I have found the perfect boat! At least I feel she is at this point in my life and to accomplish the things I want to accomplish now. She is a 22 foot O’Day with the shoal keel. She is pretty dry, complete and in good working order. As a fresh water day sailor only I feel that this small boat will be a very appropriate learning platform. I am in the process of replacing the standing rigging (I am adding backing plates also) and running lines, and I have begun acquiring the responsible safety equipment (I just received my new West Marine hydrostatic offshore PFD with harness). I will be mounting a strong point through bolted for tether attachment. I have begun planning my first ocean sailing adventure from Gloucester, MA to York, ME that I hope to do this August. I plan to use my boats 2 foot draft and hug the coast. Besides being more scenic, I feel it will be a better learning experience overall due to the more varied conditions encountered sailing closer rather than further off shore. I have 2 danforth anchors and a 10 inch SS cleat to mount at the bow to augment the 2 smaller cleats already there. I am open to other advice (hopefully specific, sincere and not sarcastic) as to what more experienced sailors would bring and do to prepare. What are the best places to see and take shelter if things get dicey? My family is renting a house at York Beach for a week and the plan is to sail there, (and maybe beyond) drop the hooks off the beach for the week (and enjoy day sailing) and then sail back to Gloucester. If the weather pipes up I can have her taken out of the water and then trailer her home. After I upgrade the rigging I will be splashing my boat to water test her. What say ye old salty dogs?
First ocean "passage"!
- Thread starter dreamdoer
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My advice would be to plan 2 days sailing for that trip. It's about 28 nm from the river to York harbor on a straight shot. If you follow the coast you are going to have twice that distance. Even if you average 4 kts on the straight shot route that's 7 hours. And you will be lucky to average 4 kts.
Pack enough extra fuel to motor the entire trip, some water and food and all of the typical safety gear. Always good to have some tools and a spare fuel filter.
If you do go the more coastal route, don't get too close. Waves will be steeper and the wind will be more unpredictable.
Make sure you have a couple of bailout points along the way. And don't push the weather. If its stormy or too high for wind and wave don't push it.
Rig a tiller tamer, after 7-8 hours of steering you will be tired. If you can set the tiller tamer for longer tacks it will be better.
Good luck
Pack enough extra fuel to motor the entire trip, some water and food and all of the typical safety gear. Always good to have some tools and a spare fuel filter.
If you do go the more coastal route, don't get too close. Waves will be steeper and the wind will be more unpredictable.
Make sure you have a couple of bailout points along the way. And don't push the weather. If its stormy or too high for wind and wave don't push it.
Rig a tiller tamer, after 7-8 hours of steering you will be tired. If you can set the tiller tamer for longer tacks it will be better.
Good luck
Add a second type/style of anchor with chain and rode, perhaps a Bruce or CQR. This gives you anchoring flexibility as one anchor is not good in all conditions.
JK pretty much called it.
Plan for 10 hours on the boat. You HAVE to rig a way to get away from the tiller for good stretches of time. Get an early start.
Know your bail-out options. There are at least 4 harbors of refuge along the way.
Weather will decide if you go/no-go. A decent NE breeze will make for a painful wet trip as your fight a lee shore the entire way.
Sounds like you are planning intelligently. Carry on.
Plan for 10 hours on the boat. You HAVE to rig a way to get away from the tiller for good stretches of time. Get an early start.
Know your bail-out options. There are at least 4 harbors of refuge along the way.
Weather will decide if you go/no-go. A decent NE breeze will make for a painful wet trip as your fight a lee shore the entire way.
Sounds like you are planning intelligently. Carry on.
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