Ketchikan to La Conner 2015: A delivery home

Rescue Bay to Fury Cove    83-Miles

Today was a grey day, low clouds and sporatic rainfall.  A good day to lay down miles.

6:30 AM:  Engine checked and fired up.  Furnace on.  Weather report is pretty benign.

6:45 AM:  Anchor raised and we motored out of Rescue Bay. Headed South in Mathieson Channel, which is normally gorgeous.  Today with the low clouds we are only able to enjoy that the water is calm.

Reid Passage - A narrow but easy shortcut

8:55 AM:  Entered Reid Passage.  It is a fun but tight shortcut between Mathieson and Seaforth Channels.  Last time through here I pulled out chart 3710, the fine detail chart for this area, this time around we did not have it aboard.  The electronic charts worked fine, but I would have preferred the extra reference.  Offering full disclosure; it is probably the only time I would have pulled a paper chart for the entire trip.

Reid Passage - Chart 3710 looks much better

11:05 AM: Passing Bella Bella the cell phone lights up with messages.  This is the first coverage since Prince Rupert.  Worked for about 5-miles.

12:40 PM:  Turned south onto Fitz Hugh Sound.

4 PM:  Raining hard, 15 knot southerly, small chop.  We had planned to anchor in Pruth Bay and walk out to the sand beaches on the west side of Calvert Island.  As the rain is pretty strong we decided to keep moving south and head for Fury Cove at the south end of Penrose,  this will allow for fast departure in the morning around Cape Caution.  Weather report for tomorrow looks ideal.

Fury Cove on Penrose Island - white shell beach

5:45 PM:  Anchor down in Fury Cove. This is a lovely spot, protected from the Pacifics swell but with a low white shell beach that you can look over from your anchored boat and see the ocean to the west.

Some days on a delivery are not very exciting.  I would have loved to turned north to Ocean Falls, East to Codville Lagoon or Fougner Bay, or stopped and hung at Pruth for several days. All of these are favorite spots and worthy of more time.

Stay tuned: Tomorrow we round Cape Caution and head towards Port McNeil.

Ketchikan to La Conner 2015: A delivery home

Lowe Inlet to Rescue Bay (via Kynoch Falls)    104-Miles

After missing the tides the previous we were ready for good day on the water.

The Princess Royal Channel is the next long channel along the Inside Passage and a positive current along its length would be beneficial.  The tidal convergence is near Swanson Bay, and high tide there was going to be around 1:45pm.  Our starting point at Lowe Inlet had a high tide around 1:15AM and a low at 7:15AM, some 55-miles to the north.  Our plan was to leave Lowe Inlet at first light and ride the remaining ebb to Wright Sound and then enter Princess Royal Channel on the flood with a current boost. 

Let's see how the day unfolded:

5:40 AM:  Checked the engine & genset.  Fired up the genset & furnace.  Gerry made coffee.

5:50 AM:  Switched fuel tanks and fired up the main. 

6 AM:  Pulled the anchor and departed Lowe Inlet.

8 AM:  Exited Grenville after hitting up to 9.8-knots SOG!

Scott taking a turn at the helm

9:45 AM: Passed the BC Ferry "Northern Adventure" in Wright Sound and spotted our first whale in McKay Reach.

10:05 AM: Entered Princess Royal Channel

1 PM:  Passed Swanson Bay ahead of slack water, we had boat speeds up to 9.5-knots (SOG), now only 7-knots (SOG) as we began to buck the the remaining flood that was filling from the south end.

2 PM: Entered Hiekish Narrows, decided that we made such good time we would deter via Sheep Passage to the Fiordlands and see Kynoch Falls.

Kynoch Falls in the Fiordlands

5 PM: Kynoch Falls are gorgeous!  This is an area that I would like to take more time and explore further on the next trip.

7:10 PM:  Anchored in Rescue Bay & shut off the engine.  A great day on the water.

Be sure to download a copy of my Inside Passage Distance Table.

