cypress. Up north in BC waters I've kayaked from Cortes over to camp on Martin islands, and then paddled around parts of Desolation sound to the east. There were lots of cruising boats in anchorages in that area, all types and sizes, motor and sail. There's a gorgeous freshwater lake, Unwin lake, a short hike up from a cove/landing about due east of Martin islands. Finally, speaking of fuel of another type - you'll want to top up your water whenever you can also. There's almost no fresh surface water in the islands (no streams or lakes along the way to get water from, with rare exceptions like Unwin lake). More an issue for paddlers camping their way along, with limited space/weight options. We can carry a heck of a lot more in our Montys, but still something to be aware of. I'll be kayaking in that same area in late August; hope to get my Monty at least to the San Juans later in September. cheers, John On 07/31/2018 10:43 AM, Steve Trapp wrote:
Do be prepared to burn some fuel and to buy refills where you can because the tides and currents in the Gulf Islands and the San Juans can run strongly against a sailor. Got a current tide table and good chart? If you don't get copies of both. Steve M-15 # 335
-----Original Message----- From: John Schinnerer Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 10:07 AM To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: M_Boats: Cruising San Juans and Gulf Islands
There are quite a few places you can refuel, in those areas, so unless you want to be a complete hermit, you don't need to carry fuel for the entire voyage from the start (fill whenever you can, as Dave says).
I bought an external 3-gallon tank that fits in half the width of the rear of the M17 cockpit floor. So if I needed to I could put two of those in that space and have six gallons total.
If you have a big 'ol 6 hp on an M17 you will seldom be operating above 1/2 throttle because that about gets you to hull speed.
Ditto what Dave said also about lack of wind this time of year in that area, so you may be motoring quite a bit.
cheers, John S.
On 07/31/2018 08:29 AM, Jason Leckie wrote:
Just getting ready to do some cruising around the San Juans and Gulf Islands for the next couple of weeks and contemplating how much fuel to carry for my 6 hp four stroke engine. Not sure how much a little engine pushing a little boat (M17) would consume, if the winds are not agreeable.
David Scobie, how much fuel do you usually carry on your travels?
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com