Fiberglass and International Travel

[captseamus]

Untreated Seasickness can and does kill... There are many sailors; fishermen and cruising people who are airvac for severe seasickness to the nearest coastal hospitals. Don't underestimate this illness.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by captseamus

Untreated Seasickness can and does kill... There are many sailors; fishermen and cruising people who are airvac for severe seasickness to the nearest coastal hospitals. Don't underestimate this illness.

From dehydration, right?

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

From dehydration, right?

Yes...it leads to constipation and then the MEDEVAC for a diagnosis of appendicitis.

My friend and I MEDEVACed a false "appendicitis case" into Panama one very dark night off a USCG Cutter.

Three friends of mine almost died in severe weather on a MEDEVAC into the Aleutian Islands off a fishing vessel for the same thing.

Sad that something like seasickness can kill multiple victims...

[boatsail]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Thanks for the response. In your opinion, how easy or difficult is a glass repair? Can that be done DIY?

fiberglass is really easy to work with. if you want a crash course to learn how simple, get plans for a small 8 foot dinghy and have at it. you wont spend much money on it, but will learn how the stuff works pretty well by the time you finish. and its fun. i built my first boat with my father when in middle school. got the plans for christmas and had it in hte water for spring. it was a sailing/rowing dory.

[tbodine88]

I'll agree with Zee Hag, finding a good welder, is often difficult. I needed welding done in Antigua and was less than happy with the result.

On the other hand, getting fiberglass supplies in the islands or other third world places can be problematic, I was searching the shelves at one marine store on another island and found that all the resine had been on his shelves for a few years and were dusty to boot. I waited to do that fix until I reached the states.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by boatsail

fiberglass is really easy to work with. if you want a crash course to learn how simple, get plans for a small 8 foot dinghy and have at it. you wont spend much money on it, but will learn how the stuff works pretty well by the time you finish. and its fun. i built my first boat with my father when in middle school. got the plans for christmas and had it in hte water for spring. it was a sailing/rowing dory.

What a clever idea and my kids would get a kick out of building their own boat

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by psneeld

Yes...it leads to constipation and then the MEDEVAC for a diagnosis of appendicitis.

My friend and I MEDEVACed a false "appendicitis case" into Panama one very dark night off a USCG Cutter.

Three friends of mine almost died in severe weather on a MEDEVAC into the Aleutian Islands off a fishing vessel for the same thing.

Sad that something like seasickness can kill multiple victims...

Wow, that's scary.

[Sandero]

When cruising in short stops such as Island hopping in the Caribe, the Canaries or the Med and Adriatic.. and of course coastal cruising YOU pick your weather window and at least cut down the risk of encountering nasty weather and resultant sea sickness as well as boat problems. You have the option of getting a professional crew to deliver the boat across the ocean or even put her on a boat transport and no wear and tear or fuel costs... or sea sickness. Not cheap but there are benefits to the coastal island hopping cruiser. Ocean passages on smallish yachts take a certain type of person and it's very different from coastal. If you think of your boat as a well found coast cruiser and use it as such you will have several problems solved. But you can get sea sick 2 miles from shore too.

BTW... if those are your children... they are treasures... I am sure you are aware of this!

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by defjef

When cruising in short stops such as Island hopping in the Caribe, the Canaries or the Med and Adriatic.. and of course coastal cruising YOU pick your weather window and at least cut down the risk of encountering nasty weather and resultant sea sickness as well as boat problems. You have the option of getting a professional crew to deliver the boat across the ocean or even put her on a boat transport and no wear and tear or fuel costs... or sea sickness. Not cheap but there are benefits to the coastal island hopping cruiser. Ocean passages on smallish yachts take a certain type of person and it's very different from coastal. If you think of your boat as a well found coast cruiser and use it as such you will have several problems solved. But you can get sea sick 2 miles from shore too.

BTW... if those are your children... they are treasures... I am sure you are aware of this!

Yep...usually all boating experiences are somewhat if not totally up to the captain...unfortunately people get seasick even in the ICW...of course there are people with illnesses that are borderline all the time and my heart goes out to them.

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by psneeld

Yep...usually all boating experiences are somewhat if not totally up to the captain...unfortunately people get seasick even in the ICW...of course there are people with illnesses that are borderline all the time and my heart goes out to them.

