Planning a cruise

May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
yes i disagree as do the instructors at the schools that teach the masters courses up here on the lakes.
i'm learning the differences of being on the lakes verses the ocean too. up here i stow my dingy, do not want on deck or davits or biminis or dodgers or solar panels as they create huge windage and get in the way of fighting a storm.
that said. lets start a safety thread and chew on these things as to not highjack this thread. :)
 

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
... I was considering the bags as "single use" items.
As I noted we get 3 days out of a bag. If you keep it in a container with a good snap on lid or a lid that seals by being compressed by the cover (mine is like this) there will be no smell when not in use but for the minutes you are using the head there will be smell. We deal with that short term smell but I'm sure some won't want to deal with it. The bags are too pricey for us to use them once and then not again. We use a squirt of air freshener during use and also have added small quantities of different products with mixed results but none that eliminate totally the smell during use. I'll take that over having something that fills up and then being stuck and also having to haul that something to shore to dump it and clean it.

More on the whole procedure here...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/MacgregorTrips-3-Powell09/09-10-16-Powell-09.html

Sounds like you have the opportunity some great trips. Enjoy,

Sumner
==============================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
Feb 19, 2008
292
Catalina Capri 18 ann arbor
@David in Sandusky

You are taking your hunter 27 from Lake Erie to Green Bay? That’s quite a cruise!

Growing up in Port Huron I sat on the shore and watched many a sailboat try to motor under the bridge (it was singular back then). I’m told the trip up the St. Clair River is an all day event. Down is much quicker.
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
We’ve gone to the North Channel and Mackinaw with our h27, but we will be chartering out of Sturgeon Bay on this trip. We prefer cruising where we can sail 2-4 hour legs vs. the 8-10 hour days to cover hundreds of miles. So driving and chartering is a good solution for seeing new places.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,991
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Planning. 3-5 hours vs 8-10 hour sails is all about you and the crew.
My wife likes short sails with stops at interesting places. She prefers the destinations as the reason for a cruise.

I like longer sails and when with other boats or solo balance the longer sails with my energy levels. 10 hours is a very long sail. It wears you down. And just when you need all your skills for docking or getting through a difficult passage you may be nearly worn out. I find that 7 hours is about an optimum solo cruise period. This gets shortened to 5 hours if conditions are difficult. Or can be lengthened a little is conditions are favorable.

Just be sure you are ready for what Mother Nature gives you. And adjust accordingly.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
I guess my question is how do you account for weather when making plans
Seems to me, the answers have been: 1) Avoid it when bad (w/timing/forecasting and route planning); 2) Be prepared to meet it (w/boating skills & required equipment).
 
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