Is it Possible to Go Blue Water in a 13 Foot Guppy?

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Jentine

Go for it!!!! We need to thin the herd.

IMO its a certain way of improving the genetic pool. Just annoying when others lives are put at risk attempting to save people like this.
Gotta be a troll though.

[Snore]

To the OP, yes the boat can probably do it. But the fact that you have to ask, indicates that you do not have the skills to pull it off. As others have pontificated, this is a risky venture. The odds of catastrophic failure are high, the only thing that will keep this from ending badly (you being fish food) is your skills. But clearly you do not YET possess those skills.



Bill

PS- why do some feel a need to pee in people's Cheerios? There are much nicer ways to say no than the ways many have said so.

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

No worries I read the book a fair while ago. It's a fascinating story.

I agree great book and a fascinating fellow who had a dream and followed it without sponsors or fanfare. He just did it!

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

The only way to prep for a voyage like this is to spend 3 months aboard in your driveway (never get off of the boat and speak to no one).

This actually makes sense to me. Safer, dryer, no saltwater sores on yer butt. No big expense or begging for sponsers. Better in every way. OP should have just tried it for a week without comment. Gotta hunch his wife won't mind. I know the OP's married; it can breed this kind of desperation.

Another cure for this kind of thinking is actually reading the various books of the early circumnavigators. It worked on me. Not just Manry but the big boat guys too.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

.......
Gotta hunch his wife won't mind. I know the OP's married; it can breed this kind of desperation.

Hasn't bred any desperation here after 33 years LOL .

[Bash]

Originally Posted by pete2169

I have just installed a lightweight lithum battery pack and 180 watts of solar pannels that I built in to the top of the cabin.

180 watts of solar on a 13' boat!

Photos, please. (Which might also be an easy way to dispel the troll accusations.)

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Hasn't bred any desperation here after 33 years LOL .

Un huh. We heard you the first time!

[Cruiser2B]

Originally Posted by pete2169

I have a 13 foot guppy pocket cabin cruiser sailboat, It has dual saltwater electric motors and 160 lbs of thrust. I have just installed a lightweight lithum battery pack and 180 watts of solar pannels that I built in to the top of the cabin. I beefed up the riging and the hull to handle heavier conditions. I was hoping to take on the coconut milk run in 2013. Do you think it would be crazy to try? I have sailed it around in lakes, but I have never taken to the ocean. It has a wide beam for it's length and is pretty stable in choppy waters. I would like to sail it to the Vava'u Island group in Tonga. I have heard that someone crossed the atlantic with one in the 70's. I was thinking it would be possible to make it if I had others nearby to help me if I got into trouble. any ideas?

I say that if you feel you and your boat are ready then go. No one here knows the condition of your boat better than you. Sound like she has been taken care of and has mods to make her motor well, how able sailing? Go if you feel she is ready. Posting a question like that will yield no real good usable info. You will have a bunch of naysayers and fear monger posts when they have never been on or seen your boat. It is small and would be one hell of a ride but if you can keep her afloat.....and have enough nads to go...then go.

[sailronin]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Any ideas? hell yes I have an idea: this is an ill considered proposal and one in which you blithely expect "others nearby" to bail you out when it goes pear shaped.

Your plan (if you can call this a plan) deliberately putts others in the position of having to risk themselves for your foolishness.

This is selfish, inconsiderate and foolhardy and deserves to be nixed by the CG as a manifestly unsafe voyage.

I'm sorry to be so negative, but someone needs to burst your bubble.

Cheers,

Jim

I agree with Jim on all but one point. Instead of nixing the voyage, the Coast Guard should confiscate all signaling equipment (EPIRB, flares, radios, etc) and then wish them bon voyage. I believe a large percentage of these "stunt" voyages would never begin if the "performer" knew that no one was going to come to the rescue. And for those who still get underway, natural selection is a wonderful thing.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by sailronin

I agree with Jim on all but one point. Instead of nixing the voyage, the Coast Guard should confiscate all signaling equipment (EPIRB, flares, radios, etc) and then wish them bon voyage. Natural selection is a wonderful thing.