Ketchikan to La Conner 2015: A delivery Home

Prince Rupert to Lowe Inlet   57-Miles

The Inside Passage along the  British Columbia Coast is largely made up of fjords, a flooded coastal mountain range that created the many islands, inlets and passages.  The "main route" or "highway" between Fitz Hugh Sound and Prince Rupert are the Grenville & Princess Royal Channels.  There are other passages and routes, but the majority of yachts, fishing boats, cruise ships and ferries transiting the passage stay on this shortest and sheltered route.

Two ships or one?  A lighthouse south of Prince Rupert

We are working our way south at a pretty rapid pace, with limited time for this delivery.  We too are travelling the main channels and I wanted to take a little space to talk about the way the tides and currents affect these waters.  Channels are different than inlets in that they are open at both ends, as a result they fill and drain with tidal flow from/to both ends. It can be a great benefit if you plan your transit with this in mind.

Our first long channel is the Grenville.  The North end is 25-miles below Prince Rupert, the other end is 45-miles to the south.  The tidal convergance/divergance is near Evening Point, this is the point that a flood tides fills to, or an ebb drains from.  

My quick calculaton for the day:  Departing Prince Rupert, our days destination is Lowe Inlet, which is 10-miles south of the convergence.  The convergence is 48-miles away, or about 6-hours at 8-knots (our hull speed).  High tide is 1:26PM and is 13.5-foot rise so the current will be significant. With a couple of knot boost we will need to leave around 9:00AM to catch the current and arrive at the convergence at 1:30PM (4.5-hours).  Once we get to Evening Point the tide should change and we, in theory, should be able to ride the ebb towards Lowe Inlet for the final 10-miles (For a total of 5.5+ hours)

Let's see what we really did:

8 AM:  Checked the engine and fired up the Ford Lehman, noticed the charge voltage was too low. Shut down the engine.  Inspected the alternator and its belt.  I pulled the external regulator and alternator off the engine.  We walked to the local Prince Rupert NAPA auto parts store and hoped we could test the gear, unfortuneatly they got rid of their alternator testing machine a few years ago...  Bought a new regulator, they did not stock our alternator.  The local motor rewind shop is closed on weekends so that was not an option.  We then went out to breakfast as we had already missed our tide!   Re-installed the alternator, put in the new regulator and...

Steve pulling the alternator

12:10 PM:  Fired up the engine and the alternator worked.

12:20 PM:  Departed Prince Rupert.

3:50 PM:  Entered Grenville Channel, bucking the current we made the 25-miles in 3.5-hours.

Grenville Channel - it is really gorgeous!

6:40 PM:  Passed Evening Point (6.3-hours)

8:10 PM:  Anchored in Lowe Inlet after bucking a couple knots current for much of the trip  (7.8-hours total, Ouch!  Missing the tide cost us roughly 2.5-hours)

Verney Falls

Lowe Inlet and and and its upper moorage Nettle Basin is gorgeous.  Verney Falls puts on a great show at low tides.  We anchored in 45-feet of water and had a great nights sleep.

Ketchikan to La Conner 2015: A delivery home

 Ketchikan to Prince Rupert    85-miles

Bar Harbor Marina in Ketchikan - A calm day for rounding Dixon Entrance

Today is our first day on the move as we head out of Ketchikan towards La Conner.

4:30AM  It is light out early up here!  I woke up twenty minutes before my alarm clock rang.  Wind and weather conditions are calm.  Should be a good day for crossing Dixon Entrance.  Our days destination is Prince Rupert, British Columbia.  This is one of the two open water legs where the route is exposed to the Pacific Ocean.  Today's conditions look very favorable.

4:50AM  Checked the engine and systems, fired up the Ford Lehman 135hp engine.

5:10AM  We have La Rose untied and unplugged.  We leave the slip at Bar Harbor Marina.

5:20AM  Engine quits.  Damn!  A quick check showed high vacuum on the Racor fuel filter, we switched the lever on the twin Racor filters and she fired right back up.  I changed out the old filter and put in a fresh 10-micron; she ran great for the balance of the day.  Dual Racors are great!

Moxie - American Tug 485-04 at Dixon Entrance

Brown Eyes - American Tug 485-03 at Dixon Entrance

12:05PM  Spoke with the American Tug 485 hull #3 as Brown Eyes was rounding Dixon heading north towards Ketchikan today.  We were about 1-mile further offshore.  Saw American Tug 485 hull #4 Moxie and also Lily, the American Tug 365 hull #12 which I have for sale.

