Cruising North to Alaska on a Small Sailboat 1,000nm Sailing the Inside Passage | A&J Sailing S4E6

[@derekmcqueen4589]

Thanks! Who did the beer calculation and came up a few weeks short😂

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thank you so much for your continued support Derek! Doesn’t matter how many beer we pack, we always come up short in the end haha cheers!

[@natsuminofan]

Hey young couple, I envy your health, your adventuring spirit, your positive way to enjoy life. Someone told me: the number one joy is to be able to do what we like to do, another number one joy is to be able to like what we do. You guys accomplished both. Bravo.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

It seems like we hit on both categories! Thanks for watching!

[@carlylawrie8963]

beautiful! My favourite part is James lugging all the stuff down to the boat with everyone on the pier watching hahha

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

hahah was such a scene! Thanks for being here, you're the best!!

[@joshuareece5045]

This is such a great trip!

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

It exceeded expectations! Looking forward to sharing the rest of the journey with you, cheers!

[@W0NWO-s7m]

Thanks for sharing your adventures! We have Lake Superior in our back yard and have circumnavigated it by small powerboat(25'). Isle Royale is a spiritual place for us along with the North Shore of the lake. Years ago one of our boats came with the cushions wrapped in a thin plastic. We never had condensation after that because the moisture couldn't get to the cold side. The plastic is so thin that you don't know it's there. I do slide some spacers under the mattress occasionally but no mold for years. Our Spring and Fall trips often include snow/rain so we share the cold and condensation issues. You two are great inspirations! Keep sharing the great videos! Bigfoot Dave, Duluth, MN

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

That’s great to hear about your Lake Superior adventures Dave! My stepdad sailed his Shannon 38 out of there. They’re down in Chile now but still speaks v highly of his time sailing the lake! Thanks for writing, Cheers!

[@RimasMeleshyus]

Absolutely beautiful video well done thanks for sharing.Greetings from Patagonia, Chile

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it, we're happy to share our adventure with you from afar! We'd love to sail down in Patagonia one day! The next goal, cheers!

[@bobschick2943]

Thanks again for another great episode! It's interesting that you notice reefing the main can help your boat's upwind performance. Our little boat also really likes to stay "on her feet" when working upwind in all but the lightest conditions. Really looking forward to the next episode! ⛵⛵⛵

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Yes, it's made a big difference for us! And the new headsail of course. Now just need to deal with this baggy main! haha Always great to hear from you Bob, looking forward to sharing the next one with you! Cheers!

[@barberamcisaac1633]

The drone footage was awesome. I love your music selections. It always seems to fit so well with what’s going on. And of course the food 👍. Your trek to town must have been an adventure with all the stuff going on. Did you ever make a dinghy ride back for a beer? Love you guys

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awh, thanks mum! We did indeed dinghy back for a beer at Prince Rupert's one and only brewery! That was nice. Miss and love you!

[@davidbamford4721]

That is a beautiful sweater, Allison !

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awe thanks guys! Pretty sweet thrift store score! Nice and warm💫

[@StormSignal]

Great to come along without having to feel the cold. Great episode. Again.🤠

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Haha glad you’re enjoying while keeping warm and dry! That’s the ultimate, cheers!

[@petechadwick6261]

Yeah Baby!!! Loving it.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Haha so glad you’re enjoying, cheers!

[@shawnchristman336]

Been watching you since you got your boat… motivated me to get my boat refitted for next summers adventures …around Van island is the start… keep up the awesome videos… thank you

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thanks for following along from the beginning! Hope to see you around Van island soon! Please let us know if you're in our neck of the woods!

[@peterstace9006]

Great to see the excitement of both of you as you travel further north to Alaska and dealing with "stuff" as it happens. See next time.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thanks so much for tuning in Peter! Glad to share the journey with you, cheers!

[@SeaDarer]

Fun watching you guys. I sailed up to Prince Rupert this summer also. Took the "outside inside" passage up and the Grenville Channel back south. Cool to see what you saw that was different than our trip. Your matress underlay solution is good, although you can buy IKEA slat mattresses for under your matress. I put these on my boat and they allow circulation beneath them. I had to cut them to fit the bed contour but that was quite easy.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

That’s awesome! We stuck to the outside passage heading South on the calm northwesterlies. Beautiful trip either way! We’re planning to mill up some slats for under there soon. Thanks for watching, cheers!

