offshore sailing

Bad Obsession · May 10, 2009

I agree. I have seen people rig a board with ropes on it to support the jerry cans. Anything that would constantly torque the stanchions could cause a leak and make you have to re-bed them.

I have no need for Jerry Cans

tsmwebb · May 10, 2009

Bad Obsession said:
...
If someone is taking jury cans they usually have a place for them on the rail of the boat.

This is peculiar to North American cruisers. IME, most of those who go into the South Pacific get rid of them after a season or two... I try to keep my decks clear. I keep my extra fuel (gas, diesel and LPG) in lockers vented top and bottom -- but venting overboard is easier on a catamaran than on most mono's.

--Tom.

Bad Obsession · May 10, 2009

I don't think that I will ever get that far off of the map to need jerry cans. I have no huge plans other than making a run to the islands for the winter someday. I have no intention of crossing oceans etc.

Prime Time · May 11, 2009

Scam vs. Lack of Common Sense

I have never been involved in a flame war, but this is getting hard to believe. This is the same author who admits he has basically no experience, has an untried boat and crew and wants to take it to the Caribbean during hurricane season. Now he wants to know if it is safe to store Gasoline down below?

I really hope that the author is just a scammer. If not, no offense but one more dangerous idea after another. I hope he finds a local mentor to help him or talk him down.

Hermit Scott said:
What's the "scam"?

Hermit Scott · May 11, 2009

YOU are his mentor. You are my mentor. I don't have any other friends that have ever sailed. It would be ideal if Christian Fletcher could take me or sailordude under his wing but sometimes people just don't have anyone else with experience.
Besides all that, I have gotten way better advice from coming here and asking than asking someone in the yard or some one walking the docks.
I do not believe sailordude is scamming anyone.
I get mildy insulted when someone asks why I am asking stupid questions, but I know it's hard to believe anyone could be as unlearned about boats and the water as I am, but somethings are counter intuitive so the common sense approach is wrong.
I am old enough that I can't be shamed into not asking any more dumb questions but not everyone is. Please be patient with us.

Ross · May 11, 2009

Hermit, Some questions are just begging for a smart ass answer. I can't help it but sometimes a question comes down the line that says, "this just popped into my head and I haven't given it 2 seconds of though before I posted it", "Like should I tie the end of my anchor rope to something before I throw it overboard?" My answer is, "yeah, tie one end to the anchor and the other end to the boat."

RECESS · May 11, 2009

Scott, if you go sail with an experienced sailor you will completely understand what we are talking about. I am sure there are some old salts at your dock that you may not think much of that will glady go out with you on your boat.

I have been at this for quite a few years and I have a friend that is nearing 70 and is a wealth of knowledge. I beg him to come to the club. I think we both benefit from the relationship. He also makes me feel like a lazy fool at 42. He is damn near 70 and he bicycled over 5000 miles last year. I am not a cyclist but friends that do say that is a lot of miles in one year.

You also have to understand that people may like what you have posted and you have given quality advice about repairs. Stop and think how good is the advice you can give to someone if you have never been out in really bad weather? It is really different when you are so far out that you know nobody can reach you to give help anytime soon. People tend to over romantisice sailing and can easily put them self in harms way. People should not fear going offshore, they should get experience sailing first though.

There were a few that encouraged this kid to go way offshore with no experience and did not even know he is deaf. I am sure that he can overcome his disability, but I would say he should definitely get some experience before putting himself in harms way. There are always sailors with experience that will jump at the chance to sail with someone that shares thier passion. No internet, and No book, can replace the vlaue of having someone their giving you great advice in real time. Just be a dock bum for a couple weekends and you will have people to ask to go with you. Sailors are the most giving in sharing their passsion. The internet is no replacement but a wonderful addition to learning.

Scott B · May 11, 2009

Scott, I agree with you.... on the docks the good advise is probably 1 in 100.... on the board, more closer to 100 to 1 or maybe 50 to 1. People that come on here are much more knowledgable than the average person at the dock.... it's difficult to track down that 1 on the dock as apposed to the 50 or 100 here.

RECESS · May 11, 2009

Scott B

Do you agree that telling someone with NO experience to go off and do some blue water sailing is good advice?

Edit to add: There was a recent thread where that is what MOST of the people were saying, so yeah, I do not see the 100 to 1 great advice being given.

Hermit Scott · May 12, 2009

sailordude-this isn't a question of hearing vs. non-hearing. It's just some people have been on boats all their lives and some questions sound rediculous to them.
Recess -I don't think any one encouraged him to "go way offshore" but I don't see anything wrong with going out into the ocean as long as he can get back before a storm blows in be it daysailing or travelling. Just have to check the weather.

RECESS · May 12, 2009

Yes, yes people told him to go over 50 miles off shore and to cross the gulf stream with NO experience, that is not just bad advice, it is down right dangerous advice. Checking the weather is not going to cut it for someone that does not have the experience to handle a storm moving in quickly. The worst storms that many encounter are hit when you leave the dock in perfect weather. The title of this thread is Off Shore Sailing, not day sailing or coastal sailing. The other thread was about about 5 guys with NO experience going far off shore. I would think most of the bad advice given would be good advice applied to day sailing but it was given with regards to heading 50 miles off shore. You are not going to out run bad weather in a sailboat that far off shore.

