On 2 Apr 2007 08:22:59 -0700, "Skip Gundlach"
wrote:

Let the potshots begin :{)) I look forward to constructive
suggestions on additional measures which we might take

No potshots from me, not intentionally anyway.

I think you've touched on some important points, and I'll add a few
comments of my own.

My wife and I have done quite a few 24 to 72 hour passages, and being
well familiar with the risks, including fatigue, we take certain
precautions.

Rule 1 - My wife is never alone at the helm during, or prior to, a
landfall/harbor entrance. Her skills are just not good enough and
probably never will be. We both accept that. I plan to be on deck at
least an hour before any approach to obstructions or shallow water.

Rule 2 - We pace ourselves and time our rest periods so that violating
rule 1 is never an issue.

Rule 3 - Never enter into obstructed waters or a landfall situation
during the hours of darkness if it can possibly be avoided. We have
frequently slowed down and waited for day light before entering
unfamilar harbors.

Rule 4 - If weather deteriorates, always have a plan B and execute it
sooner rather than later.

Cockpit instrumentation, etc.:

One of our most important navigation devices is the autopilot. It
steers straight courses, is easily tweaked to minor course
corrections, and most importantly it gives you time and energy to pay
attention to everything else. If the autopilot were to fail we would
immediately head to the nearest port and get it fixed.

You need a good couse plotter and radar at or near the helm. This is
easy on our trawler but also doable on a sailboat with todays
waterproof pods from Furuno and others. When my wife is on watch the
course plotter always has a couse line on it that I have preset and
validated. In addition, an XTE display (Cross track error) and depth
is always on the plotter screen. My wife knows how to interpret the
displays and tweak the auto pilot course as necessary. She can also
toggle back and forth to the radar display, change the radar range,
track targets, determine their course and CPA (Closest Point of
Approach). She has standing instructions to alert me to any CPA less
than a mile, any visible lights that she does not understand, or any
deviation from the planned course.

Anchoring:

We secure our anchor with a mechanical chain stopper and also with a
chain hook/snubber line to a cleat. They can both be freed up within
seconds with no tools. My wife is well trained on how to do it
herself if needed. We carry two heavy nylon snubber lines with chain
hooks/shackles/thimbles spliced into one end. The breaking strength
of your heaviest snubbing line should be about the same as your chain.
Use two snubbing lines in rough conditions. There is a risk of
breaking the chain or deck hardware if your snubber fails and you
fetch up hard on a taut chain. Anchoring the boat, even in miserable
conditions, is always preferable to getting into a dangerous
situation. Practice makes perfect.

Experience:

Learn to walk before you run. Get lots of experience (many months)
with the boat and all of its systems before attempting long passages,
especially those that require watch standing and overnight runs.
There is a degree of risk associated with running at night even for
the best equipped boats and most experienced crews. We try to avoid
it unless the benefits in time and distance clearly outweigh the
risks.