Rounding Cape Horn - Advice?

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by GordMay

So, if I departed Sydney, Au, passed through the Drake Passage, and made my next landfall at (say) Sidney, Au, having crossed all lines of longitude, I wouldn't have "officially" rounded the Horn.
Who officiates traditions?

Gord, you would not 'officially' have made a circumnavigation (because you had not also crossed the equator). You would probably have made a 'horn rounding' because on the long passages you would probably have routed above 50S (we sailed non-stop from the Horn to Fremantle and did the bulk of it in the 40's). There are sailing bodies that make these 'official' definitions (like the world sailing speed record council and Guinness World Records, and the Cape Horn Society). You and I don't care about the 'official' definitions but the people making records do.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by JP Gaillard

I want to sail up the Chilean coast and see the tip of Argentina from the Sea.

I think the key is the timing and I think I'll not be able to wait for the winter down there simply because it is too cold. I will probably leave the Carrib 1st week of Jan and make it down there by end Feb maybe allowing me some decent time to sail up Chile before getting to the Galapagos around April/May and crossing the Pacific.

The Chilean channels are some of my most favorite cruising in the world - one of the last 'wilderness' (undeveloped) cruising grounds left. But the Norwegians are building fish farms left and right down there right now, so it will not last that way for much longer.

I think your timing for getting from the Caribbean to Galapagos Is EXTREMELY aggressive (eg you can read that as pretty much unachievable unless you just want top sail offshore the whole way). Just so you know, the normal cruiser takes two months to get from Puerto Williams to Puerto Montt (up the channels). That trip could be done in 12 days, but you would need ALOT of fuel and you would not see anything.

On our first time down there we left Punta Del Este on Oct 22nd, arrived at Staten Island Dec 17, and made Puerto Montt April 15th; and we moved right along (as the weather permitted). We did it a little faster the second time, because we knew the drill and had already seen so much; but it still took two months in the channels and one month on the argentine coast.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

You would probably have made a 'horn rounding' because on the long passages you would probably have routed above 50S

Correction to that . . . you would certainly have made an 'official' horn rounding because Sydney is above 50S.

[Factor]

50S to 50S is actually traditionally termed - DOUBLING the horn. Not that it matters, however you get from one ocean to the next is a good way if you make it without drama.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Factor

50S to 50S is actually traditionally termed - DOUBLING the horn. Not that it matters, however you get from one ocean to the next is a good way if you make it without drama.

Just as an aside . . . some years ago the Pardey's put out a press release that they had 'doubled the horn' (they in fact had not done it 50 to 50, but stopped at puerto williams to wait for weather), and one of the most notable British sailing magazines published that they had "rounded the horn twice". They obviously has someone new on the typewriter that day.

I have never been able to find a good definition of what 'doubling' specifically means. You can 'double' and cape or point and as far as I can tell it just seems to mean to round it, nothing more or less.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

I have never been able to find a good definition of what 'doubling' specifically means. You can 'double' and cape or point and as far as I can tell it just seems to mean to round it, nothing more or less.

I always thought it was just some old fashioned term for going round a cape. But don't know why it was called that.

Doubling
The act of sailing round or passing beyond a cape or point or land.

Glossary of Nautical Terms

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by GordMay

.....
Who officiates traditions?

Traditionists ??