WEBFOOT FOR SALE!

Webfoot is SOLD

Use the links above to see specs and interior and exterior photos.
 

Read on to learn more about the wonderful adventures we have had aboard Webfoot.

Please contact us for further details.

Multnomah Channel to St Helens

Thinking of the soon to come winter we decided to spend a relaxing weekend on the boat. We started it off right on Friday night by grilling up some steaks on our trusty Magma grill. Of course we had potatoes on the side as well as some fresh leek that we had purchased at the farmers market. We really enjoyed the recipe for leek we found on GalleySwap.

After a leisurely morning dockside we set sail. The clouds made way for a warm October sun and a light breeze pulled us downriver along Sauvie Island. Our destination for the evening was the town of Saint Helens, OR.

We made it to St. Helens in time to do some quick chores before an evening out. The St. Helens Marina has a fuel dock where we topped off the tanks before strolling into town for a few things at the store which is about a 15 minute walk. We tied up at the free town dock for easy town access but there is also a free dock just across the channel on Sand Island.

 Town dock with San Island in the background

This time of year the quaint town of St Helens turns into Halloween Town and you will find decorations and costumed employees at every shop. 

After a great dinner at the Dockside Restaurant we were still a little restless and it was a clear, calm night. So rather than staying near town we decided to be a little adventurous and go for a cruise up Multnomah Channel. We ended up at the free dock at J.J. Collins Memorial Park on Coon Island.  

After a great night's sleep in the total quiet of a windless night we had an early breakfast and then went for a nice walk around the island on the 1.5 mile trail. There are free docks on both the North and South side of the island with limited facilities.

Much of Multnomah Channel is tree lined and reminiscent of the ICW but there are long sections that  almost feel like driving down a neighborhood street in Portland. Marinas and floating homes in all states of repair grace the river's edge and on a Sunday afternoon one can see a number of industrious people working on their homes and boats...

In the afternoon we stopped along the channel to grab a quick beer and take in the Halloween decorations at Krueger’s Farm on Sauvie Island. Anchoring Webfoot along the channel was a breeze, but getting up the embankment was a little dicey.

The sun broke out a briefly on our way home and we were snug in our slip well before sundown.

View Multnomah Channel to St Helens in a larger map

Government Island Circumnavigation

Summer returned to Portland for the weekend and we had a great time on the boat. After going to the farmer's market Saturday morning we packed up a few things and headed to the marina. We sailed up to the old dock on Government Island and cooked our farmer's market oysters and tuna on the BBQ.

On the old dock looking east at sunset

On  the old dock looking west at sunset

Sunday we awoke to sunshine streaming into the cabin. During our leisurely breakfast we were hit by a particularly big wake and the hatch board we had laid out to dry slipped over the side. Luckily it was in only 6 feet of water and the captain was able to retrieve it. 

Morning dew

On the way back to the marina we took the long way around the island and had a beautiful sail!

Wind-on-wing with Mount Hood in the distance

View Government Island Circumnavigation in a larger map

July 4th Downtown Blues Fest

The past few years we spent the 4th in the San Juan Islands. This year we went to the islands earlier in the year and spent the 4th right here in Portland. From our marina on the Columbia we headed down river and then up the Willamette to downtown Portland. To get there we had to go under a total of TEN bridges! No wonder Portland is sometimes called the Bridgetown! We were able to clear 8 of the 10 bridges no problem, but the two railroad bridges had to be raised or swung to let us through. 

Sometimes the videos work sometimes they don't.....sorry.

Steel Bridge opening

Here is a good article  (you can change the state to be more appropriate for you) on how to travel through bridges. The article states that "Bridge tenders can sometimes be a little cranky" and we found this to be true. Apparently we weren't fast enough for our bridge tender when we were waiting for the swing bridge to open ALL the way. 

When we arrived downtown the festivities were already in full swing and boats were everywhere! We found ourselves a little spot on the outskirts and BBQ-ed our all American meal: ribs, potatoes and corn! During dinner there was a lot of excitement as a boat nearly sank. Lucky for them, the Cost Guard Auxiliary and the fire department had brought their big pumps and were already on site. After spectacular fire works we anchored behind Ross Island for a very restful night.

Hope everyone had a happy Fourth!

Boat is sinking (note the audio portion)

San Juan Islands - Day 4 - Clark Island

This is the last part of a four part series of our sailing trip to the San Juan Islands over Memorial Day weekend.

