Round Britain day 23

[Neeves]

I have to ask

Why are you leaving at 5.30am if you get up at 4.30am

I would change the timing to suit daylight - if I can work on deck without a torch - I get up and leave without nav lights.

Why not get up at 4.30am and leave or get up at 5.30am and leave. What one earth do you do with the wasted hour? Beggars belief.

You can route plan the day before.

If you arrive at your chosen destination early - you can go to bed earlier - sleep is the limited commodity in your venture.

You can listen to the forecast, or check on a tablet, in bed

You can make breakfast when sailing?

You can have shower when sailing - or forgo the shower (who will notice) and have an extra shower when you arrive.

Get up; dress; drop mooring lines, motor out, AP on, raise main, trim sail, collect fenders, set headsail - make breakfast, have shower or have shower, have breakfast. The traffic will be minimal - the dangers are buoys (fishing/crab) - have breakfast on deck - forgo shower.

It is easier on a cat, except for keeping watch when having a shower, as I can do everything from in the saloon with a 360 view and I have radar on a tablet so I can watch whilst, not, burning the toast. I might add - my breakfasts are simple, porridge (real porridge), toast and marmalade and a large pot of, real, coffee. I'm not into fried breakfast. Lunch is a thick soup - made the night before in a Shuttle Chef, Thermal Cooker. In the UK I believe a slick entrepreneur has some made in China, Mr Ds Thermal Cooker - but I don't know how good they are compared to the Thermos version, also made in China.

Thermos Thermal Cooker Review - Practical Sailor

We have 2 Shuttle Chefs (and a big family one at home) - the second one would be used to make dinner on passage, unless I do a roast, which means its ready to eat when I reach our next anchorage (we don't have the frequency of harbours you enjoy). The Shuttle Chef is good if you do longer, overnight, passages as there is always hot food ready to serve - invaluable at 2am. We tend to do longer passages than you are making - if the weather is good - keep moving.

But wasting that 1 hour of sleep or lost sailing time seems perverse.

Sorry to be so harsh and critical - just suggesting a way of getting more sleep

Jonathan

 

[Blueboatman]

Funny to think as I read this on a breezy sunny morning in the south, Roger will hopefully be half way to Orkney and enjoying a fab, fast sail/cockpit coffee/full English @sea!

Go Concerto, go??

 

[srm]

I would change the timing to suit daylight

That far north at this time of year twilight lasts all night. The sun rises around NE and sets towards the NW, just dipping slightly below the horizon during the short night. I have taken visitors sightseeing in Orkney across midnight, a magical time to visit the stone circles. In Shetland its called the "Simmer Dim" and the season is about a month longer than on the north coast of the mainland.

At all times of the year in the waters he is crossing the timing of the tidal streams are far more important for a safe passage than the convenience of a daylight departure. Tidal streams past the Pentland Skerries are charted as 12 knots on springs.

 

[Neeves]

That far north at this time of year twilight lasts all night. The sun rises around NE and sets towards the NW, just dipping slightly below the horizon during the short night. I have taken visitors sightseeing in Orkney across midnight, a magical time to visit the stone circles. In Shetland its called the "Simmer Dim" and the season is about a month longer than on the north coast of the mainland.

At all times of the year in the waters he is crossing the timing of the tidal streams are far more important for a safe passage than the convenience of a daylight departure. Tidal streams past the Pentland Skerries are charted as 12 knots on springs.

I accept a complete lack of local knowledge. Tasmania is only 43 degrees, roughly, south - so we get 'real' night even in the fullness of summer, for you - tomorrow - when we start the long slow climb back to summer !

When you decide to be awakened is obviously a personal decision but once up - I want to be sailing and devour the miles - in which case, getting up and hoisting the main are 'almost' simultaneous - Concerto takes an hour during which time I am 6nm (or if I am lucky, a bit more miles) nearer the location to which I am aiming.

So its not the specific time - but maximising the opportunity to sleep.

You need all your wits (and agility) when sailing single handed even more so if you need to produce a script of the quality to far posted - sleep is the great rejuvenator.

Jonathan

 

[cherod]

I usually find there is always one more thing to do before leaving , esp in the morning and a little bit of extra time is always handy ,,,,,, great write up , making me jealous , but must work when one can .

 

[Daydream believer]

I find it important to be up an hour prior to departure. A wash & shave to wake up ,along with coffee & something to eat. Get dressed, get all the elctrics set. Cockpit stuff set, Sail cover off, check the weather forecast etc etc. An hour soon goes.
As for Concerto's autopilot problems I suspect that he will soon understand why some of us have wind steering. I have a raymarine AV100 & I seem to recall he has similar. He has suggested above the boat rounds up & I am wondering if his AP cuts out like mine. My aeries is not good down wind but it does get me back on course when the boat broaches on a wave & if I set the angles to suit I can accomodate the squirrily course. I suspect that a Fulmar steers much better than my Hanse anyway. I bet when he gets among the larger ( 40ft range up) of German & Dutch boats he will see a lot of Wind pilot steering gear. Most will say they are excellent. A Monitor would do well on the back of Concerto.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I find having a shave, wash , parking dentures etc best done the night before . It must be difficult for Concerto to get in a rhythm when tides and weather are the rulers . I'm surprised he's got as far as he has. Well done that man !

 

[Daydream believer]

I find having a shave, wash , parking dentures etc best done the night before . It must be difficult for Concerto to get in a rhythm when tides and weather are the rulers . I'm surprised he's got as far as he has. Well done that man !