People get motion sickness in a car too. Let's be reasonable here. GG has a family and has not reported that they are prone to motion sickness. Neither am I. But in rough conditions over 28 years I've been seasick... perhaps 6 times.

The point being that when one is living aboard as she is planning and has no schedule.. she can do her passages in fair weather with less chance of anyone getting seasick if they have a normal tolerance to motion sickness.

For a long passage such as to get the boat to Europe she has the option of flying her family to the boat and have a crew of a transport service deliver the boat to Europe. Most owners of these large yachts don't do the long passages anyway in my experience... not all.. most. Moving a large yacht long distances IS costly... so any way you slice it there will be expense. It might make sense for GG to have the boat moved for these long jumps and enjoy it and have a break while the boat is being moved. Seems like a win win solution to me.

Raising issues is fine. But be realistic. I think GG is.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by defjef

People get motion sickness in a car too. Let's be reasonable here. GG has a family and has not reported that they are prone to motion sickness. Neither am I. But in rough conditions over 28 years I've been seasick... perhaps 6 times.

The point being that when one is living aboard as she is planning and has no schedule.. she can do her passages in fair weather with less chance of anyone getting seasick if they have a normal tolerance to motion sickness.

For a long passage such as to get the boat to Europe she has the option of flying her family to the boat and have a crew of a transport service deliver the boat to Europe. Most owners of these large yachts don't do the long passages anyway in my experience... not all.. most. Moving a large yacht long distances IS costly... so any way you slice it there will be expense. It might make sense for GG to have the boat moved for these long jumps and enjoy it and have a break while the boat is being moved. Seems like a win win solution to me.

Raising issues is fine. But be realistic. I think GG is.

I've absolutely thought about shipping the boat, but I would still (ideally) prefer to purchase an ocean crossing boat even if I did ship it, just because I will feel more comfortable costal cruising certain places in a boat that is built to handle rough conditions.

Even if I did decide to do an ocean crossing with a hired captain just for the experience, it wouldn't be for a few years anyhow. At that point, all but 1 of my kids would be old enough to decide for themselves if they want to take the trip across.

[captseamus]

I have had passengers onboard who told me that they never got seasick but after half an hour turned green and puked their stomachs inside out.

Asked later why they thought they got seasick the answer was always the same "Well I never got seasick on a cruise ship" so I explained a 50 ft boat in 10ft waves compared to a 1000 ft cruise ship would be 100ft waves. They finally get the point.

Its nice to be able to pick calm weather windows but I know for the Great Lakes weather can turn ugly in less than hour and if your 30-40+ miles offshore smooth cruising goes out the window quickly!

It not only depends on the weather but the person; eating habits; health; anxiety levels; or even family history and than they're always "Murphy's Law".

captseamus

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by captseamus

Asked later why they thought they got seasick the answer was always the same "Well I never got seasick on a cruise ship" so I explained a 50 ft boat in 10ft waves compared to a 1000 ft cruise ship would be 100ft waves. They finally get the point.


captseamus

Now there's a boat that you will never catch me on

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

I've absolutely thought about shipping the boat, but I would still (ideally) prefer to purchase an ocean crossing boat even if I did ship it, just because I will feel more comfortable costal cruising certain places in a boat that is built to handle rough conditions.

Even if I did decide to do an ocean crossing with a hired captain just for the experience, it wouldn't be for a few years anyhow. At that point, all but 1 of my kids would be old enough to decide for themselves if they want to take the trip across.

GG... that's exactly correct. Even if the boat you purchase is not kitted out for offshore work... it should be one that can be with some additional gear for example... a water maker comes to mind. Coastal one hardly needs one, but it a good idea for offshore. Offshore capable is a stronger boat and what you want.
I think that shipping IS a good option. And there are passages to get the feel of a crossing without spending 3 weeks at it... for example from say... PTown to Maine across the Gulf of Maine is quite like sailing offshore but it's only a 24 or so hr passage. Or you could do say.. St Maarten to Trinidad... Island hopping but not a day sail.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

I've absolutely thought about shipping the boat, but I would still (ideally) prefer to purchase an ocean crossing boat even if I did ship it, just because I will feel more comfortable costal cruising certain places in a boat that is built to handle rough conditions.

Most of the coastal cruisers ("trawlers" and "LR cruisers," etc.) in the size range you're looking at will handle much (much, much, much) snottier weather than I can

-Chris