Re: long/lean/fast and avoiding heavy weather at sea

Long and narrow Dashew-style ocean cruisers can average 240+ miles per day, and can get out of the way of a hurricane pretty easily if the cap'n keeps a close eye on what's coming his or her way. Averaging half that in an 18' keelboat (particularly single-handed) would be pretty impressive.

Of course, not many of us can afford 60' to 100'+ Dashew boats, but there are other lean boats that can maintain high daily averages (I've always been impressed by the 1xx J-boats in that regard).

Not sure if any Bolger boats fall into this category (capable of >=10 knots sustained cruising in open ocean) - any suggestions?

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "itsbetterontheisland" <itsbetterontheisland@...> wrote:
>
> Sailing a production boat doesn't apply here but I'm a builder building a Bolger Oldshoe and am applying what I know about the ocean to the Shoe. The speed difference between a 19 footer and 35 footer is about 3 knots 5 knots more when surfing so all of us will be "caught out" that far offshore. I didn't edit our address book because I consider you all my friends, dayton
>
I was wondering about the idea of "fast" boats escaping hurricanes when in the middle of the ocean. I tried looking, and didn't find specifics on the track speed of hurricanes, however it seems like I've heard of hurricanes with a track speed of 30+ miles per hour, and very few boats can sustain that kind of speed, especial in rough seas, which is what you would be in if you are trying to outrun a hurricane.
 
While the idea of getting accurate and current information about the forecasted storm track and traveling in a direction perpendicular to that is a good idea, some of the larger storms are hundreds of miles across and grow rapidly, so you would have to go a long ways to get out of the storm zone. This plus sudden erratic track changes makes it seem pretty risky to bet your life that you could always avoid a hurricane, regardless of its track speed, growth speed, and unexpected direction changes.
 
Unless you have the kind of boat that can weather severe storms at sea, it seems much more reasonable to stay within a few hours of shore during hurricane season, monitor the weather forecasts, and then run for a shelter as soon as a severe storm starts forming.
 
Sincerely,
Roger
 
----- Original Message -----
From: "itsbetterontheisland" <itsbetterontheisland@...>
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 8:27 AM
Subject: [bolger] Re: Typhoon Bermuda

> Sailing a production boat doesn't apply here but I'm a builder building a Bolger Oldshoe and am applying what I know about the ocean to the Shoe. The speed difference between a 19 footer and 35 footer is about 3 knots 5 knots more when surfing so all of us will be "caught out" that far offshore. I didn't edit our address book because I consider you all my friends,    dayton
>
Sailing a production boat doesn't apply here but I'm a builder building a Bolger Oldshoe and am applying what I know about the ocean to the Shoe. The speed difference between a 19 footer and 35 footer is about 3 knots 5 knots more when surfing so all of us will be "caught out" that far offshore. I didn't edit our address book because I consider you all my friends, dayton

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "F Neil Simms" <f.neil.simms@...> wrote:
>
> Not sure a small, slow boat is the vehicle I'd want to cross the stream in and run 800 miles to Bermuda, with hurricane season ramping up. It's gonna take 8+ days to get there, and even if it's "all quiet in the tropics" when you depart, it may very well be 'noisy' by the time you get there...
>
> Personally, I start getting queasy come end of May here in the southeast, and don't relax until December, when considering offshore adventures. Have had to ride out one too many hurricanes over the years, I guess, even if it's just holed up a creek. I've decided to not go bluewater again unless it's in a fast boat that can maneuver out of the way of a big blow (a la the Dashew's approach).
>
> Course I'm not sure how this pertains to most Bolger boats, so I'll get off my soapbox...
>
> --- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, longbaymarine@ wrote:
> >
> > Hello to all,
> >
> > I've canceled the trip to Bermuda this year in the Typhoon due to the lows
> > forming in the Caribbean. June is the month for sailing offshore but trip
> > planning must begin with the words "all quiet in the tropics".
>
Not sure a small, slow boat is the vehicle I'd want to cross the stream in and run 800 miles to Bermuda, with hurricane season ramping up. It's gonna take 8+ days to get there, and even if it's "all quiet in the tropics" when you depart, it may very well be 'noisy' by the time you get there...

Personally, I start getting queasy come end of May here in the southeast, and don't relax until December, when considering offshore adventures. Have had to ride out one too many hurricanes over the years, I guess, even if it's just holed up a creek. I've decided to not go bluewater again unless it's in a fast boat that can maneuver out of the way of a big blow (a la the Dashew's approach).

