:) Blue sky / blue water thinking

[Duffer]

I find it interesting that a boat that came second in the JOG in 1958 would now been seen as too small for an ocean corssing. IIRC Morning Cloud was only 30' somthing and today would be seen a a bit small for fastnet etc.

I believe that a chap called Mike Winter used a MK1 Cheverton in one of the Jester challenges.

So it looks like I have the right sort of boat should the need / opportunity to leave in a hurry arise.

I think Mike retired after getting as far as Brittany. He may have had another go since.

[PhillM]

PS I see you're Solent-based. I'm on the Hamble, so PM me if you fancy a beer and/or a sail.

Great idea. A few of us from here are planning a beer or two at Swanwick when the new bar opens

[Babylon]

Great idea. A few of us from here are planning a beer or two at Swanwick when the new bar opens

Lovely idea. PM me - or better still start a new Up The Hamble Bevvy Thread - when you've got a date in mind.

[PhillM]

Funny thing is that since posting this I keep thinking about how to make it happen (not that I ever expect it to thou).

Last week I was working out how to fit sink and water tank. I really cannot fit a big one in, so went for a small tank that can be refilled from inside the cabin. My thinking is that I can carry jerry cans and refill on the go. With a deck filer I'd lose more water than I would get in the tank.

I've worked out how / where to store about 100 ltrs so at 5 ltrs a day that's 15 days at sea with a 20% margin or error.

I also spent time in Sainsburys today getting the basic supplied (beer etc) today but found myself planning how many tins / packets I'd need per week for a 20 day crossing...

Today the Hamble, next month Poole, after that ... Who knows!

[Chrissie]

Check out Ann Davison, her boat Felicity Ann was a wooden 23 ft boat, she set off singlehanded in Nov 1952, wrote a few books, one about that journey to New York from Dorset, it will make you ache to get out there and do the trip, but also give you some of the confidence you need in your boat.

One of our furum members went to the Azores and back in a 23ft boat singlehanded, google that too.
On a practical note, lots of small amounts of water are a better option than I big tank, if you got a leak... Also, you can get pouches of prepared food that just need heating, doesnt need added water and is lighter than cans, doesnt need cooking so less use of fuel, Tesco were doing an introductory offer on them last week, £1 each, I stocked up my boat, they have 12 months life on them.

[wklein]

Get hold of a copy of Shrimpy by Shane Acton for inspiration. Shane did a cirumnavigation in an 18 ft plywood Caprice.

Don't do that! I read that book as a teenager and have never been quite the same since. I remember one bit when crossing panama canal they were checking his paperwork and asked to see his bilge pump, fire extinguisher and holding tank. He returned with the same bucket three times!

[oldvarnish]

And another tip - forget Bermuda. Lots of other good destinations which don't condemn you to crossing the huge, windless high pressure systems that can lurk between here and there.

[Conachair]

Funny thing is that since posting this I keep thinking about how to make it happen (not that I ever expect it to thou).

That bit is quite easy. Untie a few ropes and point the bows south After that you're fairly well locked in and will figure out how to do what needs to be done as you have no choice in the matter That, more or less, is how most folks do it. The idea of the perfect planning thing is a bit of a myth, is there anyone who hasn't dropped the hook in a perfect Caribbean anchorage and not had a few tins of tescos tuna stashed in a bilge somewhere?

It's not such a mad idea, plenty people do it, many in small boats. With most probably starting with those same questions... I wonder......

[PhillM]

That bit is quite easy. Untie a few ropes and point the bows south After that you're fairly well locked in and will figure out how to do what needs to be done as you have no choice in the matter

Strangely it’s not the sailing bit that worries me most, it’s not knowing (or more like have a pretty good idea) what I would come back to. My wife's view is that if I decide to go away for a couple of months - there isn’t much point in coming back. Most of the kids have grown up but they don’t seem that keen on leaving home. And while I’ve got nice little business, I don’t see it running itself for more than a few weeks without my input.

Problem is that I quite like my home and family and I enjoy running my business. But if I ever end up without, I know just what I am going to do!
In the meantime, I will just keep thinking about what I need to learn and how to setup the boat to be able to follow the dream, if the opportunity every presents itself. Passes the time somdays then things are not quite going to plan

[RupertW]

The tank storage is important but on the one occasion I did a long ocean crossing we packed the boat with the cheapest 2l containers from the local French hypermarket which was fine for 4 of us for a total 37 day crossing. We reckoned on a bottle a day each for 40 days. Kettles were filled with tank water but as it got warmer we had far fewer hot drinks.

Washing was two mugs of tank water a day, one for teeth and one to rinse hair after seawater bucket bath. washing up was non-existent - we had a mug and bowl each and saltwater was fine. Food was fresh and tinned - no freeze dried.

Our biggest issue was fuel - we nipped over the fence to some chemical works in the French harbour to get a whole load of jerrycans - 15 I think, and spent a day washing them out before filling our 120l diesel tank and all 15*20l which we really needed to get to Florida on fumes at the end (plus hailing a passing container ship for and extra 60l). If we'd crossed in trade wind season I'm sure our needs would have been much less.

Even on your sized boat I'd aim for a solar panel and a cheapo 12v food cooler to make the fresh food last a bit longer.