How Many Have Sailed Offshore

[overtheseas]

Yep- two world circumnavigations. The last included probably 13,000 solo. The boat was a 32 foot timber sloop built in Hobart in 1946. And no I wasn't sponsored. Just doing my own thing. In the year 2000 the estimate was that there were around 400 boats on the Coconut Milk run (Across the Pacific). Through the Red Sea I'd reckon on a couple hundred boats a season. And there are untold real individuals who get out and follow their own drum and go to the places we never hear of. I was lucky enough to get up to Shetlands (solo) when I went last time. Right now refitting my new/old boat for the the next foray- ex NZ via the Horn to Faulklands to Brazil for the Olympics

[jenny2]

2 drops of water in your nose that's it in a empty bathtub

[SV Windrush II]

Ok regardless of how many miles offshore we have sailed, I am sure there is much we can learn from each other. For example, I would be glad to share some living aboard tips and boat repair techniques, and I can learn some tips from some of you that have crossed oceans that we plan to do next year

Sent from my SGH-T999L using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[jenny2]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Well Jenny, I guess your a regular sailing rockstar. Glad you can contribute so much knowledge.

I'm lost

[jenny2]

To me this is a dirty thread

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by jenny2

To me this is a dirty thread

So why you don't keep your trash home and stay away?

Me, 1000 miles offshore north Atlantic in november..

[overtheseas]

Sorry? i just don't get this thread. I thought the original purpose was to discover how many people were actually sailing long distance. Rather, it seems to be some sort of point scoring. Sorry leave me out of that stuff- thanks all the same. See you out on the briny folks.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by overtheseas

Sorry? i just don't get this thread. I thought the original purpose was to discover how many people were actually sailing long distance. Rather, it seems to be some sort of point scoring. Sorry leave me out of that stuff- thanks all the same. See you out on the briny folks.

I think I can say, no.. I CAN state that my going 200 miles offshore fishing in Florida does not make me a sailor. I can even tell you why.

Pick destination. enter co-ordinates in plotter. Push button.
Do boat prechecks, press sniffers wait for gas fume check and push start.
Check fridge for food and drink.
Check weather.
arrange where friends sleep on the 40 footer...
Final check on fishing gear and sunblock.
gently exit marina/bay.
Push throttles to cruise, put on autopilot. set RADAR to 10 miles, sit back in chair and look around for next few hours.
Fish.. Sleep.... fish...
reverse procedure and come home 2 days later.

I also have a bit of sailing experience.. took a yacht from UK to Mallorca the long way round in '86.

Does this make me a sailor? naah... I know the mechanics, can read a chart, plot a course on the chart, know some rules and have a heap of books on what and when to do the things that I have to... and can trim a mean sail to the wind angle. I dont know all the words or intuitively understand what Im supposed to do in any given situation but manage in the main to sort it out. I went to college for yachtmasters but dont have enough practical to mesh it together instinctively.

Yet.. Im told that I am a sailor by people who come with me and feel confident in my abilities.

Im not sure if 2 years sailing around the world will make me a "sailor"...... it will give me more experience that is for sure, and a lot more time fixing 'stuff' but a sailor?
Im happiest coastal or big Lakes and maybe a week offshore in the Med, and that in sight of or no more than 50 miles away from land.

I dont want to cross the Atlantic or the Pacific.

Im not a sailor. But I do like messing in boats.... a lot.

[capttman]

Why 200, several reasons but mostly to make a point. Many haven't seen how wonderful it is off shore and how brutal it is off shore. Read the intent people not the detail..

[weavis]

Originally Posted by capttman

Why 200, several reasons but mostly to make a point. Many haven't seen how wonderful it is off shore and how brutal it is off shore. Read the intent people not the detail..

Hey Capt..
how easy is your boat to single hand?

Never mind.. I found comments you made on it elsewhere on the site and also your blog.

LOVELY boat.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by capttman

Why 200, several reasons but mostly to make a point. Many haven't seen how wonderful it is off shore and how brutal it is off shore. Read the intent people not the detail..

In support of the 'wonderful' side of the discussion (if you consider sailing by Yanmar wonderful):

200nm west of Key West, Florida - the middle of the GOM, on morning watch at sunrise.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by DotDun

In support of the 'wonderful' side of the discussion (if you consider sailing by Yanmar wonderful):

200nm west of Key West, Florida - the middle of the GOM, on morning watch at sunrise.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by capttman

Why 200, several reasons but mostly to make a point. Many haven't seen how wonderful it is off shore and how brutal it is off shore. Read the intent people not the detail..

If you say so Cap.

I perceived the intent to be to snarkier than you're indicating now, and my reading of the thread suggests ya didn't get more than a couple of catty supporters.

Maybe gentlemen don't sail to windward, sir, but sailors do.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by jenny2

are u mad we caught your fish

Are you arguing with yourself?

[s/v Beth]

To me this thread is a troll. What if I made a statement like "you cannot be a real sailor unless you have your own cruiser, or you've gone through proper training and are certified....
I would probably get the same amount of outrage and posting.
OK, so you caught us, ha ha!
Now let us go, after all we're just little fish. There may not be a true sailor in the bunch!