Boat speeds and time - Locks Lakes and Puget Sound

[AnthonyWPrangley]

Hi Folks

I am considering buying an Ericson 26 that is for sale on craigslist. She seems in good shape but has no trailer and the motor need a fix. She has spent the last 10 years on a mooring on Lake Washington (Seward park).

I am new to 'keelboat' sailing in this region (I am based in South Africa but come here for work and my wife's family are from here).

I am keen to know what kind of boat speeds can I expect on an average day...

I want to sail the boat off her morning and across to the Puget Sound and then up to Whidbey Island in the next 2 weeks. Then moor her on a buoy on Mutiny Bay for a couple of years and do some day sailing. We would then build up to San Juans trip.

Can a trip from Lake Washington to Whidbey Island be done in a few hours under sail?

I guess lock times are also a factor...

Thanks for any advice...

Ant W Prangley

 

[bgary]

Can a trip from Lake Washington to Whidbey Island be done in a few hours under sail?

It depends. There are (IMO) a lot of things to consider. Starting with, I'm not sure they'll let you sail into the locks. It's been a few years, but IIRC you need a working motor.

Winds in the summer on Puget Sound are often a light southerly in the morning, building to a 10-12 knot westerly in the afternoon. Because it acts like a "funnel", that westerly often turns the corner where it enters the Sound and feels like a northerly. The geography of the area means that conditions can be very different in different parts of the Sound.

Perhaps more important than that, the currents in Puget Sound require some planning. It is not unusual for tidal currents to be 2 knots, and often more. That means if you're trying to go North, against a flood tide, it's going to be a loooooong day. Mutiny Bay is on the west side of Whidbey Island, which will put you into some of the areas of strongest current. Point No Point (just across the Sound from Mutiny Bay) sometimes has 3-4 knot currents.

Once you're through the locks and into the Sound, it is about 22nm to Mutiny Bay. So if you could realistically average 5 knots, and you timed your exit from the locks so that you were in some favorable ebb-tide current, you could get from the locks to Mutiny Bay in 4 or 5 hours.

Then It all depends on favorable winds and currents - *IF* you have favorable winds and currents, it's doable. IMHO, though, it warrants some thoughtful planning. If it were me, especially on a new-to-me boat, I'd try to find someone who was going the same way and coordinate with them. By "buddy-boating" you'll have some options if the wind dies or something.

$.02
Bruce

PS - I'm sure it goes without saying, but.... you'll want to make sure the boat is ready for the trip, too. Make sure the sails and rigging are in good shape, the running rigging works properly, etc. Make sure you have at least the minimum-required safety equipment (PFDs, flares, day-signals, sound signals, etc). Make sure you have what you need (charts? GPS?) to know where you are and any nearby hazards or obstacles. Make sure you have a known-good way to communicate (VHF and/or cellphone), and that someone knows the route you'll be taking and when to expect you. Etc.

 

[AnthonyWPrangley]

It depends. There are (IMO) a lot of things to consider. Starting with, I'm not sure they'll let you sail into the locks. It's been a few years, but IIRC you need a working motor.

Winds in the summer on Puget Sound are often a light southerly in the morning, building to a 10-12 knot westerly in the afternoon. But conditions can be very different in different parts of the Sound.

Perhaps more important than that, the currents in Puget Sound require some planning. Its not unusual for tidal currents to be 2 knots, and often more. That means if you're trying to go North, against a flood tide, it's going to be a loooooong day Mutiny Bay is on the west side of Whidbey Island, which will put you into some of the areas of strongest current. Point No Point (just across the Sound from Mutiny Bay) sometimes has 3-4 knot currents.

Once you're through the locks and into the Sound, it is about 22nm to Mutiny Bay. So if you could realistically average 5 knots, and you timed your exit from the locks so that you were in some favorable ebb-tide current, you could get from the locks to Mutiny Bay in 4 or 5 hours.

Then It all depends on favorable winds and currents - *IF* you have favorable winds and currents, it's doable. IMHO, though, it warrants some thoughtful planning. If it were me, especially on a new-to-me boat, I'd try to find someone who was going the same way and coordinate with them. By "buddy-boating" you'll have some options if the wind dies or something.

