Advice for first time crossing an ocean

[Michael Cobbe]

Put an hourly reading of the barometer in a log book.We had a gale that wasn't in the forecast over Biscay 35 knots to 50. In the English Channel, sailing over to Cherbourg, we had a secondary low 50 knots gusting to 70. Reef when the wind reaches 25 knots.

[Oliver L.]

Hey Nameless,

one piece of advice only from me: Get a rope ladder and attach it to the center of the front beam. If - what hopefully never happens - someone should go overboard, this gives them a means to get back on the boat without having their head smashed by the boat. We found that even in moderate seas trying to get to the boarding ladder in the back was really difficult - aside from the fact that you don't have to drive by them with running props.

Good luck

Oliver

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by jackdale

Install an AIS transponder if you do not have one. Each crew member should have a personal AIS.

For water plan on at least 8-10 liters per person per day. Learn how to take Navy showers.

Canned meats, canned vegetables, pasta with prepared canned sauce.

Extra fuel.

For weather. Download grib files and weatherfax using Saildocs (Requesting grib files from Saildocs (2010-07-08)). I use SailGribWR a sa grib reader.

Bring along a sextant and the necessary publications. Passages can be really boring,; the sextant will keep your mentally active and put you in touch with nature. (Read Sextant by Davud Barrie - great book).

Second that. Celestial Navigation is a valuable skill and a traditional activity at sea and an interesting pastime. If you have never navigated, you are not a navigator. If all you have done is swiped a touchscreen and steered by the arrows, you have never navigated. Every vessel on an ocean passage ought to have a navigator aboard, or at least an aspiring one. Can you get by without knowing how to navigate? Sure. Lots of folks do. Just like lots of people learn "how to drive" without ever having driven a car or truck with a standard transmission. Or build things without knowing how to use traditional hand tools. With sufficient redundancy of systems and power sources, you should be able to get by okay without learning how to take LAN (very simple) or construct a chart or plot sheet from scratch (also very simple) or fix your position (not real super simple, but not very hard, either) or keep a proper DR (simple and important as a backup, and requires no equipment besides a pencil and a couple of triangles). The little magic box seldom fails, and when it is right (which is practically all the time) it is very accurate. But accuracy to the nearest foot is just not needed on an ocean passage. If you can determine your position within a mile or two, you are gonna be just fine.

Knowing how to navigate and having the tools to do it, AND having electronics, is definitely the best of both worlds. Chartplotter operators, you simply don't know how much you are missing, or how much more there IS.

In addition to having everyone learn how to take a sun line and LAN and advance/retard to plot a fix, another bit of nautical tradition is learning knots and splices. I highly recommend a copy of "Ashley's Book of Knots", as well as the Samson splicing manual and a US Navy Bosuns Mate training manual if you can find one, for learning to splice wire. I have heard it said that the bowline, clove hitch, and overhand knot are all the knots you need. I beg to differ. And it certainly isn't all the knots that you would LIKE to know. Same with splicing. There is a LOT MORE out there than just making an eye in three strand. To me, to hire someone to splice stuff on the boat ought to be a badge of shame. BTW splicing braided ropes... you don't need all those fancy prancy special fids and pushers and stuff. All you need is a coathanger or for really small rope, some piano wire AKA steel fishing leader wire. Coated or uncoated, either one.

Few things teach you to conserve water better than one of those hand-pump emergency watermakers. The Katadyn Survivor 35 is good, if they still make it. Maybe everyone agrees to make say a quart of water on watch, and carefully pour it into the tank or storage jug. Pumping that thing for a half hour or so will really make you aware of the value of the water you have aboard.

Dry or canned food? Some of both. Both have their pros and cons.

FISHING GEAR. You don't need fancy pants rod and reel outfits, and they take up valuable space anyway, but you need good strong commercial grade hooks, leader wire, 40 and 200lb test monofilament for leaders, and some 1/4" double braid for a handline. Some lures would be nice, too. In mid ocean, you will be surprised at how often you go the entire day without seeing a single fish, but as you get into the Caribbean, you will certainly find plenty of fish to catch. And eat. Don't forget small hooks to catch your bait with. Most small fish will cheerfully bite down on a bit of squid or shrimp or bacon. A sabiki rig works if you can't be bothered with real bait bait.

[barnakiel]

In fact there is not much on ssb when you are sailing out.


French forecast reaches somewhat off CV if I recall well. US Radiofax is there but this is also available via email.


There is no voice English forecast for that part of the ocean I think.



b.

