Preparing to go...

[hayesemily]

My boyfriend and I and another friend have been spending the last year getting prepared for a 1 year cruise. We are planning on leaving from DC area this July, cruising up the Atlantic coast to St. Johns, Newfoundland, then to Azores, Madiera, Cape Verde, maybe Senegal, The Gambia, back to South/Central America, some of the Caribbean, and back up to the mid-Atlantic area.

My question is, we have done extensive research about where/when to go, weather patterns, navigation, and have gotten every piece of safety equipment that anyone has recommended, we have a 28 foot PEarson Triton, and feel like our equipment (and our drive to be able to do this) are not at all lacking. The problem is that friends and family are telling us we will definitely not make it across the ocean with our lack of experience, but we feel more confident than that.

He has been sailing for a few years, but only seriously for about a year, and has never sailed on the ocean. I have about a year''s experience and the third person has none. It seems like not very much, yes, but we have spent a lot of the year completely focused on this. One weekend this fall, we took a few days to sail up the entire Chesapeake, hit a storm, and pulled through it very well. This spring, we are going to take a week to go into the Delaware bay, out into the Atlantic, and back up the chesapeake bay again. Every weekend is spent now doing something to get ready. We planned it so that we''ll cruise up along the whole Atlantic coast this summer to get more experience before doing the ocean crossing. So, finally, the question is, what does anyone think about this? Many friends and family members have said this is completely insane and we will definitely not make it and should not go. But we feel like with our strong motivation to do this, we can be prepared to leave this July, as we have planned, and we are always willing to stop or change plans if things don''t work out as we had hoped, of course.
Could you give me some advice please? Thanks very much. We really want to do this and I would like to talk to someone who has had similar concerns or who has extensive cruising experience. I know many people make the decision to cruise and then find that friends/family do not support the idea, but I want to know if it sounds to you that this is, in fact, possible, or are we doing something stupid, like many have said?? Thanks for your thoughts!
Emily

[bob-m]

I admire your youthful enthusiasm. Can it be done - certainly. Is it the smart thing to do with your level of experience - probably not. But, you have time to get some more experience under your belt. I strongly suggest you take the ASA Courses 101 through 106 with a school like Maryland Sailing School. It is my understanding that their course is one of the most rigorous. This can be expensive, but well worth the investment.

The things you will likely encounter in the ocean are a far cry from conditions on the Chesapeake. Remember, all sailors started somewhere. The key is to take it slowly and not get in over your head (literally and figuratively). The more I think about it, the more I feel I must ask; is it possible to delay your departure until 2004? This can be the adventure of a life time and you owe it to yourself and your friends to be adequately prepared.

Whatever you decide, good luck!
bob

[thomasstone]

Emily, not a popular question to be asking around here. Some will tell you first to start out on a sunfish then maybe move up to a fourteen foot daysailor, then maybe after reading thousands of books and waiting till your fifty something should you try something like this. I on the other hand think if this is something you want to try then by all means go for it. Some might say your boat is to old or to small. I think there is a writer here on sailnet circumnavigating on a triton. In fact last year in Grenada I met a dutch lawyer who crossed the pond on a triton. Bay sailing is nothing like blue water though. If you have the proper storm sails (trysail for the main, storm jib) you should be fine. The worst I have ever been in is sustained 40knots gusting to maybe 50. We were running in front so it was no big deal. Proper watches are key and knowing how to deal with sea sickness(suck it up). There is no time out . Self steering,Life raft,epirb. Have a good time-thomas Ps where in DC are you will be there this weekend .

[pirateofcapeann]

I guess I''d tell you that you''ve got to start somewhere. There''s no guarantees at sea though. It sounds like you’ve got a good plan of doing some coastal work to get the boat and crew in working trim before you take on blue water. People with far less experience and knowledge have successfully crossed in lesser boats and those with far greater have been killed trying. I’d make an agreement with the crew, a go/no go in Newfoundland with no hard feelings for whoever wants to back out. There’s much to be said for gut feelings.

