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Solo Offshore Overnight- Advice Sought

5K views 26 replies 19 participants last post by  emcentar 
#1 ·
Good Afternoon,

I have been down in NSB for a little over two months now. Have sailed out of Ponce Inlet many times, twice in some really heavy swells (east wind meats ebb tide sort of thing).

Anyway- I am trying to slowly work myself up. Next week I am off three days in a row and felt like it would be the perfect oppurtunity to do an overnight trip offshore. Weather permitting of course.

The set up: 27' centerboard sailboat roughly 8,000 lbs. New main and 98% jib. All is ship shape except an old diesel engine which has not given me any issues for over 40 hours but that will never be completely OK in my mind until it is gone (hence I have a new boat.)

Yes- I know I should have more head sails for wind increases but the set up is what it is and again- I will not be going unless NOAA has good forecast. For you safety minded people (not that I am not) I gave up my solo attempt at a sail yesterday bc of NOAA (damn small craft advisory, 6-7' seas, 15-20 knot east wind plus the nasty ponce inlet-actually would have been a great day sailing if not for the inlet and my pesky underpowered motor, only 8 hp).

Lastly- before my bahama trip this summer ill have at least a storm jib- so now unto the plans.

I plan to leave out of the inlet on the falling ebb and head pretty much due east for 20 to 25 miles (NOAA forecast gulf stream is 40 miles off shore so should not have to worry about finding it). About 8 p.m. or so I was planning on hoving to for the night until 4:30 when I would get up and sail back west until I spot the coast then take some fixes to find my way back North to the inlet.

A few observations, ideas, and questions now follow in a very muddeled order whcih I aplogize for in advance.

If I encounter a squall at night while hove to would the best course of action be to stay hove to, go on deck and steer up wind or whatever course is easiest on rig and skipper, or keep main reefed and lower jib and sail abeam the wind since without the headsail I would not be able to go upwind but would also have much less canvas that could be filled resulting in being over powered?

Was starting at sun down going to turn on the anchor, running, and mast head lights for the duration- do you think an egg timer would be over doing it? Every 21 minute check sorta thing or with my rig lit up and radar reflected hoisted up would I be fine sleeping a solid 4-6 hours?

Going to dead reckon from the inlet until I see the inlet again. Will have GPS programmed for back up or emergencies. Going to be using knot meters, analong wind gauges, and dividers and paralell rulers for all navigation unless I run into trouble then have the back up GPS. Will also have VHF on 16 for duration.

Going to tow dinghy astern- will that throw off hoving too? Was thinking I should put the dinghy on deck once hove to for this purpose.

Going to provision for two days just in case- hot and cold meals in case sea too sloppy for galley cooking.

Really though I am looking for anything I may have missed or have not considered- this is where you salts can hopefully send some advice or cents (sense) my way to make sure this next leg up is a great one.

Thanks all- will monitor quite a bit to respond to any questions or concerns.

Harborless
 
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#2 · (Edited)
It will be good for you.

When you come back you will have learned a lot.

The only advice I will give is for you to leave the dinghy at home. Otherwise it will be floating off looking for a new home.

The best way to learn is to go out and do it.

I didnt read this bit:
would I be fine sleeping a solid 4-6 hours?
As I said before: When you come back you will have learned a lot.

At the moment (17.46 20 Sep) theres only 3 ships approaching the area you are going to sleep 4 to 6 hours solid. There is only one doing more than 20 knots... the other two, one is a cruise ship so might have nice accomodation if you survive the collision.

As I said before: When you come back you will have learned a lot.

Mark
 

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#3 ·
On the heaving to bit I'd suggest you put 2 reefs in the main and drop the headsail... leave your board down and try turning her head to the wind... if you've no drive shake out one reef and try again.. once you've got her trying to tack... ease the tiller back a touch and lash it.. see how she sits... you may be lucky and get it straight away or you may have to twiddle a bit. She should then ride quite well.. remember to lay her on the most favourable tack... then sit back in the cockpit and star gaze..:)
Have a grand sail...
Oh forgot to say.. have the boom set 10-15* off centre and sheeted tight...
 
#5 ·
Time it so you hit The Bahama Bank at dawn without sleeping in the Gulf Stream! That's a pretty bad idea. Get a lot of sleep beforehand and just stay awake until you get to Great Sale (or wherever you're going). Singlehanding, it's often necessary to stay up for a long time. I've stayed awake for 40+ hours at times. Catch short naps with an egg timer if you need some sleep or if find yourself dozing off. Do you have a radar with an alarm mode? If so, use it if you do have to catch a nap for 20 min or so. Coffee! Plan an S route to navigate across the current of the Stream. Plotting point A to point B on a GPS will not work.
 
