BOATING TIPS -- NOVEMBER 1993
Lessons Learned on a Quick Trip to Alaska

Recently I had a chance to run a big powerboat up to Sitka, Alaska, and naturally, I took it, easily gathering a crew including my wife and a friend. We left on a sunny Bellingham day in October, and were in Sitka just four days and seven hours after leaving here: a quick trip! Although we were very fortunate to have pretty calm seas all the way, we did have long stretches when we were very reliant upon the vessel's Radar for collision avoidance, for fog surrounded us much of the time.

Yes, our trip was safe, and successful, and the vessel's owner got it on time, as planned. But we learned, or were reminded of, some valuable lessons during the run.

There were three of us along, and whenever the weather closed in, it took all three of us to run the boat with a good safety margin. We found that we naturally filled three positions: Helmsperson, Radar observer, and lookout. At the boat's substantial speed (18+ knots) there was simply too much to do for one, or even two, people. And each person informally checked on the others.

The boat had everything you could want: GPS, chart unit, Radar, LORAN, two depth sounders, autopilot, etc. But much to our amazement two whole islands (and not small ones!) weren't on the chart cartridges (which were only one year old), and occasionally, after hours and hours of running, the autopilot would go bananas, and begin a series of wild gyrations that could have caused severe problems if we were in tight surroundings.

Some engine work had just been done, and the mechanics suggested we check the engine room every half hour throughout the trip. On our fourth check, we discovered a serious transmission oil leak that had already drained 75% of the oil. Another 30 minutes and we would have burned up a very expensive component! That was enough to convince us: we checked every 30 minutes or so throughout the trip. (We had brought hearing protectors to save our ears when we did the checking.)

The last part of our run took us down Peril Strait and through Sergious Narrows and then through Whitestone Narrows. We were in this latter section just after dark. Our Radar showed the next mark where we thought it should be, but the light seemed to be out. Then, as we came up on the mark at 18 knots, we saw at just the last minute it was two fools in an inflatable boat, motoring at about five knots, with no running lights, right in mid-channel! We later decided they must have been drunk. Only their laundry knows how startled they were when 45,000 pounds of boat went by at that speed, within six feet of them...

Needless to say, we enjoyed this demanding (and tiring) challenge to our seamanship, and it was great fun to be the "Santa Claus" that brought the owner his new boat from Bellingham.

But it was a provocative trip, too, reminding us that we can never be glib or too sure we are fully ready to take on the sea in a man-made machine like one of our pleasure craft. We need to keep on learning, and rehearse the right way to do things.

Speaking for myself, I know I have much to be thankful for this November 25, not the least of which is our wonderful opportunity to go down to the sea in a boat, and survive it!