How Far Offshore Single-Handed????

[Sumner]

Just interested in knowing if any of you have sailed single-handed off-shore:

25-50 miles?

50-100 miles?

100-250 miles?

250-500 miles?

500-1000 miles?

Over 1000 miles off shore (Major landfall)?

Please share with us some of the experience. Where? When? Good/Bad Experience? etc.

Thanks,

Sum

P.S. Ruth and I have never been out of sight of land or in salt water yet, but hope to change the last of those two by this time next year.

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

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[Steve Dion]

What type of a vessel do you plan on doing this with?

I suggest that you do an overnight passage with a crew of 4-6 (2 on a watch) and determine if it is something for you.

It is quite different to be 25-50 miles off shore. Just remember 5 hrs out and 5 hrs back for a 25 mile off shore trip. Typically you only get 3-4 hrs sleep at a time. If you are going farther off shore the fatigue can become a real problem. If someone gets seasick, the other person needs to pick up the slack.

The big advantage of being off shore is the fact that you do not need to tend the helm nearly a dilligent as you do on your inland lake.

I have made the trip from Oahu to San Diego (2800 miles) and a trip up the coast of Cal. I do not think it is something I would do without some vetern crew. When it is smooth sailing everything is wonderful. When the seas build to 6-10 ft (or larger) every 6 seconds things are a lot different.

 

[Sumner]

What type of a vessel do you plan on doing this with?....... .............

Steve I have no plans on doing this. I'm just wondering how many here have gone some distance solo. Thanks for the reply and those sound like great trips you took,

Sum

 

[higgs]

I did a 24 hour shot in light winds covering 70 nm.

 

[Steve Dion]

Never done a solo, and really don't think I would ever consider this. The farther offshore the better off you are with a solo situation.

Stay out of the shipping lanes and have some equipment to let you know when you are within range of "larger objects".

It is a great experience to do an off shore night passage. I just would not do it.

 

[Stu Jackson]

25 out to the Farallone Islands, 25 diagonal to Drake's Bay and anchored, 34 back into the Gate the following day, April 2008 --- two on board

40 out from the Golden Gate south west and back east overnight on the ocean to Monterey, hugged the shore coming back, May 1994, two on board

 

[dserrell]

1

 

[kloudie1]

I solo sail when day sailing around Lake Pontchartrain or the Mississippi sound (like 25 miles across to New Orleans to a marina, then back the next day, 12 miles from land).. but long off shore, I am not comfortable with no watchkeeping so long trips have been with experienced crew and 2 on deck at night. Lots of ship traffic and rigs in the Gulf (Freeport Bahamas to Morehead City, N.C. and also across the Gulf of Mexico to VeraCruz and Isla Mujeres, Mx., as crew on other's boats)

 

[NormanMartin]

I/we do a lot of single and double handed sailing in New England. The big issue is rest. The sailing part is easy. It is hard to rest when short handed. It is the thing that takes the most practice. Of course, before you can rest, the boat must hold a course.

 

[caguy]

If you are coming out to California there isn't much point in going 25-50 miles off shore.
From MDR you run into Catalina at 30 miles, in which case you are never more than 12 miles from Palos Verdes or Catalina. I've crossed over about 6 times single handed. The first time across was by myself and a little nerve racking but I survived. Got a late start so I didn't get to Avalon until after dark. Mooring up was uneventful but stressful none the less. Harbor patrol was kind enough to stand by and advise when I told them it was my first time. I only get nervous now mooring up in a strong cross wind. Did a could of overnight anchor drops to Paradise Cove but with good company.
When you do get out here you'll find someone to hook up with from this forum. We are always looking for someone to sail with, makes it more fun. I'll tell you one good thing about sailing solo is that you are only responsible for your own safety.

 

[Sumner]

If you are coming out to California there isn't much point in going 25-50 miles off shore. ........

...................When you do get out here you'll find someone to hook up with from this forum. We are always looking for someone to sail with, makes it more fun. I'll tell you one good thing about sailing solo is that you are only responsible for your own safety.

We will be there the end of March, but don't plan on having the Mac. We would love to go out with someone if that would work for someone.

Ruth will be finishing up some dental work in Long Beach and we should be there about 10 days and should have a pretty flexible schedule.

Actually I/we won't be going offshore anytime soon. I posted this question after reading the thread on Jessica Watson. We, including myself, have been commenting back and forth on her journey and the 'assisted' part and I wondered how many on here have ever been in a situation even remotely similar to what she is in now and what she will be headed into soon.

From some of the replies I can see she has one good thing in her favor and that is she is pretty far from shipping lanes and land. Other than that I just can't imagine being that far out there, regardless of how many people I could talk to on a sat phone. Regardless of how much info you have via telecommunications you would still have to be making a lot of decisions and as been stated above more than once the fatigue factor being alone has to become a real factor to deal with.

Hope to see you and/or anyone else that would like to visit or possibly sail in March/April out of the LA area,

Sum and Ruth

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links

 

[okawbow]

Did a 130 some mile solo from Apalachicola to Tarpon Springs fl. in my Bristol 24. Stayed awake for 30 hours. was never more than about 70 miles from shore. Only saw 3 other vessels offshore. great experience! The wind clocked around 180 degrees during that time, and blew from 5-20 kts at various times. Kept me from getting bored.