How far is too far??

[MatFromPoland]

69-year-old Aleksander Doba announces plans to kayak across the Atlantic for a third time | Canoe & Kayak Magazine

He is prepared but it can be good example of "how far"

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by MatFromPoland

69-year-old Aleksander Doba announces plans to kayak across the Atlantic for a third time | Canoe & Kayak Magazine

He is prepared but it can be good example of "how far"

GB paddling on YouTube does 20 mile plus on his adventures it's all about conditions

[lightning]

I am guessing it would not be possible to carry a little second hand 2 stroke back up motor on the floor in the SIB?
Regularly on Ebay at £100 or so.
Some weigh under 12kg. You could slide the dead engine to one end of the transom and put the backup engine next to it.
I did this once on the canal when somebody in a canal boat gave me a little Yamaha to try out, and it did work.

[breezeblock]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

GB paddling on YouTube does 20 mile plus on his adventures it's all about conditions

I quite like his videos always seems to get good weather jammy sod

[spartacus]

Anyone else from your neck of the woods heading out? Fishing in company with a larger boat would be the way to go. The lure of 'decent sized cod' on a wreck is a draw, but only in the right conditions.

[Duggy]

I've done Lymington down to the Needles which is quite a way, although obviously not far offshore.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

GB paddling on YouTube does 20 mile plus on his adventures it's all about conditions

For a bit more perspective, there are a couple of guys going round Britain in an open canoe at the moment, properly round the top rather than using the Caledonian canal.

They've had a few days when the conditions have meant staying ashore, but they're handling some pretty exposed sections.

http://canoearoundbritain.com

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

For a bit more perspective, there are a couple of guys going round Britain in an open canoe at the moment, properly round the top rather than using the Caledonian canal.

They've had a few days when the conditions have meant staying ashore, but they're handling some pretty exposed sections.

Canoeing Around Britain -

great set up they have John the Canadian canoe is a well capable boat very peaceful with the sail up I bet

[simonafloat]

The weather on monday is looking good for my first trip to lundy this year. At the halfway mark you are approx 10miles offshore. Its hard work but very do-able, I carry a full dsc vhf onboard rather than relying on a handheld. Will be carrying a 4hp emergency engine for the first time too.

[Mikefule]

I have a 3.1 metre Zodiac, 9.9 engine and a fair amount of experience. I'd be wary of going that far off shore unaccompanied in my boat except in ideal conditions.

The incident pit comes into play when lots of little risk factors and misfortunes multiply quickly and a crisis develops. 3 miles is along way to row an inflatable in deteriorating conditions when you're tired and no one knows when or where to come looking for you.

I would want:

Anchor and LOTS of line.

Flares. Ideally a VHF radio.

Complete confidence in my motor.

In addition to complete confidence in my motor: a spare motor if possible, or a mate on a separate boat as backup.

Onshore breeze (or certainly not offshore)

A clear forecast.

Chances are you'll be OK, but always budget for the worst scenario and you're less likely to face the worst outcome.

I once did 24 miles in sea lochs in a 3.4 metre boat with a 3 hp outboard and fitted in a couple of dives during the day. These boats are very capable, but there is much that can go wrong.

[jonp]

I've got a trip coming up in 4 weeks where I plan to tow my boat 2000k up the coast then head 77k offshore to a small island where I will unload my fuel cans using the island a small a base for heading further offshore. The trip will intale around 400km and two of my kids will be joining me, I must admit I'm both excited and aprensive at the same time.

If you don't here from me it will probably mean I'm stuck on an island eating coconuts while my kids catch fish

[hydroforce3]

Thanks MIKEFULE does an (onshore) wind not cause a swell?

Where I launch on the northeast coast if there's an "easterly" wind it tends to stir up the water but it is an onshore wind...the sea is more flat calm if we have a "westerly" wind but that is offshore, I'm a little confused as to which wind direction would be SAFER for me. Sorry if I sound a little dumb

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by hydroforce3

Thanks MIKEFULE does an (onshore) wind not cause a swell?



