I think that most beginning voyagers under estimate the difficulties involved
with passagemaking. One relates to his/her experiences in the past and
projects that is what circumstances will be in the future.
The reality is to prepare for the worse case scenerio and prepare for this.
The problem is that most people do not know what the worse case is--or don't
want to imagine what it is. As far as commercial fishermen go--I grew up on
the Docks in San Pedro, have rafted next to a number of fishermen, had them as
neighbors and shared brews with them all over the world.
They make mistakes like the rest of us do. As pointed out--it is an extremely
high risk profession. There are well maintained boats, and some not
maintained at all. A couple of months ago several were lost during a Norther
just off the coast of Pensacola. They knew that there were risks--but didn't
take the proper precautions.
In todays world it is all too easy to plunk down a few hundred thousand
dollars, buy a bundle of electronics read some books or a list and go.
I think that yesterday's sailors were more prepared. They had to learn more
skills before they shoved off on a voyage--(some did't--but most did). There
was at least the learning of plotting and celestial navigation.
Also many of us who grew up boating gradually acquided the skills and
experience. I was fortunate to have done several transoceanic ocean races as
a crew member before setting off on my own.
How does a newcommer learn? He/she reads all that they can. The books on
heavy weather sailing, Steve Dashew's books, Richard Henderson's books, even
Hiscock's books on Wanderer still have a lesson. Parday's books and Roth's
books are in some ways less pertinant to the power voyager, but there are
still lessons to be learned.
There were a number of lessons from Nordhavn 40 around the world.
There are a number of web accounts of the problems and the solutions.
However one cannot truely understand the savage nature of the sea until they
experience Hurricane force winds themselves. Seeing the "Perfect Storm"--is
fiction--and the mind treats it as such.
Bob Austin
I think that most beginning voyagers under estimate the difficulties involved
with passagemaking. One relates to his/her experiences in the past and
projects that is what circumstances will be in the future.
The reality is to prepare for the worse case scenerio and prepare for this.
The problem is that most people do not know what the worse case is--or don't
want to imagine what it is. As far as commercial fishermen go--I grew up on
the Docks in San Pedro, have rafted next to a number of fishermen, had them as
neighbors and shared brews with them all over the world.
They make mistakes like the rest of us do. As pointed out--it is an extremely
high risk profession. There are well maintained boats, and some not
maintained at all. A couple of months ago several were lost during a Norther
just off the coast of Pensacola. They knew that there were risks--but didn't
take the proper precautions.
In todays world it is all too easy to plunk down a few hundred thousand
dollars, buy a bundle of electronics read some books or a list and go.
I think that yesterday's sailors were more prepared. They had to learn more
skills before they shoved off on a voyage--(some did't--but most did). There
was at least the learning of plotting and celestial navigation.
Also many of us who grew up boating gradually acquided the skills and
experience. I was fortunate to have done several transoceanic ocean races as
a crew member before setting off on my own.
How does a newcommer learn? He/she reads all that they can. The books on
heavy weather sailing, Steve Dashew's books, Richard Henderson's books, even
Hiscock's books on Wanderer still have a lesson. Parday's books and Roth's
books are in some ways less pertinant to the power voyager, but there are
still lessons to be learned.
There were a number of lessons from Nordhavn 40 around the world.
There are a number of web accounts of the problems and the solutions.
However one cannot truely understand the savage nature of the sea until they
experience Hurricane force winds themselves. Seeing the "Perfect Storm"--is
fiction--and the mind treats it as such.
Bob Austin