Day 1 - Launch, Bellingham to Matia Island

Day 2 - Matia Island to Friday Harbor

Day 3 - Friday Harbor to Rosario, Orcas Island

Day 4 - Rosario, Orcas Island to Clark Island

Our last full day vacation was upon us and we just couldn't bring ourselves to leave Rosario without enjoying the warmth of the pool and hot tub one last time. We walked up to the Mansion fairly early and were greeted by a "closed" sign. I tried the door and found it to be open. I looked right and left, and saw a cleaning lady vacuuming the floors with her back turned to me. I gave Captain Mike the let's-go-quietly-wave, and ducking behind her we ran down the stairs to the spa. All the towels had been put away, but I remembered from our snooping around the day before that there was a (real!) ships door near the pool, behind which was the supply closet. We had a long soak and played with the beach ball in the pool. By the time we headed back to the boat our skin was wrinkly and beet-red. I was just hoping that the warmth would last me all day.

We left for Clark Island around 10:30 am and motored on a windless, cloudy day. Along the way we took a little detour to scout out Doe Bay for possible future visits since we had read about the hot springs there. Regrettably, it seemed more like summer camp with some cabins and lots of tents perched on a hill side and there were no mooring buoys or docks near there.

Around 2pm we arrived at Clark Island, dropped anchor on the east side and pulled the stern up on the beach so we could explore the island. Clark Island is quite flat with long beaches on the east and west sides.  Beautiful wild roses were blooming everywhere when we arrived. 

After our walk we noticed that we were going to have neighbors for the night. A small group had arrived in three kayaks and they were busy setting up their shelters. It was starting to rain again after a mostly dry day. We pulled up our anchor, secured a mooring ball for the night, and hung towels from the sides of the bimini to make the cockpit more enclosed and keep out the rain. For dinner we made some Halibut Fajitas we found on GalleySwap 

Around 3am we were awoken to a very rolly anchorage. The wind had picked up and the tides had come up so far that the protective reef was completely covered. We slept well for a few more hours knowing that we were securely tied to a mooring ball. By 7am I started to think about the last time we tried to get back to Bellingham from the San Juans and told the Captain that we had to leave "right now"! Last fourth of July weekend the winds picked up right when were trying to leave (we were already pushing it with a late departure) and we were unable to cross Rosario Strait because our engine kept stalling when we slammed into a trough. We had to wait at Matia Island for several hours until the wind abated and the tide switched around making the waves less steep. This time we headed across right away and even had a very pleasant crossing. We slogged down Hale Passage in a head wind on a favorable tide. By noon we were back in Bellingham ready to haul the boat and drive back to Portland.

Right after we pulled the boat out of the water the clouds parted and the sun shone brightly the rest of the day!


On the way back we checked in at another closed scale. We had gained 200 pounds!
Truck: 4,920
Boat 3,700

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PASSAGE NOTES AND PHOTOS

6 mooring balls on east side - not very protected at high tide when reef is under water

3 mooring balls on west side - could get pretty rough in north or south winds

Obstruction Pass at the south end of Orcas Island, the rough water is caused solely by current

Webfoot on the beach at Clark Island

Beach on east side of Clark Island

Video of view of Orcas Island from south end of Clark Island

West side of Clark Island

Our mooring ball

Dinner aboard Webfoot

Rain.... rain.... rain... If you look closely you can see the raindrops

Back in Bellingham at the ramp

San Juan Islands - Day 3 - Rosario, Orcas Island

This is part three of a four part series of our sailing trip to the San Juan Islands over Memorial Day weekend.

Day 1 - Launch, Bellingham to Matia Island

Day 2 - Matia Island to Friday Harbor

Day 3 - Friday Harbor to Rosario, Orcas Island

Day 4 - Rosario, Orcas Island to Clark Island

Since it seemed like the cold and rain was going to stick around we were looking for a place to go where we could warm up a little. So off to Rosario Resort it was! We left Friday Harbor in a light rain and as soon we were out of the harbor we realized that the wind would be perfect for sailing. So we raised our only sail and were off to a nice downwind run (read this if you are wondering why we only had one sail).

We were happily sailing along when I went below to get get us a snack and heard an odd noise. At first I couldn't place it, but then I remembered that we had recently installed our new bilge pump and it appeared that it was busily pumping water. I moved a few things to get to it and noticed a fair amount of water in our bilge! I immediately alerted Captain Mike and was asked if it was salt or fresh water. I have tasted a lot bilge water in my time and this time I was grateful that we do not have an inboard engine. Our bilge water was pristine so I did not hesitate. It was very salty! Not good! I immediately started to search everywhere for a point of intrusion and after a few nervous minutes we determined that it was likely an attachment point for the rudder and a very slow leak. Since we had been running with the wind and had the boat more loaded than usual, the stern was more exposed to the water than usual. It was a fix we would have to make when the boat was back on the trailer and we would just have to keep an eye on it.

