Crossing Georgia Strait

Talking the other day with a good friend who's been selling boats since Olympic boat Centre was the big thing...

He actually has a set rule on Sand Heads crossings: 15 knots and below is a go, 16 is lumpy, 17 jumpy, 18 ugly and 19 fugly; 20 or more and he's staying on shore.

As a guy with at least a dozen 25-30 knot crossings in a twenty footer under his belt...his rule makes sense.

I'll do 20s every time but it's slow. I'm also immune to seasickness; my wife is not and while she's always game to go I end up needing to think of reasons for her to look at the horizon. Which is hard because she probably needs glasses and I can read books from across the street. But still, it's always "I need to focus on these waves - can you try to see if that barge up ahead is moving?" Or "I can't take my eyes off the sea; can you look back and get a good sense of which mountains are where? I want to use them for navigation so I need a really accurate heading. Try to take a gun sight between one forward and one back, then do another set do we can use it if the compass breaks."

So, anyway, it's work when the seas are rough, one way or another.
 
Talking the other day with a good friend who's been selling boats since Olympic boat Centre was the big thing...

He actually has a set rule on Sand Heads crossings: 15 knots and below is a go, 16 is lumpy, 17 jumpy, 18 ugly and 19 fugly; 20 or more and he's staying on shore.

As a guy with at least a dozen 25-30 knot crossings in a twenty footer under his belt...his rule makes sense.

I'll do 20s every time but it's slow. I'm also immune to seasickness; my wife is not and while she's always game to go I end up needing to think of reasons for her to look at the horizon. Which is hard because she probably needs glasses and I can read books from across the street. But still, it's always "I need to focus on these waves - can you try to see if that barge up ahead is moving?" Or "I can't take my eyes off the sea; can you look back and get a good sense of which mountains are where? I want to use them for navigation so I need a really accurate heading. Try to take a gun sight between one forward and one back, then do another set do we can use it if the compass breaks."

So, anyway, it's work when the seas are rough, one way or another.

I agree with you. I wouldn't be interested in crossing probably more than 10 dots. Of course is always a risk of once you get across the have to come back and the winds could change. My other option is to take McDonald Beach but I don't know if that's much better for waves and wind. And having my boat at bridgeview, I'm a lot closer to the Sandheads.
 
Plus you can just call them and have the boat waiting for you at the dock - that's what I usually do. I'm also at Bridgeview and just deal with Sand Heads.

It's somewhat gnarly but usually manageable in a 20 footer.
I like Bridgeview for that, and get them to launch my boat too. But every time I been to the Sandheads, its been VERY choppy. Thinking that boating out the North Arm might almost the same distance as the South Arm. And the drive out would be less challenging, except more logs.
But to cross the Straight, thinking would be much shorter from Sandheads than MacDonald.
 
It definitely is a bit rough at the mouth - if you ever see it at a really high outgoing tide with a 25+ northwesterly, it's NASTY. The waves crest right over the breakwater and the air gets full of spray, and the waves that break over the wall interact with the steep stacking waves from the river outfall...really ugly.

I have actually never tried the north arm.

So is that your Trophy with the Etec and Yamaha kicker?
 
It definitely is a bit rough at the mouth - if you ever see it at a really high outgoing tide with a 25+ northwesterly, it's NASTY. The waves crest right over the breakwater and the air gets full of spray, and the waves that break over the wall interact with the steep stacking waves from the river outfall...really ugly.

I have actually never tried the north arm.

So is that your Trophy with the Etec and Yamaha kicker?
Mine's an inboard with a Johnson Kicker
 
i crossed twice from sandheads over to polier in the last couple weeks in a 23 trophy. breaking out of sandheads once in a while is bad. think it was blowing 12+ knots. waves where 4-6 and could only get going around 20 mph, took about 40 mins. the 20' should cross no prob if she a bit to wavy for your comfort zone just slow down.
 
North arm gets real nasty on a outgoing tide and a NW but it is usually short-lived. I can only imagine it being worse on the south.
 
As has been mentioned, a NW wind against an outgoing tide is what you really need to avoid at either mouth, North or South Arm. This is where the real danger lies. It can be blowing 20+ and a bit gross out in the straight, but hit the mouth in these conditions and those 6 footers are going to turn into 12 footers that are twice as steep and twice as tightly packed.
 
As has been mentioned, a NW wind against an outgoing tide is what you really need to avoid at either mouth, North or South Arm. This is where the real danger lies. It can be blowing 20+ and a bit gross out in the straight, but hit the mouth in these conditions and those 6 footers are going to turn into 12 footers that are twice as steep and twice as tightly packed.
Lol reminds me of the tv show dungeon cove where they have to cross the bar
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I have been in some ****** seas coming back in to the north arm in a NW and incoming tide in my old 14' tinner. Some tricky work with the tiller and staying laser focused on what was coming at me made for a wet but relatively drama free ride in. It could have been much, much worse however. In the new boat it turns out I am comfortable going as far as Bowen since I don't have a radio yet, and although it's not required by law in a boat my size, a flare gun is probably a good idea as well. Once I get those and my kicker hooked up, I feel that crossing solo in the right weather won't be too risky. I try to keep in mind the adage of the bold sailor and the old sailor. I usually launch at Vanier, Macdonald adds another 10-20 minutes of driving time depending on traffic, and I think the Yammy gets better mileage than the lifted Jeep.
 
Don't mean to derail this discussion, but my question relates, just a little further north. Looking at crossing the straight from Comox area (not yetvsure where exactly) to Lund, in a 23' Trophy. Any tips? Good launch on VI side, between Comox and CR, and best place to cross? Anything to be weary of re currents? Havent previously boated this area, will certainly be watching weather.
 
We did it about 10 years ago in a 20' bayliner ciera and a 16' Hourston. We launched in Campbell River and stayed on Savory for a few nights. We had a 2' chop on the way out and flat as a mill pond coming home. It's an easy crossing just take the normal safety precautions and watch the weather.
 
Hi all, we are making a first-time Voyage from Howe Sound to Desolation sound in a 22-foot sailboat. Looks like Northwest and Southeast winds ranging from five to 25 knots over the next 24 hrs.

Looking like it's 18 knots this evening... we're wondering if anyone has any idea of how big the waves would be, seems that environment Canada website is down for halibut bank.

Is there a simple equation 20 knots equals 1/2 meter waves??

Has anyone been a cross today can report on the wave height?

Appreciate the help we're planning on leaving tomorrow morning.
 
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