We departed John Wayne Marina in Sequim, WA on May 20, 2001 returning 99 days later after completing a round trip to Skagway, Alaska and many points in between. Our northbound route followed, with some exceptions, that taken by the big cruise ships. We varied our return route, including the west side of Vancouver Island; to avoid traveling over the same territory we covered going north. The scenery and wildlife is breathtaking. Pat and I would at times arrive at the days anchorage exhausted from our efforts to absorb the beauty surrounding us.

Whale Sounding in Sea Otter Sound near Craig, AK.

A fast moving log caught our attention and as we moved closer we realized it was a large colony of sea otter rolling over and over the bow wake of a ship that passed by earlier. Mountains rising from the deep water so steeply that I believe one could touch the rub rail of the boat on the mountain face and still have 100 feet or more of water under the boat. Seeing Pat’s eyes light up as she revisited Juneau and Haines Alaska, towns of her youth. Meeting her classmates of those years. Well it goes on and on but I think this is enough to leave the reader with a feeling that this was a special trip for us.

Hole in Wall, Prince of Whales Island, AK.

Sawyer Glacier at Tracy Arm in Alaska.

Many people along the way were interested in our 28-foot Tournament Express. We showed it to at least three couples and talked to many others who came to the boat to learn about it. One woman described it as a shining jewel. We were proud.

At Anchor Gardner Bay, Prince of Whale Island, AK.

The boat is a serious fishing machine but also has many nice touches, which makes a comfortable and attractive living space. It makes it fun for both husband and wife to enjoy the boat. Our compliments to the Albin team for designing and building such a fine boat.

Since we purchased the boat shown at the Seattle boat show the Bellingham Yacht Team had equipped the boat with options they felt an owner would want. They sure hit the nail on the head as we found their additions to be excellent choices - great job to the Bellingham Yacht Team.

Since we planned to cruise the boat on an extended basis we installed an inverter and replaced the 4-D battery with two L16H, 6 volt, 395 amp hour batteries to support the inverter and other electrical needs for 3 days without charging batteries. We also converted the Bruce anchor to a backup and replaced it with a CQR anchor, an anchor system with which we have enjoyed much success during a 15,000 mile cruise on the east coast of the U.S. with a different boat.

We added an ice chest to supplement the boat’s 12-volt refrigerator. Rather than mounting it on the swim platform we chose to install it on the centerline of the boat at the rear of the cockpit for ready access and as an additional seat. Our intention was to remove the ice chest and it’s tie downs after the trip was over but to our surprise found it provides wonderfully comfortable seating. The backrest is the comfortable padded thigh rest surrounding the cockpit and the footrest is the motor box cover. It is so comfortable for us that it will not be removed but remains as an addition to the boat even if not used all the time for its intended purpose of keeping food cool.

The last addition I installed was a laptop computer arm and shelf and used my notebook computer loaded with the Capn Voyager Navigation program throughout the journey. I found it far superior to the chart plotter and the C-Map type chips used in the chart plotter. The computer, arm and table did not block access to the lower compartment.

The boat’s size is great for us. It fit in at marinas along the way without problem. Sometimes though we might be tucked under the bow pulpit of an 80-foot yacht but that’s OK as long as the big guy doesn’t decide to drop his anchor. It is easy to handle both on the water and when docking and undocking.

Many times we were asked if we encountered rough water. The answer is yes but only for a relatively small portion of the entire trip. We found the boat to be surprisingly responsive in the rough stuff. Most often I was able to run the boat at normal cruise speed. A few times I slowed the boat down for comfort and safety. At no time was I concerned that the boat could not take the conditions we were in.

We did not venture out into water conditions known to exceed what Pat and I are willing to tolerate (generally less than 25 knots of wind, less than 6 foot waves and no frontal passages expected during the next 24 hours). We listened to the weather forecasts carefully, got underway at daybreak for ocean crossings and used the automated weather buoy and lighthouse reports to learn current wind speed and wave heights for the area we planned to transit. If it exceeded our limit we did something else on that day while waiting for improved conditions.

The amount of rough water encountered is directly related to the skipper and the crew. If one is patient you can get near millpond conditions on all passages. We know our limits and stick with it. Pushing on through rough water can easily ruin a boating experience for a lifetime. We will always turn around or seek safe harbor if conditions exceed our limits.

Fuel, water and groceries are generally available along the route. Big cities have Supermarkets otherwise it trends towards a convenience market. Laundromats sometime require a walk or if we were lazy a taxi ride. It is all relatively easily done and was not a cause for concern.

Fishing was great during our trip. Salmon was abundant and if patient so were halibut, crab and other bottom fish.

The following information may be of help to those planning a similar trip.

Cruising Guides