I just recently returned from A 2500 miles sailing trip. The last 300 miles I sailed alone. It’s that last 300 miles that really took my confidence to a new level. That’s reason enough to sail alone.
I have to admit, your advice and experience is the best I've heard offered for a solo sailor.. you give such valuable information. There's much to be valued:)
I live and sail alone on an Alberg 30 without a wind vane or autopilot. The most important thing is to not overpower my boat with too much sail area. With a balanced sail plan (often a working jib and a reefed main) I can get my boat to self steer under most conditions and tacks with a lashed tiller or sheet-to-tiller steering. For me a most important skill is heaving-to and I am always hove-to when sleeping.
I agree that a balanced sail plan is the base for every self steering, also with a windvane. Interesting that you can self steer your boat under most conditions. I fail on downwind courses. Probably the boat layout is the decisive factor here. Heave to is always an option. It makes your progress slower.
I sail alone most of the time. I love the quiet, the freedom and just being out there with nature. Me and my thoughts. There’s a lot of things you have to do differently and you only have yourself to rely upon, but at least things are always where you last out them :-). Fair winds and following seas my friend.
Terrific video. Great solutions. This is one of those videos every sailor should watch every six months. I like your high life rails. The only reasons for the low stanchions and cables is how strong the stanchions are and money. Before I became a sailor I was a sea kayaker and my rule (learned from accident reports) was just always wear a PFD. In my woodshop where I was doing epoxy I found the larger respirator mask was not only safer, it was easier to breathe through -- so I just used it all the time. No need to think about it. As I built my first kayak I read a book of kayak accident reports. All the ways I could die, and all the things I needed to do to keep that from happening. Clearly, they worked. On my 46' sailboat, center cockpit, everything operates from the cockpit.. I don't always wear my PFD, but on every other boat I've been on I will be first to put it on and last to take it off. I also always have a tether attached. I bought my boat from a fireman, so very safety conscious. He had the safety jacklines up high (1.6m) tapering down to attach at the base of the cutter stay. They didn't get in the way of anything, so I've kept them there. Really handy. If I just need a bit of balance I can just grab it. When I mention this on other boats -- no one will even consider it. And learning about sailors who go over the side with the long tethers and have a difficult time getting back aboard, I made a 1.2m lifeline out of 25mm webbing. It clips on my PFD, on the other end of course is the clip, but about 35cm back from that end is another loop and another clip. Now I can remain attached while passing the shrouds. Works really well, never gets in the way like the standard double tether. It's length of course is specific to my boat and my tasks. It has no shock absorption, so I wouldn't use it where I could fall from a height. I like sleeping in my cockpit. It's got an encloseable bimini, and I love sleeping outside in the cold. (I spent three months in the forward berth of a catamaran slamming up and down. I loved it. Slept like a baby. Are there any other sailors like me? I lived above a discotheque for almost two years. Maybe this is why.) On that boat, a catamaran, I would stand my watches outside in the cold. My thinking is, if I'm going to sail across the vast empty and cold high Pacific, I want to be there when I do it. I have a handheld VHF on a lanyard. I find it's easier and handier to use -- but only for coastal cruising. The original owner of my boat had installed many upgrades for blue water cruising, safety, durability and redundancy. For the steering he had installed a Whitlock system, no cables or quadrant. All stainless steel shafts and gear boxes, the autopilot is a Black Mamba. Not sure what it really is but it's large and durable. Because the boat has an unskegged blade rudder he had installed a Hyrdovane, but there's also an upgraded rudder shaft and connections. (My Hydrovane looks exactly like yours, except I have lanyards on every piece of it, every pin. Also the cord adjustment wheel? I figured out that if I just use a long length of paracord, and cross it after the two holes, before it goes around the grooved wheel, I can work it without an extra pulley and bungee. The cross, or figure 8, means it doesn't hop out of the groove. My friend James has a 30' Allberg with a skeg protected rudder, he still ran over something (probably a shipping container) that wrecked the rudder. He had a drogue on board that he picked up out of a junk pile (because it was colorful and cost a fortune). This got him the rest of the way to Hawaii. He said he wishes he'd had ratchet straps on board. So out of respect that's the first thing I bought for my boat. ( I intend to make a para drogue because.. you never know. When I buy things I might need on my boat, I also consider, is this something I could help out another boat with? How costly and bulky is buying two? ) The best singlehand set up I've seen for going up the mast was a pair of double blocks with a lock that a rigger had. He used a larger diameter rope that he could grasp more easily, I think about 12mm. I have the climbing gear, ascenders, etc like you have. I would also wrap a line around the mast as an emergency 'brake'. Based on my sea kayaking where the rule is: Dress for the water temperature, not the air. This way if you flip over, you don't get hypothermia. I have a lot of experience with hypothermia, in part because my hand and feet circulation is so bad. What I know from all this experience? Hypothermia sets in and starts causing serious problems much sooner than we expect. On my long voyage last year across the high north Pacific, I brought along a dry suit. (Mustang really nice) Another sailor recommended it. I would wear it when there was blowing wet weather . What I noticed was that with all my cold weather layers on underneath it wasn't uncomfortable and I didn't overheat even in the cabin. I think if I went solo I might wear it a lot more. For sailing gloves I brought along lined rubber janitor gloves. (Everyone had a good laugh, until the weather turned cold.) I've since bought a couple of pairs of rubber/ heavy nitrile janitor gloves, some long gauntlets, and merino wool liners. For my feet I have some long Sealskinz socks. These are amazing, just don't get any water down the cuff. That's why the long ones, they reach almost to my knees. I have the gloves, but it's too easy around water to get water in at the wrists. They aren't much good on a boat.) Your docking is good. My boat is easy to maneuver and has a bow thruster; I also find the midships cleat is the most important. Also in a catamaran trying to spring launch off a lee dock, the round fenders just roll and pop out of position. I always wanted a big rectangular fender for the back corner. And two lines to make a V to keep it in position. So far I haven't needed this for my boat. I always wanted to learn how to sail solo. For 15 years I sea kayaked off the coast solo. Could be very dangerous. None of the women I've been in relationships with had any mechanical skills, so I felt I had to assume future relationships would be similar. And yes you experience everything. Fair winds.
Best Regards from Launceston UK. As a non-seafarer, that was a fascinating insight into some of the technical challenges that you face. I look forward to learning some of the reasons as to ‘why’ you have choose to sail alone. Stay safe !!
Thanks for your reply. I have crossed the Atlantic twice to transport sailboats and it was fantastic. impossible to compare with when you do a regatta and at the end you have a beer, a shower and then everyone in a pizzeria telling each other the little adventures of the day. ,
Fantastic videos,, I sailed and raced for 50 years,, solo and mainly double handed, for people who wish for an adventure your videos would be a great help.
Excellent!!! I agree 100% with all your suggestions. The high stainless steel railing is a must, and SV Delos, who have sailed around the world, also swear by it. Plus the mast steps (fixed), why doesn't every sailboat have them?? They make so much sense to me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, for me as I start preparing to go sailing next year, this all makes perfect sense. Subscribed, will be looking for more great videos on your channel, fair winds, und prost!
