Preparing Your Boat for Alaska

[@michae8jackson378]

This is such a great video....not just for Alaska, but any cruising! Getting boat ready for it! Thank you! Love your channel!

[@RealHankShill]

For the tools, the all in one screwdriver.... This wouldnt replace the one that you recommend, but it does so much it would be worth having both. The Irwin 9 in 1 tool. Its one of those replaceable bit drivers, but it also has different size nut driver capability, and just works for so many different things, and the bits it comes with are pretty versatile. Two different square bits, large and small philips and flat, plus three different size nut drivers which are also all the common hose clamp sizes. Combined with the one you have you could do just about everything on a boat.

[@WillN2Go1]

Great tips. I learned a lot from your video. Thank you. "Maintenance induced failures" is an absolutely critical concept. I hired a captain who two days into a delivery sail down the coast (anchorages no marinas) He decided that the alternator belt was too loose. I'd just bought the boat so there wasn't a set of sockets aboard. He started to attack the nuts with a small cheap visegrip knock off plier. I suggested 1. the batteries were charging just fine so 2. this 'repair' could probably wait another two days when I'd be in the slip with WestMarine, HomeDepot, Ace Hardware a couple miles away and... I'd be plugged into shore power. He threw a fit. I imagined him striping the nuts, or loosening them without being able to retighten them, or retightening them too tight. Would anyone be surprised had he been able to do his 'repair' and the belt failed the next day? It's been five months, there never was slack in the alternator belt. Maybe there's room for the concept, "Desperate need to do something that can result in much bigger problems" (He also put his 30+ years as a sailor against my actual knowledge operating the Selden in mast furling. First day, after another tantrum he jammed the main for the rest of the trip.) As with investing often the smartest move is to do nothing. Certainly calmly discussing a situation is a minimum.

[@lessismoor5907]

Once again, excellent information, intelligently presented. Thank you.

[@alhester7159]

Very professionally presented and useful. Well done folks.

[@GlennGoryl]

Fantastic! Thank you.

[@michae8jackson378]

Amazingly great info! Thank you SO much! We are going to retire and buy a trawler.....such great insight!

[@stevencoleman4149]

Good video. The only thing I don't agree with is having a set of "wobble" or "rounded tip" Allen wrenches. I've had the ball snap off and stick completely ruining the bolt. I'd rather modify the wrench by cutting it off than use a rounded tip Allen wrench.

[@betyar]

You guys are amazing. Thank you tons for sharing your knowledge. Love your videos, approach, attitude, speed, experience, etc. AMAZING. Thanks

[@lauradomela5175]

Thank you so much, Brian! We really appreciate the feedback!

[@glennallan8630]

Being a newby thats fantastic info , thank you.

[@TBrownRecords]

This was a very helpful video we are planning to travel to Alaska from Jacksonville Florida for a vacation have anyone achieve that goal

[@angels814ever]

Very informative....THANKS! =]

[@shawnmcdonald9352]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

[@robertwagner7867]

Hello..what would be the minimum length and type of boat that you recommend for taking this voyage? Thank you for your informative videos.

[@Slowboat]

Sam here...great question! I've taken a 22' C-Dory from Anacortes to Alaska. Lots of people kayak the route. Almost any boat can make the trip, so long as it's reliable and comfortable enough for its occupants. Fuel is available every ~100nm all the way from Seattle to Juneau. The comfort thing is key...boats tend to feel smaller the longer you are aboard. For most people, I think something around 30 feet is about the smallest that would be reasonably comfortable.

[@robertwagner7867]

Thank you for your reply. I find the voyage and the entire PNW and BC area fascinating. Did you make this voyage on the 22' alone?

[@Slowboat]

Normally I'm alone about half the time and have friends and family fly in for 5-10 day visits. With the 22' visitors sometimes stayed in hotels on shore and we'd just do day trips on the boat.

[@robertwagner7867]

Okay and thanks again for your reply. I find your videos informative and interesting so please keep them coming.

[@ictpilot]

Two is one, and one is none.

[@billzweig8381]

Hello, What if you need to pull the boat out of the water to do some maintenance, are there facilities that can do that along the way? I'm thinking of a boat with an outboard and needing to change lower unit gear oil.

[@Slowboat]

Hi Bill...Laura here. Sorry for the delay in replying! There are definitely facilities along the way that can do haulouts... the maximum distance between facilities is about 200nm (Campbell River to Shearwater and Shearwater to Prince Rupert).

[@blhornertube]

Just to let you know once you reach alaska they do not dye there diesel its clear

[@dennis6325]

This video has really made me step back and ponder what us cruisers are trying to accomplish here. Do we really need to take all the comforts of our house afloat on the water? hmm...it seems our large comfortable yachts with all their systems own us not the other way around. What a pain! Perhaps it's time to simplify and give up a little comfort for simplicity, greater reliability and less maintenance. I think I will row/sail the journey...ha ha. BTW...just friendly criticism for your future videos: The female in this presentation interjects a few too many non-value added comments like "yep", "bummer", "mmm", "yeah", "right" which add little and sort of disrupts the flow. Just my opinion. Other than that...very well done, thank you for the info and nice presentation.