Alex,
While I'm flattered to be asked to contribute (and I will), I'm not so sure that "carnage" is a good way to describe things...
Quote:
Originally Posted by atoll
With the transatlantic crossing season beggining soon i thought it might be an idea to discuss ways and means to avoid some of the carnage that happens every year.
no doubt there will be members preparing at the moment for the passage that generally starts with vessels leaving the caribean late april,and the east coast of usa in may.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atoll
perhaps Ka4wja would like to comment on the weather and why it causes so many problems.
perhaps others would add comments on preperation,and hind sight from previous trans atlantic's that might be of benifit to passagemakers this year
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------ First off, no matter how much fact is presented a thread like this will also have a good deal of opinion in it, but as long as we all recognize that when it comes to opinions there is no "right" or "wrong", we should be able to provide lots of good/helpful info (and maybe even consensus)...
So, with that said here are some of my thoughts....
1) Based on my experience and my knowledge of others' experiences,
most boats will take much more abuse than their captains/crew can take...
Yes on an
Atlantic crossing,
gear might break, chafe will happen, your vessel may suffer some serious wear 'n tear, etc. but in general
most boats will survive just fine...(the worst thing a typical
boat crossing the Atlantic would need to contend with, would be an incompetent captain/crew...
2) Notwithstanding the above comment (#1), perhaps the most misunderstood
concept is just how much toll, the constant 24/7 use, for weeks at a time (in what can be a fairly rough environment), takes on systems on-board....
--- Being able to secure all hatches and
ports, from the sea, wind/waves/rain/spray/etc. as well as all thru-deck plates,
rigging chainplates, etc. is very important!!
(not the least of which is to ensure good crew morale and adequate sleep....who likes to sleep on a wet bunk, or when dripped on!!)
Before you leave, use the
dock hose with a hi-pressure nozzle to check every
hatch, port, opening, etc...if it
leaks at all, fix it now or be prepared for the hassles at sea...
Making sure your thru-hulls are secure and you can close-off seacocks as needed (and/or only open the ones needed), and have wooden plugs at the ready by each thru-hull....
And having the
plug at the ready for the
boat speed paddle-wheel and/or
depth transducer, as well, is important....
I heard from a
captain of a Swan 46 (?), whose boat came down off a wave in the N. Atlantic and "pop"....the boat speed
transducer was forced right out of its thru-hull fitting and they had a geyser shooting sea
water at a quite high volume all over the boat (filled the
bilge and were wading thru
water on the
cabin sole, by the time they got it plugged!!), so don't forget the plugs for those thru-hull transducers!!
Check your stuffing box,
shaft seal, etc....and be prepared to act should a leak or failure occur....(I've know some say that they check their stuffing boxes everyday when
offshore....but to me that's overkill...)
--- Yes, chafe of running
rigging is usually the first thing mentioned, and yes it can occur, especially if lines are not run fair and smooth...but even if you do have good blocks, well set-up, etc. it can still happen...
The main
halyard as it comes off the masthead sheave is one often overlooked place to check very carefully before departure, for any issues....make sure the line runs smooth and free, and doesn't come off the sheave at a great angle when the sail is let out for a downwind run, etc..(your
sailmaker and/or rigger, can be of great help here, should you find an issue...)
Don't forget to check your main preventers and vang, as well...
Understand that 2 - 3 weeks of 24/7 sailing with good
wind in the
sails will cause more chafe issues, and possibly do more damage, than a 5+ years of normal sailing / coastal cruising / island hopping....this is often a surprise to some, but it is a fact!!!
--- Standing rigging also gets a real
work out here...
If it's not rusty, many folks just assume their standing rigging is fine...and many times they're correct....but that doesn't tell the whole story...
While not a common occurrence, breaking a rigging wire does happen...(usually at a terminal, caused by
corrosion inside a swage, etc.), so having a "rigging inspection" (and replace suspect rigging / terminals) before you leave is a good idea...
And, many will also bring with then a coil of rigging wire and terminals, long enough to replace the longest stay on-board....although now-a-days carrying a length of synthetic rigging
rope and ready with appropriate attachment, is a better way to go!!
Bottom line is...old, suspect standing rigging can be a cause of some REALLY bad things happening at sea....check it out / replace as necessary, before you leave!!
---
Sails themselves can suffer issues...
Whether reef point cringles being torn, or sail slides breaking....or torn webbing, etc. anywhere the stress/forces are concentrated is an area of concern BEFORE you shove off across the Atlantic...
