My first Solo Distance Sail

[seasalt2012]

Howdy Yáll,
I am the proud owner of a Bayfield 25. A great little boat, lacks on speed but makes up for it with good looks and seakeeping ability. I am planning on vacationing to Pensacola, Florida in the spring... and would not mind having my boat there! Most likely just a long weekend type deal.
Anyways, I have ample time off, my fiance'not so much. So, I'll be doing a solo sail all the way there. Its about 110 miles from my harbor to the Condo (with pier and boat slip provided), so at roughly 4 knots that is about a 27.5-28 hour sail.

2 options- ICW or coastal. Both are the same option really until you hit Mobile. Then the inland ICW picks back up.

I can easily stay awake that long but would need a big nap when I get there, and I would rather hit the ground running. My only electronics are a chart plotter, depth finder, radio, an an auto-tiller. The water pump is electric for the motor and ran off the battery. The previous owner rigged this up and it seems to work well.

I have never ran them much due to the fact that I am terrified of running out of battery power to start the engine if needed. I have a single deep cycle battery and a single starting battery, with the alternator charging both. Also, a single solar panel just in case (never really had to use it).

Do you think I can run the auto-tiller for a certain amount of time while I catch some shuteye?(30 mins max). I figure I can see 2 miles, and determine what obstructions and/or traffic are ahead. I'm mostly worried about running out of battery power, and getting off course.
Do you have any other advice for me? I appreciate the help!

[Pete7]

What size is the deep cycle battery and is it in good condition? Which auto pilot do you have, presumably a tiller pilot from Raymarine?

Does the yacht have a diesel engine or outboard?

If ICW is an option and you have time in hand, why not plan a stop half way? That way you are not going to fall asleep and stay asleep longer than intended.

Have you had this boat for a while or is it new to you?

Pete

[Pete7]

Maintaining 4 knots with a yacht LWL of 20ft could be tough, but if it's a diesel then you could run the engine on tick over to just keep the speed up. This then charges the batteries to run all the electrics.

Scrub the bottom just before you go to keep the speed up.

Plan the meals in advance so they only need warming up and take lots of snacks in a tupperware box kept in the cockpit to nibble on.

Don't forget the camera and video the trip.

Pete

[seasalt2012]

Pete,
Thanks for the reply!
As for the boat, I have had it 1.5 years. She has sat in harbor most of that time. I purchased her to live on while the Fiance'(Then Girlfriend) had an internship in Miami. So, instead of staying in Texas by myself during my time off (I work 1 month on, 1 month off on my current vessel), I purchased the bayfield and keep her close to Family in Bay Saint Louis, MS.
I have had her on a dozen day sails, and one sail to/from Cat Island (26 miles round trip).
She has a Yanmar YSE8 diesel that runs. It didn't for a long time and I traced the problem to old fuel and a failed lifter. After those were replaced it took another while to get the fuel system primed.
Now, that I live in Bay Saint Louis permanently, I am able to give the boat the proper attention she deserves.

New bottom job coming this month, so she shoudl be clean. I can probably motor sail the whole way, seeing as that yanmar burns next to nothing!

The auto pilot is a raymarine autohelm 1000. Batteries are IDK how old, but they stay on a charger/maintainer to keep them at 100 percent. The several times I have had the boat out I have never had a problem with the batteries.

Thats a good point about breaking up the trip, anchoring for the night. I'm sure I can make Dauphin Island pretty easy. But, I want the trip to be as efficient as possible!

Camera will be brough for sure, and I will document the trip. I'm taking the boat on a shakedown overnighter to Cat Island again pretty soon to make sure all is functioning.

[boatman61]

With your engine being diesel no worries about running out of power while motoring as she'll charge at the same time.. while sailing your panel will do the same till the TP knocks it down to 11.5..
If you use the TP full time just start the engine every 3hrs for an hours..
TP's will operate happily for weeks at a time.. as long as they are fed..
Travel dawn till dusk for efficiency and check which sections are affected by strong tides in narrows to time arrivals favourably..

[seasalt2012]

Originally Posted by boatman61

With your engine being diesel no worries about running out of power while motoring as she'll charge at the same time.. while sailing your panel will do the same till the TP knocks it down to 11.5..
If you use the TP full time just start the engine every 3hrs for an hours..
TP's will operate happily for weeks at a time.. as long as they are fed..
Travel dawn till dusk for efficiency and check which sections are affected by strong tides in narrows to time arrivals favourably..