We were getting close to Rosario Resort and readied the boat for arrival. We arrived just in time for the Organ concert and headed up the hill after securing the boat. After the concert and a tour of the mansion we got our bathing suits and went to the hot tub and warm indoor pool. All this was followed by lamb cooked on our rail BBQ and dessert of Nutty Cookies I found on GalleySwap. We don't have an oven on board so had I made them ahead of time. It was a great evening! If you've never been to Rosario it is defiantly worth a visit!

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PASSAGE NOTES AND PHOTOS

When staying in their marina the spa facilities in the mansion are included! Pool, hot tub, unlimited hot showers, gym, sauna, fireplaces, and beautiful locker rooms. Rosario Marina can be reached on 78A. Visit their website for more info.

Rosario Resort

The organ pipes

The 85° pool

The marina at Rosario Resort

San Juan Islands - Day 2 - Friday Harbor

This is part two of a four part series of our sailing trip to the San Juan Islands over Memorial Day weekend.

Day 1 - Launch, Bellingham to Matia Island

Day 2 - Matia Island to Friday Harbor

Day 3 - Friday Harbor to Rosario, Orcas Island

Day 4 - Rosario, Orcas Island to Clark Island

On Friday I woke up to a wet and cloudy day. Captain Mike had already been up for some time and had gone for a run around the island. After we had some breakfast we donned our long undies, foulies, hats, gloves, and life vests and pulled up the anchor. We were still deciding whether to go to Roche Harbor or Friday Harbor. I really like both towns but Friday Harbor has a bigger selection of restaurants and Friday is date night! And no Friday would be complete without visiting Friday Harbor. It was a wet and windy ride, heading straight into the chop. Knowing there would be a hot shower at the end we had a lot of fun getting wet and keeping warm with hot cocoa.

When we got within 5 minutes of Friday Harbor we called the marina via VHF and were immediately assigned a slip on one of their large overnight docks.  They charge roughly one dollar per foot (I say roughly because it varies by season) and a couple of dollars for electricity. Be sure to bring lots of quarters since showers are a quarter per minute with a five minute minimum. 

Since our little boat does not have a heater we brought a small electric heater with tilt-shut-off from home which we would only be able to use at the dock. Friday in Friday Harbor was very chilly and we had lots of wet cloths so we were glad to have remembered it... until it stopped working... Our boat is equipped with shore-power and two GFCI protected outlets. After running the heater for a while we heard the outlet go "pop" and off went the cozy heater. We tried and tried to push the reset button but it was stuck. Captain Mike turned of the shore-power and unscrewed the outlet. There was quite a bit of corrosion so we headed into town to scout out a new outlet and some lunch.

A little ways up the main road (Spring Street - it's hard to miss) is an Ace hardware store conveniently located just across the street from a West Marine Express. At Ace we bought a new outdoor GFCI outlet and then had lunch overlooking the harbor at Blue Water Bar & Grill which had fairly average food. Everyone's tastes are different so I won't make this into a food critic blog but it wasn't our favorite. The view sure was nice though!

When we got back to the boat Captain Mike installed the new outlet and voilà! we had heat. Our little boat almost felt like a luxury yacht. We cleaned up, took naps, and caught up on some reading since, of course, it was raining again. When the rain let up we partook in one of our favorite activities: Dock Walking. It is always amazing to see all the different states of disrepair some owners let their boats be in. After we had our fill of of Ooohs and Ahhhs and Would-you-look-at-that-boat-can-you-believe-its we headed into town for our dinner date.

When we got to the restaurant I had eyed earlier we were told that they were already closed. I was appalled until I looked at my watch and noticed it was already after 9 o'clock. The long Pacific Northwest had fooled me again. Of course since we had not seen the sun all day it is perfectly excusable. We walked all over town and found that the entire town shuts down by nine. We were starting to head back to the boat via the high road (1st Street) when we saw a sign for a restaurant and tried our luck. They must be the only restaurant in town that serves dinner until 10pm. Not to mention that the Bluff Restaurant is very nice with a gorgeous view of the harbor below. Perfect for date night! We enjoyed fresh mussels, crab cakes, and a couple of drinks. A perfect ending to another rainy day in the San Juan's.

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PASSAGE NOTES AND PHOTOS

Quick overview if Friday Harbor amenities

A blustery day

Though you have the right-of-way look out for float planes pulling into Friday Harbor

 

San Juan Islands - Day 1 - Matia Island

This is the first part of a 4 part series of our sailing trip to the San Juan Islands over Memorial Day weekend.