Where I launch on the northeast coast if there's an "easterly" wind it tends to stir up the water but it is an onshore wind...the sea is more flat calm if we have a "westerly" wind but that is offshore, I'm a little confused as to which wind direction would be SAFER for me. Sorry if I sound a little dumb

All depends on strength of wind, direction, fetch, tide (direction & strength again) direction of wind in relation to direction of tide. If you have gentle (2-3) easterlies on our east coast you tend to get clearer water & slight seas. This will blow you inshore if you have engine problems. Personally I'd rather not be blown onto a lee shore.

[hydroforce3]

ok so i need a slight easterly to start building up my confidence then if I do ever have an engine problem i will be blown back to shore rather than out to sea and please correct me if im wrong...if i have a SE wind and the tide is flooding south the sea state should be fairly calm as the wind and tide are colliding, therefore, flattening the sea off yes?...However when the tide turns and its ebbing north I will have the wind and tide working together so the sea state would change for the worse quite quickly??


Thanks for your comments and patience guys

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by hydroforce3

ok so i need a slight easterly to start building up my confidence then if I do ever have an engine problem i will be blown back to shore rather than out to sea and please correct me if im wrong...if i have a SE wind and the tide is flooding south the sea state should be fairly calm as the wind and tide are colliding, therefore, flattening the sea off yes?...However when the tide turns and its ebbing north I will have the wind and tide working together so the sea state would change for the worse quite quickly??


Thanks for your comments and patience guys

Close but no cigar. Wind against tide (generally) creates rougher conditions, think collision. Wind with tide tends to flat the sea off, this is particularly true around headlands.

[Mikefule]

Originally Posted by hydroforce3

Thanks MIKEFULE does an (onshore) wind not cause a swell?

Sorry, I was giving a quick idea of the considerations rather than considering all possibilities in detail. I had in mind the simplistic idea that that an onshore breeze is the right direction if your motor breaks down.

However, of course, an onshore wind will generate bigger waves which may be a problem if you're blown onto rocks, or when you're trying to land the boat - and that is sometimes the most difficult part of a trip, especially if you're tired and cold.

Thing is that with common sense and reasonable luck, this is a pretty safe hobby, but the combination of bad decisions and bad luck can be catastrophic. These boats and engines have been mass produced for decades so there are a lot of them about, and yet we hear of very few serious incidents, all things considered.

[hydroforce3]

ah no way, erm i think i may look into a seamanship course of some sort to further understand wind, tide, direction and sea states etc...

cheers guys thanks for your patience

[simonafloat]

There are so so many variables that combine into a good days boating or an absolute shocker. But wind against tide is the main cause of uncomfortable conditions in my experience. Where I am the additional complication is wind/tide caused chop interacting with the primary Atlantic swell. If one is against the other or at an oblique angle then all sorts of craziness ensues.

[Mikefule]

Originally Posted by hydroforce3

ah no way, erm i think i may look into a seamanship course of some sort to further understand wind, tide, direction and sea states etc...

cheers guys thanks for your patience

You can learn a lot by observation and build on it by reading.

Waves are caused by friction between the moving air and the water. If the water is moving one way and the air is moving the other, their relative speed is higher so there is more friction and the waves get bigger. As the water is moving against the direction of these waves, the waves get shorter and therefore steeper.

You can observe this on a river where you know the direction of the water flow and you can see the wavelets and feel the wind.

[hydroforce3]

Originally Posted by Mikefule

You can observe this on a river where you know the direction of the water flow and you can see the wavelets and feel the wind.

I'm going to try this tomorrow lol sorry if I sound like complete dumb ar*e guys I'm relatively new to sibbing and eager to learn as I don't want to be that "idiot" that doesn't know what he's doing I want to do this safely and enjoy it,

thanks