Make a very close
inspection of these areas, as well as where your
mainsail may touch the spreaders, etc. (have spreader chafe patches sewn-in if your
sailmaker think necessary).
Also have a look at your
genoa and its leech, where it may contact the spreaders....make sure it is in good shape and
repair as needed....
(or have your sailmaker go over your whole suite of sails, since this is a sort-of "pay me now or, PAY me later" situation...)
Remember that 2 - 3 weeks of 24/7 sailing with good
wind in the sails will cause more sail issues, and possibly do more damage, than a 5+ years of normal sailing / coastal cruising / island hopping....this is often a surprise to some, but it is a fact!!!
--- Spreader boots are a must for most boats with overlapping genoas...
And, while many modern boats look odd with "baggy wrinkles", some like 'em to keep their sails from chafing on the shrouds, etc...
--- Make damn sure all your reefing systems, lines, blocks, sheaves, rollers, swivels, etc. are ALL smooth and free....especially when under load...
Those of you like me, with single-line reefing systems, should take extra time to evaluate your
mainsail reefing system and make every effort to remove as much friction as possible now, and test your system out under load / with a decent wind, before you
head across an ocean....as trying to pull in a reef when still sailing at/near
hull speed (which you might do a sunny / blustery day in Biscayne Bay) is going to be a bitch when in 12' - 15' sea in the middle of the night in the N. Atlantic....
Now, yeah heading into the wind is what some may tell 'ya, but this may introduce anger/frustration in the off-watch crew and/or cause more issues if you end up lying-a-hull, etc. when trying to do it...
Oh, and of course if you've waited this long to put in your reef, yeas you're already too late.. BUT...
But, let's be serious here....we've all heard the adage "if you're thinin' 'bout reefin', 'ya already too late"....but how many of us really abide by thisin our daily sailing??? (not many I suspect....so, the chances are that you WILL find yourself way over-canvased and you'll need to put in a reef later than you should, and in rougher conditions that you have probably ever done!!!)
So, for the love of all you hold dear....please have your reefing systems sorted-out before you leave to cross the Atlantic!!!
--- Make darn sure your roller furlers are working smooth and easy, and all
furling lines are lead fair and smooth...(I can furl my > 550 sq ft genny, sitting down at the
helm, with one hand...even with some wind in the sail....if your
furler isn't smooth, check it out now!!!)
Also, make sure that your
genoa doesn't rub/chafe against the pulpit,
lifelines, spreaders,
radar radome, etc....
And, make sure you genoa cars and blocks run smooth and free (and if you have adjustable genoa cars, maker sure you can easily adjust them and that you know how/when to do so...)
--- Steering systems....
It seems that
steering systems get overlooked by many....(that "hey it's worked great fro years" approach can find you with serious steering issues in the N. Atlantic!!)
Here are some FACTS...
a) If you can accomplish these 3 things, you and your boat will survive just fine..
- Keep the water on the outside of the boat...
- Keep the
mast pointing up...
- Keep the sails in one piece and attached to the boat
I addressed these 3 concepts above...
b) If you can do this additional thing, you'll make it to shore just fine...
- Keep the boat pointed in the right direction (which usually requires ONLY a functioning steering system and a compass)
This is addressed by the steering system...(and having a decent steering
compass...hopefully one that has been professionally deviated)
So, when it comes to steering system....while every boat is a bit different, they all have rudders and some way to turn 'em!!
Most have chain/cables, sheaves/pulleys. running from a
wheel to the quadrant on the
rudder post....as well as some form of self-steering /
autopilot...(and hopefully an
emergency tiller)
Edson is a great source of info on steering systems and their
maintenance, even if you don't have an
Edson steering system....
And, while I can't go over all the checks/maintenance here, just
cleaning and lubing the
cables and sheaves, AND tensioning the
cables properly will do a LOT to improve the
reliability of your steering system...
Also, the quadrant /
rudder post attachment, rudder post bearings,
autopilot tiller arm and autopilot drive brackets, are all things that should not only be checked but given due assessment for the significant additional stresses that the constant 24/7 use, for weeks on end, will impart on them...
Bottom line here, understand that your steering system IS going to be stressed more in one Atlantic crossing than it would be in probably 10 years of coastal sailing / island hopping, etc...
Do NOT assume all is well with it...
3) Some other thoughts about systems, items, things, etc...
