Calling PNW Single-handers

[Vanessa]

Anyone here on TF doing the single hand thing between Olympia & whatever northernmost points are open to us?

I’ve tried searching threads in the effort to find others cruising solo in the Salish Sea but haven’t had much luck. I was fortunate enough to meet the oh-so-incredibly capable Sue from SPINNER on my shakedown last year and would appreciate knowing who else to look out for/up to when on the water.

I recently became steward of and single hand a thrusterless 32 Grand Banks and have learned that fenders are my friends, back-and-fill is a beautiful thing and there’s always more to discover. Here’s hoping this request can help me find a few others who are managing their boats by themselves in our general area.

 

[Jay N]

Anyone here on TF doing the single hand thing between Olympia & whatever northernmost points are open to us?

I’ve tried searching threads in the effort to find others cruising solo in the Salish Sea but haven’t had much luck. I was fortunate enough to meet the oh-so-incredibly capable Sue from SPINNER on my shakedown last year and would appreciate knowing who else to look out for/up to when on the water.

I recently became steward of and single hand a thrusterless 32 Grand Banks and have learned that fenders are my friends, back-and-fill is a beautiful thing and there’s always more to discover. Here’s hoping this request can help me find a few others who are managing their boats by themselves in our general area.

Hi Vanessa. Welcome aboard!!!

I think you'll find quite a number of single handlers around, but one of the things that characterizes them is a desire to go solo, even another solo cruiser can sometimes be unwanted!

But the cruising area is rather large! While I always look for some seclusion when out by myself, I don't have a problem with just getting out there, even though I may have my wife and/or grandkids onboard. And it's always good to meet others with similar cruising goals.

I just returned to Everett today from Port Ludlow Inner, where it was very lonely over the weekend - just right! But it would also have been nice to share boating stories.

I truly hope we are seeing the "beginning of the end" of boating restrictions.

Hope to see you out there.

Cheers, Jay N

 

[RCook]

Hi Vanessa,

I did a good bit lot of single-handing last summer out of Poulsbo, covering most of the territory from Olympia through the San Juans. Presuming we will be able to head further north this year, I'll be back to my customary summer of single-handing up through BC, mostly with crew who meet me here and there in SE AK, then single handing back down through BC.

Hope to see you out there (you too Jay),

 

[Spinner]

Hi Vanessa, thanks for the mention! For the record, I love being around people, love talking boats, but I’m single and so therefore I single hand!

I don’t know what the border and cruising will be like this summer, but I hope to get out on the water a good bit of it. Hope to see folks out there

 

[GoneFarrell]

Vanessa,

Welcome to the forum!

Are you referring to the WA360 in June?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Welcome to TF Vanessa. Lots of good info here. On and we like pictures....

 

[Vanessa]

Re WA360 ... no, I wasn't referring to that event - which sounds like it would be a blast to assist with as a volunteer - more info here for anyone curious: https://nwmaritime.org/wa360/

Rather, I was inquiring as to who else is single-handing their boat most of the time so that I could get a sense of who/which boats I could identify when we might be sharing cruising areas and ask questions of as I'm still climbing the learning curve.

 

[stevemitchell]

Hi Vanessa,

I do almost all of my cruising, and have for 20 years, solo. I think you and I have commented on each others Instagram posts.

I prefer going solo for the majority of my cruising, but do like meeting up with other people along the way. In the last couple of years, I have cruised with other folks or about 50% of the time which has been a nice change.

It can be fun to be together for a week or so at a time, but I definitely still prefer having complete control over my own destiny, and usually go my own way for a week or two, then back with folks for a while.

I like the challenges of cruising solo, how it forces you to solve your own problems without the crutch of someone else, and the solitude. I also find that it helps me appreciate being around others more

 

[GoneFarrell]

V,
My boat in north basin La Conner so we are almost neighbors. I single hand if no one else around to pull ropes & sample my home brew.

I be wintering in Baja, so likely won't cross paths until spring.

And hey, we all are still climbing the learning curve (or fell off of it!)

I told WA360 I'd volunteer for north end of the course.

 

[ghost]

Hardly ever solo, I’ve almost always got my dog. She’s not much of a line handler and pretty judgy too.

 

[Vanessa]

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback and introductions. I look forward to having the opportunity to say 'Hi" in person if opportunity presents itself.

Jay: I completely respect a solo cruiser's desire to remain solo! This introvert absolutely needs time away and apart on occasion in order to fully function the rest of the time and going out on the boat, to a place that's just mine, offers the ideal "recharge."

