The boat’s in the UK
Blue’s good. A sloop.
The UK. Not exactly a Harvest Moon Regatta sail.
More than a coast and a windward beat to the Caribbean. Still.
Atlantic Crossing Chart (image gracegalleries.com)
Things needed for crossing the Atlantic
- Lots of beer (Obviously)
- Harnesses (See above)
- Sat. phone and WiFi (Anxiety prevention)
- Computer (To write articles to help pay for the boat and voyage. Right.)
- Hired, experienced captain (To allow time to appreciate the beer)
- Hired gourmet cook (If you don’t have to skipper, why should you have to cook? Need to enjoy the experience, right?)
- Sighs (Sighs of contentment)
- Dreams
Standing in a cold shower tearing up $100 bills.
That’s basically sailing.
That and hours of boredom bobbing with no wind interspersed with periods of sheer terror trying not to get washed overboard.
But, so?
Take the helm. (image Yachtworld.com)
The boat’s in the UK. Blue.
Blue’s good for a boat.
Take a look. It’s a Beneteau First 47.7 in brokerage.
Cliff notes for sailing across the Atlantic? “Top 10 Tips for an Atlantic Crossing” (Somebody got paid to write this article. Hmmm…)
Must hurry before storm season,
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge
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Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
I must admit, I’ve been on a sailboat exactly once in my life. I enjoyed the trip, but I was glad our friends knew what they were doing. I would’ve been dead weight if anything had come up!
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Hey, ballast /weight is desirable keep the boat maneuverable in the water – so see, you were useful! People either love sailing of hate it. My brother hates it; I find it soothing and mesmerizing when calm – energizing and exhilarating when blowing good. The unpredictability is part of the fun….(wild storms-not always thrilling at the time).
Glad you came aboard to share your experiences
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PS. The one I’m standing on in my gravatar? A historic ship docked as a museum in San Francisco.
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Wonderful some historic have been saved and cared for. Those old ones are cool, but so much maintenance! Great photo shots. Glad you were able to dock and chat for a bit
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I’ve never been out sailing. Something to add to my bucket list.
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Wind, water, sky, sun. Sounds from boat and birds. It is a creative experience. Definitely hop aboard if you get the chance. Glad you sailed by
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Sailing is great as long as I am with someone who knows what they are doing. I can follow directions but would never take over myself. But there is something to be said for sailing at sea, as though the ancestors are along in the wisps of the wind. Aah….
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Sailing has a timeless feel. Thanks for floating that idea by
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It must be an incredible feeling to sail out when the weather is fine. I am not sure I’ll ever get the chance to find out.
When my husband and I were first married, we lived at the beach. My husband dreamed of owning a sailboat until we sailed with friends on their 36 foot sailboat through a storm. It was four hours of wet, and cold, and nausea while being tossed to and fro by 2 story high waves. The one highlight of the trip was when a large pod of dolphins swam beside the boat for several miles. My husband was not impressed,as a matter of fact, he never saw them, because he spent the entire trip hanging face down over the edge of the boat. Everyone told us we should give sailing another chance on beautiful calm day. He was not to be convinced. Finally, once the memory was a little dim 20 some odd years later, he boarded an Alaskan cruise ship with me. We had rough weather the first night out. It wasn’t the best start, but He was a good sport and thankfully, the rest of our cruise was calm.
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Nothing’s worse than being miserable – and not being able to get off and walk away from what’s causing it! Maybe try a calm lake next time?
It’s so exciting you saw the dolphins and they followed for a while – very cool.
Thanks for floating by with your experiences.
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When I was a kid we spent a week, cat and all, on a boat on the Norfolk Broads. Apart from losing the cat (temporarily) down the bilges and crashing into an overhanging branch, it was great. Never actually been sailing on the sea though, even though my maternal grandfather was a deep sea fisherman! Got a mutant gene I reckon.
