Sailing a 32’ Hunter Vision from Seattle to San Fran and more!

[model 10]

[QUOTE=Ecos;2967524][QUOTE=TaylorHoliday;. We are planning to make the big left turn out of the Strait on September 16th ish (in 2 weeks).

What is this?[/QUOTE]



That sounds like a schedule

[TaylorHoliday]

I appreciate everyone’s input, including the naysayers. September 16th is when our friend gets back from a wedding, so really we can leave any time after that. Not necessarily a schedule. We have a plan B and could live aboard and practice/work through the winter to get ready to go next summer.
We’re currently working our a*ses off trying to prepare as best as possible to leave in 2 weeks, but are aware that there’s a possibility of that not happening.
I mainly posted on this forum to get advice from saltier sailors than myself.
We are all capable of skippering and have discussed and even have a written “roommate agreement” for how we will handle tough situations and extensive time together.
Thanks for clarifying the big left turn for those of you who responded about that!

All being said, what do you guys think are THE most important things we need to have ready / be ready for before making the trip?

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by TaylorHoliday

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

All being said, what do you guys think are THE most important things we need to have ready / be ready for before making the trip?

Waiting until next year.


Look, this isn't an issue of "naysayers" at all.


What it IS is an issue of is YOUR LIVES.


Consider that, please.


I had been sailing for decades and had owned boats since 1983, and had owned this boat for 18 years before I sailed north in 2016.


I had read George Benson's narrative, now a book, many, many times over the years. I had sailed in heavy weather inside and outside the Golden Gate. I knew this boat inside and out.


I preplanned each and every waypoint and bar entrance. I knew about fallbacks, which in my case essentially meant going back to where I'd started that morning.



I left on August 8th and arrived on September 18 in Maple Bay, a few days after Neah Bay (Neah Bay - Victoria - two days in Sidney - Maple Bay).


You ARE leaving much too late.


Wait until next year.


I often say "Good luck" at the end of my posts. In this case, luck should have nothing to do with it.

[TrentePieds]

The entity that consists of boat AND skipper. The two must not be a mere complementarity. They must be an ENTITY.

A clear understanding of which one of you three is to be the vessels MASTER and which two of you three are to be the vessels swabbies.

A daily ROUTINE ORDER that recognizes each individuals strengths and, in light of that, apportions out the totality of the daily work so no-one gets to feel "used". Except when under stress of weather, there is really only enuff work aboard a five tonner for one person, so arrange matters so no-one gets bored and sulky.

TP

[captmikem]

Sounds like fun!

Just a quick note though… work through the first few days of being seasick, frightened, wanting to get ashore and stay there. You will find that the bad wx, seasickness, despair, are short lived and the great sailing, being offshore, beautiful nights, wonderful sunrises and sunsets far offset the rough times.

Be careful about wanting to get ashore, it causes you to make mistakes and can kill you. Get offshore were there are very few things that can harm you. Sea room is safety. Danger lies whenever you are a few miles from the shore. this seams counterintuitive when you are frightened, tired, and the lights of shore lure you, but trust me, safety lies in deep water. Learn early the values of heaving to.

I have talked to people on boats off that coast who would pay anything to get off and get ashore, but a day or two later, the sun is out, the breeze is fair, and the world changes for them.

Time offshore builds experience, character, resolve, and a love for being there.

Have a great adventure.

M

[contrail]

Let me start by saying I have not done that trip (although I have done the SF on south part in January/February, which is also toughish, and many others) and that I generally greatly respect Stu Jackson's opinion and the point of view he generally comes from. I will add that your next leg south from SF will also be on the late side, and the only part of your schedule that you can pick is your departure date, so as a professional skipper and instructor, I do think you have left this later than advisable, even not counting the inevitable delays that plague this sort of trip and with which you have no experience.



That said, some of us with lots of experience, tend to forget how we got that experience, and the things we did when much younger, which turned out to be wonderful, if rugged, experiences.


It's also true that well prepared Hunters of that vintage, despite the chronic criticisms of many other sailors (most of whom have never cruised on one), have done many nice cruises. That would include my old Hunter, a 1980 33 footer.



I guess I would continue to prep, and be sure not to be exhausted at kick-off, exhaustion being a mortal enemy. I would then have a serious, level headed, meeting between the three of you, and agree on the things that would make you not go, or suspend the trip midway. These would be determined, not in the heat of battle, but at a time of clear headed thought.


I would then take off, on a good forecast, determined to remember to call it quits and wait to next year, when and if the first such no-go occurrence cropped up. NO regrets. Maybe you would make it all the way, maybe you would not start, and maybe you would get part of the way and then wait. Just remember, the decision you made in calm conditions is still the decision you should follow, when your heart and thirst for adventure tires to lure you just a little bit further..........also, one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received is, "If it was too bad to go, five days ago, and nothing has changed, it is still too bad to go!". How many of us on this board have violated this? I would guess many. Good luck.