Here's a thought: maybe we need a rule that you're not allowed to push the big red botton if your LWL does not exceed wave height.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Bash

Here's a thought: maybe we need a rule that you're not allowed to push the big red botton if your LWL does not exceed wave height.

I'm still betting if the OP tries my proposed driveway stunt the questions about the proposed trip will change.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Cruiser2B

I say that if you feel you and your boat are ready then go. ... It is small and would be one hell of a ride but if you can keep her afloat.....and have enough nads to go...then go.

Nabs are good but I'd take some canned foods and ramen noodles too, for variety.



Nabs
Many snack cracker products manufactured by Lance are commonly referred to as "Nabs", a genericized trademark name for Nabisco snack crackers. The term originated in 1924 when the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) introduced a snack, put in a 5-cent sealed packet called "Peanut Sandwich Packet". They soon added a second, "Sorbetto Sandwich Packet". These packets allowed salesmen to sell to soda fountains, road stands, milk bars, lunch rooms, news stands etc. Sales increased and in 1928 the company adopted and started to use the name NAB, which immediately won the approval of the public.[5]

[brantleychuck]

So what we have here is a Teaching moment. Not sure why the blog thing inspires folks to be so mean spirited. If this dreamer was standing in front of you would you say the things you write?. So instead of being just plain nasty, point out the good and bad. Help the Guy come up with a plan. He has a dream why just stomp on the guy? What do you meanies get from doing that?
I fixed up a Hurricane wrecked boat w/o ever having worked on a boat. I almost got stuck after crawling into a storage locker to fix something, I thought I was going to have to get extricated by the Fire dept. I guess I should have had to post a Bond before I began working on the wreck!
I began my cruising by heading east along the ICW in the Florida panhandle. I had not sailed before so I asked about the " big crossing" I would have to make from Carrabel over to Tarpon springs, 160 miles in the open Gulf. 20% of the Old Cogers I talked with replied with " You are going to die" I few took the time to show me weather sites so I could get a handle on the weather, wave heights, etc, and talk strategy's. Tell me of there experiences while out there .One sailor pointed out that my spreders looked a little funny, angled up. He helped me fix the problem and ended up being a treasured freind and sailing buddy.
I will never forget that sail, it was down right magical. I wrote of that experience here gulfcrossing

That trip was the beginning of heading to the Bahamas, Isla Mujera, Belize, Roatan. I had a dream and a old wrecked boat I bought on ebay w/o having laid eyes on it. I am sure if I had asked a sailing blog " Hey GUYS, I have zero sailing experience and never have worked on a boat. i saw this wreck of a boat on ebay I am thinking of buying and sailing to Honduras, what do you think?"
It matters to me not if this whole thread is made up. It is a Teaching moment. A place to talk of dreams and a bit of harsh reality for sure. I just do not think we have to be MEAN or BULLY'S about it. And I have little ideas about why you would want to.

Chuck S/V Perrovida IF36

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Nabs are good but I'd take some canned foods and ramen noodles too, for variety.



Nabs
Many snack cracker products manufactured by Lance are commonly referred to as "Nabs", a genericized trademark name for Nabisco snack crackers. The term originated in 1924 when the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) introduced a snack, put in a 5-cent sealed packet called "Peanut Sandwich Packet". They soon added a second, "Sorbetto Sandwich Packet". These packets allowed salesmen to sell to soda fountains, road stands, milk bars, lunch rooms, news stands etc. Sales increased and in 1928 the company adopted and started to use the name NAB, which immediately won the approval of the public.[5]

A couple packs of Nabs and some RC cola, and a couple big Nads also!

[Cruiser2B]

Originally Posted by Cruiser2B

I say that if you feel you and your boat are ready then go. No one here knows the condition of your boat better than you. Sound like she has been taken care of and has mods to make her motor well, how able sailing? Go if you feel she is ready. Posting a question like that will yield no real good usable info. You will have a bunch of naysayers and fear monger posts when they have never been on or seen your boat. It is small and would be one hell of a ride but if you can keep her afloat.....and have enough nads to go...then go.

Nads= balls= enough testicular fortitude to go to sea in a 13ft boat.