Range of beachcats?

I seem to recall reading about a beach cat crossing the Atlantic, not sure about going around Cape Horn personally I think that would take a death wish. Some of the folks I sail with do the GT300 which is a 300 mile jaunt up the Texas coast.

The distance doesn't sound bad. I used to sail on Lake Buchanan in Texas. It's 5mi x 25mi. We sailed across it all the time. One time I decided to sail up its length and back. I doubt I hit the far point, but I figured we easily put in 40 miles on that outing. When we got back to our camp site, we decided to get back on the boat and keep sailing. So it wasn't even a full day.

But that's a lake. Not an ocean. The wind is different, the waves are different, lakes don't get currents the way oceans do, etc. etc. etc. Nine times out of ten it's not the distance that'll get you. It's the conditions. There's a 30 mile stretch here that would be a snap if it wasn't for the waves (often 15-20' seas) and the wind (35+ knots is typical).

Your best bet is to ask people who sail out of Cape May to see if they think it's a sane idea. If they get bug-eyed while you're describing your idea, that's a bad sign. At the very least I'd be cautious of the tides and winds. Tides coming out of a bay as big as the Delaware Bay can be nasty. And if the wind dies on you or speeds up to the point where you're massively over-powered, that's a recipe for disaster.

Good news is there appears to be a regular ferry route across the mouth of Delaware Bay. If you do decided to do this, bring a handheld marine radio and flares. The ferry may not be able to help in case something goes wrong, but their radio will have better reach than a handheld, and they can act as a relay.

Tom

P.S. I just took a look at the route I took last time I went out and measured it on Google Earth. About 12 miles round trip, low wind (5-7 knots), and about 3 hours on the water. We were barely moving. In decent wind, your 24 mile trip shouldn't take eight hours.

I've sailed from Atlantic Beach, NC to Cape Lookout. Its 14 miles and regularly could make in two hours or less in the right conditions. Your concerns are the changes in weather while out on the water. Check the forcast carefully, prepare for everything. Make sure somebody on shore knows where you are going and when you will be back. Make a day of it and have a great time.

We use to sail From St. Thomas VI to St. Croix VI quite often to race against the fleet over there and they would do the same and sail to St. Thomas a distance of 45 miles open ocean each way on 16 foot Hobies and Prindles. This was in the late 70's and early 80's. Same time frame as when the Worrell 1000 was done on Hobie 16's. Maybe not the smartest thing but we did try and put as much safety on our side as possible. Each crew member was responsible for calling 2 people upon arrival, so that was 4 people to be notified upon arrival per boat 5 boats 20 people, if they did not receive a phone call they were to call the Coast Guard which was stationed on St Thomas. We also notified the local airline there to keep an eye on us, they flew Grumman Mallard and Gooses which were float planes which took off and landed from the water and flew at a low alltitude.
When I think back it was not a smart thing to do, if you do make a long trip just try and put as much safety as you possibly can on your side, and let friends and family know of your float plan.
I must admit those trips and the racing was great and the parties were better.

We do a 10 mile jaunt up the lake and back every labor day week end. We stop for lunch at the halfway point. We usually start about noon and get back by 5 or so buti varies. One year we were almost there in about 30 min. Last yer it took me almost 3 hrs just for the first leg. Occasionally the wind gets so good the trip back is only 20 min or so.

HULLFLYER wrote: We use to sail From St. Thomas VI to St. Croix VI quite often to race against the fleet over there and they would do the same and sail to St. Thomas a distance of 45 miles open ocean each

wow! I lived in St. Croix in the 86-89.... That would have been a hell of a trip! That stretch could get very rough as I recall... Sailed it a few times.... I worked at Annapolis Sailing School in St. Croix. Cruzan Rum was .98 cents a fith..... Paradise!

dicedcpa wrote: Has anyone circumnavigated with a beach cat

nooooo, but there have been some ambitious voyages

Sept 21, 2009 - FIRST Crossing the Atlantic on a Beach Cat

Lorient, France - Benoît Lequin and Pierre Yves Moreau sailed a 20 foot sport catamaran (beach cat) from New York to Lorient, across the Atlantic and into sailing history. As crazy as it sounded, what seemed an impossible feat is now the reference time to beat. With a time of 18 days, 18 hours, 52 minutes and 45 seconds, the total distance travelled on the little open catamaran was 3628 miles.

and
ON A HOBIE 18
One of the greatest sailing adventures of the past 20 years was the conquest of the Northwest Passage, powered by sail, human muscle, and determination. In 100 days, over three summers (1986-88), Canadians Jeff MacInnis and Mike Beedell accomplished the first wind-powered crossing of the Northwest Passage.

