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Sailormantx · 02-12-2012, 20:58

Congratulations Rebel Heart, welcome to the singlehanders club! You will find offshore is much easier/ less stressful than coastal sailing .

cwyckham · 02-12-2012, 22:33

Wow. Great work!

I assume you know the bumfuzzles (Pat and Ali). His first solo was the same route for the same reasons. They're still down there with their two little ones, bringing them up on their boat. They had both babies in Mexico. Look them up if you don't know them already.

deckofficer · 02-12-2012, 22:39

I think they are planning to use the same doctor as Pat & Ali used.

Mambo · 02-12-2012, 23:48

Congrats RH. I did my first 2 solo overnighters this summer. Quite an experience - and a real sense of accomplishment. Can't wait to hear more when you get back. Be safe - enjoy!

rebel heart · 04-12-2012, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailormantx

Congratulations Rebel Heart, welcome to the singlehanders club! You will find offshore is much easier/ less stressful than coastal sailing .

That is the truest ringing statement in the friggin world! I got crap sleep last night because I was getting near coastal (~50 miles of shore). Ships, islands, rocks, lights, localized weather, etc. Offshore rhumb lines (or great circle I guess) are the bees knees for a singlehander.

Deckofficer is right: Pat and Ali (of bumfuzzle) are friends of ours. We met them in San Diego for breakfast and my wife has been in pretty close contact with them. They're actually in the same marina I'm in right now (La Cruz), but I got in around noon, crashed out, then went out for a drink (and to get online and type this amongst other things).

Amazing trip, really. Again I'd like to thank this forum and all the helpful members for all that I've learned.

For any land folks who haven't left yet let me tell you: yeah, it really is worth it. Dig deep, don't quit. The road (for me anyway) is a series of recoveries from failures. Of some things figured out easy, others figured out hard. There just aren't a lot of other ways in this world that offers so much and demands so much of you.

I'm sitting at the gringo bar in La Cruz sipping a tequila that gets brought in via a barrel from local distillers. Mid 70's; I took a nap in the middle of the scorching heat. Can't even imagine the summer temps. But screw it, we'll figure that out too.

sww914 · 04-12-2012, 17:18

NICE!

deckofficer · 04-12-2012, 17:22

Yeah Eric, we need to put a link for this thread on the "wanna be" thread, should help some getting over that "I need to feel like I could swim to land" mind set. My job on large ships gets stressful near landfall, traffic, and distant lights. Give me off shore any day.

highseas · 05-12-2012, 06:52

It's not the heat on the mainland that gets you in the summer,it's the humidity,rain and bugs.The Bay of LA is like an oven also,but less humidity.Most haul out for the summer and return in October.PV is a popular year round spot because it has a low hurricane hit average.Three winters ago,without warning in the middle of the night a tornado like cloudburst came into Banderas Bay with 70 mph winds and horizontal rain that lasted about an hour.Luckily I was at the marina.The anchorage at Lacruz was chaos.

**boatman61** · 05-12-2012, 17:12

Rebel..... Good man... its a great club you've joined mate.. the immortals...

Downside... you may become 'Ocean Delivery' competition....

rebel heart · 07-12-2012, 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by boatman61

Rebel..... Good man... its a great club you've joined mate.. the immortals...

Downside... you may become 'Ocean Delivery' competition....

Don't even worry about me doing that type of work. I've done some close deliveries (couple hundred miles) but even at a full rate it's not enough for me to miss out on my kid.

So you've got about 18 years then I'm you'll start seeing my business card on every chandlery peg board.

deckofficer · 07-12-2012, 14:11

18 years? Cora will be able to stand watches in 1/2 that time.

GrowleyMonster · 07-12-2012, 19:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I know some of you guys are crusty old salts who won't be impressed but I'm stoked! Charlotte and Cora (my mega-pregnant wife and two year old) had to step out for this leg of the trip (pregnancy....), so I solo'd Baja.

I'm chilling in Cabo San Lucas on the hook for a couple of days to grab some fuel and food.

Longest passages I've ever done by myself! I have solo anchoring (with a manual windlass, 60lb anchor, all chain, by the way) down to a science!

Woohoo!

Scariest part: waking up from sleeping and having that brief "I wonder what broke on deck or is there a cruise ship 10' away from me" feeling.

That's why even at anchor, I often sleep out in the cockpit when I am singlehanded.

BTW, if it is calm enough and I am in protected water, I sometimes anchor by the stern when solo. (no windlass on my little boat! But the big two speed jib sheet winches are a big help when the anchor has decided to dig its way to China) Stern anchoring can be really convenient for the solo sailor. Once you got it set up, you just dump it over from the cockpit. Leaving, just heave up short and make it fast, (really short, as in up-and-down) get a headsl up, and let the boat break it out while you sail a downwind course from your anchorage. Get the anchor in sight, raise the main, head up if necessary, and when the anchor is clean, secure it to a pushpit stanchion, ready to let go in an instant. You might want to keep your main anchor and its chain rode on the bow, but have a smaller hook and a couple hundred feet of nylon with just three or four fathoms of chain specifically for an easily handled stern anchor.

I won't debate with anyone about the legality, etc of singlehanding, (Are you keeping a proper lookout at all times, as required by the Rules?) but I will say that I really enjoy it. Sometimes it is nice to just spend some time with your best friend. Solitude is the essence of small boat sailing and crew aboard can clutter up the brain. Welcome to the light.

Miniyot · 24-01-2013, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish rambler

.... Sod's law, or Murphy's if your Irish, dictates that if you make a cock up in the marina or lock, there's always some feckin smart arse dockhopper who's never been on a boat in his life with some tasty bit of crumpet hanging on his arm standing there with a snide remark. Selective deafness is a blessing......

Can someone translate this? Please?

Miniyot · 24-01-2013, 10:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish rambler

Hey Dockhead, that's a challenging bit of navigating around the corner with tides and sandbanks, good on ya. I came down from the centre of Ireland single handed to the Med and after all those locks I was as fit as a butchers dog. My biggest mistake ? drinking lots of tea and getting caught single handed in a force 5/6 with no autopilot ! I bought a big juice bottle with a wide neck (bragging again) and screw top for the next leg.

Did it make you feel as if you were throwing a hotdog down the hallway of a mansion???