[@AlanKaufer]

I highly recommend Melinda’s Ghost Pepper Sauce. Perfect heat and a great flavor! What a fantastic trip you are on!! Stay safe.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

haha awesome!!! Thanks for the recommendation! We'll have a look for that one, cheers! 🌶️

[@clairec971]

Hi from Cornwall, England, we love your videos 😀😀

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awh, cool! Glad you’re enjoying what we’re creating. Thanks for writing, cheers!

[@darwinsouthard1822]

Like your easygoing style sail on sailors. What a great adventure.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thanks mate!

[@busyflyin]

A&J, I would really enjoy seeing a video of you talking about what it takes… boat, gear, training… to complete a trip like this. We are full time RVers and your journey looks very exciting!

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awh, cool guys! Thanks for the suggestion! We were wondering if we should do a Q&A style video to wrap up the Alaska szn so keep those questions percolating! We would be happy to put together something like that!

[@msneds1603]

I cut thin cedar strips and made a "grid" for under our mattress. Works fairly well and smells nice when new. Little work and cost, I would like one of the plastic ones some day but wow are they expensive.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Perfect! We were planning to do the same thing, mill up some cedar! Glad to hear it’s working well!

[@msneds1603]

@@AllisonandJamesSailing I'd give it a solid B+

[@petermcminn9508]

Fantastic videos--really psyching us up for our cruise up there. You eat damn well! We're PNW sailors too and use a HyPUR-Flo ventilating layer under our mattresses. Keeps the air flowing and the cushions away from condensation. I second the need for vinyl covers on the foam.

[@seanking3332]

I too am from the PNW. Had the same cushion problem on my C_30. I believe the product I used was the same but it was called Hypervent. Totally solved the problem and that was 20 years ago. Totally dry.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awh, love to hear it! Thank you! We’ll look into those products as well, thanks for the suggestions! Will definitely make some vinyl cushions for the new foam too. Cheers!

[@dentaltok]

Always seems like weeks 🤣🍺…nice video ….drone gives us a relative perspective 👍cheers saludos inmensos 🙋🏼‍♂️🙋‍♀️

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Cheers! Thanks for watching!

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

You asked about ketches. That "big old sailboat" you saw in your last video was a Nauticat 44. I own one in the Galveston Texas area, but my goal is to sail high latitudes. Nauticat made a wide range of sailboats, from a 33 to a 44 (and every foot inbetween), and then a 52. The 33 was their most popular model. They pack a lot of interior space into those boats. They were in Finland and largely designed their boats for the North Sea. Their well looking at if you're considering a "blue water boat". Everything is a tradeoff though, and their mizzen mast, high freeboard and pilot house means they have a lot of windage. Windage kills upwind sailing performance. But they're "motor sailers", so you pretty much just need to get used to the idea that you're going to motor upwind. My boat is a 1985 with a 135 HP Ford-Lehman motor. It's a huge "tractor motor" that typically runs around 1400 to 1600 RPM. At that speed, it's expected to have a 50,000 hour lifetime. So basically, if you take care of it, it should last forever... They also have rounded bilges, which means they'll role from side to side easily. A lot of people don't like this, but it also means that they slam down hard in big seas. They're really optimized for comfort in nasty North Sea conditions. Not a great choice for tropical coastal cruising, but if you want to go on an "adventure cruise" to hard to reach places, they're worth looking into.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

That’s some great intel, thanks for sharing! Beautiful boat! We’ll indeed be looking for a more capable ‘blue water’ boat in the near future. Keen to get into some more high latitude stuff! So it’s particularly interesting to hear more about what others are sailing out there, cheers!

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

@@AllisonandJamesSailing I misspoke. The rounded bilges mean that they DON'T slam down hard in heavy seas. The tradeoff is that they easily roll side to side. The Nauticats are a "different" kind of sailboat. It seems you either love them or hate them... It seems that I always end up choosing odd things... You guys don't seem like you go for what everyone else is going for, so maybe you'd like them. Fair winds, and thank you for the videos.

[@gregroth4696]

Vinegar kills mold completely I hear! Happy sailing!

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

That’s good, we gave it a good douse with that haha cheers!

[@barberamcisaac1633]

BTW I Looooove that sweater on you ♥️

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awe thanks! Decent thrift store find💫

[@mikeh4245]

+++ for hot sauce! I'm addicted to the Lao Gan Ma chili crisp, but have made some pretty spicy stuff with ingredients from T&T supermarket (which is pretty overwhelming when you first visit there, so many good things to discover!).