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#6 ·
I would not try to sleep in such a busy area. Make sure you are well-rested to start and you should have no problem staying awake for a night.
 
#7 ·
Like Mark says, rethink the sleeping part and the dinghy.

If you are like us, the dink is your life raft. You can't really leave it behind. Towing it is a bad idea. Every time I've done it, I have regretted it. Last time was on our way to Warderick Wells, Bahamas. The winds piped up, and we had three footers off the stern. The dinghy started surfing, would catch up and slam into the transom. I almost lost the outboard.

We carry our dink on the foredeck. If you haven't sailed with it up there, you'll find that can be problematic too. It makes it difficult to go forward if you need to. Also, our jib sheet will sometimes get under the tube of the dink at the back, during tacks.

It should be an interesting sail for you. I'm looking forward to hearing how it went, when you return. Be safe out there!

Ralph
Sea turtle visitor | sailing away with R & B
 
#8 ·
A lot of my sailing is one nighters solo I love them .Its not to hard to stay awake all night,I take a flask of coffee and lots of snacks,Try and get as much sleep as you can before you leave and lash your dinghy on board.They are a pain to get onboard when its rough.As for lights these forum guys will skin me but I have found whenever i use my nav lights its brings boats to me like moths too a flame I have limited battery power so only turn mine on when I see another boat reasonably close.Also you lose your night vision when lights are on.Enjoy your sail.
 
#19 ·
I have found whenever i use my nav lights its brings boats to me like moths too a flame I have limited battery power so only turn mine on when I see another boat reasonably close.
What if the the guys on the other boats are also taking your advice? You'd both have your lights off, only turning them on AFTER the collision to to see where all the pieces of your boats floated off to...

I'm not trying to skin you... I don't have the right because I have virtually no experience yet. Your advice on lighting, however, seems quite illogical, Captain. Live long and perspire...

Barry
 
#9 ·
Great replies thank you. Some of you are fast forwarding to my bahamas voyage which is planned for april thru july. Part of the reason for the sleeping is so I cant get used to it. I doubt id sleep more than a half awake nap the first time but i need to get comfortable sleeping while solo sailing for longer trips in the future. The dinghy is a life boat in that case so i hesiate to leave it but its def a pain to take any way about it.

Not sure what you mean about hoving to without the foresail up? My main only has one reef point as it is and without the counteraction for the head sail I dont see how I could ride the currents drift without actually making a heading.

Will go out plenty rested. Lights plenty of charging behind them. Plan to use all old school nav with the gps as back up so well see how good I am!

Will post full report when I return.

Lastly, howd you find the info about the large vessels in the area? That seems like a hndy piece of gizmo to have.
 
#10 ·
Great replies thank you. Some of you are fast forwarding to my bahamas voyage which is planned for april thru july. Part of the reason for the sleeping is so I cant get used to it. I doubt id sleep more than a half awake nap the first time but i need to get comfortable sleeping while solo sailing for longer trips in the future. The dinghy is a life boat in that case so i hesiate to leave it but its def a pain to take any way about it.

Not sure what you mean about hoving to without the foresail up? My main only has one reef point as it is and without the counteraction for the head sail I dont see how I could ride the currents drift without actually making a heading.

Will go out plenty rested. Lights plenty of charging behind them. Plan to use all old school nav with the gps as back up so well see how good I am!

Will post full report when I return.

Lastly, howd you find the info about the large vessels in the area? That seems like a hndy piece of gizmo to have.
 
#12 ·
Harbor less - I solo out of Port Canaveral and have done a couple of solo overnite sails......never ever sleep for more than a few minutes or you are likely to get run down by someone. Mark of SL was looking at AIS to see the other big boats out there, and I would guarantee there are dozens of other boats out there that do not have AIS or radar or anyone at the helm paying attention. Stay alert, catnap for a few minutes if you have to but keep an egg timer or something like that to keep you from falling soundly asleep.
 
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#13 ·
I have crossed between Florida and the Bahamas a few times. There is NO WAY I would do what you are planning. Bank sleep before you leave and keep a good lookout as you cross that busy shipping lane.

If you get into a situation on a longer passage where you have to sleep and there is a risk of other vessels, sleep during the day and keep a lookout at night.

If you anchor on the Banks for a sleep get off the rhumb line between waypoints and make sure you are well lit.
 
#14 ·
I have crossed between Florida and the Bahamas a few times. There is NO WAY I would do what you are planning. Bank sleep before you leave and keep a good lookout as you cross that busy shipping lane.

If you get into a situation on a longer passage where you have to sleep and there is a risk of other vessels, sleep during the day and keep a lookout at night.

