Prudent or Push it?

[Riggerman]

I prefer 10 to 15. But unless you are a day tripper, it rarely matters. I do not care what the forecast say. once out there it is most of the time a new ball game. I have hit 35 foot seas and 80 knots wind on a crossing solo on a 43 Irwin. Forecast was excellent for 5 days, but the crap hit the fan after 2.5 days. On an other trip Xcalac to Cozumel forecast was for 10 to 15 for the next 2 days. after 4 hours of leaving the safe anchorage I got hit with 40 knots for the next 6 days solid. That year Cozumel closed their harbor 4 times to cruise ship due to high wind. 40 to 50 knots. And it takes a lot for them to say no to cruise ships. If you are not ready to deal with 20 to 30 knots wind. Do like 90% of the boaters here. stay at the dock and drink beer. Blue water sailors deal with what they get. Yes We try to sail under the best conditions like every one else. But water sailing">blue water sailing means that there are zero certainty and I mean ZERO that what the forecast is , is what you gonna get.

[scottfree1]

I've found my limits usually find me not the other way around. one reach out and humble me day was single handing my gulf 32 down the coast to San Diego.

Start out early from Dana Point, calm, foggy a few miles out the fog is burning off wind coming up time to set the main! Standing on top the cabin top with maybe 8 knot breeze, and what's that, just enough of a bump that I'm on my tippy toes spinning my hands like a hummingbird trying not to end up wet, alone, 5 miles offshore watching my boat head to SD Without me.

Manage to not do that but it's early. By the time I get to Mission Bay the Santa Ana's are well north of 30 knots and wheel/rudder post connection has gradually been slipping to the point that hard to port is straight ahead, well almost.

So I'm BLASTING into Mission bay @ 4pm on a Sunday, steering with my feet using "emergency tiller" (a screwdriver stuffed into the rudder post) headed for the rocks at the end of the entrance channel and all I need to do is make three left turns (not the 90' left but the 270' right hand left kind) drop the main, drop the anchor and eazy peazy welcome to San Diego.

Now that was a good day..

[Normanskier]

Read Sailing a Serious Ocean by John Kretschmer. He doe paid cruises for people who want to experience difficult sailing conditions. The destinations are across the Atlantic and back.
Can scare the hell out of you but also gives an appreciation for what is possible on a good boat with a reasonable crew.
I’m not suggesting you over extend yourself but your reluctance to take what are really nominal risks are not necessarily to your benefit.
Always fun to tell and share “war stories”. Good luck.

[Fundy Sailor]

Chartered a 40' in the Greek Islands a few years back. Planned a 20 mile +/- cruise between islands one day - blowing pretty brisk in the morning but headed out anyway, to check conditions. It was blowing about 30 kts outside the anchorage, but we were on a beam reach. reefed headsail only, and 4-6 foot seas. The wind built to 40, then 45 kts over the next hour, but the boat was handling it with no problem. My crew however were somewhat inexperienced and we didn't know how much stronger the wind might get, or what conditions to expect on the other side, so elected to return to our previous anchorage. The crossing the next day was picture perfect.

[Quebramar]

Looking at your profile I couldn't figure out what type your boat is. Mine is 37', 9t displacement and mid-size lead keel. Motion in choppy seas is very comfortable/safe and that is what would matter to me. Conditions dictate, eg with protected central cockpit, heavy rain or high swell from aft are ok for me.

I can only agree and encourage to experience bit by bit how the boat manages higher winds. In my early days with the new to me boat, I went close-hauled from lower 20kts up to mid 35kts (gusts close to 40) and recognized that with adjusted sails the boat is handling perfectly, increasing my confidence in her. Broad reach was even better, exhilarating indeed when starting to surf (once did not notice we were over 25kts and no reef).


In short, with an "optimistic" read of the forecast (20+% over what is reported) and a view at sea state, conditions would not deter me and, as Ann mentioned, actually help learn and feel confident.


Now for comfort that is a very subjective matter and highly depends on the boat and the crew... Cruising in the North Sea implies for me that there is a short window of time for t-shirt sailing...

[Clamdigger]

Maine Guy, pm me when you get to nyc, if you stop in Atlantic Highlands nj I will come down to the dock.