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Adventure Sailing

Club Events / Adventure Sails

Set sail for Victoria & and other prime Salish Sea Winter destinations 

Vessels: Bavaria C-50 ("As You Wish") 

Leadership: All trips led by a professional Captain

Prerequisites: Open to students with Basic Cruising or equivalent experience

Program Overview: The Heavy Weather segment is designed for advanced sailors, offshore aspirants, and candidates preparing for US Sailing Coastal or Offshore Passage Making certifications. Focuses on heavy weather tactics, coastal navigation, tidal planning, and watch-standing skills in winter conditions. Maximum canvas time with minimal engine use.

Trip 1: The Salish Sea Passage Circuit (Victoria, BC)

Dates: November 19–22
Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights
Focus: Tidal gate timing, narrow channel navigation, international check-in logistics, and Strait of Juan de Fuca exposure.

Captain: Justin Weldon

Itinerary:

    • Day 1 (Nov 19): Seattle (Shilshole) to Port Townsend (~38 NM)
       Heavy Weather Adventure Sailing
    • Day 2 (Nov 20): Port Townsend to Victoria, BC (~58 NM - Overnight Watch Leg)
       Heavy Weather Adventure Sailing
    • Day 3 (Nov 21): Victoria, BC / Port Angeles to Port Ludlow (~52 NM)
    • Day 4 (Nov 22): Port Ludlow to Seattle
Claim your spot!

Trip 2: San Juan Islands and Strait Loop

Dates: January 15–18
Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights
Focus: Open-water cross-Strait navigation, commercial traffic tether & jackline use, weather info & trip planning, island anchoring, winter tidal routing and US Sailing Night Ops endorsement.

Captain: Margaret Pommert

Itinerary:

  • Day 1 (Jan 15-16): Shilshole (Seattle) to Mackaye Harbor, Lopez Island
  • Day 2 (Jan 17): Mackaye Harbor to Port Angeles Ferry Commercial Buoy (Strait of Juan de Fuca) to Port Angeles
  • Day 4 (Jan 18): Port Angeles to Seattle (Shilshole)
Claim your spot!

Trip 3: Northern Salish Sea Circuit 

Dates: Feb 19-21          Duration: 3 Days / 2 Night

Get involved in planning the passage: weigh weather alternatives, choose the best route and a safe, comfortable overnight moorage, and provision to allow for shoreside meals where available.
You will see how to calculate course to steer from tides and leeway, then experience them: tidal streams, wind against tide, open-water crossings and potentially heavy weather.
You’ll sail with a Windworks instructor and captain who is also an offshore yachtmaster with passage experience up to 600 nm. Leave Anacortes, navigate island passages, cross open waters and overnight at Point Roberts and other options like Roche Harbour or Sucia Island according to the passage plan.
Sign up today and experience passage making in the San Juan Islands and Northern Salish Sea. There will be an option of at least one planning meeting.
  • Captain: David Kelly
  • Dates: February 19–21
  • Duration: 3 Days / 2 Nights
  • Focus: Northern island navigation, international border waters, fast tidal passages, and winter sailing tactics.

Itinerary:

  • Day 1 (Feb 19): Anacortes to Roche Harbour or Sucia Island

  • Day 2 (Feb 20): Roche Harbour or Sucia Island to Point Roberts

  • Day 3 (Feb 21): Point Roberts  to Anacortes

  • Key Hazards: Strong tidal streams through Rosario Strait and Bellingham Channel, cold northern air exposure, restricted daylight navigation.

 

 

Claim your spot!

Why You Need to be on Board

  • Hands-On Offshore Mentorship: Learn real-world passage making, coastal navigation, and night watch routines directly under two highly experienced offshore captains.
  • Master Big-Water Sailing: Gain true open-ocean confidence as you tackle 367 nautical miles of diverse Pacific swell, weather systems, and tidal flows.
  • Build High-Level Mileage & Certification: Fast-track your sailing log with significant sea miles, ideal for building your resume toward advanced cruising certifications such as Coastal Passagemaking or bareboat charter readiness.
  • Connect with Fellow Club Sailors: Sail alongside a dedicated students and Windworks members, building lifelong camaraderie and future sailing partnerships.

What You Will Learn on Board

  • Passage Planning & Offshore Navigation: Route planning, interpreting coastal weather patterns, reading marine forecasts, and executing safe harbor entries and night-watch sailing
  • Watchkeeping & Heavy Weather Management: Running structured watch rotations, managing fatigue on overnight passages, and adjusting sail trim for heavier sea states.
  • Vessel Systems & Safety: Managing offshore safety equipment, monitoring boat mechanics and power systems on a Bavaria C-50  and practicing emergency procedures at sea.
  • Seamanship & Anchoring/Mooring: Hands-on maneuvering in varied tidal conditions and setting anchor or securing slips across diverse coastal harbors.