If you anchor on the Banks for a sleep get off the rhumb line between waypoints and make sure you are well lit.
Again thank you for the concern but I think you are confusing trips. I am solo sailing just offshore of ponce inlet and trying to try my hand at sleeping.. though now I think I will do the egg timer as a precaution.

I would not sleep during a gulf crossing and I am veing very thorough in my route planning for the Bahamas trip which so far is planned in detail all the way to tiloo cay (spelling might be off).

I will stay up I suppose with a few 20 minute naps thrown in when and if I get sleepy. Again my outbound heading will be determined on the wind. Its been south south west then goes all the way to north east or even north so again the direction I leave out 20 miles will depend on wind forecast for day im leaving and coming back.

I will keep you all posted and check back on this thread a few times daily for further advice and feedback.

Thanks all.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Are you aware that the AVERAGE speed of the current in the stream is 2.5 knots on the 50 mile passage from Lauderdale to Bimini? At the point you are planning to heave to you would be a lot deeper into the axis of the current (I've had up to 8 knots) and even at 2.5, if you heave to for 10 hours you will be 25 miles or more north of where you began and probably another 10 to 15 north of NSB where you stop sailing, never mind the current as you sail back in. So even in moderate current conditions, you could approach the Fla coast 55 or 60 miles north of NSB, a hell of a long sail south against the current.
Perhaps going south 50 miles or so in the ICW before you head east would be a better plan.
As mentioned above, there is a lot of traffic in that area and with the added speed of the current, you couldn't count on 20 minutes of rest with your egg timer. When I single hand, I too use the egg timer, set for 11 minutes after 5 minutes on the cabin top checking out the horizon. This has only failed me once, and that was a military ship, making upwards of 40 knots. Do not rest in a bunk, or the cockpit (a very bad habit to get into), but instead at the table below; a not too comfortable napping place.
Good luck and I look forward to hearing your tale.
 
#20 ·
Damn, has ANYONE read his original post? He is NOT going to be crossing from S Florida to the Bahamas on this trip, folks :)

To the OP, sailing due east of Ponce Inlet for 20 miles or so will put you in pretty busy area, traffic-wise... A lot of southbound shipping attempting to stay inshore of the Stream off Canaveral will pass thru there, as will any northbound traffic rounding Canaveral and heading for Jacksonville or Brunswick... Much of the traffic thru there is seagoing tugs towing barges far behind, the sort of shipping with short-handed crews that make me the most nervous...

It most certainly would not be an ideal area to park yourself for awhile, or go to sleep for any prolonged period of time... Besides, you want to keep sailing thru the night anyway, no? That's what singlehanded sailors do, after all - I don't know of many who routinely heave-to overnight as a matter of course, the sooner you appreciate how rigorous and tiring coastwise solo sailing along the US East coast can be, the better off you will be...

And as others have mentioned, no way do you want to be towing your dinghy out the inlet... And, make sure you will be able to interpret whatever lights other vessels will be showing, particularly those tugs... The barges in tow typically show lights that can be very faint, or difficult to see at all. In any event, you don't want to be anywhere near those guys...

Have fun, and good luck... Mark is right, you'll learn a lot... :)
 
#21 ·
Good advice- thanks.

After all the negatives about sleeping and the fact I will be dead reckoning the entire time I think I will plan for no sleep. This way I can stick to the hour log and hopefully be much more accurate in my navigation to and from.

If I get too tired I will bring the egg timer out and set 10 minute windows. Can always use the old Marine Corps trick and put a dull knife under my chin- don't nod off too much with that set up, I assure you.

Will take some video and pics- will be dark though haha.

Froggy- will message you.

Rest- will update as updates allow.

-Harborless out
 
#22 ·
Two small points:

1) Don't have your nav, anchor, and running lights all on at the same... unless you are motoring while anchored :)

2) Set a DR course to return pretty far to one side of your inlet. Then when you reach the coast, there will not be any question which way to turn (unless there are clear navigation aids on land)
 
#23 ·
2) Set a DR course to return pretty far to one side of your inlet. Then when you reach the coast, there will not be any question which way to turn (unless there are clear navigation aids on land)
In his particular case, that shouldn't be too hard to figure out... N of Ponce Inlet, you have Daytona Beach, the most over-developed stretch of coastline north of Florida's Gold Coast... To the S of the inlet, once other than a smattering of high rise condos at New Smyrna Beach, you have Cape Canaveral National Seashore, completely devoid of any development...

Personally, I think he should go out for 2 nights, and get far enough offshore to play around in the Stream for a spell, while relying solely on his preference for his traditional means of navigation... By the time he finds Ponce Inlet again, might make him a bit more of a believer in the value of that little GPS thingy... :)
 
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