Another 'Bluewater Boat' Poll to Really Tee You Off!!

[MicHughV]

Like most any bluewater sailor, I had to enter....and graduate...from the " School of Hard Knocks". This curriculum general takes a few years to master and pass. Some never pass it at all.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Like most any bluewater sailor, I had to enter....and graduate...from the " School of Hard Knocks". This curriculum general takes a few years to master and pass. Some never pass it at all.

My case was the school of hard knockdowns ….[emoji16]

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Like most any bluewater sailor, I had to enter....and graduate...from the " School of Hard Knocks". This curriculum general takes a few years to master and pass. Some never pass it at all.

Blue water, ocean sailing, isn't for everyone.
We get plenty of action inland sailing, no need for the Big Crossing.
Not our current lifestyle.
Boatyarddog

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by ChrisJHC

Sailing across Bass Strait - one of the more dangerous patches of water in the world:

Attachment 252527

Edit: looks “blue” to me

Blue as can be, nice picture
Boatyarddog

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

Give whom a break?

Friend, I believe you may have misinterpreted both the intent of my original post and the information contained therein.

To clarify: It's a poll and an invitation for people who feel like it to recount their experience.

The title is deliberately hyperbolic and meant in good fun. So is the text, really. Sorry about that.

I'm actually quite impressed by people who just go for it, and we've heard from a few of them here.

Hope that clears things up.

So far 25%, don't care to answer.
I can only assume that the most popular answer stands, it's not worth the time to answer this question.

Interesting!

There are a lot of reasons people don't ocean sail long distances.
Usually it's a lifestyle choice and requires a lot of fluidity in future plans.
I can hop a jet to many places without the planning and time.
Makes a lot of sense to fly if your looking to go places, and spend time enjoying it.

Ocean sail if it pleases you.
Sailing is sailing, it varies every time you go out.
Boatyarddog

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by fish53

Most of my professional career was offshore before I ever bought my own boat so I'm not qualified adequately to respond, but I did anyway.

Everyone is qualified to respond to any poll I post.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

So far 25%, don't care to answer.
I can only assume that the most popular answer stands, it's not worth the time to answer this question.

Interesting!

There are a lot of reasons people don't ocean sail long distances.
Usually it's a lifestyle choice and requires a lot of fluidity in future plans.
I can hop a jet to many places without the planning and time.
Makes a lot of sense to fly if your looking to go places, and spend time enjoying it.

Ocean sail if it pleases you.
Sailing is sailing, it varies every time you go out.
Boatyarddog

FYI I am one of the people who voted that I have too much time on my hands.

[Don C L]

I haven't been motivated to stretch out to those days of blue water, blue waves and blue skies lately; I've been content to reach across short jaunts that has blue waters and waves but not days or weeks of it, so not sure I belong in this poll. I actually enjoyed the blue water days in my youth, but I remember an old salt telling me once that some folks cannot handle the sensory deprivation that can come with days or weeks of nothing but blueness all around. I wonder if anyone here experienced that?

[hpeer]

Don,

My longest passage was 15 days, with my Wife, downwind. Piece of cake, no problems.

A 7 day solo passage was a chore, but weather not quite as good. Isolation got to me a bit.

I had another trip, supposed to be 7 days, that got iff to a bad false start. Then the second attempt I was limping along, I needed the motor for a long windless leg and heat, but it was acting up bad, I was 2 days in fog, water was 33°F, there were ice bergs around but they were not showing on the radar. I felt physically ill, like I had swallowed a half risen loaf of bread and it was still rising in my stomach.

I could not get the motor to stop over heating so I decided to turn for home. I called the wife on a sat phone. As I was talking to her, telling her I was returning, a seal popped up along side to say hello. Three hours later the fog was gone, the sun was out, I was sailing. It was beautiful and the loaf disappeared from my stomach. The world was good.

It was then that I realized I had experienced a profound attack of depression. It was horrible, I now have great sympathy for folks suffering depression. In my case it was situational, I was able to escape.

The question now becomes, should I suffer a similar attack in the future how will I handle it? Will I, with my new knowledge, be able to recognize it for what it is and shrug it off? Don’t know.

[nortonscove]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I haven't been motivated to stretch out to those days of blue water, blue waves and blue skies lately; I've been content to reach across short jaunts that has blue waters and waves but not days or weeks of it, so not sure I belong in this poll. I actually enjoyed the blue water days in my youth, but I remember an old salt telling me once that some folks cannot handle the sensory deprivation that can come with days or weeks of nothing but blueness all around. I wonder if anyone here experienced that?

I can certainly understand this sentiment. After a few days of staring at nothingness makes me wish I had a power boat. I've a friend that has been sailing all of the North Atlantic with his wife and kids who once told me his preferred way was short hops and getting into port early if at all possible. His thing was finding the hidden places not filled with other boats.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I haven't been motivated to stretch out to those days of blue water, blue waves and blue skies lately; I've been content to reach across short jaunts that has blue waters and waves but not days or weeks of it, so not sure I belong in this poll. I actually enjoyed the blue water days in my youth, but I remember an old salt telling me once that some folks cannot handle the sensory deprivation that can come with days or weeks of nothing but blueness all around. I wonder if anyone here experienced that?

I actually enjoy being out of sight of land far off shore, for extended periods. Your world narrows to your immedIate surroundings and the task at hand. It must, because your very life may depend on it.

The endless variations of the sea and the interplay of wind and weather , the sea life and the stunning night scenes. It’s one of the finest experiences available.

Ive done my fair share of blue water ( about 20000 nm ) but it’s not compatible with the desires of my companion, she likes “ social “ sailing , sailing friends nearby , destinations that are a day or two away at the very most , sunshine , cheap wine etc. Hence these days I potter about in the Adriatic

Horses for courses, it’s all sailing

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by nortonscove

I can certainly understand this sentiment. After a few days of staring at nothingness makes me wish I had a power boat. I've a friend that has been sailing all of the North Atlantic with his wife and kids who once told me his preferred way was short hops and getting into port early if at all possible. His thing was finding the hidden places not filled with other boats.

I have never suffered from this.. there's a lot to look at if you bother to look..
My longest solo passage was 47 days, I looked at the sky and cloud shapes, birds of paradise and terns that came to visit, kittiwakes following my wake and changing pairs as they reached their boundaries, dolphin's, porpoises, whales of various types, Orca, turtles, sunfish and the occasional shark. On calm windless days I would lie on the side deck staring into the depths at the tiny creatures of red, blue, gold and green as they danced beneath the surface, water spiders scurrying around on the surface..
When the winds kicked up I would gaze in admiration at the storm petrels and albatross effortlessly skimming the waves and dolphin's surfing..
The only way there is nothing at sea is if you sail with eyes closed wide open.

[MicHughV]

I think your brain has to adapt to the ocean....for me...it takes a day or two to get into the grove....not just the blue around you, but the motion, first few days, I tend to hang on to things, but then can skip around with ease.

I have the same issues with land....I love the mountains, but when I get to an area that has no mountains, ie, Florida, Bahamas, I feel out of whack for a few days.....I wake up, look outside...and see no mountains...and I wonder where I am..

[MicHughV]

It's like getting seasick, I've sailed with guys, that are serious sailors...rtw sailors, etc, but first few days out, they are seasick, until they get into the groove....
I've never suffered from this malady, so can't opine on it.

[DMF Sailing]

Loving the direction this thread has drifted to.

Boatman, that was downright poetic. Ever consider writing a book?

(I looked up "Boatman61" in the Library of Congress and no one has ever authored a book under that name.)