Hi all,

I haven't actually sailed a boat yet but plan to later this year. I am
therefore still a bit green when it comes to the intricacies of the
subject.
Say I'm keen to visit the West Indies and I'm leaving from say
Southampton, England. I'm on my own and will need to sleep every day,
even if only for a few hours. Is it safe to let a boat 'sail herself'
while I catch some shut-eye, or is this a no-no? Can it be done safely
or would I have to drop all sail and just bob around in the dark for a
while until I've awoken? Obviously it'd make for a shorter passage if
I could somehow keep going 24/7. And ideas? Thanks.
--

Martin Smith, the New Conservative Party.

http://www.newconservativeparty.org

New Conservative wrote:
Hi all,

I haven't actually sailed a boat yet but plan to later this year. I am
therefore still a bit green when it comes to the intricacies of the
subject.
Say I'm keen to visit the West Indies and I'm leaving from say
Southampton, England. I'm on my own and will need to sleep every day,
even if only for a few hours. Is it safe to let a boat 'sail herself'
while I catch some shut-eye, or is this a no-no? Can it be done safely
or would I have to drop all sail and just bob around in the dark for a
while until I've awoken? Obviously it'd make for a shorter passage if
I could somehow keep going 24/7. And ideas? Thanks.

One of the many rules of the sea is to maintain a proper watch 24/7. I
don't know how the racer hotshots get away with it, but consider how far
a freighter can travel in an hour while you're napping. Yes their
supposed to maintain a proper watch also, but a little boat is hard to
see (assuming their looking) and a freighter is hard to turn, and has no
brakes.

Solo is Ok for day sailing, but that's about it.

Try to stay out of shipping lanes. Get a chart that shows where they are
and stay at least 20nm on either side. When your destination converses
maintain a good lookout. Don't worry about Merchant Vessels in the open
ocean, as they are on autopilot. Worry instead about fishing vessels a few
hundred miles from shore. Regardless, the odds favor you.
Worry more about semisubmerged containers along shipping routes.

"New Conservative" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I haven't actually sailed a boat yet but plan to later this year. I am
therefore still a bit green when it comes to the intricacies of the
subject.
Say I'm keen to visit the West Indies and I'm leaving from say
Southampton, England. I'm on my own and will need to sleep every day,
even if only for a few hours. Is it safe to let a boat 'sail herself'
while I catch some shut-eye, or is this a no-no? Can it be done safely
or would I have to drop all sail and just bob around in the dark for a
while until I've awoken? Obviously it'd make for a shorter passage if
I could somehow keep going 24/7. And ideas? Thanks.
--

Martin Smith, the New Conservative Party.

http://www.newconservativeparty.org

You need crew.

That would make sailing solo around the world pretty tough. Realistically,
if you don't have an autopilot I would recommend a drogue.

How about a windvane in place of an autopilot.

"Falky foo" wrote in message
m...
You need crew.

That would make sailing solo around the world pretty tough.
Realistically,
if you don't have an autopilot I would recommend a drogue.

On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 23:39:41 GMT, New Conservative
wrote:

Hi all,

I haven't actually sailed a boat yet but plan to later this year. I am
therefore still a bit green when it comes to the intricacies of the
subject.
Say I'm keen to visit the West Indies and I'm leaving from say
Southampton, England. I'm on my own and will need to sleep every day,
even if only for a few hours. Is it safe to let a boat 'sail herself'
while I catch some shut-eye, or is this a no-no? Can it be done safely
or would I have to drop all sail and just bob around in the dark for a
while until I've awoken? Obviously it'd make for a shorter passage if
I could somehow keep going 24/7. And ideas? Thanks.

Consider taking at least one other person as crew. It is far too
dangerous to have no one on watch. Do it safely or stay in coastal
waters and day sail.
The last thing anyone needs is an unmanned vessel at sea. I think
the "alone" racers should be banned.
And don't "drop all sail and just bob around ...". Learn how to
heave-to. But even a boat that is hove-to needs a watch.

Not sure if it's practical to set your autopilot and then set your radar to
issue an audio alarm when something comes within 10 miles or so.

Don White wrote:
Not sure if it's practical to set your autopilot and then set your radar to
issue an audio alarm when something comes within 10 miles or so.



Audio alarms for radar have a tendency to sound, based on "sea -
return", so many people all too often turn them off.
If you plan to singlehand, add an AIS with CPA alarms. No guarantees,
but coupled with radar, it might help increase your safety factor.....
course, this doesn't address the surfacing sub issue.......

nothing will be foolproof

On Tue, 01 Mar 2005 05:33:02 GMT, otnmbrd
wrote:

nothing will be foolproof

The problem with making something foolproof is that fools are so
ingenious.


Weebles Wobble
(but they don't fall down)

In "FMac" writes:

How about a windvane in place of an autopilot.

For a small boat a windvane that is not dependent of electricity and is
mure reliable than a autopilot is certainly to be recommended.

Of course a good windwane costs about 10 autopilots.

- Lauri Tarkkonen

"Falky foo" wrote in message
om...
You need crew.

That would make sailing solo around the world pretty tough.
Realistically,
if you don't have an autopilot I would recommend a drogue.