Anybody for circumnavigation?

jimmcgee · Apr 4, 2011

Those books make for great reads, but it's not something I dream about doing.

I'd love to cruise the Caribbean, the Med and the South Pacific. But the latter two would be on a charter boat.

As much as I love being on the water I couldn't see myself selling the house and casting off forever.

Jim

Ed A · Apr 4, 2011

I have thought about it alot thur the years but now is a little late for me. The thing i see with the whole thing is that a lot of people confuse the goal arround the world with a long trip in a boat, to see the world. Most circumnavagatiors find that the goal to get arround is greater than the goal to see it as you go.

I think the guys who spend several months in the med see alot more and enjoy it more than the guy who spends 20 days on a crossing to get to an island with not much to do.l

I have helped plan a ostar trans atlantic race years ago. But the goals are different than the prolonged vacation or exploration. If i did do it i would want to spend 2 or 3 years min and take time see it as i went.

Roger Long · Apr 4, 2011

I want to go a long ways and see a lot but doing it being at anchor every night as much as possible. I might make a long passage some time but only for the purpose of getting to another place where I can coastal cruise. Coasts, shorelines, and ports are what I find most interesting.

JVB · Apr 4, 2011

After seeing how the Southern Ocean rocked and rolled a cruise liner I have no interest in going there on any less capable boat.

woodster · Apr 4, 2011

i have always wanted to go to Australia by boat and take 2 years and sail around that big island spending time in every port i could as i went along...i have felt this to be so cool ...and i think it would take about two years to do it but now i have thought to long and i am not sure there is enough time left for me to do something like that ...so for now i will just keep working on my boat untill i get her ready to splash and sail the coast line here in the states

regards

woody

FourPoints · Apr 4, 2011

I have always wante to take 2 years off and circumnavigate. Just not yet sure how I'm going to pay for the necessary boat. Anyone want to donate a well outfitted offshore boat that I can take around the world? You can use my H27 while I trek around the globe on yours

I was really liking the Valient that was at the Annapolis show last fall, except there were no double berths.

inarathree · Apr 4, 2011

When I was 12 I read "Dove" by Robin Lee Graham. There has rarely a week in the past 30 years that I haven't thought about doing it. Of course dreaming and doing are very different. If someone were to walk up to me and give me the right boat, and pay my bills for 18 months, I would be out of here. Being married and having a daughter has put a stop to many of the crazy things I did when I was younger. But when I do it, it will be solo non-stop. I just wouldnt want to be away from my wife and daughter much longer than the ~300 days for non-stop. I have 10 years of planning ahead of me... thats when my daughter is out of college.

An added bonus of doing it solo is puts you on a very selective list. The list is shorter than those who have climbed Mt Everest, or been to the bottom of the ocean, or even into space. The only list shorter is those who have been to the moon.

Tim R. · Apr 4, 2011

Ed Schenck said:
Sitting here reading Roger's "Decision" thread reminds me of a question that I have been meaning to ask. I just finished my first book on my birthday gift, a new Kindle. I downloaded "A Voyage for Madmen" by Peter Nichols. It is the story of the first "non-stop around alone" race sponsored by the London Times in 1968. Nine men signed up and I will leave it at that. So the question.

How many of you would seriously contemplate doing a circumnavigation of any type? How about alone? Would you do the Capes or the canals? In your current boat? It never appealed to me but I wonder about the members here.

Great book Ed. I read it in about 2 days. There is now a movie titled "Deep Water" which details the story of Donald Crowhurst. Very interesting. If I had seen this movie before reading the book, I would have not been surprised by his actions in the book.

We do not want to circumnavigate but we would like to make it to Europe. Maybe even circumnavigate the pond. We have initiated our plan by buying "the" boat and moving aboard. We are currently working to accumulate a sizable crusing kitty and the fund required to return should we desire.

gpd955 · Apr 4, 2011

Ed Schenck said:
How many of you would seriously contemplate doing a circumnavigation of any type? How about alone? Would you do the Capes or the canals? In your current boat? It never appealed to me but I wonder about the members here.

I would absolutely consider it, however I would need about a year of preparation to make sure I would be in better physical condition (unfortunately job/7 year old prevents me from doing it for real right now!). Don't think I would like to do it alone but I would definitely have to be with someone (or ones) that are capable and compatible. Capes or canals would depend on the boat/crew/weather. Definitely not in my current boat.

Would love to do it (or at least a TransPac) though!

BungalowBill · Apr 4, 2011

Trekka

I just finished reading Trekka, Round the World by John Guzzwell. Wonderful story about a homeade 22' wood two masted boat that did the big trip back in the late 50's. His description of sailing north up the Great Barrier Reef made me want to go do it. His whole trip was a great read, amazing what one can do with a simple little boat without high-tech gadgets. Some day I would love to make to Austrailia, it's great to dream.

Joe · Apr 4, 2011

It's not at the top of my list... but circumnavigation would certainly be appealing to me... But not non-stop! Laura Dekker's itinerary appeals to me.... http://www.lauradekker.nl/English/Home.html 3 years.... couple of trips home... route options, depending on weather and political conditions.... etc.

Steve Kamp · Apr 4, 2011

I am quite content to be a coastal cruiser/island hopper here on the right coast and Bahamas.

Stu Jackson · Apr 5, 2011

The feedback from most circumnavigators has been: "Don't hurry." 18 mos. to 2 years is a rush.

PrincessoftheLake · Apr 5, 2011

A cicumnavigation? I'd have to say no. Long term coastal cruising and island hopping? Resoundingly yes. That being said I would love to sign on as crew with someone doing something like the Transpac or else that cruiser run that goes from the east coast to the BVI's-it's about 1500 miles. Sigh...
It is tempting to hijack this thread about the 1969 Race and the story about Donald Crowhurst and Motissier and all the rest. It is fasciating. It seems to me I saw a documentary about Crowhurst but I don't know if that is the "Deep Water" movie with
Tilda Swinton. Like I said, what I saw was a documentary. I also remember reading a book a few years back that was a work of fiction but I think the main character was based loosely on Donald Crowhurst although set in modern times. I cannot remember the name of it for the life of me. Getting old I guess.

POTL

Tim R. · Apr 5, 2011

PrincessoftheLake said:
It is tempting to hijack this thread about the 1969 Race and the story about Donald Crowhurst and Motissier and all the rest. It is fasciating. It seems to me I saw a documentary about Crowhurst but I don't know if that is the "Deep Water" movie with
Tilda Swinton. Like I said, what I saw was a documentary. I also remember reading a book a few years back that was a work of fiction but I think the main character was based loosely on Donald Crowhurst although set in modern times. I cannot remember the name of it for the life of me. Getting old I guess.

POTL

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460766/

RECESS · Apr 5, 2011

If I ever played the lottery and won it.... getting all the way around would just be a product of going from one place to another. I have no desire to take a sailboat anywhere near Somalia to get the Suez Canal or parts of Indonesia, so that limits the routes for a true circumnavigation. I am enjoying having this discussion after being on our boat for 3 days and will be going for another 4 days though. Leaving at daybreak for another full day of sailing and then motoring through the ICW to get to Port St. Joe.

Stu Jackson · Apr 5, 2011

PrincessoftheLake said:
I also remember reading a book a few years back that was a work of fiction but I think the main character was based loosely on Donald Crowhurst although set in modern times. I cannot remember the name of it for the life of me.

Outerbridge Reach - Robert MacNeil (Jim Leher's partner from PBS TV Newshour)

The first non-fiction book I recall was "The Strange Voyage of Donald Crowhurst", had two authors, names I don't recall - I loaned the book to a sailing acquaintance and he never returned it.