CD 33 in Isle Royale National Park

[Paul D.]

Our favorite photo from recent trips. Chippewa Harbour 2018.

Femme in Chippewa Harbour

2F094AA9-89F6-46E9-8502-066782B78980.jpeg (4.59 MiB) Viewed 1161 times

[moctrams]

Looking at Google Earth and it looks like it is not and easy place to get in/out???

[Paul D.]

Isle Royale is one of the least visited National Parks largely due to its isolated location. People really have to want to go there. Sailing there in the summer is not that difficult but does take planning, a bit of a passage from most places and stocking well up with supplies as there is only one fuel dock. Chippewa Harbour does take a couple of S turns around rocks to get into and then to get into the inner harbour, where this photo was taken, you need to stay in the middle of the channel. But there are no tides and you only need to watch when there is a big sea running from the East.

Once you're in, the anchorages are super protected, gorgeous and full of wildlife. We've seen moose, otter, loons and even heard wolves in the past. Wolves are just being reintroduced now though after dying down to only one or two recently. There is some controversy with that due to the Wilderness Area designation of most of the Island. Every time we go we wish we could stay longer. The photo here was taken after a rather intense family bushwhack to Blueberry Cove. We had so many scrapes and bits of brush and spruce tree on us we all took a very cold swim back at the boat.

Some of the best wilderness cruising in the world!

[Ben Miller]

That's a beautiful photo! Isle Royale is definitely a bucket list destination for me.

[Paul D.]

Ben, years ago I outfitted our Typhoon for a trip there from Grand Marais, MN but due to weather only made it to the Suzie Islands between Grand Portage, MN and Thunder Bay, ON. I swore I would return but it took another year and of course, we got Femme.

It is a great sailing destination and I still dream of having a month to do it right! Maybe this year, with everything going on, we should just do it? Good luck and if you are considering coming out here get Bonnie Dahl's Superior Way guidebook. It is excellent, we met her on Stockton Island once and I was impressed how she really had a methodical way of forming the book and sharing the information. A must have resource for the Big Lake.

[John Danicic]

I can add to this.

Here is Mariah at anchor in Lane Cove, Isle Royale. A most serine spot to spend some time. I wish I was sheltered in place there right now. (Though it would be rather cold still)



And here is another great spot to anchor. Looking out onto the greater lake through the tight and tricky passage-way that accesses the anchorage in Passage Island at the very top of Isle Royale. The big, real world is outside and out of reach of you.

[Frenchy]

Very nice, John.

[Keith]

Hi John,

Beautiful spot!

I noticed in your first pic that you have the staysail boom up parallel to the furled staysail. I love how it clears space on the fore deck. How did you do that? an extra halyard and extra length for the staysail sheet?

Keith

[John Danicic]

I noticed in your first pic that you have the staysail boom up parallel to the furled staysail. I love how it clears space on the fore deck. How did you do that? an extra halyard and extra length for the staysail sheet?
Keith

Keith:

He is a more side shot of Mariah with the staysail boom lifting arrangement.
It is a great way to get that boom out of the way and it allows us to sit together on the deck against the cabin on nice days at anchor.
It is best used at anchor. If you leave it up while sailing with the Yankee only, it tends to catch the Yankee sheets when tacking.

The blue line, (let's call it the clew line) is indeed longer then normal for a furler equipped staysail. I have a singe block snap shackled to the staysail clew and a double block attached on the boom's end. From there, the line goes forward down the boom to a block on the boom pivot point then back to the cockpit along the stanchions to a rope clutch. So the blue lines runs: Cockpit forward to staysail boom base - Along the boom to the double block sheave #1 - up to the single block on the staysail clew - back to the boom end sheave #2- then back up to the single block's becket on the staysail clew. Got that?

Gravity and wind take care of unfurling but it takes a bit of finesse to furl the sail needing the manipulation of three lines, the furling line, the boom sheet, and the blue clew line pretty much all at once. With every thing cleated down, the boom stays nice and tight in place.

All in all, I wouldn't have any other way and it has worked well for years. It also gives a very distinctive look to the boat fro afar as I have never seen anyone ever rig it that way. Oh, and in this photo, what looks like, "stains" on Mariah's bow are reflections from algae in the water. She wouldn't want you to think less of her.





North House Dock in Grand Marais, MN

[Keith]

Hi John,

I got it, very clever. My staysail is hanked on so I can't do what you are doing for now. But I think that if I tightened up on the topping lift and loosened the sheet (maybe need to add length to the sheet) then it would pull the staysail boom up parallel to the stay. I'll give it a try when I launch May 1st.

Two years ago I purchased a new yankee, I will launch this year with a new mail. In a year or two I will get a new staysail and will most likely go with roller furling then your approach will work for me as well.

Thanks for the detailed explanation.

Be safe,

Keith

[Ben Miller]

Ben, years ago I outfitted our Typhoon for a trip there from Grand Marais, MN but due to weather only made it to the Suzie Islands between Grand Portage, MN and Thunder Bay, ON. I swore I would return but it took another year and of course, we got Femme.

That's still quite a journey in a Typhoon! What did you do to prep the boat for the trip?

[John Danicic]

I got it, very clever. My staysail is hanked on so I can't do what you are doing for now. But I think that if I tightened up on the topping lift and loosened the sheet (maybe need to add length to the sheet) then it would pull the staysail boom up parallel to the stay. I'll give it a try when I launch May 1st.

Keith:

You could also try running the topping lift through a loop of line or a carabiner clipped to the staysail stay. This would direct the boom forward at a steeper angle. Yes, you might need a longer boom sheet. I am not sure how this would work with the staysail in its storage bag on the boom but worth the try.

As to the staysail furler, I highly recommend. You will use the sail so much more and a very useful sail it is in my opinion.
For your new main, did you go loose footed?

Sail on.......in safe waters......

[Keith]

Hi John,

I also thought about the sail flaked on the boom. We will see how it works out but worth a try in any case. I already use the staysail a lot it's just a little more work on the foredeck than if I had a staysail furler.

Yes, I ordered a loose footed main. I'm told it is much more efficient. Would like to here from others that have gone with the loose footed main.

Keith

[John Danicic]

Keith:

I forgot that my Avatar photo is a picture of Mariah from 2004 before the fuller. I got the boom pretty high then with the sail furled. That would have been done only with the topping lift. Same length of Boom Sheet now as then.

I am leaning also toward the Loose Fitted Main as well. There has been a lot of discussion over the years. The current main is original to the boat I believe and has been resewn, restored and resewn again Still......pretty good but... it would be nice to have a new one. Next year......

I am just hoping we have a season this year. Our Marina guy spends a few months in Brazil and is not back yet. We are hoping that he will not only want to get back but will be able to get back.

Sail on......in safe waters....john

[Keith]

Hi John,

Oh ya I didn't notice your avatar pic before. Thanks for pointing that out.

Keith