Steve: your SeaBits blog is broadening my knowledge-base considerably. Thanks for the work you do researching and using onboard systems and connnectivity so that we don't have to.

I had 23 years of boating with my husband. He died. That sucked. But I wanted to keep boating and thus now single hand. There's a lot to learn to do when by oneself on the boat. Such as: how to lock through and how to do ER checks while underway in debris-strewn PNW waters. Any advice, feedback and all introductions would be much appreciated.

Sitting aboard JOY in Poulsbo as snow falls on the docks and winter waterfowl do their dabbling diving thing around the boat, I just have to acknowledge how extraordinarily lucky we are with this floating lifestyle.

 

[Moonfish]

Sitting aboard JOY in Poulsbo as snow falls on the docks and winter waterfowl do their dabbling diving thing around the boat, I just have to acknowledge how extraordinarily lucky we are with this floating lifestyle.

Amen!

 

[Lostsailor13]

Not from around your area from the north Atlantic but single hand my rig alot of the time,mostly over the winter when nobody wants to go,over the summer is a totally different story

 

[Nomad Willy]

Vanessa,
I single hand a lot at K29 in LaConner doing the maintenance things.
But when I go out I go w my wife Chris almost always.

Doing some work on bow (slow going) so won’t be going out for several weeks. When I do I’m looking to go over to Port Townsend. Lots of boat/marine things to see including a sizable boatyard. And nearby is Port Hadlock where there’s reportedly some small boat builders.

I think there are some girls here you haven’t discovered yet.

 

[Jeff F]

Welcome, Vanessa

I've been enjoying solo voyaging for a few years, but on the opposite side of the Great Divide.

Have you checked out the TF burgee?

 

[EngNate]

Greetings from the central coast. Look at your engine well before getting underway, and at maintenance. These waters are no place to have no eyes at the helm. There are other risks, slipping into an open hatch or contact with moving parts, top priories when alone out there. A well serviced diesel engine is extremely reliable and very happy to run for hours on end without a glance. Try to plan travel near the portion of the lunar cycle when the higher high tides are in their lower range, that's when the least debris is floating around. You never manage to avoid every piece. Try to take time to practice with your boat at the dock, observing and remembering how it responds to what you do, and study a bit about the propeller's effect as it is a big influence. Good luck & calm seas...

 

[Nomad Willy]

I think planning trips during neap tides will lessen one’s chances of hitting a log. TBS

But more significantly it will lessen tidal currents in many places. With our slower boats that may be more significant than hitting a log. And buying a boat w good visibility fwd should reduce the log problem more.
However I hit a log about 10” dia and 12’ long. Sure made a big “boom” noise but no damage was ever found.
EngNate,
Still have lots of bears in town? We were amazed.

 

[Greg Salish Cruiser]

Anyone here on TF doing the single hand thing between Olympia & whatever northernmost points are open to us?

I’ve tried searching threads in the effort to find others cruising solo in the Salish Sea but haven’t had much luck. I was fortunate enough to meet the oh-so-incredibly capable Sue from SPINNER on my shakedown last year and would appreciate knowing who else to look out for/up to when on the water.

I recently became steward of and single hand a thrusterless 32 Grand Banks and have learned that fenders are my friends, back-and-fill is a beautiful thing and there’s always more to discover. Here’s hoping this request can help me find a few others who are managing their boats by themselves in our general area.

Vanessa - I am often out and about by myself either in south / central sound or points north. Sometimes short handed with my wife Ruth. We just sold our sailboat and are looking for what is next. We / I are/am always game to grab a line, or a cuppa, lift and carry, turn a wrench or whatever. Let's keep an eye out for each other. We will be back at Elliot bay Marina (Where Sue docks I think) soon enough!

 

[Xsbank]

Because our inept federal government failed to secure enough vaccine and the BC government hasn't much of a clue about actually sticking pointy things in arms, the calculated rate for the complete vaccination of all Canadians at the current rate is 7 years. Therefore don't get your hopes up that the border will be as porous as it used to be by this summer...

Yeah, I know I'm a cynic...

 

[EngNate]

Yes, the neap tides coincide with the lowest highs, in the days leading up to the level is dropping each day, tending to leave material deposited on the beach, to be floated again as the highs increase.

A number of years ago they enclosed the dump and started incinerating household garbage so there are a lot fewer bears coming into the village these days. Same at Shearwater since they have been rigorously securing garbage bins. I saw 4 while out and about last summer.