Longest distance travelled

[bastonjock]

Hi Guys

This one aimed more at the long distance traveller.Ive been invited on a cross channel trip,i estimatethat the distance is 74NM there and 74nm back,this is from the jump off point.

Whilst at present i dont consider my mac to be well enough equiped to do this distance,i am considering it for a future run

It will be over open water,so you guys who have done this kind of milage whats the advice

[James V]

My lonest run has been 160 miles in 16 hrs. I have done many 90 miles runs without a stop.

It really depends on your weather. Winds under 20 and seas less than 5 feet if they are not close together or choppie. It does take some getting used to. Always have an option.

I am planing on doing a 30 hr run on my return to Fl in May. I do have a Auto Pilot and a few places to duck into incase of trouble.

[RickJ]

Heading for Cherbourg by any chance? Sounds about the right distance.

It's something I too wouldn't mind trying one day, but not without more experience under my belt. I'd also probably do a Calais or Boulogne trip first!

With the Channel I think the biggest thing is careful attention to the weather forecast, and being able to pick your day accordingly - i.e. not be too tied to a specific date. Of course you don't want it too calm, or you won't make enough time. You could be hard pushed to make that distance in daylight in a Mac anyway. Unless you use the motor but then you'd need more than the normal fuel tanks to do that distance entirely under power.

Just some thoughts, not speaking from experience!

Cheers, Rick

[bastonjock]

james,when you are doing these long runs,what throttle setting do you find that gives you best fuel consumption? i read in one of your posts that you expect 8-14miles to the gallon,what speed do you average on these runs?

im looking at crossing the North Sea,once im on the run theres no place to hide as at some point ill be 36nm from land

[bastonjock]

Hi rick,the local yotties have invited me to join them on a run from Eastern England to Belgium ,one woman does it in a 25ft gibsea.

before i attempt to do a cross channel run,ill beef the boat up a bit and add an autopilot,i can slways carry a couple of jerry cans as i have 12 gallon capacity at the mo,so i figure that even at 6knots i can cover the distance on the engine

The main thing though as you said is experience,i want to try a force 6 before i think of going any distance

[Catigale]

Baston - remember you can motor sail a Mac and get really good mileage (>10 mpg) at low rpm 1000-2000.

[NiceAft]

Were there any boats shorter than 26' going to Dunkirk?

It's obvious that you have the sense to prepare, and the boat to do it with. All you need now is to put that sense to work and make the necessary detailed plans.

You may wish to go to the Conch Cruiser site to see what they recommend for their trips. www.conchcruisers.net They are traveling about the same distance, maybe a bit shorter, but close enough. Oh yes! Bring a camera along so you can post some great shots

Ray

[delevi]

when you are doing these long runs,what throttle setting do you find that gives you best fuel consumption?

Best fuel economy is wind power. Just hoist-n-go

[bastonjock]

all manner of small craft made the dunkirk crossing,boats that no seaman would have ever dreamed of setting out with to cross the channel,just about anything that floated was used.

I want to fit the boat out a bit before i attempt it,ill need mast height antenai for my vhf,navtex is also an attractive idea and finish off the mods for single handling,eprib also as i expect to be out of VHF range for at least 40% of the trip.

The run is a familly event,my wife and daughter want to come with me but im not sure about that,its one thing my me with my adventuristic spirit to end up in a situation where im yelling for the coast guard but to expose my familly to danger is a no no

id love to do it

[RickJ]

Hi rick,the local yotties have invited me to join them on a run from Eastern England to Belgium

Ah! Knowing whereabouts you live I should have guessed a route something like that.

Would be a good trip in the right conditions. Just watch those shipping lanes! A decent radar reflector is an essential piece of kit, I've just installed an Echomax 180, £99 from marinestore.com. It's about the biggest one I'd be comfortable loading the top of a Max mast with.

I also agree an EPIRB would be a wise investment as a last resort. If you do take the family you'd need one each

I suggest planning a long trial trip for the family to see how everyone gets on. You could make it similar duration, but coastal so there's somewhere to run to if it goes pear-shaped or they've had enough

Cheers, Rick

[bubba]

There is a story on this site on the Exploring page about a couple motor sailing from Podget Sound to Alaska on the inside passage mostely. My wife really wants to do this trip one day soon. I have a neighbor who ownes a marina on the north end of Vancover island Telegraph Cove she says we could stay free on out trip. This weekend we will travel 50 miles up the Columbia river from McNary dam to Richland. most of the trip in in a gorge with 500 feet sides and the wind can howl and the rollers get 5ft or better its good practice for the Pudget Sound in May.

[bastonjock]

there are some great stories about people doing alaska in a mac,id love to do it myself one day

[Captain Jim]

Check out the cruising logs of Chinook they are great reading and very informative. We really appreciate Chinook sharing his experiences with us dreamers.

http://chinook.home.dyndns.org:8080/chinook/

Fair sailing,

Jim

[James V]

Fuel milage really depends on wind direction to yours and seas. I have bottom paint, fully loaded and pulling an 8 foot dink. The best is at 5 mph as that is the dink's displacemnt speed. 10 to 14 mpg.

The best that I have ever done is at 3.5 mph Down wind without sails and No motor. Winds 17+

The worst was 6 USA mpg heading straight into a 17+ mph wind and 3 foot short and close seas. RPM's 3200 on my '06 50 hp Merc Bigfoot. I usually carry 30 gal.

At speeds above 10 mph I get between 2 to 4 mph depending. I usually have fuel stops.

[tangentair]

About a year ago there were several posts regarding taking the Mac into blue water, I don't remeber if it was before I got my M or after but they factored into the decision.
In my opinion, based upon the examples of east coast Xs going to the Bahamas and west coast Xs going to Catalina and the other other islands (not as far as you propose or water quite as blue) the Mac is a good near shore cruiser that could do an occassional real blue water run if properly modified and equiped.
Specifically, I would re-enforce and up grade the standing rigging, add an inflatable with a small (15ish) outboard and some way to rig it as a back up to the big engine. Storm sails for the main and jib. Ditching equipment, water and sea anchor. These would be the minimum but I think the hull would take pounding since it would be on top of everything (I once rode on a mine sweeper and it bounced like a bucking horse just crossing the wake of the Staten Island Ferry) I do not know if the steering is strong enough and you might want to be sure of yours before you head out or have a manual tiller that you can rig up.
For the M, I would add a backstay also.
Yeah I have though about it, regularly actually, I just can't consider going back to a 6 knot deep keel sailboat, I want dual 60s with trim tabs hanging off the back of the Mila K and maybe another layer of glass mat to stiffen up the hull. Radar on the arch, hard dowser and an M60 mount so I can sail around Africa