You want my experience, 5 and 6 is good weather, 8 is average, (this is going back to europe, and up north, not where i am just now) Leaks in boats are so bad, that i never sail (even today) without a Us Marine corp gortex bivy bag, you can pump the water out, but you cant keep your sleeping bag dry, if the windows leak, do something about them, because if they leak in five to six, they will flood in 8, and your boat willl swamp in 10, the boat is good for the journey, but, you have to strenghen it, and have back ups, if a window blows, what you going to do, you should have a sheet of plywood, cut and ready to fit into place, and one for each window, if you break the boom, you should have a piece of timber, to brace it with, to get you to the next port, but mostly, its carrying the right materials, the right tools and having the skills, or the information to use them. I was merchant marine for years, we usually had around eighteen crew, but i was on ships with as many as a 100, and as few as six, but whenever their was a problem, a quick brain storming session would get an answer, when you are down to one or two, you better know evrything, I sailed with two expert sailors, and our engine got filled with water (sail boat) none of those two experts, (one of whome, was intending to sail round the world) knew how to clear that engine, as we had no transfer pump, their answer was to sail to the nearest country, and get a boat out to tow us in, my answer, was to take the oil filter off, and turn the engine by hand, pumping out all the seawater that was in the sump, along with the oil, and we motored into the next country. Dont bank on books, or others, bank on knowing everything,
