Snakes on a boat!

[scross]

Fake news! This thread has nothing to do with snakes on a boat. Just a hook to hopefully get you to read the thread.
We are starting a cruise tomorrow on Our Journey that we haven’t done before in 18 years of boat cruising. Worst case is that it could be as scary as snakes on a boat.
Vicki’s two preteen grandkids are joining us on a six night cruise of the San Juan’s in our teeny-tiny R25 Classic. It’s going to be 103-106 degrees in Ashland, OR next week and all of us need out of that heat! We have done cruises with them and their parents before but it’s always involved half the party tent camping on an island every night. This time the four of us will be sleeping on the boat. Every night.
These are great kids but the sleeping arrangements are obviously going to be tight. We are prepared to have 2 or even 3 in the v-berth and/or one on the dining table and/or one on an air mattress in the cockpit. No idea at his point exactly where each of us will end up sleeping. It’s an adventure - I hope a good one!
My not too secret ulterior motive is to convince Vicki that having the grandkids on board is a great idea. Something we should do every year. But on a bigger boat! We have had the R-25 Classic for 8 seasons now and it’s time to get serious about a getting bigger boat. Perhaps a C28, C30 or RT29. If I win MegaMillions tonight perhaps a Nordhavn 51….
I’ll post how we are enjoying this cruise as it progresses. Wish us luck!

 

[Submariner]

Fake news! This thread has nothing to do with snakes on a boat. Just a hook to hopefully get you to read the thread.

Snakes on a boat? nay nay!!! No way!! That'd lead to a mega fire onboard my boat!! 😀

 

[Submariner]

These are great kids but the sleeping arrangements are obviously going to be tight. We are prepared to have 2 or even 3 in the v-berth and/or one on the dining table and/or one on an air mattress in the cockpit. No idea at his point exactly where each of us will end up sleeping. It’s an adventure - I hope a good one!

My not too secret ulterior motive is to convince Vicki that having the grandkids on board is a great idea. Something we should do every year. But on a bigger boat! We have had the R-25 Classic for 8 seasons now and it’s time to get serious about a getting bigger boat. Perhaps a C28, C30 or RT29. If I win MegaMillions tonight perhaps a Nordhavn 51….
I’ll post how we are enjoying this cruise as it progresses. Wish us luck!

I'm probably not the best person to answer your question. I spent 8 years onboard submarines and am used to cramp quarters.

We also spent 4 days and 3 nights onboard a 22 foot Maxum wakeboard boat with 2 adults and 3 kids. The boat had no beds, no galley, no head, no roof. Tied to the logboom at Sea-fair. We got creative and improvised and had a fantastic time watching the hydroplane races.

What are you going to name your new boat? 🙂

 

[FlyMeAway]

I know you just suggested an air mattress, but will a tent fit in the cockpit of the R-25? I have a lovely memory from childhood "camping" in the cockpit of a friend's boat (I couldn't tell you make or model). I'm pretty sure the "camping" aspect was just to make us enjoy being forced to sleep outside so the adults could stay in the warm cabin (it was a cool spring New England night) 😉

 

[scross]

Wow, what a first day!
Up at 5:30 AM to load up the truck and on I-5 at 7:30 AM. A 9.5 hour drive from Ashland to Burlington got us to the boat at 5 PM. Fueled up truck and boat then towed to Squalicum Marina in Bellingham by 6 PM. Took 2.5 hours to load up the boat, eat dinner and launch. Dock 9 was full but we snagged the last spot on Dock 12. Squalicum was busier than I have ever seen it!
The kids have been troopers and are going to try sleeping head to toe and toe to head in sleeping bags on the dining table bed. We will see how that works out.
Tomorrow morning breakfast at the Web Locker near the marina office. Then off to Rosario on Orcas for two nights! I’m going to sleep well tonight!

 

[ohioan55]

Uhh, don't go to Lake Erie then if you are afraid of snakes on your boat. The (protected) brown snakes don't mind climbing onto boats to sun themselves. I've seen this with my own eyes.

 

[Chimo]

What’s wrong with one in the cave? I have slept in ours several times. Tight on the hips but doable.

 

[glider4]

Chimo,
The cave would work for one preteen IF it wasn’t already stuffed to the gills with food, clothes, a microwave, spare anchor/chain/rode, dinghy seat/pump/oars, life jackets and other “essentials”. Our Journey’s almost “dry” ready-to-cruise weight is 2,000 pounds heavier than the factory published dry weight of 5,700 pounds. You could either say we have everything we need for cruising and spares for ***near anything that could come up or you could say we just don’t know how to pack light.
Two preteens on the dining table bed did not work out. The 10 year old slept in the cockpit on a cozy air mattress and liked it. In good weather that may be our solution to the sleeping situation.
Just came back from a great 3 hour hike up to Cascade Lake from Rosario Marina. Kids jumped off the wooden bridge and had ice cream at the day use area. Sunny with a high of 80 degrees here versus 106 degrees in Ashland, OR.

 

[scross]

I should add that on the way back from Cascade Lake the 10 year old found a cute little garter snake on the trail. This is the fifth San Juan Island I have seen garter snakes on. Had it not been for Vicki’s snake phobia we really might have had “snake on a boat”!

 

[scross]

We are back at Bellingham after a successful 8 day San Juan cruise! Two nights on the hook (Garrison Bay and Shallow Bay on Sucia), one on at the Prevost Harbor state park dock on Stuart plus 2 nights at Rosario, a night at Roche plus starting and ending nights at Squalicum in Bellingham. All meals except 2 were prepared and served on board.
I’m sure the grandkids enjoyed the trip. The 12 year old earned her NPS Junior Ranger pin at English Camp. The two paddle boards got a lot of use as did the dinghy. I am now an “expert” in removing the solid dining table legs and converting the table into a bed for a 5’6” preteen.
Sleeping arrangements and just being crowded with lots and lots of “stuff” was the biggest daily challenge. Everyone helped to make it work. It is possible for 4 people to have a great time on a weeklong cruise in tight quarters on a R-25 Classic.
Our home in Ashland averaged well over 100 degrees this past week so getting the grandkids (and us) out of the heat and on the boat was the perfect solution.
Would I go more than 8 days with 4 people on a R-25 Classic? Probably not!
Would I have liked to have had a bigger boat for this trip? Absolutely!
Is Vicki on board with a bigger boat? Yes! Just need to keep my eye out for the right used C-28!
With a bigger boat I’d like to show the grandkids the Gulf Islands and possibly Desolation Sound in the future. As for Desolation Sound, we’re looking forward to a 3 week cruise there after the grandkids head out of town with their father.