Cruising the San Juans again

David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » Apr 27th, '13, 13:32

sv CLOUD GIRL of Boulder CO (NO. 652869) is out cruising in the Salish Sea again. Out 117 days in 2012 (Aug thru Nov) docking to docking, she left her winter slip in late February, Port of Friday Harbor, for more of the San Juans. She is a 1982 CD25D #85. I found her above 8000 feet in a ranch yard in Colorado, hence the name. Solid boat with bad gel coat crazing, an excellent pocket cruiser. If I was able to attach a photo, it is of CLOUDIE in Shallow Bay of Sucia Island, mid-November of 2012, looking toward the Canadian Gulf Islands. I'll try to post now and then. Bob Dugan has been helpfully coaching me about posting to the site.

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MikeD · Post by **MikeD** » Apr 29th, '13, 08:52

Inspiring! Thanks for the new desktop background.

David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » Apr 29th, '13, 09:23

A Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, sunrise from anchor in the north cove. Friday Harbor is my main stop for provisions, propane, ice, water, etc. It is an excellent port set up for cruisers. Popular in the northwest and for Canadians. CLOUD GIRL was slipped here for Dec/Jan/most of Feb. a fortnightly visit otherwise. A point of departure for cruisers to the BC Coast and Alaska. Dutch, French, and Austrian boats passed through this spring. A variety of lovely craft can be seen. Long distance cruisers tend to winter near larger population centers though. More variety of services, boatyards, chandleries. An area of great beauty, it gets less rain, especially during summer, than the Sound. I'll post some photos of the harbor later. Enjoy. I'm glad some of you liked the Sucia Island photo.

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David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » Apr 30th, '13, 10:39

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Above is Waldron Island as viewed from Jones Island. Below the text is little CLOUD GIRL moored alone in popular State Marine Park Jones Island, north bay. Few about in early March. Excellent cruising. Jones Island can only be reached by boat, of course. On the west is a marine trail campsite reserved for beachable human powered craft only. Trails with entrancing views go around the island. A (better) photographer's delight. Well described in Migael Scherer's luscious and reliable A CRUISING GUIDE TO PUGET SOUND AND THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS. For those who like challenges afloat, getting to Jones Island under sail alone from anywhere in the San Juans feels to be a memorable attainment.

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David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » May 1st, '13, 10:10

This may be the wrong spot to mention my "at sea fix" of the turnbuckle of my port shroud. The photo below shows me jury-rig of a replacement of the T-bolt. Strong, flexible, using what I had. Other options exist, of course. This will last until I have the part sent over Friday Harbor from the mainland (actually, the East Coast). Old boats usually have old rigging. Our Cape Dorys are in or past their third decade. Renew rigging every ten years? While anchored out in Port Townsend last September for the Wooden Boat Festival, I asked Brian Toss to make me up a new forestay. That is the rigging part I'd most not like to lose, to have the mast potentially land in the cockpit. All of my rigging should be renewed (not to mention CLOUD GIRL's). If she becomes my "forever boat" then I will. Brian Toss is a consummate rigger, gifted educator, and darn funny. I know, do something about that toe rail finish, please! I'll get to it, I really will.

Dick Kobayashi · Post by **Dick Kobayashi** » May 2nd, '13, 14:05

...and about that toe rail finish...Susan B has teak, that as far as I can tell, has never seen varnish. The combination of elegantly greying teak and the utter absence of brightwork maintenance has considerable merit. Confession: I do clean the teak annually with Joy or similar plus a little (not much) clorox - gets rid of the obvious crud easily and most importantly - quickly.

Thanks for sharing the really fabulous pics and through them the experience.

fenixrises · Post by **fenixrises** » May 2nd, '13, 18:36

Hi Dick,

As a small aside. Go to your local fiberglass supplier and pick up a can of mold release wax. This is real high quality carnuba wax, not made to shine up your classic car but to provide a release agent for fiberglass molds.

Bring it home. Get an old sock, you know the one that is left after the drier has sent the other one of the pair to another dimension. Dig out a wad of wax with a putty knife. Stick in the end of the sock. Mush around a bit until soft.

This makes a great applicator. Apply a liberal dose of wax to all your unfinished outside teak. Then leave it there. Do not rub it off. After a few days the wax will oxidize and look just like weathered teak. The wax will penetrate the teak and fill the grain, keeping out dirt and moisture. This also helps keep the grain from raising.

Every six months or so repeat the process, cleaning first with dish detergent. I did this on my 30'er MAGI. Had the boat for many years in SoCal and the south Pacific. When I sold the boat the teak was as good as the day I installed it.

Take care,
Fred
PS Great pics on this posting

David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » May 2nd, '13, 22:47

Friday Harbor at night, from anchor.

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David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » May 3rd, '13, 10:28

The shore boat is the cruiser's station wagon.

David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » May 5th, '13, 10:28

An unusually calm and beautiful day down President Channel, seen from Sucia Island.

tjr818 · Post by **tjr818** » May 5th, '13, 10:35

Please keep the pictures coming, we hope to be there at the end of July.

David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » May 5th, '13, 19:00

Having to leave the boat for 3 weeks in semi-arid Colorado, far from cruising. Not sure when I'll get to post another photo. Might be June. Meanwhile:

David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » May 6th, '13, 10:09

An important addendum here. For Tim, who probably already knows this, and for others interested in Salish Sea cruising who may not: an essential addition to coastal navigation equipment among the islands is a current atlas for the locale. New to cruising, and to sailing really (5 years), I came into the San Juans though Peavine Pass, motoring, near the height of the ebb tide's currents. It can be a most unsettling experience to feel currents pulling the keel one way and the rudder the other. I look back and laugh at my own naïveté. And that was only one of several experiences before I got some "local knowledge." Here is the resource, below.

Dick Kobayashi · Post by **Dick Kobayashi** » May 6th, '13, 19:33

Fred, The wax arrived today from Amazon and I will try your recommendation and report back. Probably try it on part of the teak. The small amount of labor required is very attractive. The mold release wax (Meguiers) was about 10-11 dollars and smells and feels like the real thing. We will see.

Thanks for the suggestion

dk

David Patterson · Post by **David Patterson** » May 10th, '13, 09:28

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Moments of beauty, some of them unusual, occur inside a cruising boat as well as out. Here is one I appreciated. Night Vision:

The Cape Dory Board

Cruising the San Juans again

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