Hi there, I have always wanted to cross the ocean, someday I will. I've been reading offshore cruising books in my spare time, and I have a pretty decent idea of what boat I would need.
However at the same time, I like the go small, go now approach. Well, because of the go now really, . The go small part I could go either way on.
So at my current marina, there is a guy on a 20 footer, and he went fom Hawai'i to Tahiti, Tahiti to Hawai'i, and Hawai'i to Seattle. I also have a movie I am about to watch called the Dove about a 16 year old on a Cal 24 that circumnavigated. So it can be done.
Now, this is not my plan for this summer, I have a plan for this summer, but I just want to know HOW to do it on a small, inexpensive boat. I understand that obviously there are going to be more risks, and it is less comfortable, and probably less likely to make it. But I don't understand some of the finer points.
I have a Ranger 23. It is in very good shape. I would say for boats this size not specifically designed for bluewater(Flicka, Pacific Seacraft), it's about as good as you would get. It's very beefy, I used to have a Catalina 22 and if you look at them side my side. THings like the spars, the Ranger has big, solid looking spars, it looks like a fat mast, where the Catalina, no offense to Cats, I had a great time on it, the mast looked like, well, much flimmsier. The chainplates were connected to the deck with a nice aluminum backing plate. On the Ranger, they got almost 2 feet down into the fibreglass bulkhead with big fat bolts, and the stays wrap over the bow and stern and bolt along there. Everything, the tiller, feels stronger...you get my point.
Of course I have to singlehand, for me that's the dream.
So I can sit around and dream, ands in case maybe next summer I don't get a bigger boat and keep this one, what would I have to:
1. Do to the boat.
2.Learn myself.
3.What supplies are essential for a small ocean crosser.
1. For the boat I need some way to self steer. Those windvane's look like the way to go, but do any work on my boat? Are they too heavy? Can they hook to a small transom? Where does the motor go? I have a 6hp four stroke mounted in the center of the stern. I've got to sleep, is it possible to go without one? Don't kill me for asking, but can you just take the sails down and float while you sleep? Heave to? I've found threads about sleeping and keeping watch singlehanded, but not the steering issue.
I would replace the standing rigging, if so, should it go up a size? I have heard from some that is a good idea, and some say not to, and to go with the size the boat was designed with. The designer knows more than I do, and if I put stronger rigging on there, it may put too much strain on the chainplates and the mast can't bend like it was designed to.
What else would I need to do, what do I nee to learn. It sounds awfully hard to take a small boat alone, 2400 miles from Washington to Hawai'i say, and make it.
However at the same time, I like the go small, go now approach. Well, because of the go now really, . The go small part I could go either way on.
So at my current marina, there is a guy on a 20 footer, and he went fom Hawai'i to Tahiti, Tahiti to Hawai'i, and Hawai'i to Seattle. I also have a movie I am about to watch called the Dove about a 16 year old on a Cal 24 that circumnavigated. So it can be done.
Now, this is not my plan for this summer, I have a plan for this summer, but I just want to know HOW to do it on a small, inexpensive boat. I understand that obviously there are going to be more risks, and it is less comfortable, and probably less likely to make it. But I don't understand some of the finer points.
I have a Ranger 23. It is in very good shape. I would say for boats this size not specifically designed for bluewater(Flicka, Pacific Seacraft), it's about as good as you would get. It's very beefy, I used to have a Catalina 22 and if you look at them side my side. THings like the spars, the Ranger has big, solid looking spars, it looks like a fat mast, where the Catalina, no offense to Cats, I had a great time on it, the mast looked like, well, much flimmsier. The chainplates were connected to the deck with a nice aluminum backing plate. On the Ranger, they got almost 2 feet down into the fibreglass bulkhead with big fat bolts, and the stays wrap over the bow and stern and bolt along there. Everything, the tiller, feels stronger...you get my point.
Of course I have to singlehand, for me that's the dream.
So I can sit around and dream, ands in case maybe next summer I don't get a bigger boat and keep this one, what would I have to:
1. Do to the boat.
2.Learn myself.
3.What supplies are essential for a small ocean crosser.
1. For the boat I need some way to self steer. Those windvane's look like the way to go, but do any work on my boat? Are they too heavy? Can they hook to a small transom? Where does the motor go? I have a 6hp four stroke mounted in the center of the stern. I've got to sleep, is it possible to go without one? Don't kill me for asking, but can you just take the sails down and float while you sleep? Heave to? I've found threads about sleeping and keeping watch singlehanded, but not the steering issue.
I would replace the standing rigging, if so, should it go up a size? I have heard from some that is a good idea, and some say not to, and to go with the size the boat was designed with. The designer knows more than I do, and if I put stronger rigging on there, it may put too much strain on the chainplates and the mast can't bend like it was designed to.
What else would I need to do, what do I nee to learn. It sounds awfully hard to take a small boat alone, 2400 miles from Washington to Hawai'i say, and make it.