To go or Not

sailingseadragon · Jan 10, 2007

A little off topic article

Tom below is a link to a short article entitled, "Windemere Sails to Bermuda" Windemere is a P323.http://www.cbpsa.org/index.cfm/sid.731/oid.1978?&CFID=589764&CFTOKEN=45979217And here is someone willing to sail to Bermuda in a P30... Go figure.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XasC8Xy6Kf0There is no shortage of small boats in a large ocean...

tom · Jan 10, 2007

Sailingseadragon

I have always felt safe and in control in my Pearson 323. I have been standing up in th ecockpit looking up at the tops of waves without too much concern. Fortunately the waves weren't breaking and they passed harmlessly under the boat. My last passage was an overnight from Panama City to Pensacola Florida. The night started out OK with us on a bean reach with 10-12kts but after dark the wind strengthened to about 20 knots. I hadn't reefed during the day and didn't want to after dark. The waves got up tp 5-6' and we had a good ride. The two bad things were 1. The wind went around until it was almost due west by morning and this pushed us to near shore by morning and we ended up having to motor for a couple of hours directly into the wind. I tried tacking but between the current and wind we didn't make much progress and I was tired. 2. My wife was nervous and wouldn't stand watch. I was very sleepy by the time we dropped anchor at Fort Mccree. On the other hand it was a beautiful night that I will long remember. The moon was almost full and stayed with us until it sank into the sea a couple of hours before dawn. Under the right conditions I'd cross the gulf directly in my Pearson but I'd be more comfortable following the coast. The bad thing about Panama City to Pensacola is that there isn't a good place to go into at night or in rough conditions. The pass at Destin is supposedly very tricky and then you have the low bridge to deal with once you are inside.

sailingseadragon · Jan 10, 2007

I have always been impressed w/ the P323

and its stability... You have a wonderful, capable boat. I, like you, would be comfortable on board her in wide verity of conditions and on longer trips. It may come as no surprise; I have a soft spot in my heart for the boat.Happy sailing

tom · Jan 11, 2007

Really Sorry for You Franklin

I've been blessed to never have been seasick. But I have seen many people and once they puke out everything in their stomachs and keep on puking they seem miserable. On this board every now and then you see someone with no sailing experience talks about selling everything and sailing around the world. I have warned them to get a little experience before selling everything and quitting their jobs. I have yet to experience a serious storm at sea in my own boat...it may change my plans. My only gale was in a larger sailboat as a passenger. Almost all passengers were puked out after a day. I didn't even lose my appetite.

Rick Webb · Jan 11, 2007

It Gets Everybody

You just need to condition yourself to it. Not a good idea to make a passage like that alone till your sure. There is always the ICW it takes longer but can be much more interesting.

Dave from Mi. · Jan 11, 2007

Congratulations!

Welcome home Franklin;I am not being sarcastic. You made the right decision, based on the conditions at the time. The old saying comes to mind, "Better to have tried and failed, than to never had tried at all"It takes a smart person to know when to turn around. I am a retired pilot, and I can't tell you the number of fatalities caused by not turning around when faced with conditions beyond your current ability to deal with. YOU DID THE RIGHT THING!As for the sea sickness thing, I have found Bonine to be good for me for the initial time at sea, and after a couple of days, I no longer need it. Available at most drug stores and West Marine. Does not cause sleepyness.Thanks for keeping us posted, fair windsDave

droopy · Jan 11, 2007

I told you!

Sailing at night is the hard part for me too! I even had the patch which worked well during the day but night was a another story! Now image a northeastern blowing against the gulf stream with you in the middle. Not for me, been there done that, never again! I am a protected water sailer. I'll go outside during the day or if I have a buddy with me that doesn't get sick. I can't rely on my skills at night and I know it!

droopy · Jan 11, 2007

Franklin, it worked well until

the waves were 10 feet and I got soaked to the bone becuase I didn't have good rain gear. The patch worked good in 4 ft waves at night.

Rick D · Jan 11, 2007

Try Again, Franklin

I think scopolamine would do the trick for you. I'm not at all surprised you got seasick under those conditions. And by that I don't just mean the sea state and darkness, I mean the nerves and excitement maginfied by doing it yourself and amplified by lack of sleep. I have certainly been queezy the first day or so, and find I settle down after the first 24 hours. So, don't give up on yourself. I suspect what ailed you was the same as thousands of sailors have suffered with and get over. Anyhow, good shot and just my 2C. Rick D.

