Alaska 2023 - Channel Surfing

When it’s raining and 46 degrees out, we use a lot of heat. A lot a lot of heat.

The curtains that LaZina made for Channel Surfing are thicker than the factory curtains and help a lot at retaining heat.

We’re burning thru quite a bit of kerosene.


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Submariner":lwxo740t said:
While refilling the tank with a couple gallons of kerosene, in the torrential downpour, water must have got into the fuel tank. I learned a few things last night about the RT27-OB that I didn't know.
....
I now know where the 3 fuses are for the Webasto heater.
....
I'd recommend not filling up the diesel fuel tank when it's raining (torrential downpour kind of rain).
Click to expand...

Oh yeah! I suspect, but have not proven, that some water may enter the diesel tank when water runs past the cap on the gunnel. This may be from washing with a hose, a power washer, in heavy seas, or torrential rains it seems. I'm thinking it would be to have something installed in front of the cap to divert water around and not let it splash up and into the cap. It should be a pretty simple part of to print on a 3d printer.

I've been running Kerosene for the past 6-months and I haven't had any fuel issues with the heater. When i was using diesel it would have have start-up and flame issues once or twice a year. I am glad you didn't give-up and thinking it was the webasto which would have been a real shame.

Congrats on fixing it in one effort!
 
johnbenj":2s3a3l2o said:
Submariner":2s3a3l2o said:
While refilling the tank with a couple gallons of kerosene, in the torrential downpour, water must have got into the fuel tank. I learned a few things last night about the RT27-OB that I didn't know.
....
I now know where the 3 fuses are for the Webasto heater.
....
I'd recommend not filling up the diesel fuel tank when it's raining (torrential downpour kind of rain).
Click to expand...

Oh yeah! I suspect, but have not proven, that some water may enter the diesel tank when water runs past the cap on the gunnel. This may be from washing with a hose, a power washer, in heavy seas, or torrential rains it seems. I'm thinking it would be to have something installed in front of the cap to divert water around and not let it splash up and into the cap. It should be a pretty simple part of to print on a 3d printer.

I've been running Kerosene for the past 6-months and I haven't had any fuel issues with the heater. When i was using diesel it would have have start-up and flame issues once or twice a year. I am glad you didn't give-up and thinking it was the webasto which would have been a real shame.

Congrats on fixing it in one effort!
Click to expand...
The saga continues. Here’s what we know.

In Ketchikan, Lemondrops heater stopped working. F01 error. She’s a 2019 so no fuel gauge. In the torrential downpour she added a gallon of kerosene. Still wouldn’t start. I look at it, pull the fuel line, find water in the tank and line. Flush it out. It started. I added 2 gallons of kerosene (that makes 3) and she was full, in a 5 gallon tank. Hmmmm.

Worked until Juneau. More rain. Stopped working again. Changed the fuel filter (I carried a spare onboard). It started and worked. The old filter was original, and clearly needed replacement as it wouldn’t flow fuel easily. It started up.

Then we did Hoonah and into Glacier Bay. Anchored 2 nights waiting out miserable 47 degree weather in more torrential downpour, rain non stop, wind, fog… miserable weather, cold, damp, soggy. It stopped working again. Won’t restart at all. Blows white smoke, heats a little then stops and throws an f01 or f02 error. This means it’s most likely the burner insert is clogged and dirty and needs cleaning. 2 days Lemondrop spent without any heat in the middle of nowhere and in miserable weather. I was up on Starlink looking at YouTube videos on how to take apart the Webasto, we were calling Webasto dealers to see about getting parts shipped.

We have a refurbished unit coming into Juneau. I’ll replace it on her boat when it arrives. This is why we’re now in Juneau (arrived this morning) for the next 5 days.

We’re headed to Tracy Arm next. More glaciers and ice. We need Lemondrops heater working.


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Being without heat is terrible! I too received many F1 and F2 errors, enough to get the dreaded F12 LOCKOUT. I am stubborn and I just kept trying to relight it and eventually it worked. But along the way I saw a lot of white smoke and smoke rings poofing out the exhaust. Changing the filter was helpful - I keep at least three available now - as well as emptying the tank as you have done. I also used an additive for removing water from diesel but I don't think it was as helpful as clean filter, kerosene, and draining/syphoning the tank and bring so stubborn that I must have tried to get it to light 30 times.



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We released day 3 of our SE Alaska journey. Johnstone Strait and Seymour Narrows. (Campbell River to Port McNeal).

Annie Time, Lemon Drop and Channel Surfing, all R27-OB’s, being tossed around in bad seas. We misjudged the weather and were punished for it.

https://youtu.be/ThcKLiyTwMY
 
That’s what we did in the fall of 2017. Caught the 8:30 ferry if I recall and we were in Port McNeil and splashed the boat by 3:30.
 
