Alpine Style Sailing

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I am reading about Ueli Steck accident.

Then my thoughts drift to Killian Jornet, then onwards to Webb Chiles, and onwards to Solar Impulse.

Then my thoughts drift back to Ueli. Take just the minimum equipment. No safety lines, no sherpas, no oxygen.

What does it take to do the Alpine Style sailing? Mentally, skill-wise and technologically?

Much as such pure sailing, or any other sport without crutches, could be seen as the essence of it all, it hardly ever gets discussed and even less done.

Or does it actually happen, just we fail to notice while we talk the APs the ACs the Apps and the Bavs?

barnakiel

I think you are right that there are folks sailing with a minimum but aren't publicizing it. Perhaps they are afraid folks will tell them how foolish and hazardous they are to others.
I have gone pretty minimal, not to make a statement or be daring, I just can't stand stuff I have to depend on that usually ends up failing at 3 am in lousy weather. For me, simpler stuff and less stuff means I feel more free and secure as I get a little older. I switched to a porta potty. Love it. I have all Luci lights for my house lights. Bought a pair of oars (gotta have a low freeboard for those though) and they are great. Still have my outboard but often I don't hook up the gas. Kerosene anchor light (but as soon as I find a good solar LED model, that will change). 1 battery. 2 burner stove, no frig (2 ice chests.. more room thanks to no more holding tank.) (pretty simple meals too) GPS on my phone and VHF, but I still have my old paper charts, lead line and I just got a new hand bearing compass. I do have a PLB and hand held VHF too for safety though so I am not really Alpine. But I am only coastal island cruising for a week or 2 at a stretch; no big crossings or circumnavigation planned.

[barnakiel]

The kayak guy most unfortunate. They say the video uses his actual footage. Sobering. A couple of things went wrong for them.

The open boat looks more decked than open. Very extreme sailing due to exposure, I think. I believe I have seen this hull while in RSA.

There is a French girl who crossed all three oceans on a 'windsurfer' too.

These people are amazing even if from an angle they seem nuts.

I have talked to some and up close they are always very down to earth though.

b.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I think you are right that there are folks sailing with a minimum but aren't publicizing it. Perhaps they are afraid folks will tell them how foolish and hazardous they are to others.
I have gone pretty minimal, not to make a statement or be daring, I just can't stand stuff I have to depend on that usually ends up failing at 3 am in lousy weather. .

Those few of us that do post don't really give a **** what folks think.. we recognise it for what it is.. bluster to compensate/validate their own insecurities.
The funny thing is.. if your a Competitor with minimalism your hailed a hero.. but.. if your a mere cruiser/voyager your a virulent threat to all humanity on the water.. gotta love peoples inferiority complexes...

[UNCIVILIZED]

Another source of stories of voyages in small boats, including RTW, is Atom Voyages - Home
There's also a lot of good info on the site on; choosing a boat, upgrades, packing/stores, etc. Plus many, many good links.

[goat]

I sure hope Kenomac gets on this thread to straighten you neanderthals out.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goat

I sure hope Kenomac gets on this thread to straighten you neanderthals out.

[barnakiel]

;-) he he he .....

;-)
b.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by goat

I sure hope Kenomac gets on this thread to straighten you neanderthals out.

I guess we have laid out some bait for him

[petit bateau]

Alpine style climbing in the big ranges tends to come with very high mortality rates. Especially if high altitude. Low budget alpine style can be done, especially if one stays away from peak fees.

Rory is pretty close to being low budget alpine style in his yachting approach in my opinion.

regards, pb

[barnakiel]

Welcome to the forum, Petit Bateau!

Indeed, life by itself has 'very high' mortality rate. Good news is some of us get lucky to chose the moment.

Greetings from Canary Islands,
b.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by petit bateau

Alpine style climbing in the big ranges tends to come with very high mortality rates. Especially if high altitude. Low budget alpine style can be done, especially if one stays away from peak fees.

Rory is pretty close to being low budget alpine style in his yachting approach in my opinion.

regards, pb

Welcome aboard pb!

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

#1 get back to sailing



No engine (or generator, or fuel cell).

Including no powered winches, furlers, keels, etc.



#2 reintroduce the navigation challenge



No GPS - when I was young the ability to do celestial was the defining feature of a skilled offshore sailor. Even coastal navigation skilled was significant and played an important role. GPS trivialized that whole skill set.

When I sailed with the French "Les Glénans" sailing school in the 80ies it was indeed like that. We sailed on simple plywood boats (designed by the famous Herbulot), that did not have engines, nor electricity. We did not have winches either, and these were cutters, so two headsails to move when tacking.
We cooked on a primus, navigated without GPS (didn't exist anyway) and only had a portable AM/FM radio to listen to weather forecasts.

I still put a lot of what I learned then in practice.

Those were different times. No parent would let a 15yo take a train to foreign country nowadays...

[double u]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

#1 get back to sailing

No engine (or generator, or fuel cell).
Including no powered winches, furlers, keels, etc.

#2 reintroduce the navigation challenge

No GPS - when I was young the ability to do celestial was the defining feature of a skilled offshore sailor. Even coastal navigation skilled was significant and played an important role. GPS trivialized that whole skill set.

[K_V_B]

The Dutch sailing journalist Henk Bezemer (sadly passed away last year) once sailed to the Azores from the Netherlands in a Waarschip 570.
The 570 stands for the length of the yacht. In cm.
This to prove that it could be done.
He then repeated the trip the summe after, but without any navigation equipment on board. Not even a compass. All he had was a wristwatch, and maps.
quite the minimalist...

[barnakiel]

I will agree going "instrument-less" has something to it. But then again, going sextant kills the simplicity and complicates the desired efficiency of the undertaking.

After all, sextant may imply a mechanical clock of known quality, nav tables to resolve the triangle, not just skills and/or endurance. Sextant is in fact a bit like HF radio - it entails further investments in equipment.

I think we all underestimate the human factor - our physical and mental preparedness for sailing the alpine style. We possibly overestimate the technology factor.

After all, titanium crampons and Mammut gtx parka do not make it alone to the top. The most important nut is the one holding the tiller. And this one tends to be less and less capable of doing things the alpine style as we all get wound with the warm spool of technology.

So I could leave the sextant, take the stars and ... and the gps, and spend days and months getting my body and mind fit for the challenge of clean, gear-less efficient sailing.

Keep the boat simple, mechanical, strong and efficient. Fit and match for the one sailing it.

Or maybe this is only my own slant as I get pretty much exhausted every time we cross.

b.