The North Channel - Kincardine to Tobermory in a Catalina 30

In leg 2 of our trip to the North Channel, we sail our Catalina 30 70 nautical miles and 16 hours from Kincardine Ontario. Strong winds and big waves force us to delay our departure from 5:30 am to 10:30 am. The winds are forecasted to subside throughout the day, but they increase instead. It was either the best day of the trip or the worst.

[@robcampbell579]

I immensely enjoyed your video. The place and the course are so familiar. I made the trip up the lake to Tobermory and the North Channel many times. It was always worth it and never became uninteresting. I am glad you share your experience. I sailed out of the Canadian side, from just across the lake from Sanilac.

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

The North Channel is certainly an amazing place to visit. I share your thoughts that I could never take enough trips to feel like I had explored everything or it would ever become uninteresting!

[@annteve]

Nice to see a sailing video on the Great Lakes. Essentially, this is winter sailing.

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

I agree, it's fun to watch sailing videos over the winter and think of spring.

[@brucehartnett8709]

Thanks for sharing yr trip. Curious if U ever have used a preventer on yr boom. It really sways back n forth when the sails down. Keeps boom solid when main is up or down and especially important when wind is behind U. Looking forward to yr north channel episodes. Havent been before but hopefully in the future. Cheers from Canada!

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

Thank you Bruce. We did start using a preventer for running with the wind this year. It makes down-wind sailing a lot more relaxing. I would have been a great idea to control the boom as we were motoring out of the channel.... although the boat might be sad to miss the opportunity to whack me in the head with the boom.

[@Thfeyhvfdetyhbvcd]

That’s one scary day trip; night sailing in unfamiliar waters! I sailed my slightly smaller and lighter Catalina 28 to the North Channel (primarily the Benjamin’s) last year but took the easy way; Michigan coast to Presque Isle and a short crossing to Meldrum Bay Canada. From there to Turnbulls, Spanish, and the Benjamin’s. Return trip pretty much the same. I’m planning a return trip this year but will probably do the same unless I get a really good weather window. That’s just too much open water for me. Last year there were so many thunderstorm watches that I sailed early every day to get into a port by early afternoon, once just an hour before a storm passed through! Two years ago, I got caught in THREE consecutive storms crossing Saginaw Bay solo, leaving on a cloudless morning. I feared broaching or pitchpoling in the huge waves! I will never put myself in that situation again!

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

That sounds like a great trip. We're planning to sail up the American side and hit the Benjamins on our next trip.

[@tarivard]

I’ve done that many times. You were very fortunate to get that track as long as you did. An option if it gets too brutal is to tuck into stokes bay.

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

Thank you. I just looked for Stokes Bay on the chart, and I was able to find it. That looks like a great option.

[@lonestaradventures8838]

Nice video. Did that trip before. Home based on georgian bay. My usual rtack was sarnia to bayfield or straigtt to port elgin or better southhampton. Niver angle to tobermory and a ahorter leg , avoiding night passage through the area of came hurd. Amd aouthhampton has chantey island to hide behind if lake huron doesnt play nice

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

It sounds like you had some nice adventures. I'm going to try to find your route on the chart.

[@lonestaradventures8838]

Was writing without glasses on it seems. I meant it's a better angle from Southampton to tobermory. Much shorter route. In your case you can cross straight to Port Elgin, past point Clark. Nice sailing club there. Beware of entrance in strong westerly. Southampton has one long dock and commercial docks cruisers use..but easier entrance. Town is walking distance as well. Or anchor behind chantry island and then continue north to tobermory.

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

@@lonestaradventures8838 Thank you, I was able to find Port Elgin on Google Earth. It looks like they have a very nice marina.

[@Nick-un1em]

Nice video.

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

Thank you Nick

[@kiteleyand]

Really like what you did for the Bimini. Is that bead and cove cedar strips cold molded into that shape?

[@SVBlueLatitudes]

Thank you. You're exactly right on the construction technique for the dodger. Using the aluminum frame the boat already had for the dodger, I created a pattern, and made (3) plywood bulkheads to create a mold to build the hard dodger. Then I laid up 1/4" strips of cedar and pine. Then, I covered the top and bottom with 1 layer of fiberglass cloth.

[@kiteleyand]

@@SVBlueLatitudes I would love to learn a bit more detail about the pattern and bulkheads. Would you happen to have any pictures from the build process? Thank you!

[@thomaselliott573]

Sorry, incredibly boring