Kit for Biscay crossing

[Guest]

Looking at a trip to Spain next year and would appreciate advice on gear for deep sea passage. I don't have Liferaft, EPIRB, SSB, navtex, satellite phone, vane steering: What are the recommendations for parting with my hard earned?
Thanks
Andy

 

[webcraft]

Assuming you have enough crew (min. 2+you) to stand watches then the only real priority would be a liferaft - this is no.1 safety equipment, and personally I would not cross Biscay without one.

If you take a direct route Ushant - Finisterre then you will be close enough to the shipping lanes for the entire passage for VHF to do for your emergency comms, plus make sure you have plenty of flares.

If you are standing watches then hand steering while under sail will be OK, and you can have the autohelm (tillerpilot) on all of the time under engine and some of the time under sail. Windvanes are essential for short-handed ocean passages, but a four day crossing of Biscay does not justify the expense on a one-off basis.

Basically, don't kid yourself - Biscay isn't an ocean passage, you don't need to spend all that money - it's more a question of bottle. Equipment doesn't insure you against bad things happening . . . just get the best weather forecast you can then go for it.

- Nick

BlueMoment.Com
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com/>http://www.bluemoment.com/</A>

 

[AndrewB]

Spot on advice.

Agree entirely, except although you are right about the VHF I'd still add an EPIRB to the liferaft. If there are just two aboard then an autopilot is a must.

Shipping forecasts can be picked up from BBC R4 longwave, at least as far as the Portuguese border. If continuing further south then either a short-wave receiver for the French weather forecasts or a navtex would be desirable.

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[ianwright]

What boat? What crew?

IanW

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[Guest]

Advice already here is sound. Dont see how you can do without a 406 EPIRB these days.

You might consider what you will do if you do get caught out in a big gale. Does your boat heave to or lie a hull with th etiller lashed? Will you trail warps?

You might consider buying a drogue - they are quite cheap - considering - dont take up much space and give huge peace of mind. Youll need a a tripping line - and bottle of whisky to drink while you're riding out the storm.

Bon Voyage

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by dcaukill on 03/10/2002 12:16 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[zefender]

Pretty much nothing in addition to add except that, when I went, I opted for an iridium mobile phone in aquapac, instead of the EPIRB. I just felt more comfortable phoning the coastguard saying Im sinking, rather than a one way signal indicating that I have. Also meant I could keep in touch with the office and home en route. But plenty would disagree.

 

[webcraft]

Re: Iridium vs EPIRB

Interesting . . .

What are the cost comparisons between a new model satphone and a 406 EPIRB? If they are similar then the satphone makes more sense as it is useful even if you don't sink!

I suppose a downside is that the phone is much more easily damaged - EPIRBS are designed to survive sinkings, handsets generally are not.

Any other thoughts on this?

- Nick

BlueMoment.Com
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com/>http://www.bluemoment.com/</A>

 

[cynthia]

We also fitted an extra forestay for the storm sail should it have been necessary, as the roller reefing system put the centre of effort too high up. None of the safety gear needed using, but it was comforting to know it was there.

Wouldn't have liked to do without the radar/chart plotter - only 2 on board, 4 hours watches, very poor vis.

 

[bedouin]

How curious.

I would certainly place lifejackets ahead of a danbuoy, and an EPIRB ahead of flares. I suppose it is down to differing perceptions of risk.

 

[zefender]

Re: Iridium vs EPIRB

I bought my Iridium from ebay - about £400 I think. I have to pay the monthly rental - though I can do a pay as you go alternative. All things considered, there's not a lot of difference in price. But the big difference is that one (Iridium) enables two way voice and data communication, for emergency as well as non-emergency use and the other (EPIRB) is one-way emergency signal only.

I take the point about the rugged nature of the EPIRB machine though and made sure my iridium was as well protected as possible.

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[VMALLOWS]

Re: Lifejackets

I sail 99% of the time single handed and can't see that a life jacket is any help at all. I'm either close enough to something or other to swim (certainly wouldn't want a life jacket on) or far enough away that I don't have much chance of survival at all.

Heressey, of course!

I am certainly all in favour of a harness, though will admit I only put it on when it gets 'lumpy' or going forward when well off shore.

A serious interest of mine is development of effective emergency MOB systems for single-handed sailors. (cut engine; depower sails; release life ring, line; etc).

 

[tome]

Re: Lifejackets

We use the lifejackets with integral harnesses and hydrostatic release/lights/bells/whistles (when we wear them), which may seem a bit odd. If you're clipped on why wear a lifejacket? I suppose the answer is that they feel reassuring, and in an inversion if I had to cut loose at least I'd float.

Our rule is whenever we have a reef/fog/night though we often ignore the first. I did a couple of Biscay crossings without any equipment (couldn't afford VHF), except for a few out of date flares in my youth, but with age comes caution and hopefully wisdom.

 

[Guest]

This year my wife and I raced to Bayona from the Solent. The boat was fitted out to ORC Special Regulations Catagory 2. In addition, we had enough food to feed a regiment, Monitor vane gear, Navico tiller pilot, and lots od fresh water which wasn't used!

Can't wait to go back there next year. Make sure you call in at Camarinas and make the effort to go to Santiago de Compostella.

Have fun, the beer is cheap and the seafood delicious!

 

[Guest]

32' Ben with me 1 - both reasonably experienced coastal sailors.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all replies. Consensus seems to be Life raft a must, epirb or phone a good idea so thats the way I'll go. I already have most other kit discussed.
Happy sailing.
Andy

 

[ianwright]

Just two,,,,,,,,,,? Fine, then your first priority ought (IMO) be an insurance company that will cover you for your trip. Some wont , some will, try GJW for a start.
Then rig foolproof lines and harneses with short tethers and use them.
Get a stand alone storm jib and tris'l, rig spare halyards, at least two, one forward, one aft of the mast.
Small but pricy life raft designed for two,,,,,,, big ones need extra bodies for stability.
Electronics don't matter, take whatever you fancy, but your skill and the boats abillity at sea are the important things.

IanW

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[kruithof]

Re: Lifejackets

Hi all,

seems not many people sail with lifejackets on all the time.
Nevertheless, I admit that we sail 100% of the time wearing our (auto-inflating) lifejackets, exactly because like you say, you can't choose the time of accidents.
Another reason we have is that us wearing lifejackets is a good example for our children (too young to swim yet).

100% of the time also means 100%, including those warm sunny, windless days. Ofcourse an auto-inflating lifejacket is not really bulky.

OTOH, we only clip on when the weather gets rough, or during nighttime. Our reasoning is that during calm weather it is still (relatively) easy to retrieve the MOB, while we prefer walking around freely around the boat when possible. Actually you're the first one I hear about who clips on 100% of the time


Good sailing!

Andries Kruithof

 

[Guest]

most important thing is a good reliable forecast of good weather! not being facetious, just trying to say, dont chance it.

for the biscay crossing, navtex is not much use - too short time horizon. marine ssb is of limited use nowadays, but we found a ham set (and a ham license) really worthwhile.

as for the rest - they're all advisable.