A lot of the risk can be avoided by doing everything a little bit earlier than might be necessary, a little bit slower than we might normally allow.. and remember.. it's far easier to take out a reef in calmer weather than to take in a reef after it begins blowing, if in doubt, reef..keep in mind that unless racing, if you were in a hurry to get there you wouldn't be sailing, 'heaving to' can be a great energy saver both mentally and physically.. the weather will move on leaving you better rested. :>)
Good point about heaving to. Although many modern boats find it difficult/impossible. It‘s amazing how an uncomfortable situation suddenly becomes relaxed, even if it‘s just to enjoy lunch. As you point out, we don‘t go sailing to get from a to b quickly. We aren‘t regatta sailors, unless of course another boat looks to be catching us up.😂
You can't sail alone without some good self-steering gear, whether you use a wind vane or some type of autopilot. The gps takes a lot of the worry out of navigation. I've had 35,000 nm solo. It isn't that hard but you have to be very good with self sufficiency.
Yes. Probably it depends which area you sail. A am getting more and more respect of scary part of the ocean. But self steering is the key for everything.
I majorly sail solo. I agree with your comments and strategies, most which I have in place. I always have backup plans if at all possible. Still nothing is perfect and we make the best of situations to get through. I love the solo experience. Btw i saw in your vid you sailing past Batemans bay, NSW, my home port. Best.
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean yes good spot for a stop. Good little marina, and chain bay and snapper island offer public moorings free. Chain bay ok except for southerly winds and good hold for anchoring. Let me know if you plan on being here.
This is the best sailing video I‘ve seen. Your advice applies to all sailors, not just solo sailors. It helps that I agree with your advice, and have implemented most of your ideas on my boat.😉 I used to sail alone, but now sail with my wife. Your point about sailing under windvane when near the coast - isn‘t that a time when the electronic autopilot wouldn‘t be a better choice? Although I‘m 80, I can still manage all physical tasks on board, and that will be the decider on when to give up, or buy a smaller boat. One area where we differ is in reefing. I reef my main at the mast, and split my two forestays (not a cutter) between furling (forward) and hanked on (aft). I have granny bars at the mast, and 😂two jacklines cockpit/mast, and a single jackline mast/bow. All the jacklines, including the two in the cockpit, have strops permanently mounted. The strops are from climbing rope designed to cushion a fall. The jacklines and strops combined should not allow me to go overboard. The jacklines are relatively slack, as the tighter they are, the greater the load on the attachments in the event of a fall.
I think you are right that the autopilot is better near a coastline. Great to hear that you are sailing with 80. Incredibly! Thanks for your experience about safety lines. All the best! Reinhard
There was more practical advice in 12:41 than I've seen in a hundred UA-cam videos on sailing. Things that I never heard before. Thank you. That was very practical. I'm just one or two months into my research for a boat and planning my sailing lessons (ASA101-108) between now and the next several years. I hope to be on the water and set sail for my ten-year circumnavigation in 2033. Liked and subscribed!
Thank you gene. I would love to publish more often, but the max is probably one video per month. For one minute video I work about one working day I've found out. And I love to do some sailing in between...
I prefer sailing alone. I'm 80 in 1 more week. I sailed from Tasmania last winter in an Adams 10 to Yamba without stopping. At this stage of my life I seem not to care about safety. I realised in Bass Strait when I got injured that I forgot to get a medical kit. Also no liferaft etc. I also don't check in and out with the coast watch people. I have a commercial ticket and have been the skipper of a brigantine and understand about responsibilities and take them seriously when other people are involved. When sailing alone I don't want to involve anyone with my problems when I have them. At times when things have gone wrong and I really need someone to help with a situation I've been driven to tears. Life gets real at times like that. I'm also happily married and scare my wife. She thinks I'm crazy....... knows.
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean Hi Reinhard, that was a great video you made. It would be great to see you in Tassie but I live in Ulmarra on the Clarence River. The boat is anchored out in the river. No plans to go back there. I'm thinking of putting it on the market and buying a boat in Germany or the Netherlands and sailing it back. That would be next April or May if things have settled down a bit by then. I had a Contessa over there in Eindhoven for awhile and would like to go back. You have a sensible vessel.... not like me. I was doing a sustained 16kts at one time, luckily the rig stayed up.
I solo sail all the time but only locally. My longest trip was 70 miles down wind it to me 21 hours with on sleep. The first 55 miles as using sheet to tiller self steering at about 3 MPH. This allowed me to go below, relax but no sleeping. The last 15 Miles the wind died so I motored at 5 MPH. At 68 it was hard on my body.
Thank you. Very informative and honest. Would be great with a follow up, a version where you take us through an actual trip with the practical steps you do to succeed. Or maybe you already have one of these videos. New viewer…
Thanks. Big heavy boat for one person? Looks like you have her well sorted though. Glad to see you harnessed up. One item that never seems to be on cruisers list is a crash helmet, yet you hear many stories of folk coming to grief by being hit by the boom. I do like watching videos of folk sailing monohulls, rolling wildly…glad I have a catamaran.
😂. Yes that's what catamarans are good for. No roll and lots of space. Reykja is heavy. That makes her stable but slower then gfk. But she is fine for one person.
Very well explained. I agree that sailing alone is dangerous and you have to make make careful provision and contingency arrangements but it is on the whole better to sail alone than with someone you dont care to have on board.
Very good answers to somewhat difficult questins. Well done. Mighty rough seas where you go. North Atlanticc, perhaps? Your safety management thinking, makess you having lots of common sense. Fair winds.
Awesome video! 2:00 Radar reflection, I saw a video of someone crossing a great lake on a inner tube and Mylar kite/sail. Was told by a ship that the Mylar really showed up on the radar.
You need a buffer pulling that chain across any surface will scratch it up & can possibly break things. Try using an old rubber water hose or at least an old towel, fender, etc. Good luck.
Absolutely! Thats what I found out the hard way. I've installed a block for the line which gets the chain up in a better angle. Thanks for your idea with the water hose.
Thank you very much for posting. The combination of common sense and romance I find very appealing. As a sailor who has recently made my first trip in open water (8 hours across Skagerrak in wind average 30 kt, gusting 40), I suffered sea sickness which disabled me as a crew member. I notice you mention some medications here, are there any specific recommendations you would make please. Thanks.
Hi john. The pills I found best go under the name Arlevert 20mg. The suppositories are Itinerol B6. Give yourself more time then only one day. You may be fine after three days with medication.
good vid... do you have any other protections for hitting things? .. you know submerged containers & so forth... do they even work when you want them to? i love the high guard rail....to me ocean yachts look way better than anything else on the water.
Probably the best protection is the steel hull. I have some sort of paste to tighten an tarps to wrap around the hull. But wrappings would be hard work for a solo sailor. Probably I would step into the life raft first ....
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean this is my issue.. steel or a thick old school fiberglass... so those radar/sonar type gear is not so good? then its also another power drain.. i look forward to your follow up on the psychology of a solo..
Wo kann man besser ein selbstbestimmtes Leben führen als auf so einem Boot! Den Naturgewalten ausgesetzt sein und sie mit technischer Unterstützung zu meistern. Die Gefühle zu erfahren eine gefährliche Situation gemeistert zu haben und stolz zu sein. Sich sehnen nach Herausforderungen, die noch vor einem liegen! Ich kann Sie sehr gut verstehen. Good luck!! 🌬️⛵️🌬️
The answer of the two questios is simple: YES! The biggest dangers are 1) Fisherman - who sail often w/o any light; 2) Freighters with no watch on the bridge and going just on autopilot. Sleep: Even if you don't expect them mid ocean, they are still there. Therefore I advocate two sailors on boar who can change watches at will but there is alway a fresh watch on deck.