We spent the day and night in Pruth Bay, near Hakai. Gorgeous beaches they have here!! Omg.

Tomorrow we cross Cape Caution on our way home. Headed to Port McNeal for a couple nights.

Next will be Port McNeal to Blind Channel Resort. Then up thru Dent Rapids, down into Desolation sound.


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The current at Blind Channel can be as bad as Petersburg, FWIW. DAN
 
Crossed Cape Caution this morning. 3 foot on 10+seconds. Easy and gorgeous crossing. Somewhat foggy but over 2 miles visibility.

Then we ran into Queen Charlotte Lake!! Wow was that some flat flat flat water. Gorgeous cruise today of 100 miles from Pruth bay to Port McNeil.

We’re in Port McNeill for the next several days waiting on weather through Johnstone Strait.

We’re going to go from Port McNeal to Blind Channel for fuel. Then find an Anchorage for the night. Head thru Dent and Yaculta rapids the next day in the morning. Come out into Desolation Sound.


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We are anchored in Montegue Harbour, gulf islands.

About 20 miles from Roche Harbor which is where we will be tomorrow and tomorrow night.

Our last night in Canada as we are almost home.


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We were in Montague on Wednesday night. Sorry we missed you. Relax, you ARE almost home!
 
We've been watching your progress -- and weather updates. Was hoping to maybe be out there when you come home, but alas -- back at the office for a bit.

Welcome home, and what an amazing adventure! 🙂
 
Hey, I know that boat !

We were swimming from our R23 Desiderata when you came past Thetis Island on Sunday afternoon and waved at you. I had no idea you were on your way back from Alaska !! Congrats!
 
We left for SE Alaska on May 25, 2023.
Last day of our trip: July 18th.

Total miles: 2,620 statue miles.
Engine hours: 182 hours
55 days living on 27 feet of boat with 3 adults and 3 dogs. (No, we don’t need a bigger boat. Ha!)

We spent the entire month of June in SE Alaska.

How far North did we go? Above the 59th parallel where the waterway ended (Margerie Glacier at the top of Glacier Bay). 1,300 miles away from home. Lat: N 59°01'16.4065" Lon: W 136°59'52.6924"

How far north had we been before this trip? Ganges, BC.

9 days to get to Ketchikan (2 of those days not traveling)
4 major gates crossed.
* Dixon Entrance (open ocean)
* Cape Caution (open ocean)
* Johnstone Strait and Seymour Narrows/Dent Rapids
* Georgia Strait

Longest run at 7 knots (over 3 days).
Juneau to Tracy Arm to Petersburg (Alaska)
220 statue miles on 100 gallons of gas.
There are no fuel docks in between.
We needed the range to see Sawyer Glacier at the end of Tracy Arm.

Longest run in a single day at 25 knots.
Prince Rupert to Shearwater (British Columbia).
204 statue miles on 170 gallons of gas.

Average travel day was between 90 and 135 statue miles for about 6 hours.

3 days of bad seas. (Johnstone Strait, Clarence Strait, Glacier Bay). 2-4 foot. Mostly flat seas throughout the trip.

12 nights at anchor. 2 afternoons at anchor waiting out current.

I changed oil, oil filter, and both fuel filters in Juneau.
I did the same for Lemon Drop in Shearwater, BC.
Will do a complete 100 hour maint upon our return this week..

The tides, currents, inaccurate forecasts, constantly changing weather, mechanical issues (things broke) provided daily challenges. Then there was fuel, water and waste management. Electrical was easy to manage believe it or not.

Most epic trip ever!! Better than I ever expected. We will do this trip again as we didn’t get to see Endicott Arm, Fords Terror or Sitka. If you’ve thought about doing this trip, find a way to make it happen. You won’t be disappointed.


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Meercatz":1ige49d2 said:
Hey, I know that boat !

We were swimming from our R23 Desiderata when you came past Thetis Island on Sunday afternoon and waved at you. I had no idea you were on your way back from Alaska !! Congrats!
Click to expand...
I have a picture of you waving at us while swimming next to your boat! 🙂


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Good stuff! A wonderful adventure. We'll done....
 
Congrats Channel Surfing and Lemon Drop!

We really enjoyed following your adventure! Great posts with excellent detail! Awesome trip. See you out there soon!
 
Getting the boat all cleaned up, engine maintenance all completed this weekend.

My biggest regret(s) on our trip.
1) I worked 3 days a week from the boat. I should not have. I should have used that time to get into Endicott Arm (Dawes Glacier), Fords Terror and over to Sitka.
2) I didn't bring my fishing gear. (HUGE regret here).

There will be a "next time" for us. Maybe next year, maybe the year after. Channel Surfing is going back to SE Alaska.
 
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