Lonely Loneliness

Sailing across the ocean?

Question:

I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed

I read ADRIFT by Steven Callahan, a story about a single handers survival at sea. One should always be prepared for the worst. Its a good book on survival techniques and it may help in deciding what to bring along for safety. Although I have never sailed across an ocean, I dream of doing it someday myself. Currently I sail at 7000 ft above sealeavel. Blue Mesa lake Co. Lee

Response:

… but it’s a dumb thing to do.  

Aw, that’s not very nice.  If doing things that are difficult and slightly dangerous is "dumb,"  then sailing across an ocean in anything smaller than a cruise ship is "dumb."  I do quite a bit of offshore solo sailing, and I don’t think it’s particularly dangerous.  Sailing along a coast with an inexperienced crew — not THAT’s dangerous. The loneliness is devastating … but that’s what some folks like.

Exactly!  The loneliness IS devastating.  For me, that is the primary challenge — to spend weeks alone and still keep my senses.  I find it very, very hard.  The technical aspects, such as sailing the boat, managing the inevitable gear failures, even the heavy weather, are not that hard.  The sheer pain of the loneliness is terrifying and can really sap my strength.  Of course, if it was easy, everyone would do it.  There’s nothing quite as fulfilling as guiding a boat across a huge ocean alone, with just your wits and strength.  It’s not for everyone, of course.  But it’s not dumb, either. —                 David McCune, President, Sage Publications, Inc.                    2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320

Response:

: Exactly!  The loneliness IS devastating.  For me, that is the primary : challenge — to spend weeks alone and still keep my senses.  I find : it very, very hard. So how do you tell if you did keep your senses? See a psychiatrist? B.S!

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Realistic?  Depends on your definition.  It’s done all the time by those folks who cannot or will not have crew … but it’s a dumb thing to do.   Maintaining a continuous lookout, as required by the COLREGS and common sense, is not possible … but not necessarily hazardous if you have an ability to catnap for days on end.  I’ve done it when necessary. Practical?  Sure .. if you catnap for maintaining a lookout and your vessel is suitably set up (self steering, easy sail changing and reefing, seaworthy vessel, etc.) and you are in good health. Advisable?  Not really .. unless your idea of sharing an experience is to lock yourself in a room.  The loneliness is devastating … but that’s what some folks like.         *      Terry Sargent, Yacht VALHALLA        {The sun never}  /_| /__|__   PH:(671)564-2274   (FAX on request)           {nets}   _|_/"""__  MAIL:POB 13069, Sta Rita, GU 96915-3069          /   "Twixt the dream and the deed lie the doldrums" Anon —

Response:

Tinkerbelle was written by Robert Manry in 1966 or so and is a fun story to read.  Enjoy! Sail2B Jesse Jagoda

Response:

I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed

My advice is to go out in a good blow with someone who has experience.  Then you will know what you should and should not get concerned about. — Tom                              |"It is vain to look for a defense against|                              | lightning"– Publilius Syrus, 45 B.C.   |

Response:

sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed before, but I am anxious to learn …         Thanks in advance.                               Please reply here or e-mail me at:

There’s been much good advice posted to this thread.  I would add a recomendation that you go to your local Yacht club and see if you can get a crewing position on a boat (any size will do) that races a full season.  You can start out as "rail-meat" and gradually gain skills and knowledge and responsibility.  Not neccessarily as important as staying with the same boat the whole time, is doing a full 1,2 or more seasons.  This will, I’m sure, show you the very best and some of the very worst that "Ma Nature" can throw at you and how to deal with her moods.

Response:

: I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to : sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed : before, but I am anxious to learn since sailing to different parts of the world Yes it is posible to sail across the Atlantic or Pacific.  One thing to think about is how will you like to do it?   Consider the Following (As Bill Nye would say) Get in a boat.  Sail straight out into the ocean.  No one else on board and no one else to talk to.  Your goal is not japan, europe, or any other nice location, it is simply a spot in the ocean three days out.  Then once you get there you are to turn around and sail straight back to the port you left from. Would not be much fun would it.  That is what I thought and that was my cure to the dream of sailing to the south pacific. Lots of people do it and many enjoy it.  I think it would be a lot more fun to sail the world with a small floatila of boats together so it would not get so boaring and lonely. If you go, let us know how it went, eh. George Slade

Response:

      Start in a library or bookstore.   "Tinkerbelle"

        Henry (Hank) Manry (sp?) Manery? Manary It is written by a newspaper reporter who learned to sail a 13′ wooden (lapstrake hull) sailboat on lake Erie and went on to sail it from Falmouth Mass. to Falmouth England. It isn’t exactly a handbook for this sort of thing, but it is good reading none the less.