--- An eastbound Atlantic crossing is not a trade-wind
route, and with vessels generally leaving from the lower latitudes of the
Caribbean, the SE US, and mouth of the Chesapeake, this means you're likely to be doing some windward sailing (or at least much more than those on the "Milk Run" do!)
On this eastbound
passage it unlikely that you'll need to pole-out your genoa, so placing your whisker pole on the
deck, stowing below, or not having one at all, will give you less weight/windage aloft and give you more room to
work on rigging / sail issues at the
mast, if/when they arise...
--- There are lots of things that can start being "cranky" when at sea for weeks at a time...especially when being used 24/7, and/or being subjected to the constant 24/7 motion of the sea/wind for weeks at a time...
- Your main boom gooseneck comes to mind....have a look at it now...nake sure it is secure and moves smoothly....and lubricate it well before leaving... {A true story here, when sailing on my
current boat from Lanzorte, Canary to the USVI, one night my brother came up into the
cockpit during my watch, in his underwear and a PFD/Harness, with a can of Boeshield and some paper towels....he proceeded to tell me his "plan" to stop the "frigging creaking" of the gooseneck so he could get some sleep!!! (the
head of his bunk was right next to the mast)....I watched from the
cockpit as he carefully made his way along the
jacklines, and to the mast and secured him self to the padeyes there....and then spent just a few seconds spraying Boeshield on the gooseneck and pin...as I pulled the sheet in and let it out, a few times....he went below and went to sleep....a week and half later (after 3 days of sailing thru Tropical Storm Olga), we were eating fresh lobster in
Anegada, before heading to St. Thomas....I checked the gooseneck before we left
Gibraltar, but I hadn't lubed it....it took a week or two at sea to make "creak"...}
- Other things are macerator pumps, watermakers, hose clamps and
plumbing fittings, etc...
- Even some
electrical connections may have issues....poor
wiring crimps, loose terminal screws, etc.
Remember that 2 - 3 weeks of 24/7
offshore sailing with good wind in the sails will cause issues, and possibly do more damage, than a 5+ years of normal sailing / coastal cruising / island hopping....this is often a surprise to some, but it is a fact!!!
4) There are many more things, but I need to move on to
weather, etc...
You'll notice I didn't even mention weather in any of the above...strange you think???
Not really....because if you can't keep the sea water on the outside, keep the mast up, keep the sails in one piece, and keep the boat pointing in the correct direction...then any talk of weather / weather systems is moot!!!
So, PLEASE read over the brief synopsis above, again....and understand it, before reading my thoughts on weather systems...
Okay....now onto the good stuff...
(and, understand that even I can't write everything here...at least not in one sitting
a) Jack Tyler (who wrote this wonderful page about Atlantic crossings) is a MUCH better writer than I am!!!
And, even though he wrote this 11 years ago, it is still valid...
So, read his thoughts/observations/advice thoroughly...
Routes to the Azores
b) If I could get across only 5 points about weather, to those prepping for an Atlantic crossing, they would be:
1 --- There is no such thing as a "weather window" to sail across the Atlantic...(nothing wrong with waiting for nice weather and decent
forecast, before departing...but after a few days, you'll simply be sailing with the weather that's out there, and use what weather info you have to improve your VMG and comfort...accept that now and don't worry!!!)
2 --- In the past decade or two, tropical weather detection and forecasting has gotten a LOT better, especially in the past 5 years or so...
So, all the old adages about "getting out of dodge" before a
hurricane hits, is just old/out-dated whooey!!!
You do NOT need to leave in the springtime in order to avoid tropical weather / hurricanes!!
(yes, many on the west side of the Atlantic wish to
cruise northern
Europe, or even the
Med, in the summertime, so they want to leave the US or
Caribbean early enough to "not miss summer"....but that does NOT need to be April / May...)
Fact is you CAN sail eastbound across the Atlantic for Europe/Med, in June and July just fine!! (I've done it myself...as have many others..)
So, pick your departure / crossing time according to when/where you may wish to arrive and
cruise...AND based on when continental weather systems are diminishing that particular year....
(this can mean a departure in May, or June or July....)
But, do NOT pick your departure / crossing dates based on some arbitrary dates set by others (such as rallies), nor on some out-dated and often very ill-conceived recommendations from guide
books, or boat-show seminars....(ask the guy/gal giving the seminar, when was their last Atlantic crossing, and from where-to-where, at what days/time of year, etc. and of course how many they've made...)
