36 hours, no wind vane, singlehanded, sensible?

[Fascadale]

Hi

My long term plan is to do the JAC2014. (all 3 kids will be finished Uni by then)

I am slowly preparing the boat and myself for the challenge. I have no windvane as yet: I hope to get one next year. The only self steering I have is the electrically powered Simrad TP10 tiller pilot.

The plan this year is Edinburgh to Norway by the Shetlands.

I have two crew for the passage out there but as yet nobody for the trip home.

I'm now thinking I should use the trip home as an opportunity for my first extended singlehanded trip.

I've done plenty of singlehanded day trips but no overnights.

Norway to Shetland is about 180nms, 36 to 45 hours I hope.

Am I being overambitious ?

I see the two main issues as being (I'm sure there are others)

1. Wakeful enough to keep a proper watch but that should be dealt with by kitchen timers and 10 minute sleeps

2. Steering. Ok if the engine is on, plenty of battery power for the tiller pilot

How possible is it to do a 36+hr passage singlehanded with no windvane?

What do you all think?

Paul

 

[SwedishLass]

Did Brightlingsea to Brighton in one hit approx 29 hours, slow old boat. Just me and the tiller pilot.
Decided to time it carefully to maximise daylight and opportunities for long blinks. Got good sleep first to build up bank. First part was most stressful, crossing Thames estuary and needed wits about me. Rounding corner very busy Ramsgate, Dover Newhaven in the dark. Using inside channel once clear of major shipping was able to do the long blink pattern but not secure enough to be in cabin. Clipped on for safety.
Battery not a problem as the boat was set up carefully first.
Certainly doable but plan first as it is all too easy to steer until knacked which may not be the best time to be needing to doze.

Prepping boat for 2012 and also in market for windvane more for aesthetic reasons and options as the money will buy a lot of generating power and tiller pilots.

 

[Noddy]

Depends on shipping traffic density. Is it busy round there?

Banking sleep is important.

I used a Simrad TP10 all the way to the Azores and back in a boat that really needed a bigger one - Fantastic tool!

Its not only the tiller pilot but the charging systems to keep it going. I know one person on JAC08 who's charging system failed about 4 days out and he hand steered the rest of the way. (about 3 weeks)

I had solar panels and wind and water chargers. (water charger in picture)

If you are confident handling the boat alone, you should not be too worried about the absence of daylight, as long as you stay clear of land etc.

Sounds like a really good trip. I would encourage you to go. However, only you can make the decision. Any mishaps are down to you, thats part of the beauty of single handed sailing.

Have Fun!

Paul

 

[Fascadale]

I should have added that the only electrical power source I have is the engine charging the standard 2x85 Amphr start/other battery set up

 

[SwedishLass]

Exactly same as Joann, 85Ah service battery, 85Ah engine/start. It ain't a lot but the tiller pilot was off a lot of the time. Once the boat laid to a course, it was used to lock the tiller. I suspect there will be an issue over the wattage used in lighting and other ancilliary bits. The engine should sort it over that length of trip.
As Noddy said they work, it is more about power management.

 

[BlackPig]

HI Paul I'm also planning the JAC, but I calculated it to be 2012?? I'm based in Cumbernauld, if you want to meet up and discuss boat set up etc then drop me a line.
Graham
graham_benson at hotmail.com

 

[co256]

If you start with your 85Ah battery....

Your most efficient engine to battery charging only gives you approx. 85% of your total Ah, that makes your 85Ah battery a 72Ah battery.

Caring for your battery suggests you don't discharge below 50% of the original 85Ah, that being 42Ah for easy calculations, leaves you with a useable 30Ah.

If your tillerpilot draws 1.5Ah (you'll have to check that one) you can reasonably expect to run your tillerpilot (and nothing else!) for 20 hours before re-charging.

That's a lot of sleeping!

If it helps you with your confidence?!

But as the saying goes "if you need to be pushed.... don't jump!"

Take a meter with you.... when your battery drops to 12.2 volts (with no load on it) it's definitely time to recharge.

 

[damo]

I had an alternator problem a couple of years ago, about 6 hours out of Cork, bound for the Scillies, so I had no autopilot for nearly 24 hours. While close-hauled in a good breeze the trim was fine, and my boat will track perfectly for hours on end, but when the wind dropped off...grrr, very frustrating. I'd get it balanced and go below for a snooze, then just as I dropped off a wave would knock us off and the slatting sails would get me up again.

Personally I would hate to try it again, but with a Hydrovane now I hope I won't have to. I think it depends a lot on your boat, the point of sail and the sea conditions - after all, the early transat guys didn't have vane steering, they just balanced the boat and used various cunning bits of rope to control the tiller. Slocum didn't touch his sheets for weeks on end, and Blackburn did it without any fingers either!

 

[NickiCrutchfield]

If you accept that there will be periods of real pain, then your trip is a perfectly acceptable proposition.

 

[CPD]

I got to the Azores and back with pretty much tiller pilots all the way and running the engine perhaps every other day to top up the battery. Perfectly feasible.

 

[Fascadale]

Good

 

[andlauer]

Bonjour
I crossed the big pond (the Atlantic) twice with an autopilot and a water generator just using the engine as genrator when the wind failed !
If the autpilot fails and you are too tired just stop the boat for half an hour and have a sleep. With a little practice you may also sleep at the helm.
Eric Tabarly cross alf of the Atlantic on Pen Duick VI (normally 13 crew) with the autopilot out of order!
Eric

 

[nickrj]

Sounds feasible to me, and as the battery calculations have been done, I won't bother.

Worst case scenario, it is possible to stay awake for that period of time... It is the maximum I've achieved personally, and I wouldn't recommend it. But, you know, you can just heave-to for a couple of hours in the worst instance, and soldier on after a bit of sleep.