$.02
Bruce

PS - I'm sure it goes without saying, but.... you'll want to make sure the boat is ready for the trip, too. Make sure the sails and rigging are in good shape, the running rigging works properly, etc. Make sure you have at least the minimum-required safety equipment (PFDs, flares, day-signals, sound signals, etc). Make sure you have what you need (charts? GPS?) to know where you are and any nearby hazards or obstacles. Make sure you have a known-good way to communicate (VHF and/or cellphone), and that someone knows the route you'll be taking and when to expect you. Etc.

Thanks Bruce. Very helpful opinion.
Hugely appreciated your 0.02c.

So two days to Oak Harbour. And will need a working motor for safety, currents and locks. Then lots of checking on the rigging and ensuring boat is ready for the trip. All the safety and navigation requirements on board. Then some good planning for currents and weather. Hopefully a buddy system.

Cheers,

Ant

 

[bgary]

Ant - I tweaked my post a little after I realized you would be going up the west-side of Whidbey to Mutiny Bay, rather than the more protected (less current, less wind) east side into Saratoga Passage. The overall answer is the same, though.... it's doable, with some planning.

There are a variety of good sources of information about the Puget Sound tides and currents. You can get tide predictions from all sorts of places (NOAA website, various iPhone apps, annual tide-table books such as "Captain Jack's" or "Ports and Passes")

But those just tell you times for the highs and lows. Current *charts*, which show you which direction the current is going and how fast it is moving, can be super useful. One good source is David Burch's book

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XKJCVNK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3

Here's an example - this shows the flows at the time when maximum-ebb is scheduled to occur at Bush Point (which is just north of Mutiny Bay)

You can see there is >3 knots of northbound current at Bush Point, while in Saratoga passage the current is actually a mild (1/2-knot) southbound flow.

 

[gabriel]

5 mph (4.4) knots thru the water taking into consideration when the wind dies a motor goes on.

More often than knot, under pure sail, one often does zero knots, or even negative speed

 

[Kevin A Wright]

FWIW I used to use 5kts for general planning purposes with my old E27. You should be close to that on your 26.

But as Bruce said, in the PNW plan, plan, plan and sail with the currents. This whole area is made mostly of relatively narrow channels with a lot of water exchange. And the difference between 5kts +2 vs 5kts - 2 a couple of hours later really makes a difference. Invest in some good current charts and learn how to use them. There are some important narrow points like Cattle Pass and Deception pass where you won't be able to go against the current since its faster than your hull speed at peak flow.

The other problem with these narrow channels is that the wind tends to end up going straight up and down them. So you will find that even if you have a good wind, you'll end up having to tack endlessly in one direction and be straight downwind the other. Of course Aeolis has a wicked sense of humor so you will find yourself tacking all the way up to Whidby one day then tacking all the way down to Seattle the next. Sort of makes me believe my grandfathers tales of walking to school through blizzards uphill both ways.

But welcome to some of the nicest cruising in the world!

Kevin Wright
E35 Hydro Therapy

 

[p.gazibara]

Should be a fun trip. See if someone with a dinghy/outboard would be willing to side tie and tow you under the bridges and through the locks. They really don’t like it if you try to sail under the bridges...

Cinderella was towed through the locks multiple times when she used to have an engine and the associated engine troubles.

If you time your departure from the locks with the Ebb, you should be able to make Port Townsend before the current flips and gets too strong. Awesome spot to anchor out and check out the town.

From there, it’s not far to Pt Wilson and out of the admiralty inlet, then the currents aren’t so strong against you.

It can be sailed against the current if you have the time. Back eddies are created near shore behind outcroppings that you can get into and catch a break from the current. It’s pretty active as you have to short tack really close to shore. Ultimately, if the wind is light, the anchor is the best option.

I have done a trip through there multiple times, heaps of fun. Just make sure a gale isn’t forecast, the admiralty inlet can really get lumpy if you have strong winds against that current.

-P