Smallest boat for Vancouver to Victoria and back on infrequent basis ?

I'd probably just drive my SUV onto BC Ferries and drive over, unless you need to run here for the fishing. Can't think of a reason to run Vic to Van with a boat seeing as fuel would be darn dear $200 round trip, plus moorage, wear and tear, and let's not forget the Straight of Logs (Georgia), get used to thumps at night.
 
ok. makes sense.
This paper : ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicW...-TR-34-9th-waves-workshop/Papers/Stronach.pdf
says : The highest and steepest waves in the Strait of Georgia occur where strong currents oppose waves generated by gale force winds over long fetches. One such rip occurs seaward of Steveston Jetty and North Arm Jetty of the Fraser River during west to northwest gales. Extremely dangerous rips are created during the summer freshet or near low tide when currents of the river can reach 2.5 m/s in the main channel. Near the river mouth, shoaling further amplifies wave heights, creating rougher conditions than in adjacent waters. Numerous boats have capsized and occupants drowned when attempting to enter the river during a northwest wind (Thompson, 1981).

From the sat model it would seem (in order or best to worst exits)
1. next to river road / YVR / swishwash island
2. westham island / river road north from the the ferry terminal
3. steveston harbor next to shady island (pretty bad)
4. wreck beach/ ubc up north from YVR (looks terrible)

and it would seem the best would be to go would be to avoid the plume completely and do the run to nanaimo direct and go down. going from white rock does cut across the same strength of the plume as does the ferry route.

also alternative boat - 20 footer @ 700lbs : http://www.oldwharf.com/ow_simmons.html - only problem is its made of wood which may rot etc.
ok maybe not - guy wanted $30k for the hull and knew less than me about its specs lol.
 
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Zurk, I am still quite mystified why you have this upper threshold of 800 lb.s for your boat. And I still don't get why you have to have a brand new boat. this completely limits your choices. In addition, if your SUV (whatever it is) has a 2000 lb towing capacity then you need to MAX IT OUT if you want to safely cross the strait. If you really want to be safe you need to sell whatever it is that you are using and get something that will safely tow a boat that will safely get you across the strait. preferably 20 feet or better and greater than 2500 lb. weight. If you can't afford a different SUV or tow vehicle, you need to stop thinking you can do this crossing safely and you if you need to stop thinking you can do this crossing safely, you need to stop thinking about doing this crossing.

You come across as someone who is meticulously researching this idea and that is a good thing, but to start off thinking that you can reliably cross in an 800 lb. open tinny 16 footer is like putting lipstick on a pig. Its an ugly idea and you just cannot pretty it up. My last post on this thread. It has gone around in circles too many times.
 
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brand new = less chance of waterlogged foam or problems. i buy all my boats/cars etc new and abuse them to death. 800lbs hull weight is maxing it out.

Load calculations :
hull weight = 800lbs
console = 50lbs
60lbs marine deep cycle batt x 2 = 120lbs
Trailer = 380lbs
Kicker = 115lbs
Motor (60HP@4s merc) = 247lbs
gas tank x 6 @ 36lbs/tank = 216lbs
seats, windshield, superstructure = 100lbs

Total = 2028lbs
 
zurk said:
brand new = less chance of waterlogged foam or problems. i buy all my boats/cars etc new and abuse them to death. 800lbs hull weight is maxing it out.

Load calculations :
hull weight = 800lbs
console = 50lbs
60lbs marine deep cycle batt x 2 = 120lbs
Trailer = 380lbs
Kicker = 115lbs
Motor (60HP@4s merc) = 247lbs
gas tank x 6 @ 36lbs/tank = 216lbs
seats, windshield, superstructure = 100lbs

Total = 2028lbs
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No saftey gear? No navigation gear? No communication gear? Nobody on board? No fishing gear or storage for that or anything you may or may not catch?