Course I'm not sure how this pertains to most Bolger boats, so I'll get off my soapbox...

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, longbaymarine@... wrote:
>
> Hello to all,
>
> I've canceled the trip to Bermuda this year in the Typhoon due to the lows
> forming in the Caribbean. June is the month for sailing offshore but trip
> planning must begin with the words "all quiet in the tropics".
Hello to all,
 
I've canceled the trip to Bermuda this year in the Typhoon due to the lows forming in the Caribbean. June is the month for sailing offshore but trip planning must begin with the words "all quiet in the tropics".
 
I believe the Typhoon at 18' 6" to be the best full keel boat for the job, probably not the best boat under 20 feet. Fully loaded with about 500 lbs of supplies and gear the scuppers need to be closed, the cockpit well is then about water level, so I added two 1000 gph pumps in the well even though I never had more that an ounce of water come aboard during the 2000 thousand ocean miles in the last five years.
 
If you have a chance to see a Typhoon on a trailer, study the under water sections. This is the shape that the ocean likes, this hull knows no pounding and will rip a hole through short chop.
 
If form follows function, and it does, the Typhoon ended up looking like a small yacht, everything goes together and it works.
 
The boat is loaded and I have the sat phone for a month so I'm going inlet hopping south to Charleston. If you're in the Myrtle Beach SC area and would like to see the Typhoon, let me know. We are a common sight sailing along the beach here. I'm a licensed captain and could take you sailing.
 
Thank you for your time, I'll be back next year!            Best     dayton
 
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, longbaymarine@... wrote:
>
> Hello to all,
>
> Today is the day I was to set sail for Bermuda in our 19' Cape Dory Typhoon
> weekender, after five years of planning and rigging, I believe the boat
> and I are ready to make the crossing. This is the culmination of a life long
> desire to sail a small boat to Bermuda, since I was 10 years old this was
> my idea, the dream if you will.
>
> In the boat building forums that I've been reading for years please excuse
> the intrusion, this is not a change of thread. I've gleaned a lot of ideas
> here, and have applied many to this boat. I'm a boat builder too and have a
> half finished Bolger design in our shop.
>
> Currently we're watching the system forming off Jamaica and are on hold.
> These lows are known to blow for days depending on their speed and have me
> concerned. I've sailed this Typhoon about two thousand ocean miles and am
> confident in the boats ability but want nothing to do with a 50 knot storm.
>
> I'm sailing out of Little River inlet in South Carolina where the NC, SC
> state line meets the ocean, Bermuda is 800 miles distant and have all the
> proverbial bells and whistles and things that inflate, so no need to worry.
>
> I'll be in touch daily via sat phone, my wife and mate Cathy will post
> updates on our progress, if you're interested or just delete if you can't bear
> to see someone putting himself at risk.
>
> I hope you all tag along, I believe it will give some me some comfort
> knowing my kind are with me on endless days and dark nights, and I'll report
> back my findings from the edge.
>
> Sincerely Dayton Altman SC
>


David and Memmet Crane sailed a Typhoon from Florida to the Bahamas and back. They said they had a wonderful time, no problems. I trust you will also.
Hello to all,
 
Today is the day I was to set sail for Bermuda in our 19' Cape Dory Typhoon weekender, after five years of planning and rigging, I believe the boat and I are ready to make the crossing. This is the culmination of a life long desire to sail a small boat to Bermuda, since I was 10 years old this was my idea, the dream if you will.
 
In the boat building forums that I've been reading for years please excuse the intrusion, this is not a change of thread. I've gleaned a lot of ideas here, and have applied many to this boat. I'm a boat builder too and have a half finished Bolger design in our shop.
 
Currently we're watching the system forming off Jamaica and are on hold. These lows are known to blow for days depending on their speed and have me concerned. I've sailed this Typhoon about two thousand ocean miles and am confident in the boats ability but want nothing to do with a 50 knot storm.
 
I'm sailing out of Little River inlet in South Carolina where the NC, SC state line meets the ocean, Bermuda is 800 miles distant and have all the proverbial bells and whistles and things that inflate, so no need to worry.
 
I'll be in touch daily via sat phone, my wife and mate Cathy will post updates on our progress, if you're interested or just delete if you can't bear to see someone putting himself at risk.
 
I hope you all tag along, I believe it will give some me some comfort knowing my kind are with me on endless days and dark nights, and I'll report back my findings from the edge.
 
Sincerely      Dayton Altman     SC