fingers crossed, if you don't mind

**Alan H** · 25th May 07, 10:46 AM

Tomorrow (saturday) I am going to deliver my boat, solo, from Santa Cruz California to Alameda, in the San Francisco Bay. I have to do this solo, becasue I want to qualify for a 400 mile offshore race later this summer, and I need aminimum of 50-mile solo passage to do that. The wind will be predominantly out of the NorthWest, and it will be a windward beat all the way from the 'round the corner turn at Santa Cruz until I hang a right to go under the Golden Gate. If the wind velocity stays under 20 knots I will have a nice sail, and if I get too tired I can always pull in at Half Moon Bay (about 50 miles up the coast) and catch a few hours of sleep. If that's not convenient I can point the boat offshore, engage the auto-steering and drop below for 90 minutes of shut-eye.

However, my boat is a 27 foot ultralight, and she's "wet" so if the waves get big and close together, and if it blows much more than 20, it's going to be a nasty ride. Once around the corner, there's basically nowhere to "hide" until you get to Half-Moon Bay. Once you leave Half Moon Bay there's nowhere to hide until you're under the Gate.

As singlehanded passages go, this is not a terribly difficult one, and I've sailed this stretch of coast twice before. I've driven the coastal road hundreds of times. I will have a self-steering windvane on the boat so I don't have to sit at the helm for 24-36 hours, straight. But this is a new boat to me...only my second sail with her, ever. Ultralights don't go to windward well, in a blow. If it REALLY blows up, it could be very dangerous. It probably won't, but I'm...

anxious... hyped...amped....concerned. All of these are healthy. I'm NOT "scared" or terrified. I know exactly what I'm taking on, here. Not only that, but there will be boats coming back from a race to Monterey this weekend. I'll have some company out there, probably about 40 boats will make the passage over Saturday-Sunday. If I scream for help over the VHF radio and fire off some flares, I'll probably be seen and heard.

....but I'm still a bit anxious.

So if you have a few extra moments this weekend, send up a call upstairs for me and cross your fingers for a moment.

Alan

**RK-REX** · 25th May 07, 10:59 AM

I'll be thinkin' of you Alan. Enjoy the peace and quiet. Let us know how it goes.

-R

**The Wizard of BC** · 25th May 07, 11:35 AM

Alan,

Smooth sailing to you.

Having done a few single handed runs I know that feeling of apprehension well. Did I think of everything? Did I check all the things on the list? Did I get new batteries for the flashlight? Etc. Etc.

You have a real life. When I did my first Single handed run I dumped all the ex's gear on the dock, untied the lines and pointed the boat East. 9 days later I raised the outer bouy of the channel to San Diego. Between Honolulu and Diego there is a lot of horizon. But what the heck? I had no one to mourn if I sank or fell over, or whatever. It takes a lot of the worry out of trips like that.

Two days sleeping, filling the water tanks, having a real meal, then the next stop was Panama. That leg took awhile 'cause I spent 5 days becalmed out near the Galapagos. Got to see a Whale Shark though.

After the passage through the canal squashed into locks with tankers, I headed north right into the path of a hurricane off Honduras. 3 days of seas taller than the mast, towing 300 ft of anchor chain as a sea anchor, and living off of peanut butter sandwiches and coffee does weird things to your outlook on life.

Finally arrived in St. Petersburg FL and you know, looking back on the trip the thing I remember is the solitude. I'm the kind of person who can go days and never say a word to any other soul. But day after day of not being able to talk to someone if you want to is different. So, on your trip remember to take a good book.

OK, maybe with an squirrelly ultralight you won't have time to just sit. But if your blessed with consistent winds, & gentle, long rollers, even on a two day trip you will find time on your hands with nothing urgent to do.

Enjoy the trip mate. Those times alone with just you and your boat are rare and blessed. Make the most of them.

And remember to post pics. I have a whole book somewhere of "Here is wave no. 7,559,366,709,572,012." and "Oh look at this, the third grey gull with one feather missing." & "Here's a cloud that looks like Rodin's Burghers of Calais."

**Alan H** · 25th May 07, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by RK-REX

I'll be thinkin' of you Alan. Enjoy the peace and quiet. Let us know how it goes.

-R

If it's peace and quiet, that'll be great.
It's the other option that has me concerned. But as passages go, this is not a bad one at all. It's just the FIRST one in a new boat.