Thanks zzp. Thanks AIS I am not so much concerned about professional ship traffic. Mostly they see you and my AIS sees them. But fisherman: Yes. And other sailors sometimes ...
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean Correct nowadays there is AIS. Not in my time when I crossed the Atlantic. The first time I went alone sailing there was even no GPS, only Decca. The Med was terrible sailing at night. Ch 16 fouled with the porno language of the fisherman particularly during the night. Unpredictable, changing courses all the time, hunting fish. Then sailing solo became very unpleasant.
I can imagine. Interesting memories! I sailed Greece - Gibraltar in one piece, near to a shipping line, and all this big vessels took a big distance around me. Very calming to see.
Maritime Rule #5 - Every vessel must at all times keep a proper look-out by sight, hearing, and all available means in order to judge if risk of collision exists. How does a solo sailor comply with this rule?
Thats why I have tried to show all the available means at the beginning and tried to rate them. The ocean is over most parts so incredible empty that I really enjoy to see a boat from time to time.
My Poem If both lights of a ship, You have seen over the bow, you must fall to starboard, revealing your incarnation. If it hits green with green, or incarnated with his equal, then nothing is lost, everyone continue on their way. If you see red to starboard, you must act carefully, falls to one side or the other, stop, or order. If anything on your port side, the green can be seen, keep going, keep a watchful eye, the other must move. Ship that reaches another, He will rule without delay. Between a steamer and a sailboat, always maneuver first. (except when the sailboat reaches) He is always vigilant, and also keep in mind, If there is danger ahead, moderate, stop or give back. One more... Always keep an eye out! and also keep in mind, without there is no danger ahead, Don't let them hit you from behind! P.S. 💡At sea, there are no rights, there are caution.
Hello! Thank you very much for the video, there was a lot of useful tips for me! I'm a novice sailor, and therefore have one, maybe silly, question. When sailing alone, is it possible to stop at night, using the heaving-to tactics? If i'm not wrong, with heaving-to it is possible to stop the boat completely, staying with its bow to waves, or make it move to the wind very slowly, less than one knot. Then I would turn on AIS, active radar reflector (if there is one), and put some light on a sail to make my boat more visible and go down for a long sleep. Maybe it is worthwhile to set an electronic anchor alarm too. Then I would set an alarm for waking up once in 90 or 120 minutes. Obviously stopping at nights would make passage tremendously slower, but maybe good mood is more important? Or is it a stupid idea to begin with? I would be grateful for your opinion.
Hi alexey. To me it seems well thought what your write. Heaving to is always an option, but you may drift with the tides and the wind, can be much more than 1 mile an hour. Anchor watch would need to extend some miles here. You would only need it to warn if there is land around. On the open ocean you don't see vessels for days or weeks. I consider the chance to hit a vessel with AIS on and occasional visual outlook as very slim.
Any vessel under commercial activity has right of way over any pleasure craft. COLREG. Prefer the "rule of tonnage"! 🙂 Many fisherman turn the AIS off not to give the secret fishing spots, so radar is good but there is a old small French device "Mer alerte" I think it was called that is a simple beep beep device if it detects a ship within 1-2-or 5 NM. I am looking for a used one or maybe a copy. I like this honest video, thank you. Would you share what you carry in your medical kit and why?
Thanks Coyote for your reply. Uhh, the medical kit is quite huge. Most in demand is solvent against wounds, plaster, gaze strips, solvent against burns, seasickness tablets, eye fluids, stuff against cold and flue, and so on. The rest is for emergency like antibiotics, nitro against heart attack, allergic reaction stuff. It would be quite a long list actually.
the rules DO change from time to time. when i got my captain license, it was 'law' to have a lookout independent of the helmsman. solo sailors (like me) ignored that law. there was no such thing as AIS yet. i used to set a mechanical egg-timer for 30 minutes and steal catnaps. that exhaustion can build up over time. it is dangerous.
Nice video ⛵❤️ i see you have one leaving island of La Palma, we are in Tenerife crossing the Atlantic in January 🌎⛵🏴☠️❤️ hope we can meet some day and have a 🍻 all the best 💪🏼
Technically sailing alone is illegal as it breaks Colreg Rule 5, I did one short solo passage from Knysna to Cape Town and was left with the thought "Never again!"
Exactly this. I have done a bit of singlehanded sailing and it's this that stops me from doing more. I am fine with the sailing part, which is easy. I don't think that 20 minutes is the right number: I think that it's more like 10 minutes for a fast ship.
@@shoutattheskyI'm well aware of that, I deliver yachts for a living. In my travels I have been amazed to have spotted a large number of ships that have had AIS turned off, and a good few that have missed my vessel on radar due to surface scatter.
I am not a lawyer. So I tried to describe the "other means" you need for a "good lookout", like the AIS and radar. In my understanding it would be as much illegal for a motored vessel to crash a sailor sailing. But as I said: I am not a professional here.
I hate … sailing alone since four years. I do not find a partner because many women have high expectations. Second, I am too old to find a partner. At 66 years it is impossible to find someone.
Same here! I retired four years ago at 61 and in a position to buy my own sailboat which has been a life-long dream. I also got divorced three years ago but regardless, my ex partner didn't share my passion anyway. I've been charter sailing twice a year with my sons but they have their own lives and not really into sailing. I so much wanted to share the experience with someone but realistically, that ain't gonna happen so, I guess no sailboat and I'll probably die with my dream! 😢
This is sad, but I think not quite true (sorry for any assumptions), but having run an activity based singles group for many years, I have seen that getting socially involved, being one’s best self, and NOT chasing skirt in and of itself, provides great results given the time it needs.. Wishing you the very best, and a worthy princess to share dreams with.. :)
Damn you're lame !! I'd be cooking some killer meals for the ladies and friends. being on a boat makes it easy for good times ,sailing , scenic settings,diving , spearfish,eat pussy,etc 🧨⛵
Needs. Moar. Sleeep... Passage appears to be a serious challenge - but so is bicycling in traffic, even if practiced for decades. Surely, there is more to sailing than passage between harbors... ships can anchor if there is no traffic or weather ?... Seasoned summary of safety aspects.
Too many eggshells boats out there~ Speed kills~ To bad boats are not what they used to be~ Light catamarans are a disaster in heavy seas~ Maybe a perfect party boat?
The medical kit is quite huge. Most in demand is solvent against wounds, plaster, gaze strips, solvent against burns, seasickness tablets, eye fluids, stuff against cold and flue, and so on. The rest is for emergency like antibiotics, nitro against heart attack, allergic reaction stuff. It would be quite a long list actually.
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean I was in the last GSC. made it 1000nm west of the horn and hit something. 2/5 watertight compartments flooded. Epirb fired... 29hr til pickup by japanese bulk carrier. MV Watasumi. I was in a class40 #44 'Phoenix. aka Sec hayai. Think... its was a submerged shipping container maybe. 2hrs til engine and electronics were flooded.
Thanks mlca. I'm sorry but I have no experience with full or modified full keels. (Don't even know what a modified keel looks like, I am affraid). But so far I enjoy this keel and its self steering attitudes.
Thanks aeronaut. The folding steps can accidentally close when you hit them with your foot while stepping up. When you think they are still in place they may be folded. I had this more than once, so I think it is a risk.