Day 1 - Launch, Bellingham to Matia Island

Day 2 - Matia Island to Friday Harbor

Day 3 - Friday Harbor to Rosario, Orcas Island

Day 4 - Rosario, Orcas Island to Clark Island

We towed Webfoot up to Bellingham from Portland, this being our third trip (second with this boat) to the islands one would think not too much could go wrong...

We left Wednesday after work with a fully loaded boat and truck. On the way we pulled off at a closed truck scale. Even when closed they usually don't turn off the scales and it's good to know we aren't nearing the truck's towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. The boat weighed in at just under 3,500 pounds with most of our gear on board - save the cooler, some food, and tools which were in the truck. When we arrived all we needed was fuel for the boat. As of last weekend, Bellingham gas stations still have ethanol free gas which is a big bonus!

We got to Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham just before midnight, parked in the trailer lot, and went to sleep in our cozy aft berth. The new curtains really came in handy in the well-lit parking lot. In the morning we got some quick coffee and breakfast at that famous Seattle coffee shop and started getting the boat ready to launch. I was below organizing the items we had just brought in from the truck while Captain Mike was getting ready to raise the mast when I heard him exclaim: "OH NO!". So I popped my head out and after quickly analyzing the situation realized our biggest mistake to date: We had left the jib and its furling system hanging on the garage ceiling. So much for my detailed checklists... It's a long drive to Bellingham so going home to pick it up was out of the question. We had to come to terms with the fact that we would not be doing much sailing on this trip. We used the line to lift the mast as a fore-stay and added an extra line for safety. We weren't about to lose another mast, but that's another story....

After everything was ready to go we drove to the ramp to put Webfoot into the water. The aft end was floating just fine; only the boat wouldn't budge from the trailer. We pushed and pulled to no avail. No matter how far we backed into the water the bow kept resting on the V-shaped cushion that stops the boat from moving farther forward. The entire boat was off the trailer except the upper bow section. Captain Mike did a sort of backwards "mac-bump" (a real "mac-bump" is done by driving forwards with the boat on the trailer and then slamming on the brakes to slide the boat forward on the trailer). After several "bumps" we were finally able to launch and ready to go by noon!

We high-tailed it out of Bellingham on a cloudy day headed for Matia Island (pronounced: MAH-tea-ah). We arrived on Matia in the late afternoon - plenty of time to explore the island thanks to our long summer days in the Pacific Northwest. Matia Island is a state park and must hold the record for the most slugs per square foot. They are taking over! We anchored at the head of a huge cove on the east side of the island and had it all to ourselves! Despite it being Memorial Day weekend it appears that most people stayed home due to an unpleasant weather forecast. While hiking around the island on the roughly one mile long trail we passed by Rolfe Cove which had just two boats in it. We had stayed there last year waiting for weather to pass before heading back across Rosario Strait and found it to be very well protected - so well that we were unable to tell when the weather had improved. Rolfe Cove has a small dock, several mooring buoys, a bathroom, and a long beach.

After our hike around the island we cooked up some dinner, enjoyed a nice glass of wine with our Wild Salmon over Penne (see recipe here) and relaxed in our cozy cabin (it had started to rain and it lasted all night and most of the next day...).

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PASSAGE NOTES AND PHOTOS

Squalicum Harbor Launch Ramp, $5 to launch and park for free up to 5 days, longer if you call ahead

The temporary forestay

Rolfe Cove with dock and mooring buoys

Privacy Concerns

We've been sailing aboard Webfoot without any privacy for a year now. At anchor it's not a problem but when we are at a public dock everyone can see inside. Especially at night when the lights are on. I finally replaced my aging sewing machine for a fancy computer-aided model and have been busy sewing. I've never made much more than pillows and the occasional baby quilt but now I'm ready to broaden my horizons. Last weekend I made a couple of rail-bags for our BBQ propane bottles and I also made some curtains! Actually I cheated. I bought dark blue valances for $10 each and sewed them to fit. Two valances made all the curtains I needed. Here is a shot of my galley before curtains:

And here are some photos of the "new look" aboard Webfoot!

Galley

Galley with curtains open

Settee

Settee with curtains open

Installation was simple. I used very strong white fly-fishing line and attached it to the bolts that hold in the window panes. By temporarily removing the small white "buttons" that cover the nuts I was able to hide the  knots. I strung line top and bottom and fed it through pockets in the curtains using a safety pin. By attaching them top and bottom they don't swing around when the boat moves. Questions or comments? Leave a comment below or email me!