cross an ocean in a Hurley 18

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hegge

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Outfitting my little H18, preparing for an atlantic cruise?! your oppinions folks?
any longdistance voyages in a H18 on the web/ history?

Think shes a nice going sea boat...

new chainplats, bowsprit, "foam" too make her "unsikable and on...

Would appriciate your considerations! ( please dont tell me too buy a bigger boat)
 
it has been done previously in boats even smaller. Providing you can keep the spar vertical, and the water outside, you should be fine.

Have you decided which route and when ? That will make your project move from possible to probable.

Technical advances in clothing, food, weather knowledge, navigation, etc will make the crossing easier than 10 years ago , but I still think it's a real challenge. Best of luck.
 
Decent lee cloth.

Decent pillow and bedding.

Goretex bivvi bag

Self steering obviously.

Life line / tether to go with harness lifejacket.

ais transponder with warning alert to wake you up (if no radar).

A very decent grab bag and liferaft.

Emergency vhf aerial.

Epirb

I'd want a sat 'phone.

Water still or hand operated water maker.

Some means of drying clothing.

Parachute flares.

Waterproof camera to capture the highs and lows.

Decent powerful torches.

Keep electrics simple but robust and well greased. - spare fuses and spares for most things from halyards to sails.

Waterproof camera to capture the highs and lows.

I'm sure there is more, but the above springs to mind.

Good labeling system for where stuff is stored.

Then let us know how you got on.

Good luck
 
hegge said:
Outfitting my little H18, preparing for an atlantic cruise?! your oppinions folks?
any longdistance voyages in a H18 on the web/ history?
Think shes a nice going sea boat...
new chainplats, bowsprit, "foam" too make her "unsikable and on...
Would appriciate your considerations! ( please dont tell me too buy a bigger boat)
Click to expand...

You'll probably pick up some good tips from looking at Roger Taylors website & his adventures on MingMing.
 
Be very careful with 'foam to make her unsinkable'. Builders' aerosol foam and two pack stuff sold by the likes of Glasplies absorb water over time. I doubt if you can afford the space to put enough foam in to truly do the job. Better to make the various spaces such as forecabin, cockpit lockers, etc. sealed and totally air tight.
 
Basically its an egg or beer barrel so as long as its watertight all will be ok.Look to your hatches and check rudder mounting.There are twomways to look at ocean travel in a small boat imo Go with the basic stuff of go equipped upnto the eyeballs with safety gear and radios and transponders and rockets and life rafts. Etc Depends on how younfeel about why your doing it in the first place...
 
First post and it's to ask about taking an 18 footer on an "Atlantic cruise" - is that across the Atlantic or along one of the edges? Have you done a lot of sailing and navigating before because, if it is across, the potential for disaster is great without the requisite knowledge and skills which you won't pick up on here - the best you will get on here is lots of advice, some useful and some you can totally disregard...:)
 
l'escargot said:
First post and it's to ask about taking an 18 footer on an "Atlantic cruise" - is that across the Atlantic or along one of the edges? Have you done a lot of sailing and navigating before because, if it is across, the potential for disaster is great without the requisite knowledge and skills which you won't pick up on here - the best you will get on here is lots of advice, some useful and some you can totally disregard...:)
Click to expand...

I am not sure that navigational skills are of any importance any more - just take a few battery powered GPS devices. Sailing is easy.... the main thing you need is determination
 
There is no need to cross an ocean.There is no need to cross an ocean in something small as the smallest is about 5 foot.Crossing an ocean in a small boat is about something called living out a dream which many people wish they had.Just be sure you want to do it and are prepared to suffer the consequences of your decision........... you can always change your mind and be back for tea in the afternoon!
 
Wansworth said:
There is no need to cross an ocean.There is no need to cross an ocean in something small as the smallest is about 5 foot.Crossing an ocean in a small boat is about something called living out a dream which many people wish they had.Just be sure you want to do it and are prepared to suffer the consequences of your decision........... you can always change your mind and be back for tea in the afternoon!
Click to expand...

every journey starts with a single step

and in this case the first step is be just thinking about it

what happens after that is up to you

when I was a young bloke - and bored at work - my plan was to buy a Hurley and sail it across the Atlantic

then Jill got pregnant

now I just potter from port to port making films

I am still curious about what happens inside your head when you spend six weeks alone on a small boat at sea

but I cannot think of a way of financing such a venture

so I doubt that it will ever get past the first step

D
 
l'escargot said:
First post and it's to ask about taking an 18 footer on an "Atlantic cruise" - is that across the Atlantic or along one of the edges? Have you done a lot of sailing and navigating before because, if it is across, the potential for disaster is great without the requisite knowledge and skills which you won't pick up on here - the best you will get on here is lots of advice, some useful and some you can totally disregard...:)
Click to expand...

You old cynic.;)You will be saying the same about driving a gin palace to Canada next---------:encouragement:
 
dylanwinter said:
every journey starts with a single step

and in this case the first step is be just thinking about it

what happens after that is up to you

when I was a young bloke - and bored at work - my plan was to buy a Hurley and sail it across the Atlantic

then Jill got pregnant

now I just potter from port to port making films

I am still curious about what happens inside your head when you spend six weeks alone on a small boat at sea

but I cannot think of a way of financing such a venture

so I doubt that it will ever get past the first step

D
Click to expand...

Yes..... I get to thinking about the idea now and then..... maybe when I am older.
 
hegge said:
Outfitting my little H18, preparing for an atlantic cruise?! your oppinions folks?
( please dont tell me too buy a bigger boat)
Click to expand...

Keep the H18 for pottering about but if you must cross oceans save up for a trip on something more like this

QV_default.jpg
 
Good for you -go for it but do all the right preparations for the journey including some long multi day sails in coastal waters to test out the boat, and yourself! If you wait for a bigger boat things happen in life and it may then never happen. Fair winds and safe passage.
 
The biggest issue are storage - food and water and equipment. The smaller the boat, the longer it takes, the more food and water you need. It's obviously do-able as it's been done before. Consider the Shane Acton route - down to the canaries, then wait, up to a year if need be, then cross with the trade winds using twin headsails connected to the tiller.

Make sure you have plenty of time. When Shane Acton did it - he had no reason to come home. His boat was pretty new at the time, so you need to make sure yours is in good order.

Good luck and fair winds
 
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