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Cheers

No we aren't ;-) When the going gets rough, she pitches in without
complaint (as long as I don't tell her to do two things at the same
time).

Afterwards, on the other hand...

In article ,
"JG" wrote:

We all are. g

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"JR Gilbreath" wrote in message
.. .
wrote:
Having lost objects overboard in waves, I know how easy it is to really
lose track of them, really scary. SO, we wear harnesses and tie them
to eyes in the cockpit. Still, if I fell overboard even wearing the
harness, he would have a very difficult time of it.

I love my wife but have learned I cannot sail with her. It is worse
than being single handed. Imagine being single handed while constantly
tending apparent disasters and being subjected to constant jabbering.
When I sail with her, I feel so stressed out I cannot handle it.

MY GOD! We are married to the same woman!

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

In article .com,
wrote:

After my aborted cruise, I want to bring my boat back from Sarasota to
Shell Point in N. Florida (Just south of Tallahassee) for hurricane
season. It is 185 miles straight across the northern Gulf of Mexico
and I estimate this is about 36-48 hours sail. My only crewmember
currently is my 14 yr old son who isnt really qualified to do a watch.
I do not want to do the several days coast hopping route as I have done
that too many times and just want to get her home (a 28' S2). So, I am
wondering if I should venture to do it with just my son or if I really
need another crew member. Strange but I no longer know many qualified
sailors, most I know are beginners who would just get in their own way.
"Ragtime" is a 1981 8.5 M S2 with new standing rigging, running
rigging, sails etc, Epirb, etc so is probably well equipped. What do
Y'all think?


I'm a little nervous about you (or anyone) pushing to get somewhere on a
time table, a recipe for disaster.

That said, we pushed Xan about 175 NM in 3 days, anchoring each night.
In the next 7, including a couple of lay-days for weather, we went
another 250.

The first days, we started hauling anchor at first glimmer of light,
well before dawn, and stopped just before sunset, giving us 15+ hours
per day. Most of the time, we motored to just get through areas we'd
already cruised, but somtimes the wind was helpful. Because good
anchorages were often a couple of hour detour, we often took less than
ideal ones, just to save time.

In other words, it is possible to move quickly and sleep in a safe
place. But it requires an autopilot or the crew get very very tired.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

On 12 May 2005 19:51:57 -0700, wrote:

After my aborted cruise, I want to bring my boat back from Sarasota to
Shell Point in N. Florida (Just south of Tallahassee) for hurricane
season. It is 185 miles straight across the northern Gulf of Mexico
and I estimate this is about 36-48 hours sail. My only crewmember
currently is my 14 yr old son who isnt really qualified to do a watch.
I do not want to do the several days coast hopping route as I have done
that too many times and just want to get her home (a 28' S2). So, I am
wondering if I should venture to do it with just my son or if I really
need another crew member. Strange but I no longer know many qualified
sailors, most I know are beginners who would just get in their own way.
"Ragtime" is a 1981 8.5 M S2 with new standing rigging, running
rigging, sails etc, Epirb, etc so is probably well equipped. What do
Y'all think?

If the son can't stand a watch, he's just dead weight for a passage.
So the question isn't how old/qualified *he* is, but how old/qualified
*you* are to do an essentially solo passage. In fact, the son could be
a liability if you're worried about him puking or falling off in the
proper ocean, as opposed to under three miles off the shore.

I'm sure in Florida you could pick up some young person (or get a
recommendation from another cruiser) for free or cheap or cost of
food. My buddy's delivering boats from Lake Ontario to Huron this week
and the wind's been 30 knots out of the east, which is fast, but he's
got the owner as crew on a new Beneteau 37, because it's a nearly
three-day continuous run with locks at the Welland Canal.

You'll go faster and safer with a real crew, and your son can start to
learn the skills he should have to even merit coming along on passage,
because if he can't stand a watch, do basic nav or cook all day, he's
ballast.

R.

Jere Lull wrote in news:jerelull-
:

crew get very very tired

There is the real danger. When I'm exhausted, I'm near useless and can't
focus well, even on simple tasks.

The autopilot is useless when the going gets especially rough, when you
need it the worst. I've never found one that can cope with heavy seas at
odd angles in a cruising sailboat pitching and yawing wildly in the swells.

Exhausted crew is just a disaster waiting to happen, and being in a hurry
to get there just compounds the problems and risk-taking.

In article ,
Larry W4CSC wrote:

Jere Lull wrote in news:jerelull-
:

crew get very very tired

There is the real danger. When I'm exhausted, I'm near useless and can't
focus well, even on simple tasks.

The autopilot is useless when the going gets especially rough, when you
need it the worst. I've never found one that can cope with heavy seas at
odd angles in a cruising sailboat pitching and yawing wildly in the swells.

We have a tiller and have adjusted the stroke for speed, which may
change the mix somewhat, but I've been quite impressed by our AutoHelm's
ability to keep us on a reasonable track in some pretty unquiet
conditions. Xan has little directional stability, which makes it tougher.

Otto never likes broad reaches, but close through beam reaches are a
piece of cake if the sails are set properly. In a pinch, the boat can be
set to luff slightly with shortened sail when the seas are up.

Now, if sustained winds are high, we're in port most times, but we've
done days in 20-25 with gusts towards 35 -- when they were on the beam.
(we start reefing at 12.) The autopilot did a better job of steering in
those conditions than I did.

Exhausted crew is just a disaster waiting to happen, and being in a hurry
to get there just compounds the problems and risk-taking.

Obviously, I'm in full agreement. Been there, done that, am very glad
our boat is tough.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/