Atlantic Crossing - 22ft. E Boat

[atoll]

i would be a little bit concerned about the previous keel box failures on that type of yacht,sort that and there in no reason why its not possable,my mate antony steward did a circumnav on a 19 ft open boat,though of proven design and totally water tight integrity.

[Gracies]

Im planning in 2012,
after the Olympics and the next euro´s (wouldn´t want to ´die´before that) to sail my 6m Havsfidra across the pond from my home base here in Palma.
As a professional yachtsman of an ocean going superyacht most of my miles come from being in the bridge of a ´stinkpot´ however i have weathered many storms and can speak from experience.
All i can say is that being out in the weather in the 6m does not scare me anymore than being in the weather in my 32m.
In fact i feel less vulnerable, i have less to think about and no crew or guests to distract me.

In reality sailing a small yacht anywhere comes down to seamanship and ability.

In regards to ocean sailing on a catermaran i also used to own a tiki 26, and the best feature is the speed to try to outrun or outmanouvere weather systems. The ability to do this is lost on comparative sized monohulls.

[Gracies]

Lastly,
watch this you tube video

YouTube - ‪Dramatic footage of solo explorer Dom Mee in hurricane‬‏

(Dom Mee, explorer, ex Royal Marine, and Special Forces)

If you still want to go to sea alone after seeing this,
then i think you should do it.

[kevingy]

Originally Posted by e-minor

I'm thinking of a single handed crossing of the Atlantic, setting out from the UK in a 22ft E boat - lift keel cruiser/racer.

In 1953, Ann Davison became the first woman to complete a single handed Atlantic crossing. She did so in a 23 foot sloop. Her account of the crossing is detailed in her book My Ship is so Small.

AbeBooks.co.uk
Amazon.com

My memory of what I read is foggy. From what I recall, she was lucky to survive and did so only with the help of others along the way. That, however, was due more to her lack of sailing experience and weather than it was the length of the vessel.

Originally Posted by e-minor

Anyone out there tried a similar mad venture in this size of craft. Love to hear about your experiances.

Sorry, not me. I get nervous crossing the lake in my 22 footer if the weather is bad. I live in the lightning capitol of the world and the lake is almost 30 square miles (75 square km).

[swagman]

Originally Posted by Gracies

Lastly,
watch this you tube video

(Dom Mee, explorer, ex Royal Marine, and Special Forces)

If you still want to go to sea alone after seeing this,
then i think you should do it.

Wow. Great footage and clearly a strong bloke at the end of his tether. I'm glad he was rescued ok.

But he was in a row boat, and I'm guessing in a competitive situation, so possibly at sea when he should have been in port.....

We left Canaries in 2007 alongside a 24 footer. We got to St Lucia in 16 days, they arrived there five days later all OK. It can obviously be done.

JOHN

[Banjo]

Good evening E-Minor,

I recall way back in about 1981/1982 an E-Boat was sailed in one of the early Mini Transat races when the race was still started in Penzance.

The intrepid skipper had cut 1 ft off the bows to get it down to 21ft! That was a long time ago and I think the skipper was Bob Samon form the UK. Bob was the chap who initially organised the fist of the Mini Transat races before it got taken over by the French. Who knows, maybe Bob is still around and can give you a few tips.

So yes, it can be done. Cover that keel box and have a pleasant passage. Let us know how it went.

Regards,

Multisail.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Gracies

Lastly,
watch this you tube video

What an incredible video.

The boat was only 14 feet long.

Many would say 'That won't happen to me'. But I know it could happen to me.

Scary stuff and I will not let that happen to me.

Incredible article to the story: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen....climatechange

[Gracies]

Incredible story regarding dom mee,
Ex royal marine for 15 yrs, ex specials, left as one the highest trained in maritime intelligence. TOUGH AS NAILS.
the video i posted was from his expedition to be the first to cross the atlantic under kite power alone.
Got caught in one mother of a hurricane. (sorry off thread a little)
he now is the found of PVI (protection vessels international) providing private assistance to gulf of aden transits

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Many would say 'That won't happen to me'. But I know it could happen to me.

I would have thought fairly easy to avoid a similar situation.

My plan would largely revolve around not trying to cross the Atlantic in a 14 foot boat powered by a kite.

.........and for larger vessels maybe spending a bit more on basic maintanence and a bit less on big red buttons.........

[skipmac]

The size does not concern me as much as the design. A well found 22' boat might do ok but a lift keel boat could be a problem in so many ways.

[pillum]

I sailed an E-Boat 22 out of Port Edgar on the Forth for a couple of seasons, great boats but handle like big dingys, very 'tippy' and the flush deck means little protection in the cockpit. If I were you I'd install a strong wind cheater and replace the aluminium keel struts with steel. Good luck, if nothing else it will be a great story to tell your grandkids.

[pacemaker]

I sailed an E-Boat for 10 years, mainly solo in the English channel, great boat, fast and responds well to good trim and awful to bad trim. I also sailed a Open 60 in 30 knots, felt the same as the E-Boat in 20 knots so be prepared. It would need strenghtening, stem, rig, etc, fix down the keel, see the E-Boat website for mods. Also you need excellent sails with a flattener in the main. The biggest problem I had was self steering, it didnt, but systems are far better now. Don't be under any illusions its not a new mini transat but look at them for ideas.

I am now going transatlantic but in a Sadler 34. Far more civilised but nowhere near as much fun, I'm jealous!

Pacemaker

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

That makes you (one of) the experts on this forum

As already said, we do have lots of folks turn up with similar plans We all give them loads of advice (some even good . lots contradictory ) and they set off - usually never to be heard from again.....either because they discovered unicycling to the Moon would be more "funky". or could be because they sank..........

Well, OP stopped logging into CF 2 months later (July 2011) - so he either sank .........or is presently unicycling to the Moon .

[tbodine88]

Its been done already. So go ahead, if you are truly intrepid.

In 2000, a couple of German boys in their early twenties arrived in Antigua in a 22 foot E boat. after spending weeks at sea on with each other they apparently had a falling out. So as soon as they got there, one of them left the country immediately. The other stayed a couple of weeks and arranged to sell the boat with a Jolly Harbour yacht broker and left as well.


I looked at the boat and thought it was awfully cramped. I finally settled on a Ericson 32.

Regards Tom Bodine

[mangomuffins]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Well, OP stopped logging into CF 2 months later (July 2011) - so he either sank .........or is presently unicycling to the Moon .

Makes one wonder doesn't it??