cross an ocean in a Hurley 18

l'escargot said:
So where is he leaving from and arriving at - or will he just materialise somewhere offshore and stay there for evermore? I would've thought an instructor would know that the riskiest bits of any crossing are often leaving port and arriving in a port - several "Captain Calamities' have demonstrated that by failing to even get out of the harbour when setting out on epic voyages unprepared. You could cut your crossing time down and improve your chances of arriving in the right place by taking into account the Atlantic tidal currents too...

That of course is making the assumption that he is going across, he only said an "Atlantic cruise" - he could be day sailing on the West coast of Ireland for all we know...
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Now that sounds like more fun. Anyone for a west coast cruise in 2016?
 
THIS MESSAGE HAS NOT BEEN DELETED BY GM - I WAS JUST TRYING TO EDIT IT ON MY MOBILE.
The fact that the thread is entitled 'cross an ocean' kind of implies starting one side and finishing the other. Ocean crossing is not high on my list of TODOs but if I were to do it, I would want a 50 footer, a full crew and a good cook.
 
ghostlymoron said:
THIS MESSAGE HAS NOT BEEN DELETED BY GM - I WAS JUST TRYING TO EDIT IT ON MY MOBILE.
The fact that the thread is entitled 'cross an ocean' kind of implies starting one side and finishing the other. Ocean crossing is not high on my list of TODOs but if I were to do it, I would want a 50 footer, a full crew and a good cook.
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Me too, but I'm the wrong side of 60 and getting creaky. Plus I'm a coward.

If I were young and without responsibilities, I'd be seriously tempted by the idea. Of course there are risks and when someone sets off on a trip like that, the probability of never being heard of again is not zero. Having said that, give the matter serious thought and serious planning and it's doable.

I'm guessing it's either a dream or a windup, but assuming it's a dream, it is one that could be made to come true if the OP really wants to.
 
hegge said:
Outfitting my little H18, preparing for an atlantic cruise?! your oppinions folks?
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Forgetting the title but answering your first question..

A1. Easy, trailer to west of Ireland, wait for good weather then go west a couple of miles, turn round and come back. You have then CRUISED the Atlantic.

Strange the OP hasn't been back onto the forum at all since making his first and only post to see all the replies. :rolleyes:
 
But not crossed an ocean as per the title. If you go to Scotland, you can cross the Bridge over the atlantic and visit The Breeks Inn.
Croftie said:
Forgetting the title but answering your first question..

A1. Easy, trailer to west of Ireland, wait for good weather then go west a couple of miles, turn round and come back. You have then CRUISED the Atlantic.

Strange the OP hasn't been back onto the forum at all since making his first and only post to see all the replies. :rolleyes:
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Regardless of this OP being a wind up or not the subject is still worthy of discussion.
Two aspects of this question. The first technical detail of what to take what boat to use etc is all fairly straight forward. Basically the bigger the better. But the bigger the less wow factor when and if you arrive. But then again if it is wow factor you seek then forget it. There have been so many single handed voyages in small boats that are truly amazing and lots of books written.
So the real questions are ones of psychology or the simple question WHY?
Connected to this question is will you really enjoy the experience?
No one else can answer the question WHY?
You (anyone considering the voyage) must know the answer to the question will you enjoy it.
The only way to do that is to do lots of single handed sailing in lots of bad weather. That takes time but gives experience.
It takes a special kind of person to enjoy sailing long distances alone. (let alone in a tiny boat). That does not necessarily mean an admirable person. Though you have to admire the seamanship. it might in fact mean the person has their own kind of demons. ie prefer their own company not happy with other people etc.
The big danger is looking for fame and fortune from the voyage. We have had a few people settting out from here recently to row the indian Ocean. TV publicity for the departure etc. great. Not so much the TV publicity (and humiliation) of mid ocean rescue (twice) The there is always the strange story of Donald Crowhurst. It was the publicity and sponsorship that finished him off.
So from that point of view a self financed, quiet departure voyage, that leaves easy option of turning around and abandoning the voyage as the best bet. Which kind of points to a smaller boat but then more gruelling.
Technically a piece of cake in an unsinkable GRP boat with self draining cockpit, ali spars tough sails and easy navigation. Plus fairly easy sat phone communication. One could fairly cheaply set up a small yacht to sail across oceans autonomously (no crew no skipper) and the chances of success quite good. The human is the most fallable part. olewill
 
wow,,,Tanx for all advices and everything! a couple of things caught me..."Foam" will over time suck-up water?! (no good!) Better with air-tightcompartments?! Dont know if you've been/seen a Hurley 18? There are many divided compartments, and a thougt was too make them airtight anyway...but I need the "loading" capacity...have too be wise and use my head! there is much I want your oppinion and advice on, I'll get back too you soon...
Why amI doing/ want this?! Because Iam curious, and want too get too know my self (for real!) I allways loved the sea. and I have owned bigger sailboats, but bigger boats means bigger expensives, unlikley too ever "get going"...So I stay with my Hurley 18, prepear her and make her ready for open water...tanx again folks and a merry christmas
 
Why not upload your dream to YouTube
nice to see the preparations and finally the journey!
still better with a 22 footer...it will be much bigger for all the stores you need[but its still small].
btw this guy [ boat Mingming ] knows how to do it right watch his videos and you'll learn a lot
he really prepares his small boats well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mttx8Z-AvJ8
 
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l'escargot said:
So would your advice to the OP be that he can set off across the Atlantic with no navigational skills whatsoever as long as he takes "a few battery powered GPS devices" - that he needs no idea of pilotage, understanding of tides, the ability to read a chart or indeed even to have a chart?
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Was anchored at Feragudo across the way from Portimao this summer. There was a little white Bristol, 27ft? parked up with a young couple on board. He was Chilean, she Canadian. There was a tell tale curvy green beard on one side. On the bow was a Florida registration number and a big home made wind vane steerer. We got talking to them. He had taken the inboard diesel out, put a 100 watt solar panel on the top and had just a 10hp outboard. He had doubled the cap shrouds. They had come across from New York to the Azores, then to Portugal. They didnt have any instruments, just a Samsung Tab with Navionics on! That was it!
No fridge, they seemed as happy as can be.
Stu
 
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skipper_stu said:
Was anchored at Feragudo across the way from Portimao this summer. There was a little white Bristol, 27ft? parked up with a young couple on board. He was Chilean, she Canadian. There was a tell tale curvy green beard on one side. On the bow was a Florida registration number and a big home made wind vane steerer. We got talking to them. He had taken the inboard diesel out, put a 100 watt solar panel on the top and had just a 10hp outboard. He had doubled the cap shrouds. They had come across from New York to the Azores, then to Portugal. They didnt have any instruments, just a Samsung Tab with Navionics on! That was it!
No fridge, they seemed as happy as can be.
Stu
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Which would not suggest that he had "...no navigational skills whatsoever... " only an absence of electronics. As in this from his blog: "...After the basic safety additions -including a life raft and epirb- we sailed Steppin to Isla Mujeres México, where I stayed for two years working as a charter captain to recover my economic buoyancy...."
 
Looks like an up together little boat.....I would be interestd in more info about his vane gear and inner fore stay a arrangement........ obviously of the go simple err go school of thought!
 
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