[grogport]

The old time sailors said sail south until the butter melts then head west. It was good advice...sail towards Cape Verde until you get in the trade winds.Then head West.
A raft would take about 6 weeks to drift across. Your raft (dismasted catamaran) might need to be self sufficient for that length of time. You will need lots of water and food,,, just in case.
Garmin in reach is brilliant. Allows cheap 2 way communication with those you leave behind.
Get hold of the ARC documentation. Lots of good advice there.
Getting there is easy. Getting back can be harder.

[JDGreenlee]

The previous replies by others were good advice. I have a slightly different take - not so much old school as practical. Yes, WX is key. Be patient. Pick a good departure time using web tools from the hotel or Starbucks wifi. Five days out, the WX will be different. You will have committed to a route in a sailboat that is probably incapable of dodging a major storm system. I didn't try to leverage science much to make speed - one can sling-shot glancing the edge of systems. Still get wet. Fast is usually good, too, in a race. Is this a race? If you have to be somewhere on a certain date then you should not sail there. The VHF/SSB WX reports can help you see over the horizon but your senses need to learn to do so, too. That's called seamanship. Once you launch, you get what you get, and must deal with it. Provisioning for a passage is like balancing a 4-legged stool: water, food, tools, toys - more of one means less of another. I recommend more toys than tools. You'll eat half the food aboard. Drag a hook. Take wasabi and soy sauce. But mostly, take a deep breath, straighten your back, say a prayer, and GO! Cheers!

[barnakiel]

The advice to sail a dog leg course to a wpt NW off CV is sound and tested but it is sort of like a heavy boat square rigger kind.


Modern boats sail tighter angles better and so the FASTEST route from Canaries to the West Indies is (in many seasons) right across the pond.


In any case, the weather you have in any year dictates the route.


b.

[Kaptain Ken]

A few other thoughts:
1. Make sure you have a "ditch bag" prepared before shoving off.
2. Prepare in advance for several "worst case scenarios"; i.e., Man Overboard, What to do in case of major injury to a crew member (Make sure you carry an off-shore medical kit), Fire drill, Abandon ship drill, etc.. Make sure EVERYONE is up to speed on all safety measures.
3. Mandatory life vest if alone on watch.
4. Two on watch if anyone must go forward (wearing a life preserver) to reef mainsail or other reasons.
5. Purchase individual AIS equipped personal beacons that attach to life vests.
6. Invest in fishing gear, learn how to use it and how to properly identify the catch and fillet and cook the fish. My dad could fillet a bass so cleanly that, on occasion, he would throw the remaining fish back in the water and it would swim away.
7. Invest in a portable table-top ice maker.

Most of all, ENJOY!!!

[Flagfish]

It sounds like you're already prepared. Just pack some food and go.

[sailoray531]

You will likely get hit by a few squalls. The wind builds quickly and well before the rain hits you so reef early. I'd also suggest reducing sail area at sunset. I require crew to wear life jackets be attached to jackline or other secure point whenever forward of cockpit, and always at night when not in cabin. Safety first.

[sailorladd]

I sailed from Cape Town to the Caribbean and beyond in a home built boat and two youngsters that had no experience in sailing and it went perfectly... I wrote a book many years after about my sailing experiences, but will never forget my first Atlantic crossing.... Make sure you sail out of the hurricane seasons and make sure you as the skipper owner have faith in yourself and your boat. "Days of Deja vu"

[thezephyrboy]

CUSHIONS. Plenty of them. Bean bags are good. Spend money and get good ones. Your bum/butt/backside/bottom/whatever will feel every move the boat makes so be nice to your bum.

[thezephyrboy]

CUSHIONS. Plenty of them. Bean bags are good. Spend money and get good ones. Your bum/butt/backside/bottom/whatever will feel every move the boat makes so be nice to your bum.

[MicHughV]

while all the above is good advice...here's my 2c....music....some good earphones...and any of a variety of forms of music delivery systems....or use the boat stereo system...

I play the guitar, and have had crew members play harmonica's and even a battery operated keyboard...orchestrate group singalongs for crew morale...I've had a number of improvised musical instruments devised by ingenious crew...single string (rope on a pole on a box,) bass.....drums...clanking tools, etc....

it can be entertaining, relaxing and make the time fly by....

Finally...a video camera....take video of anything, everything and anybody...you'll have a wonderful keepsake....

[BenBowSirocco]

I have not crossed the Atlantic, but highly agree with cushions. Been on boats with very few and ours has a good number- they make all the difference!

Thought this might be interesting reading as well to contribute, survey results of breakdowns and repairs during the ARC rally:

https://marineforecaster.com/common-...-results-tell/