Boatman,
I was thinking about bringing along one of those booster packs (battery cables and power in one) just incase I do run it too low, I can get it up and going again. Good thinking on anchoring overnight, I would rather sail 24hrs/day though.
Maybe I'll nap during the day and stay awake for the 1800-0600 time period

[thomm225]

Why not just test the autopilot over a long weekend without charging the battery with the alternator before you go on your trip if it would make you more comfortable

I have a Simrad TP10 autopilot which uses .5 amps. I have a 100 watt solar panel feeding two 12 volt batteries in parallel thru a $12.00 controller and my system can easily run the autopilot, VHF, depth, GPS and keep the batteries charged indefinitely. I also use my computer, charge my phone and jetpack for internet, and run an inverter at each days end. I run a fan all night in Spring, Summer, and Fall off the ac inverter also.

When anchored (and sometimes while sailing) I'll turn everything off (except autopilot when sailing and maybe the radio) so the batteries can charge. Sometimes I'll turn everything off while sailing, let the depowered autopilot hold the tiller and make slight adjustments with the main from time to time to hold course

I don't have a start battery. I don't have an alternator. I don't hookup to shore power when I return.

My solar alone should run all my electronics easily. What size solar panel do you have?

[Snore]

As the super conservative guy around here, what is "plan b".

Can you/have you hand started the engine?

How many watts is the solar panel?

For a few hundred dollars you can buy a second battery, switch, etc and have a two battery boat.

That said, sounds like a fun first trip.

[fryewe]

seasalt, if you check the pilot charts I think you'll find the preponderance of the clear weather winds along the coast near Mobile and Pensacola are southeasterly, and you may find yourself beating to light weather for much of your trip if outside. Clear weather winds will be relatively light, especially in the morning. When the frequent spring cold fronts blow through, the winds will be from SW to NW, sometimes be quite strong during and for a day or two after the storm line passes, and with increasing lightning during storms as the spring progresses (I'm sure you know most of this since you live down here), and you will avoid these by watching the weather.

You're going to be "outside" but in Mississippi Sound from BSL to Dauphin Island, and north of Dauphin Island to the entrance into the canal at Bon Secour is sailable, as is Wolf Bay through Perdido Bay, and sometimes into Big Lagoon, so you'll be able to sail much of the way even if you stay inside. If you stay outside after Mobile, you can still duck into the ICW at Perdido Pass if needed.

With your expected sailing speed and likely low to moderate southeasterlies, I would plan on no more than a two and a half knot speed of advance and wouldn't go outside. There's a bit of traffic, and your estimated 28 hour trip is likely to be more like 40-50 hours. If you have southeasterlies, port tacks will give you zero distance made good toward your destination, and easterlies will require you sail 70 miles of southing during the trip to get a fair course into Pensacola Pass.

Since you are planning to go when no cold front is forecast, west end of Dauphin Island is a good anchorage and is over 50 miles and would break the trip up well...and if you get perfect conditions you can sail to Bon Secour Bay and anchor, another 25 nm. It's a good anchorage that you can get in pretty close to Alabama Point to block easterlies and southeasterlies, and where you can get far enough off the ICW to get out of the wakes of passing boats. From Bon Secour it's an easy 25 more nm inside to Pensacola Pass using the waterway, and another 5 or 6 up to Pensacola proper, or Bayou Chico, and other nearby destinations.

Good luck.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by fryewe

seasalt, if you check the pilot charts I think you'll find the preponderance of the clear weather winds along the coast near Mobile and Pensacola are southeasterly, and you may find yourself beating to light weather for much of your trip if outside. Clear weather winds will be relatively light, especially in the morning. When the frequent spring cold fronts blow through, the winds will be from SW to NW, sometimes be quite strong during and for a day or two after the storm line passes, and with increasing lightning during storms as the spring progresses (I'm sure you know most of this since you live down here), and you will avoid these by watching the weather.

You're going to be "outside" but in Mississippi Sound from BSL to Dauphin Island, and north of Dauphin Island to the entrance into the canal at Bon Secour is sailable, as is Wolf Bay through Perdido Bay, and sometimes into Big Lagoon, so you'll be able to sail much of the way even if you stay inside. If you stay outside after Mobile, you can still duck into the ICW at Perdido Pass if needed.

With your expected sailing speed and likely low to moderate southeasterlies, I would plan on no more than a two and a half knot speed of advance and wouldn't go outside. There's a bit of traffic, and your estimated 28 hour trip is likely to be more like 40-50 hours. If you have southeasterlies, port tacks will give you zero distance made good toward your destination, and easterlies will require you sail 70 miles of southing during the trip to get a fair course into Pensacola Pass.

