Learning curve

[hellosailor]

"underestimated offshore conditions"
There are some underused web pages where you can actually read live conditions from the NOAA offshore weather bouys. Sometimes, a bouy is offline (broken) for months on end, but often, you can actually get the data and sometimes video feed on live conditions.
Beats all heck out of listening to the weatherguessers.

You can also download historical data archived from the bouys, which is handy if you're trying to plan ahead and see what the "usual" or "worst" wx for a particular area has been in recent years. Doesn't mean that's what you'll experience, but at least it gives you an idea of what's possible or probable.

[sailortjk1]

PBzeer,
I've been following along, reading your blogs and this thread. Its all very informative and very interesting reading.

I have one question.

It sounds as if you are single handed, is there a reason for this?

I am much more at ease when doing a long cruise if I have at least one more hand on board. They don't have to be very knowledgeable, just someone that can help. Help with prepparing meals, potty breaks, steering(if possible), docking, anchoring, etc.......

[PBzeer]

Yes, I'm singlehanding. Wouldn't mind some company, but the one I thought might be, didn't work out. Aside from that, I'm picky, and used to being alone and not having to adjust to another person. If I go across the Gulf this spring though, I will pick up one or two crew for the trip.

I got back into sailing 5 years ago singlehanding, and have been doing it since, so for most things, I've developed routines. Unfortunately, they are mostly daysailing ones and didn't work as well in cruising mode when things got dicey. I did though find myself making adjustments as I went along. The biggest help would be with food. Sometimes you're just too tired to feel like fixing anything after a long day. And, that's not good.

[hellosailor]

John-
"Sometimes you're just too tired to feel like fixing anything after a long day."
How do you feel about Snickers bars? Oddly enough, they're a fairly well balanced food, comparable to a lot of the "energy bars". Very shelf stable. And a funny thing, whenever I bring a bag aboard for deck watches...they disappear. Much cheaper by the box in Costco & the other big box stores, too.