Well I did sail my 10.7 meter sloop from San Diego, Calif. to Ft. Myers Fla. Mostly alone. Through the Panama canal, which was a bit boring. Outer edge of a hurricane after I left Colon Panama. The woodruff key from my transmission to shaft sheared so I had to REEF and use little head sail on the way to San Andreas Columbia. GREAT ADVENTURE will live FOREVER in my memory.
Ich schlief ein - der Tag war lang und die ruhige Stimme von Bord klang wie: "Nimm Deine 90 Minuten mein Junge!" Dann ging ich in die Küche, zog einen Schlappen aus und schaltete das Licht an. Drei von fünf Schaben bekam ich und da dachte ich an Dich. Mein Gebäude ist komplett besetzt seit einigen Monaten und es passiert nix. Die Hausverwaltung ist ja nicht für die Wohnungen zuständig, wo sie aus den Wänden und Rohren krabbeln. Ich lege deswegen die toten Viecher oft in den Hausflur - für die Hebung allgemeiner Motivation. Auf meiner Etage liegen nun die dicksten Gifthaufen in den Ecken und Kanten. Ich überlege sie auch in andere Stockwerke zu legen.... Was macht man an Bord? Ich las mal, daß irgendwer seine Schiffe versenkte für die Entschabung - waren es die Wikinger? Du verbindest Gefahr mit Abenteuer. Die BZ bittet Leser Geschichten zu Mut zu schreiben und da kam mir, daß wir alten Brösel noch Mut erlernten, weil es keine Handys gab, um den Chef zu fragen. Wir mußten entscheiden! Heute sind alle gleich unfähig und das läßt dann nach Sicherheit fragen. Ich weiß, nicht wie es beim Segeln ist, aber beim Mopedfahren ist es ein gutes Zeichen, wenn man die ersten fünf Jahre überlebt hat. Gute Nacht!
Light up the mast and sails with deck mounted spots or strobes. A very bright vertically pointed spot light would be another consideration albeit good only in clear weather.
There are several issues with deck lights and spreader lights that are white lighting up everything. One they kill you night vision and then your vision is limited to that artificial light dome around your boat. Second they violate navigation light rules. When underway under sail ONLY your navigation lights should be on a tri-color mast light with red and green facing forward and white to stern this let’s boats know your course and that you are moving as well as your position. When under power a forward steamer light mid mast and port and starboard navigation (red and green) and a stern (white) light facing aft. This is mandatory and any other lights that interfere with the sight of these lights really are not allowed if your Underway. If your illumination 12:40 is so bright that all an approaching boat sees is that white light illuminating your deck and sails that’s not with in the navigation lights rules for vessels underway. Now if your hovetoo or a fishing vessel in the process of fishing then yes a 360 degree white light and deck lights lighting your work area is fine (and a mast head anchor light which is a 360 white light. It’s just like driving your car with your parking lights on or with emergency flashers on. A car with flashers means a disabled stationary vehicle as do parking lights YES others see you but your sending mixed signals. On the water a 360 white light indicates a stationary vessel (usually anchored or fishing or hovetoo) if your making way in a direction directional navigation lights is ALL that should be on. When under way your navigation lights must not be obscured by other lights.
I am a solo sailor. The content in this video is spot on. Glad you put this out for others to benefit from. Thanks!
Ah, good to hear this from a solo sailor. All the best!
I just recently returned from
A 2500 miles sailing trip. The last 300 miles I sailed alone. It’s that last 300 miles that really took my confidence to a new level. That’s reason enough to sail alone.
well done hogfish. Hope you will enjoy more solo sailing tours!
I have to admit, your advice and experience is the best I've heard offered for a solo sailor.. you give such valuable information. There's much to be valued:)
thanks yourtruetreasures. I love to hear that things are valued by someone.
I didn't want this video to end so quickly. Great job. I will follow for more
What a nice compliment. Thanks!
I live and sail alone on an Alberg 30 without a wind vane or autopilot. The most important thing is to not overpower my boat with too much sail area. With a balanced sail plan (often a working jib and a reefed main) I can get my boat to self steer under most conditions and tacks with a lashed tiller or sheet-to-tiller steering. For me a most important skill is heaving-to and I am always hove-to when sleeping.
I agree that a balanced sail plan is the base for every self steering, also with a windvane. Interesting that you can self steer your boat under most conditions. I fail on downwind courses. Probably the boat layout is the decisive factor here. Heave to is always an option. It makes your progress slower.
I sail alone most of the time. I love the quiet, the freedom and just being out there with nature. Me and my thoughts. There’s a lot of things you have to do differently and you only have yourself to rely upon, but at least things are always where you last out them :-). Fair winds and following seas my friend.
Thanks, sailingandscuba, I very much relate to your thoughts,
Terrific video. Great solutions. This is one of those videos every sailor should watch every six months.
I like your high life rails. The only reasons for the low stanchions and cables is how strong the stanchions are and money.
Before I became a sailor I was a sea kayaker and my rule (learned from accident reports) was just always wear a PFD. In my woodshop where I was doing epoxy I found the larger respirator mask was not only safer, it was easier to breathe through -- so I just used it all the time. No need to think about it. As I built my first kayak I read a book of kayak accident reports. All the ways I could die, and all the things I needed to do to keep that from happening. Clearly, they worked.
On my 46' sailboat, center cockpit, everything operates from the cockpit.. I don't always wear my PFD, but on every other boat I've been on I will be first to put it on and last to take it off. I also always have a tether attached. I bought my boat from a fireman, so very safety conscious. He had the safety jacklines up high (1.6m) tapering down to attach at the base of the cutter stay. They didn't get in the way of anything, so I've kept them there. Really handy. If I just need a bit of balance I can just grab it. When I mention this on other boats -- no one will even consider it. And learning about sailors who go over the side with the long tethers and have a difficult time getting back aboard, I made a 1.2m lifeline out of 25mm webbing. It clips on my PFD, on the other end of course is the clip, but about 35cm back from that end is another loop and another clip. Now I can remain attached while passing the shrouds. Works really well, never gets in the way like the standard double tether. It's length of course is specific to my boat and my tasks. It has no shock absorption, so I wouldn't use it where I could fall from a height.
I like sleeping in my cockpit. It's got an encloseable bimini, and I love sleeping outside in the cold. (I spent three months in the forward berth of a catamaran slamming up and down. I loved it. Slept like a baby. Are there any other sailors like me? I lived above a discotheque for almost two years. Maybe this is why.) On that boat, a catamaran, I would stand my watches outside in the cold. My thinking is, if I'm going to sail across the vast empty and cold high Pacific, I want to be there when I do it.
I have a handheld VHF on a lanyard. I find it's easier and handier to use -- but only for coastal cruising.
The original owner of my boat had installed many upgrades for blue water cruising, safety, durability and redundancy. For the steering he had installed a Whitlock system, no cables or quadrant. All stainless steel shafts and gear boxes, the autopilot is a Black Mamba. Not sure what it really is but it's large and durable. Because the boat has an unskegged blade rudder he had installed a Hyrdovane, but there's also an upgraded rudder shaft and connections. (My Hydrovane looks exactly like yours, except I have lanyards on every piece of it, every pin. Also the cord adjustment wheel? I figured out that if I just use a long length of paracord, and cross it after the two holes, before it goes around the grooved wheel, I can work it without an extra pulley and bungee. The cross, or figure 8, means it doesn't hop out of the groove.