Lily - American Tug 365-12 at Dixon Entrance

1:12PM  We passed over the US & Canadian Border.  We actually did this a couple of times as we "tacked" in the 2-3 foot waves, which was more comfortable than taking the waves directly on the beam.  Normally I would steady the boat with its sails, but this is a delivery and not a cruise.

3:30PM  Entered Venn Passage, the back door into Prince Rupert

5:15PM  Tied up at the Prince Rupert Rowing and Yacht Club.  Friendly Yacht Club.

A good day on the water, 85 miles and rounded one of the obstacles along this path.  Tomorrow we enter the Fjords and a 50-mile day towards Lowe Inlet, near the Evening Point Convergence.

Be sure to download one of my Inside Passage Distance Tables.  A helpful route planning and timing guide for optimizing the currents.  Get one here.

Thanks for following along!   Steve

Ketchikan to La Conner 2015: A delivery home

Ketchikan to La Conner    650-miles   May 1st thru ?

La Rose - a 1980 Nauticat 44 motor sailor

Last month I gave my friend Gerry a call and said the usual "We have another 'once in a lifetime' adventure, you in?"  Gerry replied "sure, what are we doing?"  "Bringing a boat home from Ketchikan".  He replied "sounds like fun, when are we leaving?"  Gerry is always up for another life experience, and it is always great to have him along.

The Inside Passage should be respected in the off-season.  The weather becomes more dependable beginning in May, and the Trawlerfest Anacortes boat show starts in mid-May which I needed to be home back for, those two items dictated my schedule.  I booked my Alaska Airlines ticket for April 28th hoping to get a two-day head start...

On Tuesday morning, the 28th, the Alaska flight attendant said "those heading for Ketchikan may want to leave the plane, we will not be landing in Ketchikan this morning due to the high winds".  The previous night I checked NOAA weather and saw a gale warning.   That morning the Airport was closed due to the storm and recorded a 104-knot wind gust.  So much for trying for a two-day head start!  A quick check of my Accuweather Marine Weather app showed that storm had been upgraded to "hurricane force winds", I had never seen that on NOAA previously.  We flew in that evening, found the boat and went to sleep; the adventure had begun.

The Safeway Store near Bar Harbor Marina - boxes for boaters!  Gerry & Scott.

The next morning we inventoried the boat, a nice 1980 Nauticat 44 named La Rose which I had sold several years earlier.  We would be helping the owner by bringing her home after 5-years in Ketchikan.  Our third crew member is Scott from Santa Rosa, you may remember him from last summers delivery aboard an American Tug from San Francisco to LA.

Ketchikan is a compact town, spread out below a hillside along the shores of Tongass Narrows, most everything is within walking distance of Bar Harbor marina which is centrally located.  Nearby is a Safeway store, several good breakfast diners and the famous Tongass Trading Company marine store, my personal  favorite in this town.  The Safeway has a pallet of folded boxes near the checkstands so that patrons can pack their groceries for trips aboard fishing boats, seaplanes, yachts and landing craft to where people live and work in the surrounding community, this is Alaska.

Tongass Trading's Marine store near the marina.  Best crab & prawn trap selection anywhere.

Xtratuf boot selection; dress like a local!

The weather following Tuesday's windstorm has been mostly windy and rainy, with 25-35 knots on the water and 6-8 foot waves at Dixon Entrance.   We used this extra time to check all the mechanical systems aboard La Rose, clean the decks, get provisions, and wait.   Friday is looking promising, May 1st!, right on schedule.  The NOAA weather prediction is now for a SE Wind 15-knots and 3-foot seas at Dixon Entrance.  That is what I was hoping for on the crossing over to Prince Rupert.  We will be leaving at first light tomorrow morning.  Stay tuned!

You can check the US NOAA marine forecasts here:  http://www.arh.noaa.gov/wmofcst.php?wmo=FZAK51PAJK&type=marine

The Canadian forecast is here:  http://weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=01&siteID=03300

I like to watch both the US NOAA and Canadian weather.  