Ross · May 12, 2009

sailordude, There are those who can not hear and there are those who will not listen. You just listen with your eyes but you do listen. I think that for many people a lack of exposure can lead to asking questions that are completely obvious to those that grew up in a world of considerable diversity. Farm kids know more about handling rope than city grown kids just because it is a part of their everyday life. They know about the things in their world that will harm them because there are so many on a farm and they are constantly exposed. Firearms, fuel, tools, large animals, moving machinery, working in and around tall barns with no guardrails teaches them to be aware of their surroundings all the time. They grow up with stories of neighbors who let their guard down for a second and were killed or crippled.
I think that you and your buds would benefit greatly reading contempory stories by sailors and about the sailing world and the successes and failures that are so informative. In addition to the basic "how to sail" books there are wonderful stories about real life and real people and the screwups they admit and the grand successes that they have enjoyed.

Bob V · May 12, 2009

thesailerdude said:
I am sorry but I thought you guys were understanding and willing to answer the questions I have

I didnt want to point out the fact that I am deaf was mostly because in general- the population who are uneducated about the deaf culture tend to sympathize us and bascially lower their level of thinking. being deaf does present some problems but we have been overcoming them since the dawn of civilization..(just ask the cavemen) and we are not going away anytime soon- so much for the darwin theory

I hate the fact how people are uneducated about us- a beautiful culture with history along with its complex art of sign language

sorry- i just felt like i had to say this for the sake of my people

Many people with disabilities have overcome obstacles that would stop people with normal abilities. Deaf people are adept at reading body lanquage, ASL and have other techniques that have been learned to help them cope.

When you are single-handed off shore it comes down to you and your radio to communicate with the outside world. The only other way you would have to call for assistance would be to engage an EPIRB and launch a search and rescue operation.

I don't sail off shore myself but here in the PNW where I sail I keep my VHF radio tuned to channel 16 and have heard many incidents where people in trouble called for help. I have heard a few "maydays" but mostly it is "pan pans" where something is going wrong and help is requested and provided by private boats in the area. I myself have used the traffic channel to advise an oncoming ship that I was stalled in the shipping lane with an overheated engine and no wind to sail out of their way.

How do you plan to communicate when you go offshore?

Ross · May 12, 2009

White 12 ga flares are used for signalling danger. If a person can not call for help then he must be prepared to cope with whatever he encounters just as sailors have had to do up until the last 75 years.
I have alledged for a long time that many of the "rescues" were not for survival but for comfort in very bad situations. If there is no chance of rescue then the need to survive becomes stronger and the the sailor becomes more rescourceful.

tommays · May 12, 2009

While it may shock my fellow sailors i NEVER had a radio on My sailboats from 11' to 24' untill 2008 when i needed one to call the launch service

And growing up are saftey gear was a crappy lifejacket and a paddle on deleware bay

I do really wish we had one in 1973 when we hit the LOG on LIS and were drifting east in the dark

Prime Time · May 12, 2009

No Offense Meant

I am sorry if anything I've said has been offensive. I applaud anyone that reaches out. Ignorance is no sin, but can be dangerous.

I think this board defines being understanding and willing to answer questions. I hope that you have taken note of the serious nature of the responses and our collective concern for your safety. I have spent a lifetime sailing, racing, coastal cruising and a smattering of blue water crossings. I am a certified US Sailing Instructor. As much as I love sailing, I am always aware of the challenges and dangers.

There are so many avenues open to you to gain experience from lessons from a variety of sources to networking with local sailors. US Sailing is committed to providing people with special needs opportunities for learning to sail and developing advanced skills. They are not just a racing organization. They are committed to education. The US Power Squadron would be another great source for learning about seamanship and navigation.

I hope this points you in the right direction.

thesailerdude said:
I am sorry but I thought you guys were understanding and willing to answer the questions I have

I didnt want to point out the fact that I am deaf was mostly because in general- the population who are uneducated about the deaf culture tend to sympathize us and bascially lower their level of thinking. being deaf does present some problems but we have been overcoming them since the dawn of civilization..(just ask the cavemen) and we are not going away anytime soon- so much for the darwin theory

I hate the fact how people are uneducated about us- a beautiful culture with history along with its complex art of sign language

sorry- i just felt like i had to say this for the sake of my people

RECESS · May 12, 2009

Re: No Offense Meant

I have been thinking about this thread today and I really need to just get over it, someone is going to do what they are going to do. I just do not want to see someone get hurt or worse. I do not have ownership over what other people do and I really do not want to come across the wrong way with people. It is difficult when you know how bad it gets out there and how fast it happens on a beautiful day.

Hermit Scott · May 12, 2009

When I wanted to join the military there was no one in the world that could talk me out of it. It was not what I thought it would be, but running headlong into danger is what young men do. Strength? Weakness? Probably both, but it doesn't really matter, 'cause that's the way we are made.

Bob McL · May 12, 2009

Offshore

offshore sailing

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