Why don't you just run off the coast at about 25 miles. There's little
difference to this than going 200 miles off shore. That way you can
always turn in if the weather looks like it's going bad. I doubt that
you'll find charter companies willing to provide a boat to go offshore,
especially when no one has offshore experience.

A weather radio can provide verbal forcasts and you can always rent a
satellite phone for emergency contacts. The suggestion for a rental
EPIRB is a good idea, but if you're only 25 miles off shore, there's a
good chance that someone will be in VHF range.

-- Geoff

" wrote in
6:

Need some advice on safety equipment for sailing a little offshore.
Our plan is to charter a boat and sail out of New York for about 200
miles than come back. The idea is to gain some offshore experience
but without taking too much risk.

There will be six of us, three experienced coastal sailors and three
beginners. I have done a little racing offshore (Newport to Bermuda)
and some limited heavy weather sailing but that's it.

The 42' boat will be fairly well equipped with a lifesling, harnesses
etc. but without a few essential items: liferaft, SSB radio, EPIRB,
2nd VHF. Can we manage without these? We intend to be at sea for only
4-5 days, so we should have a fairly good idea about the weather but
things can always change.

I expect the biggest problem to be seasickness and fatigue among the
beginners. Any advice on managing that?

Regards,
Sail