tiger beetle
N/M 45 Tiger Beetle
I can do the work, Carlianne is the web master and needs to OK any changes - I don't do anything without her approval.
Bob - want to ask her?
- rob/beetle
-
Ahoy and Welcome to the New SSS Forums!!
As you can see, we have migrated our old forums to new software. All your old posts, threads, attachments, and messages should be here. If you see anything out of place or have any questions, please scroll to the very bottom of the page and click "Contact Us" and leave a note with as much detail as possible.
You should be able to login with your old credentials. If you have any issues, try resetting your password before clicking the Contact Us link.
Cheers - Bryan
Shtp 2020!
- Thread starter talonf4u
- Start date
I can do the work, Carlianne is the web master and needs to OK any changes - I don't do anything without her approval.
Bob - want to ask her?
- rob/beetle
I hereby annoint you all Grand Poobahs of the 2020 SHTP web site / forum / thingee majeeze. Let's make it happen
MichaelJefferson
New member
Hello All,
Sorry I found this thread so late. I am hoping to do it in 2020.
Jim,
Although the date may be set and this too late, I would like to strongly urge that the start be 2 weeks earlier. Each year it seems that the hurricane season starts earlier. In 2016 there were several close calls, with one (tropical storm at that point) crossing the race course during the race. Getting caught in a hurricane or even dealing with the remnants from a close call is no joke. I just missed Iniki, in 1992. I had left 2 weeks earlier, but some of the racers were not so lucky. Danielle, in 1996 I think, just missed us on the return trip. Fortunately we were 600 miles north and going like hell, and it petered out as it went north of the islands. With the severity of storms seemingly increasing, sooner or later a bad one will either nail the course or the return. It makes sense to me that we get there and the hell out as early as practical. You have a world of experience, and may disagree with my (gloomy assessment). Starting earlier gives folks heading to the Pacific Northwest or Alaska a bit more flexibility.
Speaking of flexibility and going to Alaska, I did indeed return via Alaska in 2012. We made landfall in Sitka, and then did the Inside Passage to Neah Bay, then down the coast. Getting to Alaska was intense. The weather that year was weird, and instead of being able to sail a fast Great Circle course, we had to sail nearly to the Aleutians before turning east. We used Commander's Weather to help route us. They were VERY helpful in working us through the patchy and non-intuitive weather patterns. They kept routing us due North, and when they finally advised us to head directly east to Sitka and go as fast as we could, they were not kidding! There were the famous "onion rings of death" stacked up from the western end of the Aleutians to Japan, waiting for the high to break down and to pounce. We had two days of increasingly crappy weather as the wind shifted easterly, then northeasterly and torrential rains poured down. It was kind of close getting into Sitka. THe wind increased to about 35 knots and had hauled so far towards it that we had to motor sail to actually lay the entrance. For anyone contemplating going, Sitka is SPECTACULAR and fun, but I advise heading into the outer bay and channel to the harbor in daylight, with good visibility (hahahah!!!), and a lot of care. The entrance is a minefield of potential islands, rocks, and reefs that seems designed to wreck your boat. It is well marked, but not the sort of thing to take casually.
The rest of the Inside Passage was wonderful. We had to really book to get down, as the gates of winter were slamming shut behind us. We got home around Sept 15 (ish), and had pretty much dodged winter, but almost every marina we went into in about 1000 nm would tell us " So great to see you! You are our last guest this season, as we close down tomorrow". Really! Not the best place to singlehand, and most of it is very remote and isolated. There are very few harbors or marinas in Alaskan and northern Canadian waters, and the facilities of the few there are are kind of rough by SF Bay standards. Sailing is not an option a lot of the time, and if there is wind, it is usually dead aft or dead ahead. There are many Narrows, which can be very long and intricate. Tides are HUGE, and you literally live or die by the tide tables. Attempting to sail the Narrows (any of them) is very unrealistic, regardless of the Race to Alaska. Anyway, it was great fun, and if you prepare, with good charts, tide books, and cruising guides, it is very manageable. Highly recommended!!! I am happy to expand/elaborate or answer questions about it.
All the best,
Michael
Sorry I found this thread so late. I am hoping to do it in 2020.
Jim,
Although the date may be set and this too late, I would like to strongly urge that the start be 2 weeks earlier. Each year it seems that the hurricane season starts earlier. In 2016 there were several close calls, with one (tropical storm at that point) crossing the race course during the race. Getting caught in a hurricane or even dealing with the remnants from a close call is no joke. I just missed Iniki, in 1992. I had left 2 weeks earlier, but some of the racers were not so lucky. Danielle, in 1996 I think, just missed us on the return trip. Fortunately we were 600 miles north and going like hell, and it petered out as it went north of the islands. With the severity of storms seemingly increasing, sooner or later a bad one will either nail the course or the return. It makes sense to me that we get there and the hell out as early as practical. You have a world of experience, and may disagree with my (gloomy assessment). Starting earlier gives folks heading to the Pacific Northwest or Alaska a bit more flexibility.
Speaking of flexibility and going to Alaska, I did indeed return via Alaska in 2012. We made landfall in Sitka, and then did the Inside Passage to Neah Bay, then down the coast. Getting to Alaska was intense. The weather that year was weird, and instead of being able to sail a fast Great Circle course, we had to sail nearly to the Aleutians before turning east. We used Commander's Weather to help route us. They were VERY helpful in working us through the patchy and non-intuitive weather patterns. They kept routing us due North, and when they finally advised us to head directly east to Sitka and go as fast as we could, they were not kidding! There were the famous "onion rings of death" stacked up from the western end of the Aleutians to Japan, waiting for the high to break down and to pounce. We had two days of increasingly crappy weather as the wind shifted easterly, then northeasterly and torrential rains poured down. It was kind of close getting into Sitka. THe wind increased to about 35 knots and had hauled so far towards it that we had to motor sail to actually lay the entrance. For anyone contemplating going, Sitka is SPECTACULAR and fun, but I advise heading into the outer bay and channel to the harbor in daylight, with good visibility (hahahah!!!), and a lot of care. The entrance is a minefield of potential islands, rocks, and reefs that seems designed to wreck your boat. It is well marked, but not the sort of thing to take casually.
The rest of the Inside Passage was wonderful. We had to really book to get down, as the gates of winter were slamming shut behind us. We got home around Sept 15 (ish), and had pretty much dodged winter, but almost every marina we went into in about 1000 nm would tell us " So great to see you! You are our last guest this season, as we close down tomorrow". Really! Not the best place to singlehand, and most of it is very remote and isolated. There are very few harbors or marinas in Alaskan and northern Canadian waters, and the facilities of the few there are are kind of rough by SF Bay standards. Sailing is not an option a lot of the time, and if there is wind, it is usually dead aft or dead ahead. There are many Narrows, which can be very long and intricate. Tides are HUGE, and you literally live or die by the tide tables. Attempting to sail the Narrows (any of them) is very unrealistic, regardless of the Race to Alaska. Anyway, it was great fun, and if you prepare, with good charts, tide books, and cruising guides, it is very manageable. Highly recommended!!! I am happy to expand/elaborate or answer questions about it.
All the best,
Michael
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