Offshore Sailing

[Don Kurylko]

Some local sailors are delivering a rather cavernous Cal 46 to Vancouver from Hawaii and have been posting Tweets of their adventure. Here is their latest. I’m pretty sure Hwyl can relate to this one.

“Wind arrived, so now on a port tack. Advantage of port tack - don't have to cling to mast in galley; disadvantage - have to cling to toilet.”

[AJZimm]

Offshore sailing in general: disadvantage - have to cling to something pretty much all the time. Advantage - good for the soul.

[Don Kurylko]

You got that right, Alex!

[Gerarddm]

Boy, she just seems to put her shoulder down and just go​, eh? Great vid, thanks for posting.

[Ian McColgin]

Great vid.

The lifelines give me pause. I'd rather have none at all than those calfcatchers.

[GregH]

Is there a "technical" definition of the term "offshore"? Perhaps something like, out of sight of land? Is distance a factor?

[Yeadon]

Last week, while in Barkley Sound I sailed Big Food about a mile offshore. It was brilliant and satisfying. That's pretty much the total of my offshore experience, however.

[Don Kurylko]

GregH...yes, offshore, as in "offshore passage", generally means out of sight of land. I don't think there is a hard and fast technical definition of the term.

[GregH]

Thanks Don- guess that means that I've been "offshore"--- on Lake Michigan- couldn't see Chicago, Michigan or Indiana- for about 5 minutes!

[Yeadon]

I hereby take back my "offshore" experience.

[Don Kurylko]

No need Tim, you were off shore, just not offshore.

[John B]

There were a few days last year that ' my bed' was a 2 ft wide patch of cabin sole between the engine box and a bunk. Lovely it was, a bit damp, but thats because of the wet weather gear I was sleeping in. A sealed unit you might say.

[Ian McColgin]

To my mind "off-shore" is off soundings and arrival in a very different place. My deliveries between Florida and New England are NOT in my opinion "off-shore" though they got into the Stream and were a bit off soundings - past the continental shelf. When a coast is but a day or two away, the trip is "along shore." New England to Bermuda is minimally "off-shore."

[chas]

Nova Scotia to Bermuda is offshore.

Cape Mudge is worse than offshore at times! Seamanship is required in both places. / Jim

[Gerarddm]

New England to Bermuda is minimally "off-shore."

I dunno, when I did Newport-Bermuda it sure as hell felt offshore to me, especially punching through the Gulf Stream.

I like Don's answer #11.

[megonmiller]

nice video of classic sailing yacht :

[wizbang 13]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wizbang...n/photostream/

[Hwyl]

Missed this, thanks to the spammer for bumping it. Yes I have spent a few nights sleeping in my foulies, I believe the old timers called it "fully rigged".

As to offshore, no great mystique there, it's a bit safer than the crinkly stuff. I'd say out of sight is "offshore" and more than 180 miles off is "Ocean".


Nice video, the cameraman took some risks making it.

I see the tiller is heavy and in the middle, so not really weather helm just contributing to lateral resistance,

[gilberj]

According to Ian’s definition the OP Vid would not be offshore either. I sort of agree though, I think of passages along shore slightly differently to crossings. Somehow having the ability to change your passage plan in the middle and seek refuge as you coast, diminishes the intrepidness (is that a word???). You set off on a crossing and in theory at least you are casting your lot with the weather-gods, throwing off the possibility of remedial succor.
It is all crap though. The real challenging parts of the passage are nearly always when you are near shore, with tidal shifts and fickle geographically modified winds.
While there are some really horrendous storms from time to time offshore, they are actually not that frequent where most recreational sailors sail. I know folks that have who have sailed half way around the world before they got a strong gale, force 9 of more.

[redbopeep]

Offshore--agree with Ian's description. Here on the West Coast it gets deep fast but you're near shore. I think it is more frightening (as gilberj notes) to be near shore where the challenges are though. And--being near a hostile lee shore (e.g. think Oregon) is no fun at all.

[John B]

I'd never really thought of a distinction between offshore and ocean before. Coastal is in sight of the coast or even out of sight if you know you're going to anchor there at night. Offshore to me means out of sight of land and staying out for a night or ten.

I've met people who've sailed around all sorts of parts of the world and never seen 30 knots before getting here too.

[Ron Williamson]

I'd never really thought of a distinction between offshore and ocean before. Coastal is in sight of the coast or even out of sight if you know you're going to anchor there at night. Offshore to me means out of sight of land and staying out for a night or ten.

I've met people who've sailed around all sorts of parts of the world and never seen 30 knots before getting here too.

No kiddin?
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/marin...0&siteID=07601
R

[John B]

Similar here this weekend too. Yeah , I just find it hard to believe but its been repeated to me several times and by some pretty cool ocean sailors who've been a lot of places.

[wizbang 13]

Modern cruisers are using satellite weather info combined with fast boats to get out and stay out of severe weather.
My rig is not fast and I am not modern, so I am screwed.
If I break down 5 miles to looward of a Caribbean island, I am offshore.

[redbopeep]

Modern cruisers are using satellite weather info combined with fast boats to get out and stay out of severe weather.
My rig is not fast and I am not modern, so I am screwed.
If I break down 5 miles to looward of a Caribbean island, I am offshore.

OMG you're funny