Sailing Alone

[guysnell]

I have every interest in sailing the world and never looking back. I am looking to go to kingspoint marine maritime and from there ill make myself enough and buy my boat and off i go. However i would like to sail alone, but on a vessel large enough to do what i want i have some doubts. I will do it and ill find a way because i want to do this more than anything else. I remember scanning the internet for catamarans and i came across something that said it had a type of rigging that you could control completely from the helm. Has anybody heard of this, or another possibility? My heart is set on a catamaran or trimaran but mostly catamarans.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by guysnell

I have every interest in sailing the world and never looking back. I am looking to go to kingspoint marine maritime and from there ill make myself enough and buy my boat and off i go. However i would like to sail alone, but on a vessel large enough to do what i want i have some doubts. I will do it and ill find a way because i want to do this more than anything else. I remember scanning the internet for catamarans and i came across something that said it had a type of rigging that you could control completely from the helm. Has anybody heard of this, or another possibility? My heart is set on a catamaran or trimaran but mostly catamarans.

By "rigging," do you mean the running rigging that controls the sails?

If you're wondering who has heard of that, then you don't have nearly the knowledge you need to do this. You're talking about a suicide mission. You can get away in all sorts of ways without being so very foolhardy.

Did you see the storm coming into the Pacific Northwest? If you don't know how lines are run back to the cockpit, how could you possibly hope to handle such a situation.

Come back to us and tell us about saiing in the Indian Ocean when it gets rough.

There is SOOOO much more to ailing than knowing the bsics of the running rigging and getting it back to the cockpit. I don't BEGiN to claim to know everything one would need to know to go on your trip.

The difference between you and me is that I realize what I don't know. I think you don't know what you don't know, and it's gonna get you into a lot of trouble. You could easily end up with all your running rigging at the cockpit but not know how to free up a sheave so you can use it. You could end up demasted or without rudder in very bad seas. Those are two common scenarios that could have happened to me but did not -- because I started out with ambitious, but not THAT ambitious, goals.

[guysnell]

Im 16 years old, im a junior in high school and i live in the florida keys. Im a an artist who has traveled the world painting with wyland and guy harvey, some of the most acclaimed marine artists in the world. Everything about me is revolved around the ocean. I have never sailed before, but i had never painted before in my life when i was 10 and in 6 years I have my own business, ive traveled to bejing china to paint for the olympics with wyland, among other things and ive made quite a name for myself and am proud of what i have done. If i want to learn how to do something then i will. But i know what i want to do and thats this. I came here for help, not to feel like an idiot. So if wouldnt mind helping, i think i can follow along with what your saying.

[guysnell]

I just wanted to get an idea for what i was thinking. For example what would be the minimum length cat i would need to world travel? I can learn to do anything, ill do anything to learn how to do this. Thats one benefit why im going to the college im going to, it will get me the money i need to do this, i learn how to sail, and i learn how to work on ships and long,long trips at sea. Everything i do revolves around this, dont shoot me down yet.

[pillum]

Guysnell, Raku is right to warn you of the dangers, you asked a stupid question that you could easily have answered yourself just by doing a bit advance research. Painting a picture won't get you killed if you make a silly mistake, sailing oceans singlehanded can.... Easily. Read, do some research, and either take some sailing courses or try to crew for someone, swap your skills for learning theirs, do a painting of their boat for them as a trade for a weekend sailing. Then start to decide what kind of boat you really want, with some knowledge and experience behind the decision. That way you won't ask silly questions.

Oh, by the way, almost any boat, mono or multi-hull can have the running rigging leading back to the cockpit, it's what you do with the lines that counts, not where they lead to.

Welcome to CF and good luck on your quest.

Paul

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by guysnell

Im 16 years old, im a junior in high school and i live in the florida keys. Im a an artist who has traveled the world painting with wyland and guy harvey, some of the most acclaimed marine artists in the world. Everything about me is revolved around the ocean. I have never sailed before, but i had never painted before in my life when i was 10 and in 6 years I have my own business, ive traveled to bejing china to paint for the olympics with wyland, among other things and ive made quite a name for myself and am proud of what i have done. If i want to learn how to do something then i will. But i know what i want to do and thats this. I came here for help, not to feel like an idiot. So if wouldnt mind helping, i think i can follow along with what your saying.