Your math doesn't add up to much more than casino odds. Sure, you could make your trip under ideal conditions. It's all good until someone doesn't make it back.
 
zurk said:
ok that makes sense. right now its a wind warning so 1.64ft at 3s - 1.64+4 = 5.64s to be comfortable. so not worth going out.

of these routes which would be the safest for entering/exiting the strait in order of difficulty :
1. wreck beach/ ubc up north from YVR
2. next to river road / YVR / swishwash island
3. steveston harbor next to shady island
4. westham island / river road north from the the ferry terminal

also would it be better to :
1. cut across to nanaimo and go down from there
2. enter between valdez and galiano islands / ladysmith and go down
3. go between galiano and mayne islands (ferry route) and go directly
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you can launch that out of tsawassen or crescent beach and head straight across if your so determined, should be shortest route
 
thats towing weight. safety gear and pax would be in my SUV. im not going to be taking my trailer along on the water lol.
 
zurk said:
thats towing weight. safety gear and pax would be in my SUV. im not going to be taking my trailer along on the water lol.
Click to expand...

If you're truly concerned about the tow weight, I note that generally the tow weight max includes the weight of other stuff carried within the vehicle (including humans).
 
zurk said:
thats towing weight. safety gear and pax would be in my SUV. im not going to be taking my trailer along on the water lol.
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OK, so take your 380 pound trailer weight off. Is your safety gear and pax going to stay in your suv? What's that and your carcass weigh? It's on the water in your boat that's more important IMO to be thinking safety first. Weight out there and where it's put counts too!
 
pax is 300lbs. food/gear is 200lbs. take out 347lbs for the trailer (rope/bungees on trailer comes along) and that gives on water weight of 2181 lbs. Boat is rated to 1550 lbs excluding hull weight. 1381 lbs is max load so i have a margin of 169 lbs on the boat. im not overweighting anything.
Weight of vehicle is 3267.25 lbs. GVWR is 4248 lbs. 980.75lbs is free so pax+cargo = 500lbs which gives 480.75lbs free capacity out of which the trailer tongue takes away 200lbs for a 2000lb trailer so i still have 280.75lbs free capacity in my Mazda CX5.
 
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i sifted through the thread - not quite sure why you need to ask for hundreds of opinions on something that is relative common sense. In calm water, you can take a paddleboard or even a 14 foot tinner across comfortably- anything over 15 knots, you would be uncomfortable in anything less than an 18ft.

seems like you are trying to put duct tape on size 8 flip flops when you actually need a size 12 steel toed gum boot!
 
Looking into getting ISO Category C (2m wave height) certification for 16 or 18 footer. If the 18 footer falls within 800lbs I will go for it.
This thread was helpful - i got a good idea of the route and refined my design based on an australian one for a self baling deck. If i can get Cat C on a new boat (even an 18 footer) I will go for it. Alumaweld has it. Silverstreak is looking into it. Lifetimer has it (with a crappy closed foam floor which I dont like) but theyre annoying as usual by not posting weights and acting corporatey.
Obviously in bad conditions a 40 foot self righting RIB with closed cabin would probably be required. I doubt any other vessel would make it if it was broached rapidly by 12 foot following seas. A 16-18 footer in decent conditions in the summer would be ok i think if it was launched out of the fraser middle arm or near the ferry terminal at high tide.
 
zurk , I have been following this thread hoping that someone would say this but , unfortunately not yet. So here it goes.

Many people venture out in small seaworthy boats and come home safely . Unfortunately every year we have boating accidents that are attributed to "operator error" that have lead to deaths ,some from this board. So what is the difference as to why these two situations end so differently ? Is it wave height? Is it wind speed ? is it boat size? I believe it is none of the above. Many boaters will say it is about experience that helps them get through a difficult situation , while experience may help your in a bad situation ,one has to ask why did you get into a bad situation to start with?

