Wanting to go around Cape Horn

[pbmaise]

I keep insisting that my next vessel be capable of rounding the Horn so I can see Patagonia. On the one hand I really want to get another trimaran. On the other hand I see the merits of a vessel like the Diesel Duck which is steel and short masted.

There is no doubt in my mind I am looking at one heck of an expensive trimaran that could safely sail that area.

[Rainbow48]

Read the book “Once is Enough” by Miles Smeeton. It will give you a sense of the reality of the Horn.

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by GeoffBoyardee

Pretty much just racing and near coastal. East and west coast of US. I’ve been offshore once returning a boat from HI to CA, but had to turn around 5 days in due to equipment failure. Currently living in the SF Bay Area and learning my boat.

By the time you get to Chile your will have quite a bit more offshore experience. Spend some time in the Channel Islands of Southern California and you will gain experience anchoring in sub-optimal conditions and sailing in unpredictable and changeable conditions. Plus it's one of the most overlooked and pristine cruising grounds in the world.

By all means get yourself down to Chile, but I would suggest that you not worry too much about rounding the Horn. The Chilean canals are one of the most spectacular (and empty) cruising grounds in the world. If you are looking for a challenge the good news is that you will likely suffer many indignities before you even arrive in Puerto Williams. If you do manage to round the Horn that is great, but just one of many rewards awaiting you in Patagonia.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by GeoffBoyardee

Hello, I am extremely interested in going around Cape Horn. I have not delved deep into the subject, but just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice on how to go about doing this. Can I only do this on my own boat, or are there other avenues to go around the Horn? Appreciate any and all advice. Thank you.

No, you don't need to own your own boat. Take a cruise ship or one of the smaller expedition type ventures that specialize in this venue.

Buy a very warm coat.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by MJH

No, you don't need to own your own boat. Take a cruise ship or one of the smaller expedition type ventures that specialize in this venue.

Buy a very warm coat.

If that is indeed what the OP wants to do I would suggest this outfit out of Punta Arenas, my sister went on one a few years back, recommends it.
https://www.australis.com/eu/en

Then bus from PA to Natales and hop on the Navimag ferry to Montt.
https://www.navimag.com/en/discover-our-new-ferry

However I think the OP wants to do it on his own boat.

[Sylph VI]

As other posts have noted, the first thing which needs to be clarified to provide a reasonable answer to the original question, is a little more detail on what the OP has in mind.
First, I would make a distinction between 'rounding' Cape Horn and 'visiting' Cape Horn. In order to have one's name included as a 'Cape Horner' in the International Cape Horner's Association one must sail around the Horn from 50 degrees South on one side of South America to 50 degrees South on the other side, non-stop, and must sail a minimum distance of 3,000nm. Clearly a true rounding in one's own boat is a very challenging undertaking and to be done responsibly requires a lot of preparation, such as getting the right level of experience, the right boat, and the right crew. Though, having said this, there are actually various ways of rounding the Horn, including as a passenger on a tall ship when such cruises are available.
Rounding the Horn was a long-term goal of mine which I completed last year as part of an east about non-stop single-handed world circumnavigation in my 41 foot Alan Payne designed steel sloop (blog.mailasail.com/sylph). I have also sailed west about via the Beagle and Chilean Channels but did not visit Cape Horn. That is also very challenging but of a very different nature.
Other posts have provided lots of information on various ways of 'visiting' the Horn which I have no experience of. As to a true 'rounding', if this is the goal then, without any additional information from the OP, my advice would be to read a lot (some good suggestions have been made - "The Blind Horn's Hate" is a great read), then get a good boat and go sailing, build up your offshore experience, cross some oceans and do some adventurous sailing so you are well prepared and know what you are getting yourself into.

Sent from my SM-P613 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[jalmberg]

Originally Posted by GeoffBoyardee

Hello, I am extremely interested in going around Cape Horn. I have not delved deep into the subject, but just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice on how to go about doing this. Can I only do this on my own boat, or are there other avenues to go around the Horn? Appreciate any and all advice. Thank you.

There are many classic books on this subject. I suggest you start by reading every one you can get your hands on. That will give you a good idea of the challenge.

For most of us, reading about Cape Horn is exciting enough!

