average mileage for a day...

[maxingout]

On our circumnavigation, we always aimed to cover 150 miles a day when sailing offshore. That meant keeping the boat moving at an average speed of 6.25 knots around the clock. That was generally an easily attainable goal when sailing offshore downwind in the trades. If we weren't in the trades, then sometimes it didn't happen.

We could have sailed faster, but then faster would have been work. We could effortlessly sail 150 miles per day and have a comfortable motion on board Exit Only.

When cruising along coastlines or making daytime hops, we always tried to limit ourselves to forty miles a day. That meant we could get up at a reasonable time, and arrive with plenty of daylight at our destination. When we did fifty mile days, we left at the crack of dawn, and usually got in late in the afternoon or just before sunset. In the trade wind belts, you usually get only 12 hours of daylight because you are so close to equator, and we made it a policy to never arrive at an unkown destination after dark.

Our modus operandi was always "no bruisin cruising." Some times we did more miles, but we felt that it wasn't worth working that hard on regular basis.

[Sandero]

The other thing about 24 hr runs of course is the current. Most of my offshore work has been through areas with fair and four currents, like the stream and certainly all along NE coast it's hard not run into current if you are out for 4 or 5 hrs.

I don't use the log because it's hard to calibrate perfectly and my runs are computed from GPS fixes, averaging in all the current and so forth. I don't know that they cancel out over 24hrs... but when I run the numbers that's the figures I arrive at. I guess 88% of predicted hull speed is... effective hull speed. Go figure.

Sail by the numbers, but get me there on time!

jef
sv shiva

[Strygaldwir]

Sixty NM a day.

[Hud3]

When we were gunk-holing in the Chesapeake, our average speed always seemed to work out to 5.5 kts for some reason.

Offshore, 140 to 150 nm/day was the norm (our max was 178 nm!)

Between the islands in the Lesser Antilles, I count on 6.0 kts (sailing or motorsailing).

Our boat has a 32' waterline, so it's theoretical hull speed is about 7.5 kts.

[sunblock]

Thanks for all the great feedback everyone. I guess I need to adjust my speed expectations, I am hopeful though still that we can average 7 knots, even If I have to motor here and there.

Any thoughts on must haves for the trip? Any common mistakes made by newbies ?

[Scott Berg]

Common newbie mistake? Same as for us old salts (farts?) Sailing to a schedule. DO NOT SAIL TO A SCHEDULE! Let me say that one more time… DO NOT SAIL TO A SCHEDULE… now go and have a great time….

For what it's worth we average about 175-210 in trade wind conditions with a 49' waterline. Coastal cruising (harbor hopping) we shoot for 60 but 50 is more pleasant… our best offshore 'noonsite to noonsite' was 278 miles in the gs northbound.

PS NEVER SAIL TO A SCHEDULE <grin>

[Tantalus]

Originally Posted by fujiwara takumi

when im curious about distance i go to maps.yahoo.com and punch in the zips. It has only distance information for driving on a street though...is there such a thing for water distance, without looking at a paper map? i just like to estimate things.

Try this
http://www.nobletech.com/maps/chartp...d=false&flags=

[rebel heart]

I try to average 100 a day for our 36' (~32.5' waterline). That's pretty simple and easy to achieve on our boat.

50nm is about as much as I'd want to do in a one day hop. So funny enough the 50nm-100nm distance is my least favorite as usually means leaving at dawn and showing up at night, so we end up needing to leave at sundown to make sure we show up with daylight.

Making it even worse, a ~75nm route is normally nearshore by definition, so no matter how I slice it you're nearshore in darkness which means unlit fishing boats, floats, debris, and rocks.

Nearshore sucks: way too much work.

[robert sailor]

depends on how far you sail. if your averaging based on a 5 day passage it will not mean much compared to 30 days. 36 ft boat was 135 miles. 44ft boat was about 150. westsail 32 do not do mid 180s without a following current

[JPA Cate]

We're talking about a Gulfstar 50' ketch here. Maybe he'll average 7 knots off the wind when the trades are at 25 - 30.

Our boat has a 44 ft. waterline, and we have done one 200 mi day in her. When that day was complete, we reefed her down, because it was more comfortable to slow down. The 50 footer may be comfortable at that rate. But to try to maintain it at 7 knots, when it's light airs is sure going to be a fuel gobbler.

Scott: you're right about not sailing to a schedule, but I suspect it's something the OP will have to figure out for himself...but maybe it'll come easier, now that you have warned him. Schedules are certainly pleasure killing, and can even be dangerous! [by inducing you to leave into bad weather].

[Pirate999]

Easy 24 hour sail for me is about 120nm. I pushed it and had 160.

[gjordan]

Sailing to schedual!!! Think BOUNTY II !!!! ____Grant.

[44'cruisingcat]

We fairly regularly have done 100 nm in daylight. A little over 200 miles in 24 hours on a few occasions.

It's not like driving a car - the autopilot steers all the time, you don't have to stop for a pee or to eat, or even to sleep. We do slow down at night though.

This is under sail - not motoring. Motoring is usually a fair bit slower for us.