I admire your pluck, and now we know how you will fill your quiet hours -- and what rich information you would have to draw on for your art.

Nevertheless, there is a LOT more to sailing than "If I want to learn how do something, then I will." There are things you have to know extremely well having done them under a wide variety of circumstances BEFORE you get to, for instance, the Indian Ocean in a storm.

Can you tell us what the danger is in misreading your chart and sailing over a volcano?

Why not learn what you need to know in smaller chunks? You can learn a HUGE amount sailing around the keys. Then you can branch out to the Bahamas. You'll still be footloose and fancy free.

Have you looked into what it will cost to prepare a boat for such a trip? If you build your skills over several years you will also have several years to acquire the needed equipment, like the giant wire cutters you'll need to cut your rigging free (hopefully after being able to secure it, but ... not always) after a demasting.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by guysnell

I just wanted to get an idea for what i was thinking. For example what would be the minimum length cat i would need to world travel? I can learn to do anything, ill do anything to learn how to do this. Thats one benefit why im going to the college im going to, it will get me the money i need to do this, i learn how to sail, and i learn how to work on ships and long,long trips at sea. Everything i do revolves around this, dont shoot me down yet.

I have no intention of trying to "shoot you down" -- just help keep you alive long enough to do it.

[Chrisgo]

Yes controls back to the helm are quite commonplace now. In fact, most of the recent advancements in sailboat design, (mono or cat) are geared towards making boat handling easier. By the time you're ready to cast off, I'm sure single handling will be simpler still, (although only if you buy new).

I have no doubt there is a boat that will do what you're looking for. Best you ask more questions rather than have us blather and miss the mark. Otherwise it's like getting the dreaded exam question that states, "Discuss History".

[Ram]

If I was you I would buy a small Hobie cat (18 ft) if its a cat you want and start learning right where you are, have a lot of fun while your learning- you can do it one step at a time !

[rnjpinz]

Guysnell,
I grew up thinking big and holding on to my dreams and making them reality. Roger Olson wrote a book called "Plotting Your Course to Adventure". While this is his independant view, he is someone who has been there and done that. I met him in Annapolis years ago and he told me how he left Miami in a small sloop, by himself, and bucket for a toilet. The book is not just about his adventures, but about his learning experiences and knowledge of everything from anchoring to running lines. . Since you are just starting the process you might check out his book. I think you will enjoy it.

[jmo64]

I think what people are overlooking is that the OP has stated he will be attending Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy. This is a four year university in Long Island,NY whose graduates often choose a career as merchant seamen. A friend's son went on to drive cruise ships and is now an apprentice harbor pilot in NYC.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by jmo64

I think what people are overlooking is that the OP has stated he will be attending Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy. This is a four year university in Long Island,NY whose graduates often choose a career as merchant seamen. A friend's son went on to drive cruise ships and is now an apprentice harbor pilot in NYC.

Were not going to hold this against him !

[Bash]

What you're looking for will often be referred to as "all lines lead aft" in the boat ads. It's generally understood that this only works for the main and jib on a sloop, and that sails such as a spinnaker still need to be set from the foredeck.

My boat, although a monohull, is rigged that way and I consider it a safety factor that I'm able to set, reef and furl all working sails without having to leave the cockpit. It makes shorthanded sailing far more pleasurable.

(I might also mention that I find sailing with crew also makes things far more pleasurable. It's just a matter of finding pleasant crew.)

[oldjags]

I remember well the first time I set off alone to sail around the world. I did not make it, but I have been dreaming about doing it again ever since. My voyage ended early on its first leg when my dad caught up with me heading outbound into the Mississippi sound from Grandma's home in Ocean Springs.

I was only 6, and had not yet mastered all the skills one would need to complete a circumnavigation.

I still haven't. But that hasn't stopped me from dreaming. Good luck!

[mrohr]

Kingspoint has a sailing program and a good rep..Get out on their small craft (and large) and BEGIN your education.Your plan is doable but will take many years to get ready.Best of luck.