[Buzzman]

You might also like to dip into the magazine of the Ocean Cruising Club, 'Flying Fish', the archived versions of which contain many Cape Horn and Channels stories from members who have passed thru there.
The archive is free to download form their site. An amazing resource for cruising sailors.
https://www.oceancruisingclub.org/Flying-Fish-Archive

[Fore and Aft]

Thats a good effort Sylph, how many days did it take? What about the forgotten Australian sailor Raud O'Brien, he sailed his engineless steel 33-footer around the horn non-stop from Sydney. His book is an excellent yarn. The best Cape Horner I reckon is Yoh Aoki, in a 21-foot home-built plywood yacht.
Cheers
https://www.aoki.us/class-locations-...cumnavigation/

[Mike Stim]

[QUOTE=GeoffBoyardee;3815019]Hello, I am extremely interested in going around Cape Horn. I have not delved deep into the subject, but just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice on how to go about doing this. Can I only do this on my own boat, or are there other avenues to go around the Horn? Appreciate any aTnd allMy advice. Thank you.[/QUO

My experience coming around Cape Horn was on an aircraft carrier, The USS Intrepid coming back from Viet Nam. The flight deck is 70 feet from the water and there was water coming over flight deck. Standing at the rear of the flight deck looking forward you could actually see the flight deck flexing. Even though there are expansion joints in the deck, it was scary.

[Juanona]

Originally Posted by Enfant Du Vent

Ahoy GeoffBoyardee:
I agree a passage around Cape Horn would be "extremely interesting". Something that would be a once in a lifetime experience.

Adelie recommended a rugged boat and gave a Westsail as one example. All I can add is that I spoke to the owner of a Westsail 32 who said the previous owner took it around the Horn--west to east. They told him that at one point they were leaving a spreader wake!
Sort of brings to mind the quote attributed to Lord Chesterton: He who would go to sea for pleasure, would go to Hell as a pastime.

Is the Westsail 32 you referred to named “Christopher Robin?” If so, I’m the guy who sailed her from New Zealand to the Falklands back in 1985, when I was 29 years old. I sold her to one of my best friends, who took her from Maine to Turkey and back, then he sold her to a Canadian who totally refurbished her. Then she was damaged in a hurricane and bought by another couple - perhaps the folks you met.

As far as the original question, if you are asking about sailing around Cape Horn I would find one of the yachts based in Ushuia and do a charter on one of those. To be asking the question here on a forum implies a lack of sailing experience and Cape Horn is the last place you want to be in your own vessel if you have not already done some serious blue water sailing. (My apologies if that is not the case, I’m making assumptions based on the question). That said if you have the determination to go there, by all means find a way to do it! And weather forecasting these days gives a lot of advantage over how it was a couple decades ago.

If you’re interested in my experience sailing there I posted a copy of an article I wrote on my sailing blog.

Good luck and keep your dreams alive.

Max

https://maxfletchersailingstories.com/

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

I had an interesting experience with dual windvane / autopilot failure once

Cheeki Rafika was I would suggest something of a special case . High aspect ratio fin with a very dodgy keel to hull interface. A design that I would avoid at all costs but then I would avoid all high aspect ratio fins.

All 'fins' are not born equal . Mine had smacked more than a few patagonian rocks - hard enough to have shed iron from the leading edge - before I dropped and checked it 9 years ago.

The problem with Cheeki Rafiki was not the keel-hull interface, it was the grid structure on the inside of the hull. This type of grid structure is commonly used by various boat builders. The high aspect keel made the situation worse.

I'm not saying all bolt-ons are bad and all encapsulated keels are good. On a whole, I prefer encapsulated.

[Fintry]

Originally Posted by Adelie

....

I'm not saying all bolt-ons are bad and all encapsulated keels are good. On a whole, I prefer encapsulated.

Either can be OK if done well, but I prefer outside lead for the simple reason that even in keel alloys, lead is relatively soft and will deform, absorbing hits that would probably breach fiberglass encapsulating the ballast.


That's a different problem from the fact that with a serious hit, a fin keel has a tendency to rotate aft, punching up through the floors. If the fin is very deep relative to its fore and aft length, I'm not sure it's possible to come off a full speed hit without that kind of damage, but I know that having outside lead will help.


Jim