“Standing in a cold shower tearing up $100 bills.”. Yep! lol
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Possible genetic – the adventure gene at least! That’s supposed to be a nice area to sail – trees and scenery! Haven’t sailed with a cat although many do here. We had harness and life jacket for the Westie who went with us. Glad you floated by and grabbed on to chat
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Hmmm…I think I prefer to be a landlubber…I’m good for sticking my toes in the water from the shore 🙂
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Nothing like sailing on a calm fresh water lake. You can get a lot of reading and toe splashing done there, too. Thanks for coming aboard and joining the conversation
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The “Tips” article from Yacht World is hysterical; but typical of a mag written for people who can afford things like tip # 6 – hire extra crew. ( I AM the crew on our boat !).
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OK. You SO understand. Thanks for docking a bit to talk.
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I liked the part in that article that said, “So whatever boat you have right now, the chances are that with a bit of extra prep she’ll be fine for an Atlantic crossing.” I have a fourteen foot, flat bottomed rowboat. I think I’ll mount a sail in her middle and bolt a barbecue grill on the front then set out for Europe.
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I’ll bring the burgers! I guess we have to remember the word “Yacht” in the title of the mag – they live in another world !
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Mags like that sell promises and dreams (to make money). But the world needs dreams and dreamers (but not most young kids in “whatever boat they have right now”). Hope there isn’t a whole group of boats rafted up with us in the ocean rescue point…there’s just so much room in the cooler – which I have to lash, where? Thanks for mooring for a bit
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Articles like that are such a source for amusement – do the editors read them for reality before they pay the author and print it?
(Or maybe they are aimed at a readership other than me….barbecue grill? Hmmm…no room for that here – but maybe one of those sea swing gimbaled pots mounted on that improvised mast…yeah..See ya mid ocean while we wait for a rescue boat)
THanks for anchoring long enough to share
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A boat was on our list of must haves. I bought one of those fix-it little things instead, which I haven’t put together yet. Sometimes we need to change our dreams. But who knows? Important to be flexible. One day that spray and that wind may still fly through our hair. Although not hairspray.
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You’re in a good spot for boats ( but watch the pirates these days?). Just a warning, boats are very demanding – once you have one, forget having time to fix other stuff around the house – boats come with a perpetual maintenance list…teak is not my friend. Meanwhile you are already surrounded by water…just squint your eyes, douse yourself with water, face into the wind, and rock around…see – almost the sailing experience? Thanks for skimming by today
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Putting aside the romance of the whole idea of having a yacht with a crew, sailing sounds awful to me. Sunburn, sea-sickness, no where to walk to– I’d go crazy out there bobbing around in the water waiting for some wind. Give me an ocean beach to walk on with a few bars along the way. Now that’s a vacation.
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Sailing isn’t for everyone. Generally you’re busy doing stuff when under sail. But it’s best to go out when there’s wind…otherwise you have to turn on the engine and motor around…just like the motor boats. Then you go and meet people at the bars. We’ll see you there? Thanks for dropping by
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Oh, gosh. Boats. Do I have stories… But I’ll spare you. Except to ask – have you run across my post called Stepping Off the 8:15? It’s all there – how I threw it all over 20 some years ago and sailed off to Alaska. Even got a pic of the boat there – Orange Coast College’s Alaska Eagle. Whitbread winner, 1977.
I don’t sail much any more, for a whole variety of reasons, but I’ll tell you – those 20 years on the water were some of the best. I’d better stop before I do start with the stories….
Except I’ll add this. I had a friend, now dead, who went by the name “French Charlie”. He singlehanded across the Atlantic 5-1/2 times. As he liked to say, it was that “half” that was the problem.
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The boat in brokerage has stories to tell – managed to not only survive one fierce storm that cost lives during a race, but even managed to win. Would prefer one closer to here (it is that potential “half” that tempers plans) …although have mentioned the possibility of just sailing that part of the world.
Will be interested in some of those stories – Alaska isn’t the warmest sailing. Thanks for cruising by
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