Since you are planning to go when no cold front is forecast, west end of Dauphin Island is a good anchorage and is over 50 miles and would break the trip up well...and if you get perfect conditions you can sail to Bon Secour Bay and anchor, another 25 nm. It's a good anchorage that you can get in pretty close to Alabama Point to block easterlies and southeasterlies, and where you can get far enough off the ICW to get out of the wakes of passing boats. From Bon Secour it's an easy 25 more nm inside to Pensacola Pass using the waterway, and another 5 or 6 up to Pensacola proper, or Bayou Chico, and other nearby destinations.

Good luck.

Lots of great information here, but one question -- why do you think he'll only make 2 knots?

Single handed on a trip like that, I would not put up with 2 knots. I would motor or motor sail and keep the speed up. In that boat, I would think that 4 or 5 knots should not be a problem, assuming his inboard diesel is in order.

The Bayfield 25 is a lovely, lovely little vessel -- Gozzard design. Built like a brick house and no speed demon, but plenty of sail area and should be able to crank out the miles at 5 knots with any kind of wind.

[fryewe]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Lots of great information here, but one question -- why do you think he'll only make 2 knots?

With easterlies or southeasterlies, sailing (not motorsailing), I suggested he would only make 2.5 knots toward his destination. Boat is capable of 5 to 6 in good wind.

March wind rose for Northern GOM...winds are from the eastern hemisphere over 80 per cent of the time, and average force 4....

N. GOM Wind Rose March.pdf

Not sure if that link will work, but the Pilot Charts are available for download at

http://www.offshoreblue.com/navigation/pilot-charts.php

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Lots of great information here, but one question -- why do you think he'll only make 2 knots?

A friend with a Bayfield 29 spent a year outfitting his boat to head south. He bought every conceivable thing he might need...all chain rode, anchors, extra fuel storage, extra water storage, spare parts, tools, etc. By the time he was done, the boat would only make 3 knots at WOT. He lost a cylinder before he had gone 100 miles. I remember a beautiful sailing day where I literally sailed circles around him with my Cal25. he had full sail up, but just wasn't moving. Its the downside of "lots of storage space".

Knowing your boat is a big part of sailing. The "big trip" should not be your first trip. Best to work up to it. That way you know your engine will start, you know what speed you can average, you know how your boat will behave.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by fryewe

seasalt, if you check the pilot charts I think you'll find the preponderance of the clear weather winds along the coast near Mobile and Pensacola are southeasterly

You only get southeasterly winds after a front goes through.

The Prevailing Wind in late Spring, Summer, and early Fall there are SSW-SW. It normally starts like clockwork each day between 11am-1pm

I learned that because I raced there 10 months out of the year for about 12 years and my apartment was on the water.

We used to sail to Pensacola Beach every weekend and the return was awesome on a Nacra 6.0 with a 12-14 knot SW wind which it almost always was. My son and his friends sailed a Hobie 16 over and back as teenagers ages 12-15 looking for "women!"

Now if there is a front coming through like in early Spring you will get northerly and easterly winds

We also raced to Ship Island and Horn Island along the Mississippi Coast. I used to go way west coming out that channel in front of the casinos in Biloxi before tacking then ride the SW Winds right out to the island.

And since the wind was still clocking west, I would gain on the other boats which had tacked earlier the whole trip out.

[thomm225]

Actually the prevailing wind in my experience rotates with the Sun during the warm months

It's NE in the morning, then goes to SE, then S or directly SSW or SW.

On many of the 100 mile Round the Island Races out of Ft Walton Beach in early September where the gun goes off at 0700, the start to Destin is a beat into the light NE wind which rotates around.

Sometimes there is a lull around 1000 then it will come back up out of the South or SSW and rotate to SW and increase as the day continues.

[Dockhead]

Piece of cake. Provided you have decent weather.

Single handed, I would go well offshore -- out of sight of land -- and sail nonstop -- if there's a decent sailing wind. Do you have radar? If you have decent radar set, set the guard zones and cat nap in the cockpit with an egg timer. If you don't have radar, then I would not sleep. There's a lot of carp out in the Gulf you can hit if you're not careful. Be particularly careful to route yourself well away from any oil rigs, but there's also a lot of fishing activity, so without radar -- no sleeping.

If you're not up for that, or there's no sailing wind (common in the Gulf), then take the ICW and stop half way.

Simples.