Sold boat: 2013 American Tug 395

2013 American Tug 395 Flybridge   Endurance   Sold!

The first time American Tugs & Trawlers has offered a pre-owned American Tug 395.  Just 82-hours since new on the Cummins QSB 480-horsepower engine.   The 395 was designed with a bit more performance in mind; with a flatter bottom she is able to take advantage of the larger 480-hp engine and make nearly 22-knots.  This is the sports tug!

Flybridge equipped with a Mark Tanner built 316 fully-polished radar arch and bimini, Endurance will be fun to run, and fun in the sun taking advantage of the large upper deck for entertaining once you reach your destination.

The interior features American Tugs gorgeous sapele wood with gorgeous joinery.  Cork floors throughout with neutral colored upholstery.  Endurance has zone air conditioning / heat pumps so that each area can be fine tuned for your comfort.

A new Simrad NSS-12 multifunction system with dual-displays in the pilothouse and another at the flybridge, integrated with 4G broadband radar and the strong Simrad AP24 autopilot. This is the latest in Simrad high-definition integrated displays.

Endurance is "as new" and does not show any evidence of usage. This is your opportunity to purchase a pre-owned AT-395 that is turn-key ready for summer.   Great colors & options; she will sell quickly.

Complete information and 80-photos of Endurance.

Call American Tugs & Trawlers to make a private appointment to see Endurance.  Steve Scruggs at 206-930-6139 or Gerry Henson at 253-740-8873.  She is at the American Tugs factory in La Conner.

Sold boat: 2004 American Tug 34

2004 American Tug 34   Fly Aweigh    now Sold!

Full details and specification can be found here.



Fly Aweigh has been nicely updated with new Garmin electronics including ultra fast 7212 display, high-definition radar and color sounder.  New AT electronics mast, new stainless “skylounge” upper deck furniture, new upholstery.



She has been nicely kept and well maintained.  Ready for your family’s summer Expedition.

Contact Steve Scruggs at 206-930-6139 or Gerry Henson at 253-740-8873 for more information or a private appointment to see Fly Aweigh in Anacortes, WA

American Tug Availabilities

Call Steve Scruggs at 206-930-6139 or Gerry Henson at 253-740-8873 to arrange a visit & see all of our boats. steve@americantugs.com

Rich Haynie Insurance for your American Tug

For the first fifteen years of my career I was an insurance agent, after we sold the family's Independent Insurance Agency, I moved my own accounts to Rich Haynie Insurance.  They have always provided me the same high level of customer service that our agency provided. 

I have known Rich for 25 years, now Ron Randall has joined the team as the marine specialist.  This is a small world as I grew up just down the street from Ron.  I am happy to endorse these folks and pleased they have come up with a good program for my American Tug clients.  

Give Ron a call at 1-800-688-7016.

Factory Tours & Open Docks

American Tug Factory Tours & Open Docks

Saturday March 7th 10am – 4pm

Skagit County is in full bloom with Daffodils this week!

Come and take a tour & see our quality build.  Made in America!

When: This Saturday – March 7th – from 10am till 4pm
Where:  At American Tugs – 800 S Pearle Jensen Way, La Conner, WA  98257
At the north basin of the La Conner Marina.  Come around the back to the large doors.

What:  Factory tours, open house, Q&A, open boats, See the build process.  The daffodil fields are in full bloom, come on up to Skagit County!

See:  – On the shop floor we have several boats under construction
– See how we laminate the hulls, install mechanical components & wiring, build out the interiors, see the fine finish joinery and add the highest quality hardware.

On Trawler-row:   – See Sequel the latest new American Tug 365 & Salish Lady  a new American Tug 485 complete & on display!  Plus we have great brokerage boats; four pre-owned American Tug 41’s & 2 nice trawlers!

Currently on Trawler Row:

Prime Time II – 2004 American Tug 41 

Justatug – 2005 American Tug 41 

Intermezzo – 2008 American Tug 41 

Boy O Boy – 2011 American Tug 41 

Compromise – 1994 Tollycraft 45

Redemption – 1978 Gulfstar 44