        Good book. As HM says, (more or less) "it might not have been the right boat, but it was the boat I had."  His trip (c 1960?) was as a personal quest, not a publicity stunt.  Shows what an old guy can do with very little money.  out-of-print?         Add:  "Maiden Voyage," by Tania Aebi (available from West Marine) to see how a youg girl can do it, if daddy will pay the bills.  I haven’t read this one after reading portions of her reports in ??? National Geographic, I think.

Response:

I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed before, but I am anxious to learn since sailing to different parts of the world has always been a dream of mine

I would suggest that you start with a good sailing shcool, like the offshore ones down south.  There is a gaggle of adds for them in Cruising World magazine.  Try some bareboating and see if you really do want to sail for as long as it takes to cross oceans, like a month, or more.  Dodge Morgan’s book might also be a good read.  Then, take some courses on navigation and weather, like the Ocean Navigator courses.   Finally, sit down for at least a weekend and have one long talk with yourself, because there is nothing tougher than, or quite as rewarding as, single-handed offshore sailing.  But, you **must** be prepared. michael Michael Manford Oh, and remember, you aren’t having fun until you lose sight of land.

Response:

I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed

I just finished reading a good book called "Singlehanded Sailing" (can’t remember the author) which had a lot of information on cruising alone, like rigging for singlehanding, the psychology of it, accounts of singlehanders (some of whom were mentioned in other replies to your post) and what to learn from them, provisioning, and much more.  I recommend it. — Open Enterprise Systems                 Amdahl Corporation, Santa Clara, CA My opinions are my own, etc., etc. …

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed I just finished reading a good book called "Singlehanded Sailing" (can’t remember the author) which had a lot of information on cruising alone, like rigging for singlehanding, the psychology of it, accounts of singlehanders (some of whom were mentioned in other replies to your post) and what to learn from them, provisioning, and much more.  I recommend it. — Open Enterprise Systems                 Amdahl Corporation, Santa Clara, CA My opinions are my own, etc., etc. …

I think you mean  "Singlehanded Sailing: the experiences & techniques of the lone voyagers"  Richard Henderson, International Marine Publishing Company, Camden, Maine  ISBN 0-87742-062-9    2nd. edition, 1976 Good sailing  :) — "Government is not reason. It is not eloquence. It is a force. Like fire, a dangerous servant and a fearful master." – G. Washington

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I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed before, but I am anxious to learn since sailing to different parts of the world  has always been a dream of mine. If someone could give me info about boat size requirements, learning to sail, expected costs, and dangers involved in cross- continental sailing, I would appreciate it. I would like to start by sailing down the east coast from Philadelphia to the West Indies, and then continue to Central and South America. Am I being too naive??? I really want to get away from everything and find another part of the world that is more interesting. I see sailing a s the best way to do this. Help me please. I don’t know where to start.         Thanks in advance.                               Please reply here or e-mail me at:

Response:

I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself.

        Start in a library or bookstore.  Ask for _Sailing_Alone_Around_the_ World_, by J. Slocum.  Then read the others found on the same shelves.

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Start at your local library.

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Thus spake Wallace Venable:    Start in a library or bookstore.  Ask for _Sailing_Alone_Around_the_ World_, by J. Slocum.  Then read the others found on the same shelves.

"Tinkerbelle" (sorry can’t recall the author) is a good book on the subject. It is written by a newspaper reporter who learned to sail a 13′ wooden (lapstrake hull) sailboat on lake Erie and went on to sail it from Falmouth Mass. to Falmouth England. It isn’t exactly a handbook for this sort of thing, but it is good reading none the less. — WwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwW wWwW

Response:

: I would like to know any information about how realistic it is for a person to : sail across either the Atlantic or the Pacific by himself. I have never sailed : before, but I am anxious to learn since sailing to different parts of the world You should start with two things. First, learn to sail.  You might find you don’t like it.  Sometimes it really sucks, even when you absolutely love it.  So start by sailing small boats, for you, perhaps the Chesapeake is where to begin. Second, read some of the many cruising stories.  You could read Larry and Lin Pardey’s series (begin with "Cruising in Serrafyn" or some similar title).  You might also want to consider the book "Shrimpy", which is about the lowest budget single-handed circumnavigation in one of the smallest boats know to humanity.  It’s also a lot of fun. Yes, it’s possible.  But not for most.  And not for me. -Chris

Response:

Filed under: Loneliness

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