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[email protected] jsnorwood@gmail.com is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Nov 2007
Posts: 1
Default planning a single handed trans atlantic west to east

On Oct 3, 9:12 am, wrote:
i am 22yr old very keen sailer, and am planning a single handed trip
america to england, the northern route. the boat is a bristol 27.

i am after any advice on the route and the boat. i am not familiar
with this boat yet at all but have heard good things about it.

any help would be much appreciated

rergards

Jade


Jade: Many years ago I owned a Bristol 27 (hull # 265). I discovered,
luckily in time, that the water tank was not secured. I was located
under the V-berth and began to bang violently against the hull while I
was crossing a very rough Anagada Passage toward St. Maartin. I let a
friend take the helm while I went below to investigate. The water tank
got "air borne" when the boat plunged down into a trough, then when
the boat came up--wham--against the falling water tank--about 140
pounds of weight. So All I could do at the time was wedge my rubber
swim fins under the tank when it lifted. This worked, and we got to
St. Maartin safely; made the trip again the next year. Later I put
some better foam blocks under the tank, and that took care of it for
the next 5-6 thousand miles of sailing I did in the Caribbean and then
lastly, to Florida.
Also, as mentioned, my rudder was developing some play--on the trip to
the states, which I attribitued to the weight I had on board, strained
or sprung it some...the shaft in the rudder was beginning to rotate
and I worried about this, but it never got worse...although by this
point the wind was behind us, mostly.

I always figured a speed of 5. knots, and was usually correct by the
day''s end. It was a great boat for me, I lived aboard for about 4
years. Good luck and don't underestimate the Sea.
Steve