[Zzmeyer]

I can't disagree with any of the posts whether to go now or not, but since you don't need much advice if you don't go here are some suggestions if you go. Get three different colored small flashlights. While at sea, half the time will be in the dark. I give my crew their own flash light to keep with them and tell them not to ask to borrow mine. Three stack-able dog food bowls. Great for rough offshore dining. Upgrade your anchor to a Rocna or Mantus (or equivalent). One size bigger than recommended with 250 feet of chain. You will be spending 85-90% of your time at anchor so the peace of mind of a modern quality anchor and rode is priceless. New batteries if three years old. You will have failures so minimize them by replacing batteries and checking cables. A dead battery or loose or corroded battery cable will affect every electrical system. Sounds like you've done the engine stuff, but if you haven't opened up, cleaned and removed the inevitable impeller pieces from your heat exchanger do it. If you are not sure of the quality of your fuel replace or polish it and change your primary fuel filter one more time. If you can bring someone for the first leg who has lots of experience do it if you can. If you don't have a chartplotter you can still get a radar and display (either Sitex or Furono) for around $1600 from Defender.com. Mount it on an aluminum pole and your all set. Adjust your halyard tension on your main and genoa while underway. Chaffing is as common as fuel or electrical problems. Get a good weather app (I use predictwind) but download all the weather info you can and pick a window. Download the safety requirements of the ARC and Transpac race and implement as many of the items you can afford or have time to do. Over the years I am surprised how much I continue to learn and how many mistakes I make. While your schedule is ambitious, it is not impossible. Its about 1100 miles to San Diego. You can credibly get there by the start of the Mexico/Central America cruising season which begins November 1.

[chris mac]

Maybe a strange question, but I noticed in the picture that you don't have a name or numbers on the bow of your boat. Is it registered or documented? If not, you might run into problems as you move south. You Definitely will entering new countries.

[JPA Cate]

Good catch, chrismac, yes, there's red tape for entering Mexico, the TIP, the rol de tripulantes, etc. Passports and how and where to store them. The grab bag. Most people carry liferafts.

Valhalla mentioned the need for a cohesive crew. Jim and I went out in bad weather and practiced before we ever left SF for Mexico. It was nice to come home to a warm shower after that. The OP and crew need to figure out who is in command--a triumvirate will be very hard. If things get in a pickle, it should be the more analytical of you, the one who is better able to maintain calmness, whom you select. Usually it is the one with most sea hours and most training.

I liked the suggestion of figuring out beforehand what constitutes no-go conditions, or heaving to, for that matter. At least it's some sort of a plan.

Watch schedules. Some people do them catch as catch can; others on a regular schedule. Jim and I do a loose 6 on, 6 off, which allows each of us enough sleep all together to keep going quite well, more or less indefinitely, with another nap, if needed, during one's off watch. Others do 2 hrs., or 3, or 4. Try what you think will work for you, but change it if you need more rest. Keeping fatigue away is important, because all your decisions are better when you are rested.

Foods: If you can manage it, a hot meal at a consistent time each day is a good thing. Keep it simple, and the galley time short, because the first 3 days may have you all seasick. Usually, people get over seasickness, but severe seasickness (continual dry heaves, inability to keep even sips of water down) should be considered life threatening. Learn how to tell the difference. Have a chat to a doc ashore, preferably one who is an offshore sailor, find out and buy what s/he recommends to stop vomiting, and to prevent sea sickness. Myself, I use Stugeron. Have tried almost everything. Without it, survived 19 1/2 days of it, and stood my watches. Some people are only rarely seasick. My Jim is one of them, but diesel fumes will set him off. CF has many threads about preventing seasickness. Use the CF Custom Google Search.

Ann -- check my profile, if you want to see my experience prior to joining CF

[Sandydog]

One thing that was not mentioned was life insurance. If you are taking a Hunter 32 Vision to sea, make sure yours are in force.

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "One thing that was not mentioned was life insurance. If you are taking a Hunter 32 Vision to sea, make sure yours are in force."

Check the "Exclusions" in the policy. Many policies exclude coverage while the insured is pilot or passenger a "light aircraft" or a "glider". Dollars to peanuts that the wording of one or more exclusions will permit the underwriter to refuse to pay out under the conditions the OP is proposing.

TP

[Dr. D]

Wait until next year.

Go out for week long sails. On the water eating the food aboard and drinking the water you took with you for a week. Standing watches for a week.

Heck, you will still be 20 somethings.......

[JPA Cate]

Yes, they should wait, and they should also do a circumnavigation of Vancouver Island, which would give them an excellent taste of what they have to look forward to. I wonder if any of our more experienced skippers might volunteer to help.... They might want to look for hull flexing, too. And consider what they might do for a jury rig. Not much to play with on that boat.

I'm outta here now, going sailing.

PS. Don't agree about the life insurance, unless they're leaving children behind.

[Sandydog]

Well, the comment about life insurance was just a remark. In my view, that boat needs to stay very much inshore.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Yes, they should wait, and they should also do a circumnavigation of Vancouver Island, which would give them an excellent taste of what they have to look forward to. I wonder if any of our more experienced skippers might volunteer to help.... They might want to look for hull flexing, too. And consider what they might do for a jury rig. Not much to play with on that boat.

I'm outta here now, going sailing.

PS. Don't agree about the life insurance, unless they're leaving children behind.

If the OP are willing to winter over in the Puget Sound, then heading north on the inside end of May or early June, then down the outside of Vancouver Island would be a great shake down. Rounding the Brooks Peninsular is smallscale practice for rounding tbe Capes heading to SF. Get back in the Sound in time to make repairs/upgrades. Then prepare to head south looking for a good weather window around the third week of Aug. This approach is likely to end up with much happier campers who end up enjoying Mexico and the beyond.

(We did this before setting off fulltime cruising. Been out 10 years now)