My friend James has a 30' Allberg with a skeg protected rudder, he still ran over something (probably a shipping container) that wrecked the rudder. He had a drogue on board that he picked up out of a junk pile (because it was colorful and cost a fortune). This got him the rest of the way to Hawaii. He said he wishes he'd had ratchet straps on board. So out of respect that's the first thing I bought for my boat. ( I intend to make a para drogue because.. you never know. When I buy things I might need on my boat, I also consider, is this something I could help out another boat with? How costly and bulky is buying two? )
The best singlehand set up I've seen for going up the mast was a pair of double blocks with a lock that a rigger had. He used a larger diameter rope that he could grasp more easily, I think about 12mm. I have the climbing gear, ascenders, etc like you have. I would also wrap a line around the mast as an emergency 'brake'.
Based on my sea kayaking where the rule is: Dress for the water temperature, not the air. This way if you flip over, you don't get hypothermia. I have a lot of experience with hypothermia, in part because my hand and feet circulation is so bad. What I know from all this experience? Hypothermia sets in and starts causing serious problems much sooner than we expect. On my long voyage last year across the high north Pacific, I brought along a dry suit. (Mustang really nice) Another sailor recommended it. I would wear it when there was blowing wet weather . What I noticed was that with all my cold weather layers on underneath it wasn't uncomfortable and I didn't overheat even in the cabin. I think if I went solo I might wear it a lot more. For sailing gloves I brought along lined rubber janitor gloves. (Everyone had a good laugh, until the weather turned cold.) I've since bought a couple of pairs of rubber/ heavy nitrile janitor gloves, some long gauntlets, and merino wool liners. For my feet I have some long Sealskinz socks. These are amazing, just don't get any water down the cuff. That's why the long ones, they reach almost to my knees. I have the gloves, but it's too easy around water to get water in at the wrists. They aren't much good on a boat.)
Your docking is good. My boat is easy to maneuver and has a bow thruster; I also find the midships cleat is the most important. Also in a catamaran trying to spring launch off a lee dock, the round fenders just roll and pop out of position. I always wanted a big rectangular fender for the back corner. And two lines to make a V to keep it in position. So far I haven't needed this for my boat.
I always wanted to learn how to sail solo. For 15 years I sea kayaked off the coast solo. Could be very dangerous. None of the women I've been in relationships with had any mechanical skills, so I felt I had to assume future relationships would be similar. And yes you experience everything. Fair winds.
Woah! What a treasure of experiences and knowledge you have written down. Thank you so much for this!
Thank for sharing. I love the pure and unfiltered style of your vid,
That's good to hear seacracker. Thank you.
A very thoughtful, informative and on point post. Cheers
Thank you omnisail. Good to hear this.
Best Regards from Launceston UK.
As a non-seafarer, that was a fascinating insight into some of the technical challenges that you face. I look forward to learning some of the reasons as to ‘why’ you have choose to sail alone. Stay safe !!
You must be a night owl? Greetings back to Launceston!
I think it's the most beautiful video made by a real navigator and not by a bar sailor. Good winds on your sails.
Thanks flyerplanet. Not so many bars around on the ocean ;)
Thanks for your reply. I have crossed the Atlantic twice to transport sailboats and it was fantastic. impossible to compare with when you do a regatta and at the end you have a beer, a shower and then everyone in a pizzeria telling each other the little adventures of the day. ,
Fantastic videos,, I sailed and raced for 50 years,, solo and mainly double handed, for people who wish for an adventure your videos would be a great help.
Thank you, paul. Looks like you have tons of experience.
I love being alone. Isolation. The challengers are a gift for Knowledge. Most people are so moody. And not content. Great blog. 👍
thanks david. I can relate to what you write.
Thank you my friend~ A long keel is your best friend~ Maybe not so fast but steady~
This traditional layout, longer keel and skeg rudder, is fine for me too. Thanks rolf.
i agree with everything you said.
and i think she's the perfect cruiser, your boat.
Good to hear, tony!
Excellent advice on so many facets. Thx !
Thanks back to you!
Fantastic vid , I sail alone and can relate to so much of what you said - redundancy, preparation and a plan B is key!
This is it, thanks richguest.
Excellent!!! I agree 100% with all your suggestions. The high stainless steel railing is a must, and SV Delos, who have sailed around the world, also swear by it. Plus the mast steps (fixed), why doesn't every sailboat have them?? They make so much sense to me.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, for me as I start preparing to go sailing next year, this all makes perfect sense. Subscribed, will be looking for more great videos on your channel, fair winds, und prost!
Prost to you AfricanFlightStar and all the best for your preparations.
A lot of the risk can be avoided by doing everything a little bit earlier than might be necessary, a little bit slower than we might normally allow.. and remember.. it's far easier to take out a reef in calmer weather than to take in a reef after it begins blowing, if in doubt, reef..keep in mind that unless racing, if you were in a hurry to get there you wouldn't be sailing, 'heaving to' can be a great energy saver both mentally and physically.. the weather will move on leaving you better rested. :>)
Absolutely. I agree with everything.
Good point about heaving to. Although many modern boats find it difficult/impossible. It‘s amazing how an uncomfortable situation suddenly becomes relaxed, even if it‘s just to enjoy lunch. As you point out, we don‘t go sailing to get from a to b quickly. We aren‘t regatta sailors, unless of course another boat looks to be catching us up.😂
You can't sail alone without some good self-steering gear, whether you use a wind vane or some type of autopilot. The gps takes a lot of the worry out of navigation. I've had 35,000 nm solo. It isn't that hard but you have to be very good with self sufficiency.
Yes. Probably it depends which area you sail. A am getting more and more respect of scary part of the ocean. But self steering is the key for everything.
I majorly sail solo. I agree with your comments and strategies, most which I have in place. I always have backup plans if at all possible. Still nothing is perfect and we make the best of situations to get through. I love the solo experience. Btw i saw in your vid you sailing past Batemans bay, NSW, my home port. Best.
Definitely nothing is perfect. I've noticed Batemans Bay as a possible shelter. Maybe I will come along on my way back towards summer.
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean yes good spot for a stop. Good little marina, and chain bay and snapper island offer public moorings free. Chain bay ok except for southerly winds and good hold for anchoring. Let me know if you plan on being here.
This is the best sailing video I‘ve seen. Your advice applies to all sailors, not just solo sailors. It helps that I agree with your advice, and have implemented most of your ideas on my boat.😉 I used to sail alone, but now sail with my wife. Your point about sailing under windvane when near the coast - isn‘t that a time when the electronic autopilot wouldn‘t be a better choice? Although I‘m 80, I can still manage all physical tasks on board, and that will be the decider on when to give up, or buy a smaller boat. One area where we differ is in reefing. I reef my main at the mast, and split my two forestays (not a cutter) between furling (forward) and hanked on (aft). I have granny bars at the mast, and 😂two jacklines cockpit/mast, and a single jackline mast/bow. All the jacklines, including the two in the cockpit, have strops permanently mounted. The strops are from climbing rope designed to cushion a fall. The jacklines and strops combined should not allow me to go overboard. The jacklines are relatively slack, as the tighter they are, the greater the load on the attachments in the event of a fall.
I think you are right that the autopilot is better near a coastline. Great to hear that you are sailing with 80. Incredibly! Thanks for your experience about safety lines. All the best! Reinhard
Thanks for the great video!
