Sechelt rapids

[bigredsnapper]

Hey everyone I'm takin the new boat thru the rapids and have never been over there. Should'nt have any trouble but wanted to chat with anyone who has expierience navagating thru there. I printed out a current table for the time I plan on going thru and still have to look at the charts but any advice would be great. Boat is a 21 foot deep vee with a pod and 225hp outboard. Thanks in advance BRS

 

[bigredsnapper]

It's also called Skookumchuk Narrows. BRS

 

[beemer]

Have a back up plan in case you lose your power.

beemer

 

[fishspoon]

A tugboat once flipped over while towing the barge at the rapids. A kayaker and boaters rescued those tugboat crew. It was on youtube video clip taken by a viewer who saw the incident at this rapid. maybe it could be a wrong time for navigating in a wrong tide I guess.

 

[bigredsnapper]

Is it safe to assume the water flows toward Sechelt on the flood and Eggmont on the ebb?

 

[seadog19]

I have gone thru the chuck with loaded barges for years, the guy that flipped on youtube, was late on tide about 20mins, and going too fast for the 90 degree corner with too short a towline...etc etc.. watch the size of tides, slack water is usally about 10 mins on medium tide 5-8knots, on real big ones 10 in and 10knots out, there is no slack. the tide action is very dangerous for small boats on the flood. Do not attempt. You should be safe at hal hr after the tides, small 2-3 knot tides are ok even at max. if it is a 14knotter, be real carefull, don't be late or play games in there. you will feel the flood current all the way to earls creek logging camp dock on the right side going out..
slack water is not always book time..if the tide before is much larger than the next tide, it can turn early.

hopefully that can help you out. ( I heard a US boat tell his buddie, ahhh it can't be that bad, and he went in a max flood), lot of freaking out on the radio and yelling don't come in.....
I am sure after he changed his pants, he has more respect for it now.
tugs call on ch 16 securite, inbound at slack...

 

[seadog19]

oophs left out a line, I meant to add, do not run a medium or bigger tide at max flood. far safer going in and out to pick, last of or first of tides.
there will be whirlpools on big tides and debris (logs ) have been seen being spat out of the pools....
the ebb current will throw you towards the park point on the left , then throw you back into middle,

 

[bigredsnapper]

Hey SD19, thanks for the info. I'm going to have my wife on board fore the first trip so I can't freak her out or it could be the last. So just to confirm the water runs toward Sechelt on the flood, right. BRS

 

[seadog19]

yes , the flood goes into skooks. I can guarantee ya, if you run whirlpool, she might be a weee bit annoyed with ya.

but with your power, just stay away from max ebb and flood. It only takes a few minutes to pop thru.

we usually stem the last half hr by skookum island and slowly approach as it eases, but then I am pushing a 2500 tonne barge. (on the flood)

pipeline construction up at narrows has a dock still I beleive, or go check out the dam at clowholm, salmon inlet. watch for bears at misery creek.

I am away fishing tomorrow

 

[bigredsnapper]

Good luck fishin Seadog, I'm starting to pack for our trip tomorrow. My wife just downloaded Navionics chart application on her Ipad 3g and it is awsome. It has gps and tide and currents and simple to use.I never went near the Ipad until this app and I've been on it all morning I highly recommend it, I think it was 25 bucks. BRS

 

[bigredsnapper]

Well just back and ended up running the rapids four times with no problem. We made sure the timing was good and the last time passed a sailboat, was almost dissapointing. I had visions of whirlpools and standing waves but every time it was easy. Again highly recommend the Navionics app for Ipad, it was easy to see exactly when to go.BRS

 

[meatwagon]

i looked at em with my little 16 footer on sunday. they looked like cake compared to the last time i had seen em. stupid backeddy was out of skookum burgers.

 

[Bearded Clam]

Hey BRS, good to hear you are putting the new boat to good use. Did you spend any nights on board? how far down the inlet did you get? sure hope you got a chance to wet a line while you were out!say hi to the misses for me. Clam