The Dove

[Minga]

I have seen a film on telly last Sunday The Dove. Young man sailed single handed his boat 236 ft - The Dove - around the world ( with breaks ).
But what it is interesting is that he accounted still air for a apparently 23 day, which nearly drive him to madness (nearly burn his boat in the middle of the Atlantic).
How many of you have similar experience ( not the madness thing, just the experience of sitting in the middle of the ocean and waiting for a wind).
How did you cope with this ?

[David M]

It's called the doldrums and many sailors end up powering through them. I have only been on a ship through them so I couldn't tell ya.

[sarafina]

It's where the heated air rises up at the equator and moves north and south at a very high level. Part of what creates the trade winds. Happens in the atlantic and the pacific. If heard it is very still and silent in addition to no wind.

[svcambria]

Also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone - look for some turbulence, you'll be alright to sail through...
Also take a good book to read in the quiet times...

Michael

[captainKJ]

236 foot is a big boat to single hand unless you have lots of rolling furling and large auto pilots

[svcambria]

Originally Posted by captainKJ

236 foot is a big boat to single hand unless you have lots of rolling furling and large auto pilots

And then Graham got a bigger one to replace that in the Caribbean...

Michael

[sarafina]

23.6 ya dufus ; -)

[captainKJ]

at lest you say that with a big smile,,,,,flirt flirt flirt

[svcambria]

23.6 ya dufus ; -)

Again, size doesn't matter?

Michael ;-)

[sarafina]

sure size matters... that's why the boat was CALLED as Lapworth 24...

See? always exaggerating...


.buncha clowns round here tonight...

[stevewrye]

Wow I had forgotten Robin"s 23 dayer! For me it was a 9 dayer between Darwin and Indonesia Timor in 1972 or 73. No engine except a British Seagull 5 HP and ten gallons of gas so no motoring. Temp out about 100 humid the 32 boat just turned in a 360 so you had to keep moving to stay out of the sun. 23 days in the doldrums would be hard beyond belief but what about the sailors in life rafts or whale boats that went 3 months in the tropics.

[captainKJ]

you started it

size does matter to some people. Get a better ride on the waves with that long waterline

[svcambria]

Originally Posted by sarafina

sure size matters... that's why the boat was CALLED as Lapworth 24...

See? always exaggerating...


.buncha clowns round here tonight...

It is possibly "the nature of the beast" - so to speak...

Michael

[Chief Engineer]

Should have had one of Maurys' Books

[callmecrazy]

Just watched the movie on Netflix. had to sign up just to see it, since it's not available anywhere else (will cancel 30 day free trial )

Great movie.

One of my favorite moments is when he's freaking out in the Galapagos and trashing the boat screaming, "I hate this boat"!, then his next thought is "I can't even stand up straight"!!!

Yeah, bigger is always better

(note: the movie is not accurate and leaves out years of the voyage, but it's a good movie)