Thanks back to you sailing-maja.
I never realized how clumsy I am until I went out on deck without shoes!
Isn't it so? Thanks for your reply.
Thank you so much for your video ❤
Really great. I appreciate.
Thanks claude. I love to hear this.
That was great advice ,good sailing and best regards from Tin Can Bay .
Thank you mark. Greetings back from Airlie Beach.
Thank you. Really appreciate your advices for solo sailing.
Thanks tostaky! Good to know.
There was more practical advice in 12:41 than I've seen in a hundred UA-cam videos on sailing. Things that I never heard before. Thank you. That was very practical. I'm just one or two months into my research for a boat and planning my sailing lessons (ASA101-108) between now and the next several years. I hope to be on the water and set sail for my ten-year circumnavigation in 2033. Liked and subscribed!
This sounds like a plan, 2033. All the best for it and thanks for your compliments!
You have so much good information to tell about your travels. I wish you would publish videos more often.
Thank you gene. I would love to publish more often, but the max is probably one video per month. For one minute video I work about one working day I've found out. And I love to do some sailing in between...
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean I have a little experience in video editing and solo sailing, so I completely understand.
I prefer sailing alone. I'm 80 in 1 more week. I sailed from Tasmania last winter in an Adams 10 to Yamba without stopping. At this stage of my life I seem not to care about safety. I realised in Bass Strait when I got injured that I forgot to get a medical kit. Also no liferaft etc. I also don't check in and out with the coast watch people. I have a commercial ticket and have been the skipper of a brigantine and understand about responsibilities and take them seriously when other people are involved. When sailing alone I don't want to involve anyone with my problems when I have them. At times when things have gone wrong and I really need someone to help with a situation I've been driven to tears. Life gets real at times like that. I'm also happily married and scare my wife. She thinks I'm crazy....... knows.
Forgot to mention I never wear a harness on deck and obviously no jack lines. If I go over the side I'm dead, it makes me really hang on.
@@johnshaw8327 I hear you bro! Nothing makes you hang on, better or harder than the knowledge you are dead if you don't!
Hi john. This sounds brave and clear. I admire your energy and devotion. Maybe we meet in Tasmania this summer?
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean Hi Reinhard, that was a great video you made. It would be great to see you in Tassie but I live in Ulmarra on the Clarence River. The boat is anchored out in the river. No plans to go back there. I'm thinking of putting it on the market and buying a boat in Germany or the Netherlands and sailing it back. That would be next April or May if things have settled down a bit by then. I had a Contessa over there in Eindhoven for awhile and would like to go back. You have a sensible vessel.... not like me. I was doing a sustained 16kts at one time, luckily the rig stayed up.
Fantastic, thanks for sharing.
Thanks Andre. Thanks for commenting.
I solo sail all the time but only locally.
My longest trip was 70 miles down wind it to me 21 hours with on sleep.
The first 55 miles as using sheet to tiller self steering at about 3 MPH.
This allowed me to go below, relax but no sleeping.
The last 15 Miles the wind died so I motored at 5 MPH.
At 68 it was hard on my body.
21 hours with no sleep is hard stuff. Great you have made it!
Much valuable info....has given me some ideas....many thanks....!
Good to hear this steinrich.
I like that you speak from experience and as a solosailor myself, I really do like you redundancies how many it may be, thanks
Yes, it seems to be the key to prevent scary situations.
Thank you. Very informative and honest. Would be great with a follow up, a version where you take us through an actual trip with the practical steps you do to succeed. Or maybe you already have one of these videos. New viewer…
Let me think about it. Thanks for your feedback.
I needed this perspective and value your advice.
Good to hear this icarumba!
Thank you for all the great information.
It's been a pleasure, john.
Fantastic. Thank you for posting.
Thanks sailit. Thanks back to you.
Freedom! Thanks for sharing. Well done!
Ah, an other singlehandsailor. Thanks for your compliment.
Best advice ever.
Whoa. More of this praise please. No sorry, just joking.
Great gouge brother, thanks for sharing your video and philosophy!!!
Thanks to you Sam to reply!
Thanks.
Big heavy boat for one person?
Looks like you have her well sorted though.
Glad to see you harnessed up.
One item that never seems to be on cruisers list is a crash helmet, yet you hear many stories of folk coming to grief by being hit by the boom.
I do like watching videos of folk sailing monohulls, rolling wildly…glad I have a catamaran.
😂. Yes that's what catamarans are good for. No roll and lots of space. Reykja is heavy. That makes her stable but slower then gfk. But she is fine for one person.
Very well explained. I agree that sailing alone is dangerous and you have to make make careful provision and contingency arrangements but it is on the whole better to sail alone than with someone you dont care to have on board.
It definitely is. Thanks graham!
Lots of really useful concepts here. Thanks for sharing! I have the same 1kW Honda generator. They're great. :)
Thanks sauter. Yes, so far the generator is very reliable. Which can't be said about every tool.
Thank for an informative run down on life on the sea and all that goes with it. I enjoy sailing, but very much a learner. Kiwi
thanks denys for your reaction!
Well Explained !
Thanks calypsowind for your feedback.
Very enlightening, great content, I subbed and liked!!
Thanks dcmsr. Well done ;)
Wonderful and practical insight into solo sailing 🙏
Thanks robert. Glad you have liked it.
Thank you so much, fair seas, and best wishes...
Thank you alpgur.
I can't wait for the next blog....stay safe and fair winds..⛵⛵⛵
Thank you alfredo. Nice to hear this.
Very good answers to somewhat difficult questins. Well done. Mighty rough seas where you go. North Atlanticc, perhaps? Your safety management thinking, makess you having lots of common sense. Fair winds.
Thanks javacup. The seas are mostly Southern Pacific. Glad to hear you liked it.
Awesome video! 2:00 Radar reflection, I saw a video of someone crossing a great lake on a inner tube and Mylar kite/sail. Was told by a ship that the Mylar really showed up on the radar.
Funny stuff, isn't it? My radar echo was a ordinary catamaran, 1.5 miles away and most of the time not showing.
You need a buffer pulling that chain across any surface will scratch it up & can possibly break things. Try using an old rubber water hose or at least an old towel, fender, etc. Good luck.
Absolutely! Thats what I found out the hard way. I've installed a block for the line which gets the chain up in a better angle. Thanks for your idea with the water hose.
Great video, sir. Many thanks.
thanks charlie to you!
i loved !!!
Good to hear stargate!
I look forward to the philosophical answer soon, I hope.
Thanks for your trust. Let's see if I can get it together in a reasonable time.
Very good! Thank you!
Thank you zwerl for your reaction!
Great analysis! Can only endorse it all. Yet - being out there in the blue is great. But keep in mind at all times - the ocean is not your friend 😊
Agreed. But the ocean is not my enemy as well. It's more something to be respected.
Thank you! for great video!
It's been my pleasure rolf.
Thank you for your post
Wonderful, thank you
Thanks back to you thunderbird.
Thank you very much for posting. The combination of common sense and romance I find very appealing. As a sailor who has recently made my first trip in open water (8 hours across Skagerrak in wind average 30 kt, gusting 40), I suffered sea sickness which disabled me as a crew member. I notice you mention some medications here, are there any specific recommendations you would make please. Thanks.