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

You feel us!!! Nice! We've never been to a T&T, we'll have to check it out! Always good to hear from you Mike, cheers!

[@T1DSUX]

Another Great video

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Glad you enjoyed it, cheers!

[@theislandpackrat]

I was on the other side of the dock when I was there, It's always rocking there! I have foam under my mattress also, mine is on the water tank so not as cold! Every morning I lift up the mattress and stick a box under it. Crank up that wonderful heater!!!

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Haha yeah the wake there is pretty ridic! Uintah’s still sporting the tire marks from rubbing that dock hard! Thanks for watching, cheers!

[@F1ComputerServicesWestKelowna]

I really enjoyed ❤️the video as usual. It was quite interesting to learn about Katabatic Wind🌬, something I hadn't known about before. It's always great to keep learning new things from you guys. The contrast between Kelp Bay and Prince Rupert was quite striking. I had trouble with my boat's charging system when installing a new one. There was a quarter-volt difference between the engine and house batteries, causing many issues. The solution was to install two alternators 🔌- one for the house battery and another just for the engine. This worked well as it kept the two systems separate. I hope you find someone in Alaska with a forge 🔥who can make a perfect bracket.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

The alternator projects got relegated to the 'finish it off later' part of my to-do list but we're planning on running the alternator to our LA starter battery and then have a dc-dc charger charge the LiFepo4 batteries off that. Not sure if our little 14hp engines could handle dual alternators, but we're glad you got it sorted. The contrast going into town feels a lot like re-integration syndrome, really hits you in a different kind of way. Thanks for watching, cheers!

[@leylak.5994]

24.35 I love the Turkish music :)

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

I’m glad! It’s such a vibe💫

[@cliffordtaylor497]

thanks cliff

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thanks for watching! Cheers Cliff!

[@patcosgrove3077]

you guys are proof dreams can com threw

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awe, thanks for that! They can and they will if you work hard towards them, cheers!

[@petechadwick6261]

I think you should whip out a small cookbook, I would love to try some of that stuff.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

You’re not the first to ask! Maybe we should start writing some of these down to put something together, cheers!

[@bradgwatts]

What an amazing adventure! Recommend spraying your foam with Concrobrium, which kills mood spores as it dries. Stuff is non toxic, doesn’t smell and is available at most Home Depot stores.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Ouu thanks for the tip! We’ll look for that, cheers!

[@SailingOléHop]

This is one of my dream… my problem we are on the wrong side of the country. We’re now sailing in the Great Lakes. Thanks for sharing this great sailing adventure.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

They say if you can sail the great lakes you can sail anywhere in the world!! Hope you make it around to the west coast one day!

[@davelawery4811]

Great Video, Learnt some about Prince Rupert. Good luck with the Condensation and the Alternator. Keep well and Stay safe 🇬🇧👍

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awesome, glad you enjoyed it! Thank you, cheers!

[@DennisMacdonald-r7d]

Thanks!

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thank you so much for your support, cheers Dennis!

[@joescott7027]

I like your channel. Keep up the good work................

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Cheers Joe! We'll keep em coming, got lots of adventure to share with you!

[@curtkuhns]

Once again I enjoyed your video and look forward to the next one from Alaska. I wish I could help you with that generator but I could electrocute myself with a flashlight. There was a standard warning in my work group; don't let Curt get anywhere near an oscilloscope. Best wishes. ❤❤-Curt

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Cheers Curt! We'll get it sorted out eventually, but we got to go check out Alaska first! Stay Safe!

[@Jim-jh9bd]

Wife and I own the little sister to your Catalina 30 being a Catalina 27 . Hope to move to a 30 foot next season .

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awh, awesome! They're great little boats for a journey like this in protected waters! Keep us posted on the search for your thirty-footer, cheers guys!

[@goldensilverfox]

Great music choices. Cheers from Prince Rupert, cool to see the place through your eyes.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Awe, thank you! Glad you enjoyed! Quick stopover this time, but we did enjoy the Wheelhouse brewery, cheers!

[@jpkatz1435]

Find the "music" a HUGE distraction and destroyer of the mood of cruising. PLEASE, just the ambient soundes of sailing. Came for the sailing and cooperative vibe of a sailing couple, NOT the "music".

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

@jpkatz1435 films need music. It plays an important role as a storytelling aid, hinting at the character's emotions, foreshadowing, setting the scene etc.

