Single-handed ocean crossing

[boatman61]

As Sulaire says.. the first 3-5 days are the worst as you re-learn the boats sounds underway.. or as in my case on occasion start from scratch.. the 'Get Up' sounds and the roll over ones..
I never do a sea trial before a delivery as I don't see the point much.. if anythings going to happen it'll happen in the first 3-5 days so a look over the boat is enough prep.. anything happens after that you deal with or improvise best you can.. rig temp stays if one pops etc...
Another thing is.. don't press the boat.. you'll wear yourself out..
You'll still get there.. just less wear and tear on you and the boat.

[Neptune's Gear]

Here is my 2c worth. I've done a bit of single handing , including crossing oceans, racing and cruising. Sleep is one of the most important risks you must manage. It is a little different for everyone, you'll find what suits you.
First a couple of points. A stopped yacht takes up the same sea space as a moving one. Stopping may reduce your possibility of hitting a floating object, but does nothing to prevent you from being run down. A ship can go from horizon to impact in 20 mins or less. Even sleeping 1/2 an hour can be too long. So, to minimise the danger and what works for me, here are my thoughts - for offshore, not coastal!
Good Nav lights are essential, be seen.
Good radar reflector, be seen
AIS transponder - see and be seen. Set realistic guard zones that give you time to wake up, asses the threat, and avoid if required
Radar, with guard zone. See in poor weather, dark and when not on deck.
LOUD alarms for radar and AIS, capable of waking you when really tired, and conditions are noisy.
Great autopilot, best you can get.
Solar, wind, and other charging systems to allow you to run all this, all the time.
In good conditions, sleep as much as you can. Be as ready as possible for long periods of no sleep. I often sleep 4 hours at a time. I've done 36 hours on deck as well.
There is still risk, of course, nothing about ocean sailing is risk free.



Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[conachair]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Plenty of things that go bump in the night that aren't running AIS and that can slip through a yacht radar's guard zones. .
.

Hmmm, not seen many. Still maybe I was snoozing . If it's showing a light then with a full crew you've a chance of seeing it, no lights - forget it, imho.

Big ocean, mostly empty.

Mid ocean I'm usually very well rested, it's the bit closer to land the wears you out.

[RDW]

On pilot charts are the trans ocean shipping routes. It would be good to be a little more aware near these routes.
rdw

[conachair]

Originally Posted by RDW

On pilot charts are the trans ocean shipping routes. It would be good to be a little more aware near these routes.
rdw

Helpful, but I find marine traffic density maps more useful..

AIS Vessel Tracking - AIS Positions Maps | AIS Marine Traffic

[Foolish]

Here is a link to a later edition of my free Singlehanded Tips book, that was mentioned earlier in this discussion:
http://sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/Sin...rdEdition2.pdf

In the published version of the book I discuss Jessica Watson's collision with a ship in detail.

If you speak with my good friend Jeanne Socrates, (who has completed 3 1/2 solo circumnavigations and is about to leave on her 4th), she will tell you how much AIS with alarms has improved the situation. She relies on it constantly. She takes no chances with ships, warning them off by radio if they come anywhere near her course.

[haiqu]

Jeanne is off again? Best wishes to her, I followed her non-stop circumnavigation on the HF radio last time round. Helped me to while away many a night on the mooring in Sydney.

[Foolish]

Jeanne is off again? Best wishes to her

Yes, she's in Victoria now prepping for an October departure. She is already the oldest woman, next she'll be the oldest person, man or woman, to complete the voyage. She's doing lots of interviews on TV and radio right now. Here are a couple:
British sailor to attempt record-setting circumnavigation from Victoria - British Columbia - CBC News
Jeanne Socrates gears up for another circumnavigation - Practical Boat Owner

[Seymore]

Originally Posted by lindabarzini

If someone was going to cross an ocean single-handed, how do they handle sleeping?

You carry a chart of steamship routes. Steamships go on surprisingly narrow tracks, one behind the other.

I bunk down at about 11 pm till sunrise. When I sleep, I wake up every hour or so to roll over, and then I'm motivated to jump up and look around. There's nothing out there, except on the steamship tracks.

When I cross a steamship track, I'm up for 24 hours keeping watch. Then I'll see, maybe, 3 ships. When you see a ship, you know you're on a steamship track.

I set the sails for the weather, and reef at night. There's a wind vane on the boat, working all the time. On an ocean passage I almost set it and forget it. I adjust it every day for the coming weather, but I don't sweat the small stuff. I don't adjust it finely twice a night--that's a racing sailor. If the boat is going to be pointed in the general direction of the port I'm going for, albeit all over the ocean, that's fine, that's as good as wind vanes do.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Seymore

You carry a chart of steamship routes. Steamships go on surprisingly narrow tracks, one behind the other.

Oh no they don't.....


There are simply areas of greater or lesser traffic density .... nada mas.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Seymore

You carry a chart of steamship routes. Steamships go on surprisingly narrow tracks, one behind the other.

Not all of them.....

[barnakiel]

I think a cross jump to here is a good read.

He spent 48hrs making a solo landfall in Durban !!!!!

Moore 24 Circumnavigation - Page 2 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

Cheers,
b.

[ontherocks83]

[QUOTE=Jaden44;2178654]

Originally Posted by lindabarzini

If someone was going to cross an ocean single-handed, how do they handle sleeping?

I'd like the original poster to detail her/his motivation for this post.

I note that the OP started an earlier thread on Jan-25-2016 whereby she (or he) identified the intention to purchase a $800 "junker" of Craigslist. Hardly a suitable vessel to cross oceans single handed. So why post a question about the sleeping routine of solo sailors?? Other CF members have posted responses, no doubt in the belief that their input will be of value to the original poster. However there appears to be no correlation between this thread and the OP's earlier thread on Jan-26-2016.

I'm sure other CF members will be interested in the reply.


lindabarzini 25-02-2016 13:30
Long-term parking in Florida Marinas

If I purchase a boat in Florida (or anywhere on the East Coast), I am thinking it will require 1-2 months in repairs or more. I am thinking about buying a $500-$800 junker off craigslist that works. It would be far cheaper than renting ......

Who cares and what does it matter what her intentions were???? I had to sell my boat last year but am still active here. After day care costs go away and student loans are paid down we are going to be purchasing a new or new to us boat to sail on with our children. So I still ask questions about ocean sailing even though I only own a speed boat right now. Is that ok or should I refrain from asking until I purchase our next sail boat?

Sometimes people just have a question and CF has a lot of people willing to answer it even if it's just a dream to the OP. The funniest part about all this is she does have a boat.

Originally Posted by lindabarzini

Jaden44 - you're an idiot. If you're going to creep on my past messages, at least try to read them. I was talking about buying an $800 CAR off Craigslist, instead of renting a CAR if I was going to spend a month or two on the hard "re-fitting" a boat.

As of now, I am leaning toward an Amel (if I really want to circumnavigate) or possibly a Catamaran if I just want to stay in the Caribbean. Currently, I have a 2005 40' Jeanneau Sun-Odyssey.