Hi john. The pills I found best go under the name Arlevert 20mg. The suppositories are Itinerol B6. Give yourself more time then only one day. You may be fine after three days with medication.
good vid... do you have any other protections for hitting things? .. you know submerged containers & so forth... do they even work when you want them to? i love the high guard rail....to me ocean yachts look way better than anything else on the water.
He's in a steel hulled boat - likely the highest degree of protection against a container.
Probably the best protection is the steel hull. I have some sort of paste to tighten an tarps to wrap around the hull. But wrappings would be hard work for a solo sailor. Probably I would step into the life raft first ....
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean this is my issue.. steel or a thick old school fiberglass... so those radar/sonar type gear is not so good? then its also another power drain.. i look forward to your follow up on the psychology of a solo..
Wo kann man besser ein selbstbestimmtes Leben führen als auf so einem Boot! Den Naturgewalten ausgesetzt sein und sie mit technischer Unterstützung zu meistern. Die Gefühle zu erfahren eine gefährliche Situation gemeistert zu haben und stolz zu sein. Sich sehnen nach Herausforderungen, die noch vor einem liegen! Ich kann Sie sehr gut verstehen. Good luck!! 🌬️⛵️🌬️
Vielen Dank kokakei. Ich fühle mich verstanden.
Thank You for Your Video.
Thank you for your reaction chr.
The answer of the two questios is simple: YES! The biggest dangers are 1) Fisherman - who sail often w/o any light; 2) Freighters with no watch on the bridge and going just on autopilot. Sleep: Even if you don't expect them mid ocean, they are still there. Therefore I advocate two sailors on boar who can change watches at will but there is alway a fresh watch on deck.
Thanks zzp. Thanks AIS I am not so much concerned about professional ship traffic. Mostly they see you and my AIS sees them. But fisherman: Yes. And other sailors sometimes ...
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean Correct nowadays there is AIS. Not in my time when I crossed the Atlantic. The first time I went alone sailing there was even no GPS, only Decca. The Med was terrible sailing at night. Ch 16 fouled with the porno language of the fisherman particularly during the night. Unpredictable, changing courses all the time, hunting fish. Then sailing solo became very unpleasant.
I can imagine. Interesting memories! I sailed Greece - Gibraltar in one piece, near to a shipping line, and all this big vessels took a big distance around me. Very calming to see.
Maritime Rule #5 - Every vessel must at all times keep a proper look-out by sight, hearing, and all available means in order to judge if risk of collision exists. How does a solo sailor comply with this rule?
Thats why I have tried to show all the available means at the beginning and tried to rate them. The ocean is over most parts so incredible empty that I really enjoy to see a boat from time to time.
My Poem
If both lights of a ship,
You have seen over the bow,
you must fall to starboard,
revealing your incarnation.
If it hits green with green,
or incarnated with his equal,
then nothing is lost,
everyone continue on their way.
If you see red to starboard,
you must act carefully,
falls to one side or the other,
stop, or order.
If anything on your port side,
the green can be seen,
keep going, keep a watchful eye,
the other must move.
Ship that reaches another,
He will rule without delay.
Between a steamer and a sailboat,
always maneuver first.
(except when the sailboat reaches) He is always vigilant,
and also keep in mind,
If there is danger ahead,
moderate, stop or give back.
One more...
Always keep an eye out!
and also keep in mind,
without there is no danger ahead,
Don't let them hit you from behind!
P.S. 💡At sea, there are no rights, there are caution.
Nice 🙏🏻❤️⛵🏴☠️⚓🌍
Lots of good insights. Especially the last two lines. Funny and true.
May the wind and waves be easy on you..
Thank you nilcan. It sounds like a blessing. One can use this.
Hello! Thank you very much for the video, there was a lot of useful tips for me! I'm a novice sailor, and therefore have one, maybe silly, question. When sailing alone, is it possible to stop at night, using the heaving-to tactics? If i'm not wrong, with heaving-to it is possible to stop the boat completely, staying with its bow to waves, or make it move to the wind very slowly, less than one knot. Then I would turn on AIS, active radar reflector (if there is one), and put some light on a sail to make my boat more visible and go down for a long sleep. Maybe it is worthwhile to set an electronic anchor alarm too. Then I would set an alarm for waking up once in 90 or 120 minutes.
Obviously stopping at nights would make passage tremendously slower, but maybe good mood is more important? Or is it a stupid idea to begin with? I would be grateful for your opinion.
Hi alexey. To me it seems well thought what your write. Heaving to is always an option, but you may drift with the tides and the wind, can be much more than 1 mile an hour. Anchor watch would need to extend some miles here. You would only need it to warn if there is land around. On the open ocean you don't see vessels for days or weeks. I consider the chance to hit a vessel with AIS on and occasional visual outlook as very slim.
Any vessel under commercial activity has right of way over any pleasure craft. COLREG.
Prefer the "rule of tonnage"! 🙂
Many fisherman turn the AIS off not to give the secret fishing spots, so radar is good but there is a old small French device
"Mer alerte" I think it was called that is a simple beep beep device if it detects a ship within 1-2-or 5 NM.
I am looking for a used one or maybe a copy.
I like this honest video, thank you.
Would you share what you carry in your medical kit and why?
Thanks Coyote for your reply. Uhh, the medical kit is quite huge. Most in demand is solvent against wounds, plaster, gaze strips, solvent against burns, seasickness tablets, eye fluids, stuff against cold and flue, and so on. The rest is for emergency like antibiotics, nitro against heart attack, allergic reaction stuff. It would be quite a long list actually.
beautiful!
Thank you ben!
the rules DO change from time to time. when i got my captain license, it was 'law' to have a lookout independent of the helmsman. solo sailors (like me) ignored that law. there was no such thing as AIS yet.
i used to set a mechanical egg-timer for 30 minutes and steal catnaps. that exhaustion can build up over time. it is dangerous.
Thank you sleeth. Interesting memories!
Nice video ⛵❤️ i see you have one leaving island of La Palma, we are in Tenerife crossing the Atlantic in January 🌎⛵🏴☠️❤️ hope we can meet some day and have a 🍻 all the best 💪🏼
Thanks viajeros. Yes that sounds like a similar plan of yours. All the best for your crossing!
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean Thank you 🙏🏻🌎⛵🏴☠️⚓🧭❤️
Technically sailing alone is illegal as it breaks Colreg Rule 5, I did one short solo passage from Knysna to Cape Town and was left with the thought "Never again!"
There are a lot of people out there breaking the law!
Exactly this. I have done a bit of singlehanded sailing and it's this that stops me from doing more. I am fine with the sailing part, which is easy. I don't think that 20 minutes is the right number: I think that it's more like 10 minutes for a fast ship.
Lot of ships out there with only George on the bridge!
@@shoutattheskyI'm well aware of that, I deliver yachts for a living. In my travels I have been amazed to have spotted a large number of ships that have had AIS turned off, and a good few that have missed my vessel on radar due to surface scatter.
I am not a lawyer. So I tried to describe the "other means" you need for a "good lookout", like the AIS and radar. In my understanding it would be as much illegal for a motored vessel to crash a sailor sailing. But as I said: I am not a professional here.
You sound like one well sorted sailor - outside and inside...
Smile. No one knows its inside really. I doubt if it is well sorted. But thanks anyway!
Thank you.
It's been my pleasure, rick.
_Joshua Slocum_ and _Bernard Moitessier_ approve of this message ~ and Nelson slept in a cot. Good enough for me!