Remember this is not a trade-wind Milk Run, so even the normal west-about circumnavigators can have erroneous info for an eastbound Atlantic crossing...(ever wonder why most sail west around in warm weather???)
Further, most
insurance underwriters are MUCH more concerned that you'll actually make it to
Europe unscathed, than they are of your exact departure dates....but in any case, most would just not cover you for "tropical windstorms" if you are south of 31*N, between July 1st and Nov 1st....
So, there should be NO
insurance issues to worry about...
3 --- Pick your
route across based on YOUR departure point, YOUR planned
destination, and the YOUR weather (upon departure and while enroute)...
If leaving from the SE US, yes take advantage of the
Gulf Stream as best you can (still sailing with the wind that you have, of course), but do not be over concerned about "eddy's" as they DO move around a lot, and the chances of finding a favorable one is slim...
Do NOT make a beeline for 38* - 40* and head east (unless your exact weather at that time forces you to)...but rather understand that with today's sailboats and today's weather forecasts, there is NO reason to venture so far north, especially if heading for the Med!!! (and not even if heading for the Azores!!)
Do NOT pick your route based on some arbitrary routing set by others (such as rallies or "weather routers"), nor on some out-dated and often very ill-conceived recommendations from guide
books, or boat-show seminars....
(ask the guy/gal giving the seminar, when was their last Atlantic crossing, and from where-to-where, at what days/time of year, etc. and of course how many they've made...)
4 --- Understand that there is a wealth of weather information and forecasts easily available to you at sea, for FREE (and of course also available on-line when you're prepping/planning)...
These are synoptic weather
charts....surface
charts, wind/wave charts, and upper air charts....prepared by trained/experienced ocean meteorologists (who, in the US anyway, sign their own name to each forecast!!)
For LOTS of details, please have a look at these threads/discussions....
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1479096
Offshore / Hi-Seas Weather data / forecasts
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ea-103555.html
And, understand that these are NOT Grib's (which are the raw computer model data, with no human interaction, nor editing, etc.), but these synoptic charts are real weather charts, drawn by trained/experienced ocean meteorologists...and are used daily by 1000's of professional mariners and ships at sea, and by 1000's of sailors on private sailboats as well...
5 --- Understand that the "continental weather" coming off N. America, has a significant effect on an eastbound Atlantic crossing, until the Bermuda/Azores High has built-in and become stationary (which can happen as early as May, or as late as August...but typically by late June...)
So, if crossing the Atlantic from the US to Europe earlier than late June, be very aware that it is this "continental weather" behind you that can come up and kick 'ya in the butt...
The fronts and their associated Lows diminish in intensity as you get later in the season....they can be a real bitch in April...still a bit fierce in May...and while usually even less intense in June, they can still pack a wallop!!
{end of June 2007, caught in a full Gale as I headed east about 75-100 miles north of
Bermuda....we got just the tail end of it and had only 12 hours of winds of 40-45kts, and only 24 hours of winds 30-35kts....boats just 100 - 200 miles to my NE, had 50kts+ for > 24 hours....and these are NOT tropical systems, but continental Lows (cold-core Lows) carried swiftly along on a front....and this is at the end of June!!!
BTW, just 3 - 4 days later, on 4th of July....we were all but be-calmed!!!
The Atlantic was as smooth as a bathtub all day long....we listened to some
music, while trying to keep my 1400+ sq ft asym filled with air...after 4+ hours averaging 1.5kts, and after looking at the new weather faxes, I cranked up the
Yanmar and we went looking for wind...found it about dinner time, and before dark we were sailing along just fine....TRUE story!!}
5) Finally there is the "communications" issue/debate....
This is actually my forte....and with 40 some years experience with it, I better be pretty damn good at it, or I'd be a idiot for commenting on it!!
I think I'll simply write another post specifically about
communications on the high seas, etc...
But, 'til then...I'll post a few basic concepts here, along with some VERY IMPORTANT links.....
As for who to contact if you do get in trouble (i.e. need to declare a Mayday / Distress), contact EVERYONE!!!
And, in order:
1- Activate your
EPIRB...(will alert COSPAS-SARSAT and then relevant RCC's)
2- Send out a DSC-Distress on your DSC-Radios (VHF-DSC and HF-DSC)....(note that this will alert all vessels in your area...and when more than 100 -200 miles offshore the US, etc. it is these other vessels that will come to your assistance / rescue!!!)
