Limits of costal crusing

[Keiffer]

I am planning on doing some "costal crusing" in a Seaward 25. I have been reading several posts on crusing sites and began to wonder what actually defines the limits between costal and blue water? Is if subjective or definitive? When costal crusing are you by definition always in site of land?

I will be sailing on the east coast out of Savannah.

Thanks

 

[David in Sandusky]

How about more than 24 hours from shore?

I think it means going somewhere that takes days to see land again. It means that what ever comes, you have to sail through it, because any port of refuge is just too far away.

For me, coastal cruising means that I can get into port inside 12 hours, before a big storm has time to build really huge, dangerous waves. It also means not having to worry too much about storage of food, water, and fuel, becasue the refill is close by. It means sailing in the day, and anchoring or finding a marina at night if we want to.

 

[Roger Long]

Coastal means you deal with dangerous weather by seeking shelter. Offshore means you expect deal with it in the open water.

 

[catsailor]

Check your insurance - probably 50 miles out.

i Am Planning On Doing Some "costal Crusing" In A Seaward 25. I Have Been Reading Several Posts On Crusing Sites And Began To Wonder What Actually Defines The Limits Between Costal And Blue Water? Is If Subjective Or Definitive? When Costal Crusing Are You By Definition Always In Site Of Land?

I Will Be Sailing On The East Coast Out Of Savannah.

Thanks

11111

 

[BobM]

What is "costal" cruising? Cruising on a low budget? I like David's definition, although you will need to understand that their is a distance implicit in the time.

12 hours on a 27 footer will be at an average speed over ground of about 4-5 knots or 50-60 miles. On a 25 footer that distance is probably closer to 30-40 miles, as your average speed over ground is closer to 4 knots than 5.

Given my experience, albeit limited, there is a reason for small craft warnings. My 10,000 lb 30 footer is a heck of a lot more comfortable in small craft conditions than my 3,500 25 footer was. The difference is far more dramatic, in my opinion, than you might think. It seems to be more weight / momentum based than length based. Two foot chop that would stop my 25 footer in its tracks or provide a nasty punishing wet ride is now a great day for a sail with the boat shouldering the waves aside.

So, in my opinion, 12 hours or 30 miles might seem a prohibitively short distance, but given the reliabilty of weather reports you should still be very careful on a 25 foot boat even at that distance. 24 hours could put you 100 miles out in bad weather on a boat with very limited tankage and battery capacity for important things like the bilge pump.

Not a boat MY Wife would want to be aboard LOL.

 

[navigator97]

Kieffer, When I first got marine insurance, coastal meant up to 15 NM off the coast. For a small additional premium, the would cover up to 150 NM off the coast. I went the route of the small extra premium because on my 1st trip we would, a some point, be over 17 NM off the coast - and Murphy's Law says.... I have kept it to cover up to 150 NM. That was with US Power Squadron Bpat Insurance Program.

 

[Steve Dion]

BoatUS in the SF Bay area is 30NM from Mile Rock (approx. 35 miles). No problem getting more range, but one would need to contact the underwriters.

 

[George H260]

Roger has nailed it. When the stuff hits the fan coastal cruisers want to be home sipping a warm hot spiced wine.

There is an international design standard for recreational sailboats. Boats are divided into categories based on certain parameters in respect to stability, buoyancy, and other relevant handling characteristics. These categories are:

Category A - Ocean; Extended voyages with wind force in excess of Beaufort force 8, and significant wave height of 4 meters or above.

Category B – Offshore; Off shore voyages in possible wind force of Beaufort force 8 and significant wave heights of up to 4 meters.

Category C – Inshore Voyages on coastal waters, large lakes, bays estuaries, or rivers, where wind force of up to force 6 on the Beaufort scale and significant wave heights of up to 2 meters may be experienced.

Category D – Sheltered waters. Designed for voyages on sheltered inland waterways, including lakes, rivers and canals, where wind force 4 and significant wave height of 0.5 meters may be experienced.

I believe the Seward 25 is a category C vessel. These categories are not locked in stone. It is possible for a vessel to be in more than one design category provided all requirements for those categories are met. Recommend you do your own research and do an honest assessment of your skills, experience, and equipment.

 

[tommays]

I sail and race on Long Island and you can be thoroughly beaten up on the sound OR the Ocean off the south shore well in sight of land

 

[Keiffer]

Land Ho!

Very informative thank you. I am not one who is looking to push the limts and put myself at risk and am perfectly contented to stay a safe distance to land. I suspect I will do my initial exploring in the ICW. You hear people talking about all kind of crazy stuff and it just got me wondering.

David in Sandusky - growing up in Toledo I spent some time on Lake Erie and know depending on conditions the short juant from Sandusky to Put in Bay can be as treacherus as anything I care to deal with! When they say small craft advisory - they mean it.

Keiffer

 

[higgs]

Offshore is a relative term. Are we talking about the Southern Ocean or the Roaring Forties. Crossing L Michigan is a 70 nm trip and can take over 24 hrs under sail. Is that offshore? There are no hard and fast definitions. One guy circumnavigated on a Catalina 27. i would not do that as I don't consider that boat an offshore yacht. You have a seaworthy boat and you just have decide what you are comfortable in doing.

 

[David in Sandusky]

Well, I think a Seaward 25 would be fine in the Lake Erie Islands - even with small craft warnings up.

We have sailed our '77 h27 there and all around Lake Erie for 10 years, and she can handle winds up to 30 knots without issues. Sailing in gale force winds above 30 knots is a matter of having reefing options to get the sail area right. And in those conditions, there are plenty of places to take shelter before waves build over 8-10 feet.

If you are happy with the accommodations, the Seaward would be a great boat in your location. The shallow draft allows gunk-holing in the sounds, and trailerable boats give you the opportunity to sample other sailing grounds with ease.

 

[Roger Long]

Crossing L Michigan is a 70 nm trip and can take over 24 hrs under sail. Is that offshore?

There's a related issue here to what I posted before which is the time factor of weather forecasts. Although unexpected conditions do sometimes pop up, you have the option on a 24 hour trip of waiting for a good forecast and a very high probability of not getting caught in a major storm. When your time at sea and distance to harbor of refuge extends beyond the range of reliable forecasts, you're hanging out there. That's offshore. Anything in the lakes I would consider coastal although you can certainly still get beat up or even killed.

The waves are generally more dangerous than the winds and the conditions in 60 knot summer squalls are not going to be as dangerous as the waves that build up over 1-2 day period of wind half that velocity. The latter takes a big system which can be tracked and predicted with a fair level of confidence.

 

[divinebovine]

I've sailed to Hawaii from Victoria, BC... in that 3 weeks I encountered at most maybe 30 knots of wind, but the worst weather I've ever had the misfortune of sailing in was about 5 NM north of Nanaimo, BC (in between Vancouver Island and the mainland), 60 + knots and 25 + foot waves. (not a whole lot of fun TBO)
As has been stressed previously, it all depends on your comfort and skill level

 

[Stu Jackson]

As has been stressed previously, it all depends on your comfort and skill level

...and what you get caught out in, which could also be directly related to skill level. Like heeding a weather report. Some weather conditions can't be predicted, so the old Boy Scouts "be prepared" does indeed come in handy.