It is about one word "respect" . If you do not know the eventual outcome of your adventure you should not be embarking on it , especially with loved ones who are afraid/respectful of the ocean.

Disrespect the sea and you will pay the ultimate price.

beemer
 
i agree. i tend to be far more conservative than this thread would give me credit for lol. its just exploring the limits of my new boat (probably not going to be bought for another 4-5 months until my research is fully complete) and learning about the strait. probably do 40-50 trips around van, couple of dozen shakedown pitt lake runs in bad weather and another dozen or so trips 2-3 miles off shore before i try to even head to nanaimo much less vic.
 
zurk said:
ok. makes sense.
This paper : ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicW...-TR-34-9th-waves-workshop/Papers/Stronach.pdf
says : The highest and steepest waves in the Strait of Georgia occur where strong currents oppose waves generated by gale force winds over long fetches. One such rip occurs seaward of Steveston Jetty and North Arm Jetty of the Fraser River during west to northwest gales. Extremely dangerous rips are created during the summer freshet or near low tide when currents of the river can reach 2.5 m/s in the main channel. Near the river mouth, shoaling further amplifies wave heights, creating rougher conditions than in adjacent waters. Numerous boats have capsized and occupants drowned when attempting to enter the river during a northwest wind (Thompson, 1981).

From the sat model it would seem (in order or best to worst exits)
1. next to river road / YVR / swishwash island
2. westham island / river road north from the the ferry terminal
3. steveston harbor next to shady island (pretty bad)
4. wreck beach/ ubc up north from YVR (looks terrible)

and it would seem the best would be to go would be to avoid the plume completely and do the run to nanaimo direct and go down. going from white rock does cut across the same strength of the plume as does the ferry route.

also alternative boat - 20 footer @ 700lbs : http://www.oldwharf.com/ow_simmons.html - only problem is its made of wood which may rot etc.
ok maybe not - guy wanted $30k for the hull and knew less than me about its specs lol.
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Hey Zurk, calm down and think slowly and carefully before you try to make a trip such as this. Your #1 choice for an exit point will leave you beached and maybe sunk in 2 feet of water, miles from shore if you try to leave through the middle arm of the Fraser. Have a look at some charts of that area.

The trip across can be done in a small craft but only should be done by someone very experienced with these waters and boating them.
 
middle arm has 0.4m depth at low tide, 1.4m at high tide. plenty for a small craft. ive been boating on the pitt in waist deep water - its ok with sonar and maps. you cant beach a small craft - just get out and push it into deeper water lol.
A fully loaded 16 footer has a draft of 0.7m. with a kicker i can run it in < 1 m of water easily.
 
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zurk - not trying to rain on your parade here - but it is a relatively simple crossing! if you have to sort it out to the single pounds, GPS points, tides and exact barometric pressure as per the last 8 pages - you shouldnt do it!

i can paddle around vancouver island in a kayak - sort it out!
 
zurk said:
middle arm has 0.4m depth at low tide, 1.4m at high tide. plenty for a small craft. ive been boating on the pitt in waist deep water - its ok with sonar and maps. you cant beach a small craft - just get out and push it into deeper water lol.
A fully loaded 16 footer has a draft of 0.7m. with a kicker i can run it in < 1 m of water easily.
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Well, seems like you've got it all figured out. Oh except for coming across logs and rocks just beneath the surface. And I guess being a mile or two off shore in .4m of water with .4 meter waves from wind and tides. Nope, can't beach a 16ft boat..lol Just hop out and push. Super easy when the waves turn your boat and fills the transom with water.

Take it from someone that knows the area and has been out there in small craft many times. Do not simply read a chart and try to exit or enter through the middle arm. You will most likely run into trouble and it's not worth it. BTW the sediment coming out of the fraser changes the depths and contours of that area every year. I've seen low tides where much of the area is dry land and it's very possible to get stuck waiting for the tide to rise. Being out there when the wind and tide currents picks up is not where you want to be.
 
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