Thanks dan. Good to know ;)
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean Great reads, recommended. _Cheers!_
I hate … sailing alone since four years. I do not find a partner because many women have high expectations. Second, I am too old to find a partner. At 66 years it is impossible to find someone.
I am sorry to hear this. Sailing alone but not wanting it. Yeah, that's hard.
Same here! I retired four years ago at 61 and in a position to buy my own sailboat which has been a life-long dream. I also got divorced three years ago but regardless, my ex partner didn't share my passion anyway.
I've been charter sailing twice a year with my sons but they have their own lives and not really into sailing.
I so much wanted to share the experience with someone but realistically, that ain't gonna happen so, I guess no sailboat and I'll probably die with my dream! 😢
This is sad, but I think not quite true (sorry for any assumptions), but having run an activity based singles group for many years, I have seen that getting socially involved, being one’s best self, and NOT chasing skirt in and of itself, provides great results given the time it needs..
Wishing you the very best, and a worthy princess to share dreams with..
:)
Need crew?
Damn you're lame !! I'd be cooking some killer meals for the ladies and friends. being on a boat makes it easy for good times ,sailing , scenic settings,diving , spearfish,eat pussy,etc 🧨⛵
Needs. Moar. Sleeep...
Passage appears to be a serious challenge - but so is bicycling in traffic, even if practiced for decades.
Surely, there is more to sailing than passage between harbors... ships can anchor if there is no traffic or weather ?...
Seasoned summary of safety aspects.
thank you christoph. Yes, you can heave to if you need a rest, moving very slowly sidewards.
Too many eggshells boats out there~ Speed kills~ To bad boats are not what they used to be~ Light catamarans are a disaster in heavy seas~ Maybe a perfect party boat?
Thanks rolf for your thoughts.
It would be interesting to know exactly what is in your medical kit.
The medical kit is quite huge. Most in demand is solvent against wounds, plaster, gaze strips, solvent against burns, seasickness tablets, eye fluids, stuff against cold and flue, and so on. The rest is for emergency like antibiotics, nitro against heart attack, allergic reaction stuff. It would be quite a long list actually.
I done 18,000nm in one shot ! Solo sailing is the best
Thanks 00billy. So where was that?
@@SailingAloneAcrossTheOcean I was in the last GSC. made it 1000nm west of the horn and hit something. 2/5 watertight compartments flooded. Epirb fired... 29hr til pickup by japanese bulk carrier. MV Watasumi. I was in a class40 #44 'Phoenix. aka Sec hayai.
Think... its was a submerged shipping container maybe. 2hrs til engine and electronics were flooded.
What a story!
👍👍💙💙👍👍
Thanks ffb!
off topic question, is that type of keel as good as a full or modified full in open waters?
Thanks mlca. I'm sorry but I have no experience with full or modified full keels. (Don't even know what a modified keel looks like, I am affraid). But so far I enjoy this keel and its self steering attitudes.
Why are folding mast steps dangerous? Thank you!
Thanks aeronaut. The folding steps can accidentally close when you hit them with your foot while stepping up. When you think they are still in place they may be folded. I had this more than once, so I think it is a risk.
Well I did sail my 10.7 meter sloop from San Diego, Calif. to Ft. Myers Fla. Mostly alone. Through the Panama canal, which was a bit boring. Outer edge of a hurricane after I left Colon Panama. The woodruff key from my transmission to shaft sheared so I had to REEF and use little head sail on the way to San Andreas Columbia. GREAT ADVENTURE will live FOREVER in my memory.
I can imagine this great memory. There are things out there that you don't forget.
Great 🤩 please also additional in German, please 😃
It's online since 10 hours.
The perfect boat!~ Nah~ But a canoe stern is helpful in following seas~ hank you for the video!
There is no perfect boat I afraid. All you try is to come near to less trouble.
Ich schlief ein - der Tag war lang und die ruhige Stimme von Bord klang wie: "Nimm Deine 90 Minuten mein Junge!" Dann ging ich in die Küche, zog einen Schlappen aus und schaltete das Licht an. Drei von fünf Schaben bekam ich und da dachte ich an Dich. Mein Gebäude ist komplett besetzt seit einigen Monaten und es passiert nix. Die Hausverwaltung ist ja nicht für die Wohnungen zuständig, wo sie aus den Wänden und Rohren krabbeln. Ich lege deswegen die toten Viecher oft in den Hausflur - für die Hebung allgemeiner Motivation. Auf meiner Etage liegen nun die dicksten Gifthaufen in den Ecken und Kanten. Ich überlege sie auch in andere Stockwerke zu legen.... Was macht man an Bord? Ich las mal, daß irgendwer seine Schiffe versenkte für die Entschabung - waren es die Wikinger?
Du verbindest Gefahr mit Abenteuer. Die BZ bittet Leser Geschichten zu Mut zu schreiben und da kam mir, daß wir alten Brösel noch Mut erlernten, weil es keine Handys gab, um den Chef zu fragen. Wir mußten entscheiden! Heute sind alle gleich unfähig und das läßt dann nach Sicherheit fragen. Ich weiß, nicht wie es beim Segeln ist, aber beim Mopedfahren ist es ein gutes Zeichen, wenn man die ersten fünf Jahre überlebt hat. Gute Nacht!
Ich fürchte die ersten fünf Jahre sind keine Garantie. Im Gegenteil. Man wird nachlässiger und selbstbewusster. Idealerweise bleibt man aufmerksam.
Light up the mast and sails with deck mounted spots or strobes. A very bright vertically pointed spot light would be another consideration albeit good only in clear weather.
Yes, I've seen this on other boats. Not legal but maybe effective.
There are several issues with deck lights and spreader lights that are white lighting up everything. One they kill you night vision and then your vision is limited to that artificial light dome around your boat. Second they violate navigation light rules. When underway under sail ONLY your navigation lights should be on a tri-color mast light with red and green facing forward and white to stern this let’s boats know your course and that you are moving as well as your position. When under power a forward steamer light mid mast and port and starboard navigation (red and green) and a stern (white) light facing aft. This is mandatory and any other lights that interfere with the sight of these lights really are not allowed if your Underway. If your illumination 12:40 is so bright that all an approaching boat sees is that white light illuminating your deck and sails that’s not with in the navigation lights rules for vessels underway. Now if your hovetoo or a fishing vessel in the process of fishing then yes a 360 degree white light and deck lights lighting your work area is fine (and a mast head anchor light which is a 360 white light. It’s just like driving your car with your parking lights on or with emergency flashers on. A car with flashers means a disabled stationary vehicle as do parking lights YES others see you but your sending mixed signals. On the water a 360 white light indicates a stationary vessel (usually anchored or fishing or hovetoo) if your making way in a direction directional navigation lights is ALL that should be on.
When under way your navigation lights must not be obscured by other lights.
William Shakespeare;To be or not to be!
Thanks gersil for your inspiration.
Funny how a lot of sailors are lost overboard on crewed vessels?
I guess it's just the Over confidence that they will save me? Yeah, right!
I don't know. Sometimes things can go wrong. Or you slip between the railings. But yeah, when there is no one to save you you may move different.
Oh schade, englische Videos gibts so viele. War aber trotzdem sehr gut.
Morgen kommt die deutschsprachige Version. Danke fürs feedback.
Lose the music
Thanks for your feedback, sproket.
Don’t mind the music. Just my $.02