sailortonyb Allied Mis · Jan 11, 2007

Congrats and Welcome back

Glad u r back in one piece. As 'Dave from Mi' said ....."Btter to have tried and failed, than to never had tried at all". Anyway, I have never conquered the sea-sickness thing, with all the time I spent on the water as a Capt. and also afterwards.I use Bonine and have to disagree with Dave on that. It will knock my d**k onto the dirt. Helen refuses to use it. Shewould rather take chance on being sick than sleepthrough the whole trip. The one thing I like about Bonine is that they are chewable so u dont have to drink anything with it. I have not tried the "patch" , ut have been told they really work. One way to try to adjust and adapt to the motion of a boat is get a job as a Capt in the oilfields. At least you get paid to get sick. Ask me how I know, LOL.The channel you are referring to , I believe is called a "Safety Fairway".Glad you are almost OK. From my experiences, it takes a few days to get 'right' again.It was pretty wild out there, but the biggest problem I saw for you was the wind directly on your nose for the duration. I thought you might end up making a reach for Cancun.DROOPY, you need to get a little more positive and quit sounding like the 'Prophet of Doom', and you know i dont mean anything bad by it.My relief got in a drunken brawl on his time off. He couldnt make crew change with the staples that got to come out ofhis head, the broken left pinky, and the fractured right wrist and God knows what he aint tellin. Anyway, i told him it was a good thing that he blocked most of the punches with his face. As soon as he is able to get out here, i will be coming home. I'll even buy the beer.I'm really glad you made the trip.I'm sure, to you, it still was worth it. Ciao........Tony B

Paul Akers · Jan 11, 2007

Re: Sea Sickness

A very popular remedy for SS is a product widely used in the Caribe and Canada. It is not approved by the FDA for the U.S. The name is Stugeron and only a bit is needed. It can be take even AFTER the onset of SS. There are some possibly bad side effects (probably why it hasn't been approved in the U.S.).http://home.intekom.com/pharm/janssen/stugeron.html Google it to find out more about it.

Ross · Jan 11, 2007

Franklin, if you can deal with the

concentration try candied ginger. I am rather fond of it and keep a supply on the boat and one at home. Some pain killers can make me nauseous and the crystallized ginger works well for me. Sometimes it takes two or three days to get your sea legs and get past the motion sickness. Perhaps you could anchor out where there will be a lot of motion but you don't have to go anywhere for a week and see if you can get past the transition phase.

sailortonyb Allied Mis · Jan 11, 2007

Did I say the "F" word?

Sorry, but i wasnt thinking when I copied and pasted someone elses quote. The trip is in no way a "failure", its just an old expression. You just didnt make your intended destination.You learned a lot, not by reading, but by doing. That is more nerve than most have. One of the things i like most about sailing with Helen is that she aint scared of anything. I can depend on her if an emergency should occur. Well, if she cant make our next scheduled trip for whatever reason, you are welcome to join me , and we can get sick together. Tony B

Richard Bryer · Jan 11, 2007

My wife

is a big fan of cinnarizine. She gets seasick very easily, she has been to all sorts of clinics etc- one thing that always shows up is a difference in her hearing between one ear and the other ( it is the ear next to me that always hears the worst

. ) She had taken Dramamine, tried the patch etc. Stugeron (cinnarizine ) has been a godsend. It is not fool proof, she has to take it about 1/2 hr before getting on the boat and remember to top up every 4-5 hrs. She has no side effects at all which is even greater. PITA having to "import" it tho.

Stu Jackson · Jan 11, 2007

Don't give up

You did the right thing. In reading this, no one seemed to mention that most books indicate that seasickness goes away after anywhere from one to three days. Also recognize that you were out in some gnarly stuff right off the bat, and that more often than not it's LESS winds and waves that you will experience.I keep sailing out into the Pacific Ocean on our C34, sometimes (too many times) it's a lot more tame than the conditions inside on SF Bay, but it does have the swells out there. Sometimes with crew, most times singlehanding. My best time was when it was honkin' 28 apparent with 10 ft swells with additional wind waves at less than 15 second periods. It was skiing down a slalom course on water. Because I have problems with my ears, I just don't get seasick. One of my friends does, and he got the patch which seems to work for him, although he's "touchy" about it, not the patch, but "worrying about getting seasick." I guess getting seasick is worse than worrying about it, but neither seems a good option. Lots of options for remedies, though. Keep trying.What you may also want to consider is that when the going gets rough, just heave to, assuming you have sea room.Franklin, you're a real pleasure to read, and you did a great job. Don't, please, lose your dream, because you may not have to. It's NOT always like that out there. Try, try again.Best regards,StuPS (added later) Another thought:instead of starting out in the morning and being tired by evening, start your trip at dusk after an afternoon nap. You'll be out in dwindling daylight, and be awake and energetic for the next 10 horus until the sun comes up again. Just a thought.

Ross · Jan 11, 2007

Lyn Pardey mentions in one of her

books that if you party hardy the night before you set out you won't do as well. She tells of sailing ten miles or sso and stopping on the hook for the rest of the day and night and leave fresh the following day.Stu in an off hand way I suggested that anchoring out where there was plenty on motion for a few days would get your sea legs limbered up.

To go or Not

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