Going to AK 2025

[NorthernFocus]

Taking the good advice of people in the know on this site, as my final moorage will be somewhere in Alaska, I will most likely be trailering my boat from Haines to Valdez, Whittier or Seward, AK.

Good decision. You'll need a trailer in AK anyhow.

If you want to boat on PWS then your options are Valdez or Whittier. Valdez is a much nicer town w/better facilities. Whittier is closer to more options of interesting places to go on the water. If you're interested in keeping the boat in a slip all summer you better contact both harbors ASAP as they both have waiting lists.

If you plan on keeping the boat on its trailer at/near the marina last I checked for Valdez it was $5/day but that's been a while. It's a sliding scale in Whittier $15/day, $100/wk, $250/mo, or $850 for the season. Not sure if they still do it but the people who run the U-Haul dealership in Valdez rent unsecured parking space for $30/mo. Their lot is about a mile from the marina. If you're staying in an RV all summer Valdez has some nice RV parks.

PWS is a pretty spectacular place. I've boated US east, gulf, and west coasts, Bahamas, and VI and nothing comes close for scenery, wildlife, etc. I've not been to/through SE Alaska so can't compare. Over 20 seasons on PWS and still haven't seen it all.

 

[kurtwitte]

Good decision. You'll need a trailer in AK anyhow.

If you want to boat on PWS then your options are Valdez or Whittier. Valdez is a much nicer town w/better facilities. Whittier is closer to more options of interesting places to go on the water. If you're interested in keeping the boat in a slip all summer you better contact both harbors ASAP as they both have waiting lists.

If you plan on keeping the boat on its trailer at/near the marina last I checked for Valdez it was $5/day but that's been a while. It's a sliding scale in Whittier $15/day, $100/wk, $250/mo, or $850 for the season. Not sure if they still do it but the people who run the U-Haul dealership in Valdez rent unsecured parking space for $30/mo. Their lot is about a mile from the marina. If you're staying in an RV all summer Valdez has some nice RV parks.

PWS is a pretty spectacular place. I've boated US east, gulf, and west coasts, Bahamas, and VI and nothing comes close for scenery, wildlife, etc. I've not been to/through SE Alaska so can't compare. Over 20 seasons on PWS and still haven't seen it all.

Yep, thanks for the info. I prefer the Whittier area for its diversity, many glaciers and places to explore. I have friends with a slip in Whittier and I prefer not to moor there. I on the waiting lists at Homer and Seward. Whats your experience in basing out of one harbor,say Valdez,and going to other harbors-Kodiak, Whittier, Homer, Etc.
Lets give a moment of silence for the couple from Texas and their 2 children who just lost their lives near Homer and the 4 individuals who succumbed in Alalik Bay in May. Rest their souls...

 

[NorthernFocus]

Yep, thanks for the info. I prefer the Whittier area for its diversity, many glaciers and places to explore. I have friends with a slip in Whittier and I prefer not to moor there. I on the waiting lists at Homer and Seward. Whats your experience in basing out of one harbor,say Valdez,and going to other harbors-Kodiak, Whittier, Homer, Etc.
Lets give a moment of silence for the couple from Texas and their 2 children who just lost their lives near Homer and the 4 individuals who succumbed in Alalik Bay in May. Rest their souls...

Whittier, Valdez, and Cordova are all accessible without leaving PWS. It's about 70NM between Valdez/Whittier and if I recall about 110NM from Whittier to Cordova. When we boated out of Valdez(lived in Fairbanks) we went to Cordova every year for July 4th. When we moved to Anchorage and started running out of Whittier we did a "Tour de Sound" every season visiting both Valdez and Cordova. Some years we made the Valdez stop on the outbound leg and sometimes on the return. I've never been inspired to make the run from Whittier to Seward. Haven't done the Cordova run in the last couple of years.

We also used to tow down to Homer every year and get our halibut fishing out of the way. Never had any inclination to run around to Seward from there either. For that matter I've never bothered to tow down and launch in Seward. As I said before PWS has more to offer than we've managed to see all these years so haven't really been compelled to go beyond.

 

[kurtwitte]

Whittier, Valdez, and Cordova are all accessible without leaving PWS. It's about 70NM between Valdez/Whittier and if I recall about 110NM from Whittier to Cordova. When we boated out of Valdez(lived in Fairbanks) we went to Cordova every year for July 4th. When we moved to Anchorage and started running out of Whittier we did a "Tour de Sound" every season visiting both Valdez and Cordova. Some years we made the Valdez stop on the outbound leg and sometimes on the return. I've never been inspired to make the run from Whittier to Seward. Haven't done the Cordova run in the last couple of years.

We also used to tow down to Homer every year and get our halibut fishing out of the way. Never had any inclination to run around to Seward from there either. For that matter I've never bothered to tow down and launch in Seward. As I said before PWS has more to offer than we've managed to see all these years so haven't really been compelled to go beyond.

Thank you for your insightful input on this. I'm leaning towards just storing boat in Anchorage, or dry docked in Whittier.