My mother tried to keep me away from boats as a kid. She was, and still is full of this “battling the sea” thing. I’ll tell you what, I’m glad that she failed! It has been only at sea that I have found my true self, a closeness to God and my place in this thing called life. Still and all, if I ever went to do battle against the sea, I would have died long ago. Don’t place too much stock in the opinions of those who have never been there, yet listen long and hard to those who have.

Plan to stop off in Gloucester on your way. It rates as a little better jump off for NS then P-Town. By then you’ll probably have a good idea of any further needs you may have. Look me up and I may be able to squeeze some of my contacts to get you hooked up. Good luck!

Pi

[pmills42255]

Emily,
my son and I are taking our first trip on our "new" boat out of Annapolis. we are sailing to FL, and weather dependent as to sailing around the cape. If you want to sail out with us,for a distance we are leaving on the 22nd of March and would love to have a boat to hold hands with. We are going to do a bunch of "firsts": first night at sail, first time doing this route, first time sailing with each other, first time with this boat. We would anchor or chance course if weather was out of hand to Inside the cape.
It would be fun to share with another boat, and most reassuring! write me at Pmills@telenet.net if you guys can share part of our course/ ps we are on a 40'' Passport, white hull, blue dogger.
sv brigadoon
paul mills

[hayesemily]

Bob-m, Thanks a lot for your advice - I have signed up for the first two ASA courses at Virginia Sailing School and plan to do the rest, like you mentioned. We are going to do whatever we can to be adequately prepared. Since we have given our notices at our jobs, and gone on this sort of ''fast track'' of getting ready, we probably will not delay departure, but if things don''t work out as we had hoped, we will for sure change our plans to do a route less demanding. Any last minute tips or things you think of, let me know! I really appreciate it!
Emily

[hayesemily]

Thomas- Thanks! we have the storm sails and will for sure have watches at all time and have self steering, getting the life raft and epirb..I live in Bethesda, MD- if you are free this weekend while you are in town, get in touch! It''s hayesemily@hotmail.com Thanks again!

[hayesemily]

Pi- We will definitely try to stop in Gloucester then, thanks for the suggestion! yeah, the no/go idea is what we''ve talked about doing, and it would be no problem to try it another time if it doesn''t work out now. But I hope that it does. And it''s great to hear of such fulfillment coming from your life on the water!
Take care, maybe we''ll see you this summer!
Emily

[svresolute]

Hi, Emily. Having sailed to Europe and back cruising with my wife on our 40'' Caliber RESOLUTE, I can only tell you if you wait till other people tell you you''re finally ready to go, you''ll probably never go. Only YOU can know if the time is right. That is not to make light of the rigors you''ll face and the stamina you''ll need to make the crossing; the ocean can be all the wonderful things people rhapsodize about and often she is, but one thing she is for certain is unforgiving. If your boat is sound and you''ve got good gear, you''ll make it for sure. Size mostly factors in speed, not seaworthiness. And in 28'', don''t think you''re going to be anything but SLOW, but that''s not what really matters (just make sure you''ve got enough stores to get to the Azores and you''ll be fine from there). More important is the desire and mental attitude on your part. Chances of encountering truly dreadful weather are very small, and more often than not, there''s insufficient wind rather than too much. Important to consider, I think, are both fatigue and compatability. With 3 on board you''ve got a big advantage in being able to reduce the hours on watch, but can you all get along? Your plan to spend some coastal cruising time together is a good one because it will test your ability to live and work together in the confines of a boat.

As a matter of interest, we shoved off from Bermuda to head for the Azores in June, 2000. It took 15 days to get to Horta. Those boats that left from New England or Canada encountered far rougher conditions than we did. You might want to think about heading to Bermuda as your first leg, which also serves as the classic shake down cruise for both crew and vessel.

As far as equipment goes, if you don''t already have one aboard, get an SSB to take advantage of weather forecasts, both from NOAA via Weatherfax and Herb on SOUTHBOUND II who will talk you all the way across.

Lynda (my wife) and I are shoving off again this October, headed for the Pacific. Perhaps we''ll see each other out there?

I wish you the best of success and fair winds!

Howard Berger

[JeffC_]

Remember to rent <em>The Perfect Storm</em> before you make your final decision, just to be in a sober state of mind.

(I think you''re at the verge of a fantastic adventure, and I envy you).