[@chuckquint7913]

Been living aboard for years,only good way to stop condensation on foam and under berth is to cover cushions with modern vinyl fabric.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

We have a bunch left over from doing the Salon cushions, we'll keep making covers for the rest of the foam onboard, something that wipes down easily, cheers!

[@SailingHalara]

Well done!

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Cheers!

[@TheSfoil]

The eggs reminded me of a family friend. He did many long distance cruises in a small boat with no refrigeration. His solution to storing protein was to keep eggs lightly covered in Vaseline. If they aren’t exposed to oxygen they keep much longer. Still the ice box is a more easier and cleaner solution.

[@koa818]

But eggs are also good 0:36

[@koa818]

I hope not HongKong eggs ha ha ha

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

hahaha we've seen people try the Vaseline trick, so far flipping them daily helps to really extend their lives. The ambient temp of the water here is 8c so keeping them by the hull has been a game changer.

[@TheSfoil]

@@AllisonandJamesSailing if you’re ever not sure about them still being okay to eat put them in a glass of water. If it stays on the bottom it’s good if it floats throw it out.

[@MrHogadog]

Great vid guys! I was thinking of using vinyl covers on all my cushions - with thin plywood base. I tried recovering some chairs and it was easy. Might help as a barrier for moisture?

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thank you! Good thinking. We had also planned to cover up the v berth cushions with fabric and a vinyl base. Would help some! Still needs a thermal break and airflow underneath. We’ll likely mill up some slats or reach out to one of the companies that have been recommended to us like Froli, cheers!

[@IIAShadowII]

As a larger pilot house, sometimes motoring in the passages is just easier and more comfortable.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Fair enough! Thanks for watching, cheers!

[@veganchildsoldier9243]

Hey to help with ventilation of your vbirth I built slats under the mattress instead of solid boards. You could then cut out a small vent hole so air can flow underneath the bed.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

I think we're planning on making some sort of slats/shiplap for the under the mattress and perhaps will install a few 12v computer fans to help with airflow around the boat.

[@1dkappe]

I’m worried about your hull with all that ice. Alluring Arctic Sailing at least have an aluminum hull. They’re sailing the Northwest Passage right now. No music. 😁

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Yes we’re aware of Alluring Arctic as well as the risks sailing a fiberglass boat thru the NWP. We’re not sailing the NWP.. we’re approaching a tidewater glacier below the 59th parallel. The risks of sea ice in the NWP to a boat vs ice that has calved from the tidewater glaciers here are very different..

[@04charl08]

I’ve seen the Froli sleep system used for RV’s and boats. Upfront cost might be high, but overall great reviews.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

We've heard of the Froli, lots a people swear by them.

[@joshcornwell5976]

It looks like an awesome trip. I am curious what you’re using for cabin heaters.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

It's an incredible! We have a Sig-Marine (Dickinson) diesel stove that we refurbished and installed before we left. You'll find that video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5jReYVpmMZqhJI Hope that helps to answer your question, cheers!

[@rainfinger]

Great video, respectfully suggesting you invest in a windlass, saving your back.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Glad you enjoyed the video! Our bow refit has been on the lengthy to-do list for a long time. Planning to tick that one off this season. Thanks for watching, cheers!

[@boondockshawks]

Hot sauce! 🌶️

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Loves Hot Sauce!

[@Genxtrucker72]

Looks like another older video but I like it

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Glad you liked it! Not sure what you mean when you say it looks like an older video tho?

[@sailorgeer]

Nice Robin Williams Alladin vibes at 29:19 “Unlimited POWER! (In a teeny weeny living space)”. :). I’ve been using Navionics myself for years but haven’t found these anchorage notes you are referring to ( e.g. Kelp Passage). Are the notes in the app or the web version?

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

hahah phenomenal cosmic power!!! You feel it! We use the app version and those notes I believe were a comment/review someone had left. Cheers!

[@peterwhite7252]

Captain Cook took 5500 ltrs of beer 7000 ltrs of spirits and a lot of sauerkraut.Facts.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Haha glad we’ve finally gotten a hold of his provisioning list! Cheers!

[@woodhoud]

When watching your tacking it looks like your jib leads are run back through a cheek block and then to the primary winches.. Is this to keep them clear of the dodger?

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Yep, it keeps the jib sheets more organized and maintains a consistent angle of the sheet on the base off the winch drum. Our 30ft boat also has fairly small side decks so the turning blocks help to keep the sheets from being a tripping hazard going forward.

