Having figured out a way to make this unique leg of my voyage during daylight hours I have to say that I find it amazing that a significant number here still recommend that I do not do this alone.
If i were to follow the advice posted by some I would never do any cruising. Just sit at a dock and hire a captain to help me drive my own boat when necessary to do so.
I'm just guessing here that those good intentioned folks either do not have the confidence in their own skills yet, or are advanced in age to a point where this type of excursion is not feasible any more.
I am just turning 60, Physically fit, skilled enough to fix anything on my boat, and have many thousands of sea miles in this boat.
I would never even consider not making the trip myself.
Guys, I am going to have the time of my life!
I don't normally use the emojis but felt this needed one.
I recognized on my first post of the thread you'd dismissed the idea of crew so went to a recommendation of the safest way to do without. More fuel, faster run, and an easy daylight run.
To the detractors, I don't disagree with them but the issue was long ago put to bed. I also think where they consider something dangerous, they have the obligation since this is a public forum to express that, not just for you but for others who may read. When Richard sailed off to Europe alone, I expressed that and single handing put him in serious danger.
This isn't an overnight trip, although the first post showed it as such. It's easy to know the weather window. Its a trip that can be made single handed safely by an experienced boater like Kevin over 99% of the time. I think you shouldn't have a problem. Is it dangerous? More so than if he had crew but not highly dangerous. Is Kevin arrogant? Oh I'm not going near that one. Is he rude in saying he's doing it his way? I didn't see that.
I spent most of my time from the age of 13 to 30 single handling on the lake. I have never done so on the coast or in the ocean. However, I have the convenience of a wife who loves boating as I do. I also have paid staff and crew. I don't even allow paid captains to single hand from Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach for service. That's a luxury I have that everyone doesn't have or want. I was a loner prior to meeting my wife. Easy for me to say I'd never do it alone but had I not boated alone when a teenager or in my 20's on the lake, I'd never have built my love of boating.
The risk isn't the weather or seas or length of the crossing. The risk is something happens to either Kevin or the boat that requires another. The odds of that are extremely small on this crossing and because he's familiar with the area and starting fresh, likely less than on many other shorter legs of his planned adventure. I've covered the entirety of his planned trip. If I was there and had a boat in my pre-marriage days and no one to make the trip with me, at least no one I wanted to do so, then what would I do? I'd make it. My love of boating would drive me to do so. Would I cross the Atlantic or Pacific alone? No. Would I sleep while under propulsion and moving? No. But what I could do on daylight runs, I'd do, even recognizing that there's that small chance I'd become a rescue. He's not considering it lightly, perhaps stubbornly, but even there his choices aren't great. So, he gets someone for this day. What about every other day? Is Neah Bay to Westport any less risky? Perhaps as it's nearer to CG for rescues.
In an ideal world, he'd have someone with him, but he doesn't and he doesn't have that option for the entirety of the trip. I think he understands the risks and he's done what he can to mitigate them. He's done everything possible short of another person. If I was going to hire a captain to join me for only one leg of the trip, this wouldn't be it. It would be a Mexican captain for the run from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas and to help with fueling by Panga or at rickety fuel dock.
So, now let's follow and when he talks of future legs, let's offer support and advice and where it makes sense that can include advising him to get someone to make it with him. However, when he says he's not doing that, our choices are either to help with another idea or to say we can't support what he's doing and bow out after stating that.
Kevin, I do worry about you in parts of your adventure. To those criticizing, I also say I hear you and agree with much of it and then to Kevin, just use it to redefine your approach. You did so here by eliminating any darkness and shortening the run to a more manageable time frame. They naysayers may be annoying, but they helped drive you to a better plan for this leg. There will be other legs you'll need them to assist on as well.
have a great trip, will live it vicariously with you.
