Sailing the west side of Vancouver Island BC

[bubba]

Has anyone sailed there Mac south down the west side of Vancouver Island ? What time of year and sutch.

[Chinook]

I recall hearing of one Mac owner who went out as far as the northwest corner of Vancouver Island. I think Murrelet was the name of the boat. I've considered making the trip. I think the month of July through mid August would be the ideal time. Prevailing fair summer weather conditions would be most likely during those weeks. There are lots of sheltering inlets along the way, so the trip could be done in a series of jumps, with exposed passages dependent on favorable weather. You'd need a surplus of time, so you could comfortably wait out extended stretches of rough weather.

[Terry]

The west coast of Vancouver Island should be considered offshore bluewater sailing of the kind that a MacGregor is not built for. My wife & I used to visit Long Beach near Tofino every year for several years and I have vivid memories of the breakers that rolled in, far too big for a Mac to handle, in fact they were too big for me in any >100' sailing yacht.
There are some who trailer to Port Alberni and launch into the Barkley Sound then sail out to the Broken Island Group. There are a few launch sites along the sound to choose from but you are stil in relatively protected waters until you get beyond the west side of the Broken Islands at which point there is nothing between you and Japan except the Pacific Ocean.
It is unlikely a Mac could take the pounding that the Pacific could dish out going down the west coast of Vancouver Island and even more unlikely that a skipper in a Mac would be able to take it. You need a bigger more capable boat and skipper for that trip.
I prefer the east cost of the island myself, lots to explore and a lifetime to do it in. From the southern Puget Sound up to the northern tip of Vancouver Island there is enough to see something different every year. After that you can take the inside passage north to Alaska.
The around Vancouver Island trip is a practice run for around the world trip.

[Hamin' X]

Check here, Phil and also, Here.

~Rich

[Chinook]

I agree that the open Pacific is formidable water, and not to be taken lightly. However, I do think that a properly equipped Mac could work her way down the outside of Vancouver Island in fair weather conditions. I've actually paddled in an open canoe out of Tofino, with part of the trip on open, exposed water while going around the outside of Vargas Island. The swells were impressive, and the waves breaking on the rocks of Vargas were even more impressive. However, in fair weather conditions and light wind, the period between swells allowed for acceptable canoeing conditions. Similarly, on our Inside Passage cruise, we went "outside" on open, exposed Pacific waters in several places. We managed the 35 mile crossing of Queen Charolette Sound without major difficulty, and took a direct 50 mile route across the open waters of Dixon Entrance on our way back, again in favorable weather. We also went on "outside" waters north of Sitka in two different areas. As with Vargas, on open, exposed waters we immediately picked up the Pacific swell, but the period between swells, in fair weather, made for acceptable cruising conditions. The keys were favorable weather and a safe place to duck into, if things start to get too rough. You'd want to have an open ended timetable, with adequate provisions, so you could wait out adverse weather and only move when conditions allowed.

[bubba]

I read the stories Rich and there interesting to say the least. I guess we will first sail to Desloation Sound and north end of Vancouver island to Telegraph Cove a resort one of my bussiness buddies bridge partner ownes and she says we can moor free anytime were that far north. Thanks Chinook for your insite and experence in BC waters. I guess this may be the year to sail north probably in July.

[bubba]

I will reserve the round Vancouver Island trip for a bigger sailboat a catamaran maybe in our future, it will hold more stores.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

We still have a Barkley Sound trip via Port Alberni on our cruising plans for the future.

Back in 2003 when we led the San Juan Rendezvous there was an X that joined us who had recently completed a circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. The boat was out of Arizona and had spent a couple months going round the island, single handed if I remember correctly. I don't remember the boat or owners name, but it sounded like there were no problems transiting the Pacific side in a Mac.

[bubba]

I knew someone had to have sailed it in a Mac. I guess now we need to film a circumnavication of Vancouver Island in a MacGregor 26 M and make a movie for U Tube and get a food sponsor for the trip for the extra food cost. I think I had heard someone on the east coast had sailed a Mac way south down the coast of South America and back taking there time. With modern day weather info systems is just a matter of timing and free time. With the regular 20 to 30 knot breeze a reefed Mac could be quite fast sailing from bay to bay and the above mention story they didn't sail that many hours a day, most of the story was about booze, food,rain, sunsets, fishing, beaches and card games.

[waternwaves]

I have sailed those waters in november and december- rainy wet windy cold rainy...

did I mention rainy.

anyway. the combers are incredible. you have to stay far enough offshore that you can forget about seeing land, Stay deeper than 1500 ft. Look at google earth and look at the shelf on the west side of that island. The only knockdowns I have ever had have been when I was unaware of the change of the bottom depth in those locations outside of the broken islands. I can handle 10 meters of swell, I absolutely get sick with 6 meters of breakers. and breakers are what forms over those steep changes in bottom. Three meters of swell 50 miles offshore translates to 8 to 12 meters close to the island when the weather and wind are plotting against you.
In the dark when you cannot see them, it it not fun. what happened a thousand miles away makes a difference.

anyway, like leftovers and visits from family, 3 days out is about all I can at one time before sleeping in my wetsuits gets to me. The wind was wonderful most of the time below 30, and almost always reaching, but it was punishing. and I think few enjoy that kind of rolling for that long. I would not make that trip with my admiral in the mac, and I am not sure I would do it in the winter in the hunter with the admiral except in much better conditions. After resting up in Tahsis, I turned my butt,boat around and spent 4 days of good weather heading back down to sidney and then back up the inside.

again, the nice part was plenty of wind, not very scenic tho, except when I was either heading into or out from a protected anchorage. the rest of the time, just too far out so I could find comfortable water.

I have since been back in august and found that a much more comfortable time of the year, but I used much more fuel that time. Winds were considerably less.

[bubba]

Waternwaves you must have been really board to go in the winter months in lots of rain. Did you sail out the Straight of Juan d fu@ and north ? Did you circumnavicate the island ?

[markdartist]

I have been to Victoria and as far west as Sooke Harbor on Vancouver Island. Those trips can be quite exciting in Mr. Mac 26x with ocean swell rolling into the strait from the Pacific. Add a little wind chop from the west and you get a bumpy ride. During labor day weekend, I experienced gale conditions off the Washington coast as crew on a Catalina 320. There is no way I would take on the west coast of Vancouver Island in my 26x.

While I love my boat and consider it a remarkable bit of engineering, I understand that it is still a light displacement craft 26 feet in length. This means, that in stormy offshore conditions, crew will experience a rough ride relative to a larger, heavier boat. Bottom line, the boat can probably survive conditions that I can’t.

With a lifetime of fabulous, challenging sailing available on the eastern side of the island, that’s where I will spend my time whenever I can get up north.

[bubba]

We get a bumpy ride in the Columbia river gorge in 35 to 40 mph breezes. I know how it gets in the Strait of Juan d fu@ I have been on ferries coming from Victoria to Port Angeles when they handed out life jackets and light trucks and cars moved around because of the sea swells and wind. I think time and an open time table would be your best friend. I am with you the Salish Sea is a safer place for a Mac.

[waternwaves]

as far as going out in the winter at that time..... I was looking for something I did not find. nor am i ever likely to.

as far as circumnavigation, no. I have not attempted... that winter I was on my way to the queen charlottes.
I would love to circumnavigate the island. But that is just not in the cards. Now I wonder if I will ever be lucky if I ever get back toward the charlottes it seems.

right now....... I cant even afford to leave north puget sound.

[bubba]

Waternwaves don't you have wind and sails, or do you motor everywhere? HaHa