3- Send a
Distress via INMARSAT-C...(will alert other vessels in your region as well as that regions RCC's)
Only after those systems have been used, would alternative measures be recommended...such as a sat
phone call, InReach device, Spot device, etc...
And, then only if within a a mile or two, try flares / horns, etc...
If you get in trouble, but do NOT require
rescue / are NOT in
distress, the ONLY way to signal for assistance / information / etc. from other vessels is via DSC-Radio....
This will put you in touch with other vessels (and/or shore stations) directly, and allow you to speak with them directly....
Inform them of your troubles, seek assistance, etc...
And, you can actually get help (water,
diesel,
food,
medical advice/assistance, etc.) from these other vessels right there in your area....remember a big container ship running at 20 - 24 kts can cover 500-600 miles in a day...so what might seem like an unobtainable distance (of say 100 miles) can be covered in a few hours, and give you the assistance you require before anyone on shore can even find out who is out there to assist you!!!!
--- EVERY vessel/sailboat must have a VHF-DSC radio, programmed with a gov't issued MMSI#, and connected to a GPS....(I recommend a dedicated GPS for the DSC radios, and recommend leaving this VHF-DSC radio and GPS running 24/7 while at sea...)
--- I recommend that you have a 406mhz, that is properly and recently registered...preferably one that has its own built-in GPS (sometimes called a "GPIRB"...)
EPIRB Activation? What happens/How to improve rescue odds
Please read this thread/discussion, and read the pages that have links provided...
Knowing this information can save your life, or someone else's....and it'll only take you a few minutes!!!
(the Grain de Soleil" incident was what prompted me to investigate further and write the above thread...)
---- If you desire to have long
communications on-board (whether for weather info/forecasts,
safety, distress, ship-to-ship communications, ship-to-shore telephone calls, etc.), I recommend an
Icom M-802 HF-DSC-SSB radio....
Please read these threads/discussions, and watch the videos!!!
Knowing this information can save your life, or someone else's....and it'll only take you a few minutes!!!
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ll-114734.html
Icom M-802 DSC-Distress Signaling, what really happens!
Again, PLEASE read these threads/discussions, and read the pages that have links provided....and watch the videos!!!
Knowing this information can save your life, or someone else's....and it'll only take you a few minutes!!!
EPIRB Activation? What happens/How to improve rescue odds
Icom M-802 DSC-Distress Signaling, what really happens!
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/icom-m-802-instr-videos-basic-adv-and-live-dsc-distress-call-114734.html
Trying to contact an RCC via sat phone can be VERY problematic....and especially so if they're 1st language is not the same as your 1st language!!!
The ONLY way to signal other vessels for advice/information/assistance is via DSC-Radio...(since Jan 1999)
VHF-DSC when within VHF radio range....and HF-DSC when outside VHF radio range....
The ONLY way to signal shore stations (other than the USCG) for advice/information/assistance is via DSC-Radio...
VHF-DSC when within VHF radio range....and HF-DSC when outside VHF radio range....
(the best way to signal the USCG is via DSC-radio)
The best way to signal a Distress / Rescue is via EPIRB, DSC-Radio, and INMARSAT-C....(these are all parts of the GMDSS)
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/marcomms/2MHzDistressWatchkeepingClosureSafetyAlert.pdf
A couple excerpts from USCG radio watch keeping regs...
Quote:
In general, any vessel equipped with a VHF marine radiotelephone (whether voluntarily or required to) must maintain a watch on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) whenever the radiotelephone is not being used to communicate. However, ships, where so equipped, shall, while at sea, maintain an automatic digital selective calling (DSC) watch on the appropriate distress & safety calling frequencies [e.g. channel 70] in the frequency bands in which they are operating. [4207.5khz; 6312khz; 8414.5khz; 12577khz; and 16804.5khz; DSC] If operating in a GMDSS Sea Area A1 may discontinue their watch on channel 16.
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GMDSS regs are the same/similar....
Use of NAVTEX is almost ubiquitous in Europe and it does provide decent
current weather info and 24 hour forecasts for the
Med, etc.
But as you know it only provides weather info for near-offshore waters out to about 200 miles offshore...so while it's good in Europe and the Med and then only for short-term forecasts, it's not of too much use when crossing the Atlantic...
Yeah, there is more (especially regarding communications), but I gotta' go for the moment...
Fair winds to all..
John
s/v Annie Laurie
C470 Projects by Boat Name
KA4WJA - Callsign Lookup by QRZ.COM