[@janisspalvins677]

Thanks for great video. Can you please tell your boat model and size?

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

It’s a Catalina 30!

[@robertlaird6746]

What I've seen people do is use curved wood that acts like a spring and keeps the air flowing underneath the mattress. That seems to solve all of the issues with mold but I haven't tried it for myself.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Nice! Yeah something like that would definitely help! We were going to mill up some slats for underneath.

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

​@@AllisonandJamesSailing I don't know if Canada or Alaska has an IKEA equivalent but they sell the flat and sprung paths for beds and furniture. Another option is cork tiles. ..it insulates and its naturally mould resistant ... Thicker is better in this context. 8-10mm though waterproof it breaths and so is less likely to accumulate trapped body sweat ... You also breath out over a litre of water per person while sleeping. So a wool blanket can absorb that dampness and then be aired out of the sleeping area.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

​@@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665 There are a few IKEAs around, one in Vancouver maybe.. thinking of milling up some cedar slats. It was something we intended to do before we left! Another good suggestion re the cork tiles. We do sleep with a wool blanket. Thanks so much for the recommendations, cheers!

[@garthjones3747]

glad you made it ive been following you for a long time G

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thanks Garth!

[@DavidSykes-vp5ku]

Remove wooden hatch covers from under your mattress and lay some strips of thin wood across the hole just like normal bed

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thanks for the tip! We had planned to mill up some wood to make slats, cheers!

[@Ewolf49]

Hi. I am curious what kind of boat you have. Also, what year, etc. I love it.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Hi there! It’s a Catalina 30 from 1979!

[@Ewolf49]

Thanks!❤

[@robertgold2643]

😎

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Cheers Robert!

[@cliffordtaylor497]

Hi What chart guide are you using tks cliff

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Hi Cliff, we’re using Navionics as well as Don and Reanee Hemingway-Douglass books Exploring BC’s North Coast and Alaska

[@CaptainG-xs3yo]

💙🎸⛵🌎😎👍

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thanks for watching, Cheers!

[@joeldelamirande5792]

Alternator look up Ryan and Sophie sailing he made a video on that too I think balmear makes kits for that

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Thanks for suggestion. We know what we need to do to complete the project, we just didn’t have the parts.. Gartside Marine sent us the wrong ones (twice)! Didn’t want to bash them in the video, but it was indeed frustrating. Cheers!

[@joeldelamirande5792]

@@AllisonandJamesSailing hear ya the hardest part of boat work is get the parts nessary

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Absolutely it is! Haha Thanks for writing! We’ll see you in the next one, cheers!

[@joeldelamirande5792]

@@AllisonandJamesSailing or on race to Alaska together

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Hahah funny you should say that. I’m editing our footage from Ketchikan right now, with the R2AK winners!

[@TheSoilandGreen]

Like 36 I’m late 😂

[@TheSoilandGreen]

A like a minute not bad cheers

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

A sailor is never late! You arrive exactly when you’re meant too!

[@sadkolk]

Wait you made it to Alaska?!

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

I guess we sort of raced everyone in the R2AK!

[@sadkolk]

@@AllisonandJamesSailing you could catch them yearly from your home base ;)

[@JohnBraman413]

what boat you got?

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Catalina 30

[@FirstnameLastname-ps4cu]

James sometimes it sure looks like Allison does more of the physical work, come on buddy tell me it's not true. LoL

[@Jim-jh9bd]

I look at them as more a team the same as my wife and I on our boat . I saves so much time

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Lol we’re definitely a team! I like to work the sheets and winches when tacking and James helms for longer than I do, but who’s counting haha cheers!

[@FirstnameLastname-ps4cu]

@@AllisonandJamesSailing LoL, keep sailing & living free guys.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

@@FirstnameLastname-ps4cu cheers!

[@HalcyonGuitars]

I wonder if an RV dehumidifier would help your cause?

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

We thought about that as well but the extra electrical load made it seem much less inviting.

[@chriskid8775]

recommend u put a lid on exuberant always up exclamations in ur vid, interrupts ur narrative.

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Lol come again? Not sure what you’re implying. Are you asking us to tone down our personalities or the narration or?

[@shawnchristman336]

Been watching you since you got your boat… motivated me to get my boat refitted for next summers adventures …around Van island is the start… keep up the awesome videos… thank you

[@AllisonandJamesSailing]

Cheers Shawn! Hope your projects go well!