You would be surprised how many people are sailing round The uk single handed. In much smaller craft than a Fulmar. I met a couple of sailors in boats about 24 ft. One was amazed at me sailing a 31 ft yacht. Conversely I thought that they were the real sailors, because they could only make slow progress & had to really pick their tides & destinations very carefully. I had great admiration for several of them. Doing it in a Fulmar is a relative walk in the park.

 

[steveeasy]

Really !!. I tend to to think a proper sailor is not judged by how far he can or might sail, but by how he treats his fellow sailors regardless of thier ability or achievements. Plenty or poor sailors in my Twisted !! Bubble. Good on Concerto , looking forward to some stunning pics soon.

Steveeasy

 

[LONG_KEELER]

You would be surprised how many people are sailing round The uk single handed. In much smaller craft than a Fulmar. I met a couple of sailors in boats about 24 ft. One was amazed at me sailing a 31 ft yacht. Conversely I thought that they were the real sailors, because they could only make slow progress & had to really pick their tides & destinations very carefully. I had great admiration for several of them. Doing it in a Fulmar is a relative walk in the park.

In some respects ocean crossings are somewhat easier than the stop/start of a small boat sailor largely making his way round a coast , particularly single handed. I know you, Sandy and probably a few others here have done it
and I am full of admiration for you all. Now it's Concerto's turn and I'm loving it. I feel that I'm with him too.

 

[Supertramp]

I don't think I would be having a shower while sailing across the mouth of the Pentland Firth. My recollection is of things happening remarkably quickly involving large boats and land. In thick mist nothing seems to happen at all which is even more scary.

Beautiful place to sail - can't wait to follow in your wake.

 

[Neeves]

I don't think I would be having a shower while sailing across the mouth of the Pentland Firth. My recollection is of things happening remarkably quickly involving large boats and land. In thick mist nothing seems to happen at all which is even more scary.

Beautiful place to sail - can't wait to follow in your wake.

I have to agree that the need to stop overnight in a marina is very time consuming, so much easier if you anchor (but I understand there may be an absence of suitable anchorages).

With regards to preparing for a departure - I do it all the night before, no sail cover - main ready to raise, one switch and all the navigation gear comes on. As long as the boom cover is adequate it will come to no harm sitting ready to raise, unzipped. If you cannot raise sails, headsail, main, at the drop of a hat - you are not geared up for single handed sailing. There is something seriously wrong if you cannot make breakfast or any 'fresh' meal at sea. In terms of waking up - the activity of leaving generates sufficient adrenalin - have the coffee when you are relaxed (and moving) so much more enjoyable than rushing breakfast

If it takes you an hour to depart - you either have plenty of time or you are not very efficient.

As I say - that hour, much more so when single handed, is better invested in sleep.

Today is the longest day - hope the weather is conducive.

Jonathan

 

[newtothis]

I have to agree that the need to stop overnight in a marina is very time consuming, so much easier if you anchor (but I understand there may be an absence of suitable anchorages).

With regards to preparing for a departure - I do it all the night before, no sail cover - main ready to raise, one switch and all the navigation gear comes on. As long as the boom cover is adequate it will come to no harm sitting ready to raise, unzipped. If you cannot raise sails, headsail, main, at the drop of a hat - you are not geared up for single handed sailing. There is something seriously wrong if you cannot make breakfast or any 'fresh' meal at sea. In terms of waking up - the activity of leaving generates sufficient adrenalin - have the coffee when you are relaxed (and moving) so much more enjoyable than rushing breakfast

If it takes you an hour to depart - you either have plenty of time or you are not very efficient.

As I say - that hour, much more so when single handed, is better invested in sleep.

Today is the longest day - hope the weather is conducive.

Jonathan

I never knew single-handed sailing had so many rules. I actually thought the point of it was that one could do what one wanted in one's own good time.
Personally, I think that if someone wants to have a leisurely breakfast before setting off, that is entirely up to him or her.

 

[Concerto]

Some of the comments here have been answered in the next report.

Round Britain day 26

 

[boomerangben]

I wo

I have to agree that the need to stop overnight in a marina is very time consuming, so much easier if you anchor (but I understand there may be an absence of suitable anchorages).

With regards to preparing for a departure - I do it all the night before, no sail cover - main ready to raise, one switch and all the navigation gear comes on. As long as the boom cover is adequate it will come to no harm sitting ready to raise, unzipped. If you cannot raise sails, headsail, main, at the drop of a hat - you are not geared up for single handed sailing. There is something seriously wrong if you cannot make breakfast or any 'fresh' meal at sea. In terms of waking up - the activity of leaving generates sufficient adrenalin - have the coffee when you are relaxed (and moving) so much more enjoyable than rushing breakfast

If it takes you an hour to depart - you either have plenty of time or you are not very efficient.

As I say - that hour, much more so when single handed, is better invested in sleep.

Today is the longest day - hope the weather is conducive.

Jonathan

I think that taking an hour to get a hearty breakfast, prepare some food for the passage, making sure you have everything to hand and well organised is time well spent when you about to undertake a passage across one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the world, busy with both commercial and fishing traffic, in a relatively small monohull on your own in an area new to you is time well spent. Especially if your autopilot is causing you doubts.
Ive never been on a cat but don’t doubt the wonders of 360 degree saloon/galley views. But a monohull with a tiny port light is no place to be making breakfast when there is so much to see and need to be seen. We all have the choice of doing stuff the night before and getting up in your oilies or go to bed an hour earlier and do the same stuff in the morning