C-Dory & Apr05 Trailer Boat Mag Article

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Byrdman

New member
Another C-Dory spotting in print. Apr05 Trailer Boat Mag, big article on CA's Shelter Cove. Big 2 (78-79) page color photo w/C-Dory center of right page and good close up on bottom right or page 80, CF 1048 KF with "Launch Paddle" # 18. Can see no name.
 
I've been to Shelter Cove with my C-Dory. For those thinking of making that trip, I highly recommend making the first trip over the hill without your boat in tow. The trip in is very dangerous. :shock:

Bill
 
C-Bill":1gsp430z said:
The trip in is very dangerous.
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I don't know that I'd call it "dangerous"...it is narrow and twisty in places, but you just need to take your time. It's about 40 miles in from Garberville off of 101, but plan on taking about an hour to get in from there if towing.

That being said, yes - there have been a number of accidents on the last few miles of road, coming down into the Cove from the top of Kings Range; the road is steep and twisty, it drops about 4,000 feet in just a few miles. The accidents usually occur when somebody driving a large RV or towing ignores the warnings to come down in low gear - you can easily lose your brakes with a heavy load if you ride them the whole way down the hill.

I've made tons of trips into Shelter Cove - we owned property there until just a few months ago when we changed our retirement plans. I never towed my C-Dory in there, but I did tow a much heavier travel trailer in and out several times. Coming down the hill, I'd just drop the truck in low, and let the engine keep me at 10-15MPH.

I've always thought Shelter Cove would make for a great C-Dory fishing gathering; it's some of the best on the CA coast. They have a big campground with full hookups, and the place is just gorgeous. It's a bit out of the way, but definitely worth the trip.
 
Anyone know who the pictured boats belong to? I would hate for them to be in print and simply not be a subscriber to TBM and not get a copy. Does look like a great left side of the US gathering location. Would love to make one there some day.
 
Da Nag wrote:

I don't know that I'd call it "dangerous"...it is narrow and twisty in places, but you just need to take your time.
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Rebuttal:

The "MOUNTAIN DIRECTORY WESTfor Truckers, RV, and Motorhome Drivers," sez about Shelter Cove Road on page 27,

"This road is narrow, winding, rough, steep, and includes lots of very sharp switchbacks. The last summit before reaching Shelter Cove is about 2 1/2 miles of 12-15% grade on both sides. There are short 6-10% climbs and descents all along the rest of the road. We have driven this road since getting the reader's tip and we would suggest you scout this road in a small vehicle and inquire locally about similar side roads."
 
The Lost Coast in the area of Shelter Cove is one of the most scenic areas I have ever fished with my C-Dory. On a sunny day with just a wisp of fog and a calm ocean you will think you died and went to heaven.
This area can be foggy on a regular basis during the summer.

The rat race slows considerably in this area, unless you're a sea lion trying to escape a Great White. :shock:

For those CD owners with surge brakes on their trailers, be aware that surge brakes will be pushing hard against your trailer hitch on the steep decent into and out of Shelter Cove.

Here is a website that you can see the area if you're not familar with Shelter Cove. To enlarge a picture, just click on it.
 
We've done some hiking and camping along the Lost Coast, and the idea of bringing a C-Dory down that road gives us the whim-whams! One of the turns was too tight for our F-250, and we had to back and forward a few times to get around it. Hate to think of having a trailer aft.
 
El and Bill":2rs0ecfg said:
One of the turns was too tight for our F-250, and we had to back and forward a few times to get around it. Hate to think of having a trailer aft.
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Heh...I know that turn well. In recent years, they widened the shoulder - you can do it with trailer in tow in one shot, but it is tight. You need to cut to the inside lane, but you can see any oncoming traffic pretty easily by looking down the hill before making the turn. Even before they increased the shoulder, 18 wheelers routinely made the turn delivering building supplies and whatnot, but they did have to stop traffic for a few minutes there while they did the back and forth shuffle (they can make it in one shot now too.)

RE the surge brake comment earlier - good point, but yet another reason to go down the last bit at 10-15MPH in low. You'll only have to touch your vehicle brakes a few times, and the trailer brakes won't engage at that gentle of a descent.

Again...all the warnings listed are good advice, but going slow and using common sense allows one to get in there without much fanfare. Yeah, it's an eye opener the first time, but that camping ground is routinely full in the summer time with boats, trailers and RV's. Plenty of folks do it - safely.

I've had a much higher pucker factor in the water on the boat than any towing trip into Shelter Cove... :mrgreen:
 
I just finished a stint at the CDF Dispatch Center in Humboldt County. In the two years I worked there, I only dispatched emergency units to 3 traffic collisions on the Shelter Cove Road. One involved an RV. The road is tight and the reference that covers the grades is accurate. It is actually 21 miles from Garberville to Shelter Cove. It only seems like 40. It does take about 45 minutes to one hour to make the trip. While the road is not for everyone, C-Bill is correct that once there, on a clear day, the Lost Coast is some of the most remote and beautiful sections of the Pacific Coast. If I am not mistaken, the 26 or so miles of undeveloped coast north of Shelter Cove is one of the longest sections on the West Coast. So go and enjoy the scenery
 
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