newbe. storm, general THANKS!

[h20]

please can any one tell me, to sleep on my boat at sea, can i just put out a sea anchor with sails down and drift? or use an anchor with a ball on it in 40 foot of water. Or head towards land? looking to buy a 34 foot Hunter or Catalina. I guess auto pilot helps? IS their any dvd's to learn basic? Sailed little boats and been on the water all my life with fishng boats. One last thing, the best way to get weekly weather report when at sea? Now for fishing i go to NOAA and it's great, but don't think my computer will work at sea? Thanks very much!

[Southern Star]

While singlehanders are forced to sleep with no one on watch, it does violate the colregs and should be avoided if possible. If you are single-handing and are left with no choice, you would want to make sure that you are:

1. Out at sea and well away from any reefs, shallows and land masses;
2. Out of the shipping lanes.
3. Have radar with an alarm to awaken you in the case of approaching vessels.
4. Have an autopilot with an interface to your wind-direction instruments - compass courses are of little or no use on a sailboat in shifting winds.

It also helps to be a light sleeper. Most of us will awaken at anchor, or underway when there is any significant change in wind/wave direction and intensity.

You can use a stand alone weather fax, or your computer to obtain weather forecasts/sat photos while underway. For the latter you will need a Ham Radio or SSB with an appropriate modem.

If you haven't sailed, I would suggest that you join a yacht club and try to get some time crewing on race night. There are also cruising courses available in the USA, the caribbean and the med (and no doubt elsewhere).

Good luck!

Brad

[h20]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

While singlehanders are forced to sleep with no one on watch, it does violate the colregs and should be avoided if possible. If you are single-handing and are left with no choice, you would want to make sure that you are:

1. Out at sea and well away from any reefs, shallows and land masses;
2. Out of the shipping lanes.
3. Have radar with an alarm to awaken you in the case of approaching vessels.
4. Have an autopilot with an interface to your wind-direction instruments - compass courses are of little or no use on a sailboat in shifting winds.

It also helps to be a light sleeper. Most of us will awaken at anchor, or underway when there is any significant change in wind/wave direction and intensity.

You can use a stand alone weather fax, or your computer to obtain weather forecasts/sat photos while underway. For the latter you will need a Ham Radio or SSB with an appropriate modem.

If you haven't sailed, I would suggest that you join a yacht club and try to get some time crewing on race night. There are also cruising courses available in the USA, the caribbean and the med (and no doubt elsewhere).

Good luck!

Brad

Thanks Brad for talikng the time to tell me. It seems like an anchor in shallow ater would be best for sleeping. I never went to school for much and taught myself all the stuff in my business and other things (still can't spell that good) This will be a great challenge! I may take some lesons, doing lots and lots of reading, but gota get my hands wet and grateful for the forums and maybe some day can give back to them!
Cheers, Dan

[Delancey]

Heaving to - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[forsailbyowner]

When Im doing multiple days solo I catnap. After a couple of days I can fall asleep almost instantly and set the watchman on my radar for 5-10 or 20 minute intervals so I can check the horizon and radar. Anchoring along the coast can be ok depending on wind direction. On the atlantic Its generally kinda rough, on the west coast of florida it can be really nice when the winds are easterly I just pull up into the teens and anchor in calm water.

[h20]

yes love those east winds! Just not when fishing on the reef, ha.
Just learning winter east wind weather patterns.
Found old sea book that has all the old wearthe parables,
Said Lightning can't get you if it is south or east of you since weather
moves west to south. Orange Sky sunset, sailers delight. Orange sunrise,
sailor beware. Cool stuff like that. But trying to grasp it all like how can clouds look like cat tails. So i have to read them and them, read more other reasearch form my learning disabilaty! Thats ok, because once I get into my brain, it will remain there (i hope)
for a long time! Thanks for all the advice. Mostly in that monohaul forum....good here too i ges