Yvan Bourgnon has traversed Cape Horn aboard a NACRA 20. Reference also "Défi Terresens"

http://www.youtube.com/user/yvanbourgnon?feature=watch

Oh, and albeit not a production beachcat, the Wharram TIKI 21' is the smallest cat to circumnavigate. Check out Rory MacDougall
http://www.roryandcookie.com

Edited by jaybird1111 on Aug 16, 2012 - 07:38 AM.

Oh, and albeit not a production beachcat, the Wharram TIKI 21' is the smallest cat to circumnavigate. Check out Rory MacDougall
http://www.roryandcookie.com

vastly different than a beach cat. this boat can handle pacific hurricanes

Edited by MN3 on Aug 16, 2012 - 08:04 AM.

Back to the crossing from Lewes to Cape May
Have done it a few times from north of Lewes over to Cape May and it is a bit wider there. 14-16 miles
If the weather is good, no issue whatsoever, just take all the usual precautions
Have gone over and back in a few hours usually. One day lost wind and it took closer to 9 hours
I like the route I take as it doesn't have as many tide issues where the bay opens up a bit. The channel directly between Cape May & Lewes does have a pretty good tide ride.

MN3 wrote: [quote=dicedcpa]Has anyone circumnavigated with a beach cat

nooooo, but there have been some ambitious voyages

Sept 21, 2009 - FIRST Crossing the Atlantic on a Beach Cat

Lorient, France - Benoît Lequin and Pierre Yves Moreau sailed a 20 foot sport catamaran (beach cat) from New York to Lorient, across the Atlantic and into sailing history. As crazy as it sounded, what seemed an impossible feat is now the reference time to beat. With a time of 18 days, 18 hours, 52 minutes and 45 seconds, the total distance travelled on the little open catamaran was 3628 miles.

and
ON A HOBIE 18
One of the greatest sailing adventures of the past 20 years was the conquest of the Northwest Passage, powered by sail, human muscle, and determination. In 100 days, over three summers (1986-88), Canadians Jeff MacInnis and Mike Beedell accomplished the first wind-powered crossing of the Northwest Passage.

That was the second Atlantic Crossing. The first was on a Hobie 18, in 1986.

Here are some accounts, sail ie is th ebest, you can click on links for some voyages.
http://www.sail.ie/misc/cats_atlantic.htm#Hans%20Bouscholte%20and%20Gerard%20Navarin
http://yachtpals.com/boating/vittorio-malingri
http://yachtpals.com/sailing-catamaran-7024
http://www.sail.ie/misc/cats_atlantic.htm
http://yachtpals.com/beach-cat-transat-7011

Edited by Edchris177 on Aug 16, 2012 - 05:14 PM.

The range of a beachcat is directly proportional to the age of the shrouds

Time to update my shrouds it seems like. My Nacra 5.8 hasn't been sailed in 5 year, and those shrouds were just coiled collecting dust.
I think some updating might be in order. Obviously, graphics come first!

Great information all! So I am going to be the first to solo circumnavigate on my Nacra 5.8 19 footer! That is if my fiance leaves me and I get laid off from work, both i'm sure are a possibility. I think multiple sails (spinaker) are in order, for sure a great righting system, and of course probably another 20 years of sailing experience.

Edited by dicedcpa on Aug 17, 2012 - 07:56 AM.

I'm still in the training phase of doing a round Møn record on a N5.8 actually. This would be 62 NM shortest route. I have plotted a route with optimum wind that is about 65-70 NM. With wind between 15-25 knots this should take about 5-6 hours.

Gmaps

Because we will be sailing in the Baltic which is rather cold the whole year round, a rib will be sailing with us.

We will probably do this next year. And will be on stand by from April/June.

circumnavigating Sanibel was good for 45 miles.

dicedcpa wrote: 24 miles within 8-12 hours?

I just raced in the Tri Point Ocean Race around Anacapa Island, total distance 34 nautical miles (39 statute). This is offshore from Venture California, and took about five and a half hours to complete. The winds were light- 4 to 10 knots. From the far side of the island, it was a 16.7 NM run back to the harbor. This race usually has better wind and concludes more quickly.

Even in lighter air, say 8 to 10 knots, you shoul be able to sail 24 miles in less than three hours, unless you are tacking upwind in shifty conditions the entire time, or have a lot of weight aboard.

dicedcpa wrote: Trip across is about 12 miles....??? Thinking a sail there and back in a day??

Looks doable if the wind is consistant in that area and doesn't leave you adrift in the midle somewhere. Do it while the tide is coming in so if you get lost you aren't pulled out to sea. Can you see one shore from the other? That will make navigation easier. This trip is ambitious for a newbie- maybe you should sail across the Bay at a narrower spot the first time.

on1hull nailed it in his entry.