 

[mlanger]

Yes, Absolutely. Will be going from Seattle area to Haines via the inside passage. Probably Mid to late July.

That’s a lot later than I was planning to set out. I was thinking of early June Or maybe even May. I was planning on spending the whole summer up there on the boat.

 

[SKI3PO]

I am in based in PWS and I organize the Alaska Tugnuts Rendezvous. I am aware of at least one R27 classic that crossed the Gulf and an R43 made the trip 3-4 years ago. I'm sure there have been others. I know that both boats carried fuel bladders for an added measure of safety. The viability of this crossing in a Ranger is a frequent armchair debate amongst our PWS Ranger community. The consensus is that if you have the right weather window and carry extra fuel the trip can be undertaken. High pressure systems in the Gulf in the summer typically follow a 3 day pattern which is more than enough time to make the run, especially if you run straight through. Note that the chart will make it look it might be possible to enter Cordova on a direct line in through the tidal flats near Egg Island. This area is prohibitively shallow and requires extensive local knowledge as the channel shifts frequently. The safer route is through Hinchinbrook Entrance but this will add about 75ish nm to the trip. It's about 300nm to Cordova from Yakatat via this route with roughly 250nm in exposed open ocean. Allow for 150nm for the open water run to Yakutat.

We have an active Ranger Tug Community in PWS. Find us on Facebook under Alaska Tugnuts.

 

[SKI3PO]

I am in based in PWS and I organize the Alaska Tugnuts Rendezvous. I am aware of at least one R27 classic that crossed the Gulf and an R43 made the trip 3-4 years ago. I'm sure there have been others. I know that both boats carried fuel bladders for an added measure of safety. The viability of this crossing in a Ranger is a frequent armchair debate amongst our PWS Ranger community. The consensus is that if you have the right weather window and carry extra fuel the trip can be undertaken. High pressure systems in the Gulf in the summer typically follow a 3 day pattern which is more than enough time to make the run, especially if you run straight through. Note that the chart will make it look it might be possible to enter Cordova on a direct line in through the tidal flats near Egg Island. This area is prohibitively shallow and requires extensive local knowledge as the channel shifts frequently. The safer route is through Hinchinbrook Entrance but this will add about 75ish nm to the trip. It's about 300nm to Cordova from Yakatat via this route with roughly 250nm in exposed open ocean. Allow for 150nm for the open water run to Yakutat.

We have an active Ranger Tug Community in PWS. Find us on Facebook under Alaska Tugnuts.

When I took delivery of my R29 in 2021 I planned to cruise the Inside Passage to Skagway and trailer the rest of the way. At the time you could ship a trailer to Haines or Skagway for around $4000 on Alaska Marine Lines. We got thwarted by Covid restrictions in Canada. I ended up shipping the whole boat to Anchorage on Tote. I understand from some recent buyers that it's running about $13,000 for that service now.

 

[kurtwitte]

That’s a lot later than I was planning to set out. I was thinking of early June Or maybe even May. I was planning on spending the whole summer up there on the boat.

Unfortunately I am constrained by a home I am working readying for the market. I plan on setting sail as soon as I get it on the market but I do not foresee that much B 4 June. When You say "spending the summer up there' where exactly do you mean? The inside passage??

 

[kurtwitte]

When I took delivery of my R29 in 2021 I planned to cruise the Inside Passage to Skagway and trailer the rest of the way. At the time you could ship a trailer to Haines or Skagway for around $4000 on Alaska Marine Lines. We got thwarted by Covid restrictions in Canada. I ended up shipping the whole boat to Anchorage on Tote. I understand from some recent buyers that it's running about $13,000 for that service now.

Thanks for the info. I have someone that will drive my truck and trailer to Haines and coordinate my arrival there, unless it gets too late in the year to drive from Haines to Anchorage as I would not do the Yukatat to Cordove without several accompanying vessels. I will join the Alaska Tugnuts FB group, though.

 

[mlanger]

When You say "spending the summer up there' where exactly do you mean? The inside passage??

I was thinking of a leisurely trip to Ketchikan— maybe over the course of a month — and then at least a month in Alaska followed by a leisurely trip back. I want to explore and enjoy some anchorages. After 2 years of active cruising on the Great Loop, I want to slow down and enjoy the scenery and communities along the way.

 

[kurtwitte]

I was thinking of a leisurely trip to Ketchikan— maybe over the course of a month — and then at least a month in Alaska followed by a leisurely trip back. I want to explore and enjoy some anchorages. After 2 years of active cruising on the Great Loop, I want to slow down and enjoy the scenery and communities along the way.

Yep, a month(or more) to Ketchikan from WA is what I'm thinking as well. To reiterate, my goal is to leave WA around July 1st. Sightseeing, exploring and some fishing as well.

 

[Autigr]

Hey there, is anyone still planning on going north this summer? If so I'd be interested in joining you if you're open to another boat coming along. I'm on an R-27OB and will be mostly solo so I'd love some traveling companions! I'm just starting the planning process so no real timetable or agenda other than visiting Glacier Bay, which will probably be my turn-around point. www.serenitelogbook.wordpress.com