LESSONS LEARNED

1 SELF RELIANCE

Out there on the ocean you can be far from help so it is important to be selfreliant. It may be an old-fashioned and controversial view these days, but I go to sea knowing of the risks and I’m prepared to accept them, rather like Blondie Hasler, Eric Hiscock and HW Tilman. Realistically you have to accept that there are some places so remote that there will be no hope of outside assistance. On a more mundane level, self-reliance comes in the form of being able to fix things. The better you know your boat and its systems the more able you will be to do this.

PREPARATION 2

That famous cruising couple, the Pardeys maintained that preparation was the most important part of cruising. I wholeheartedly agree. Preparation includes getting the boat ready; checking over the rig and all the systems; laying in the stores, spares and provisions you will need.

Plus, thinking of how you will deal with unexpected eventualities. And of course passage planning, which means studying charts, pilot books, guides and the accounts of other sailors.

3 SELF STEERING

Whether you are single-handed, shorthanded or even crewed, a reliable self-steering system is an essential for long passages. I know that boats regularly cross oceans with electronic autopilots and tiller pilots but this is not for me for two reasons: Firstly, they do fail and I encountered cruisers with problems with failed autopilots who had been forced to handsteer for hundreds of miles, arriving at their destination tired and harassed.

Secondly they are generally powerhungry. Wind vane self-steering is the way to go; they are sturdy and reliable and usually fixable if they encounter a problem.

4 KEEP IT SIMPLE

It is a fact that things go wrong. Someone once said that cruising is fixing things in exotic locations and there is an element of truth in this. The more complicated a thing the more likely it is to go wrong, and the more gadgets you have, the more problems might occur. By keeping things simple you reduce the risk of gear letting you down. This is partly why my boat has no fridge, no power shower or electricpumped water – there is less to go wrong. The other reason is that all your electric and electronic systems use power. I hate running the engine – or even worse a generator – to keep my batteries topped up so I minimise my electric usage. With my batteries kept charged by a modestsized solar panel, I was able make long passages without running the engine to keep the batteries charged and to remain ‘off grid’ when in some idyllic anchorage.

5 PAPER CHARTS

Electronics can and do fail, so don’t rely on them exclusively. Crossing the Pacific my Global Positioning System (GPS) failed with a burnt out screen. However, I did have GPS position from my Automatic Identification System (AIS) and also from two hand-held GPS systems as a back-up. I also had a sextant and the necessary tables to fix a position if electronics failed.

Besides systems failures there is always the possibility of lightning strikes, which are fortunately rare but do occur. When I was in the Marquesas a boat came in that had been struck by lightning, taking out all of her electronic systems – so no lights, water, navigation, communications, autopilot or anchor windlass.

I am a believer in paper charts both for planning, passage-making and navigation. A particular problem with vector charts is that when zoomed out, detail disappears. When I crossed the Pacific at least two yachts relying solely on electronic charts ended up on reefs. One skipper claimed he did not know of the existence of the Beveridge Reef. I am not a total Luddite, I do use electronic charting but always in conjunction with paper charts.

6 SELF PRESERVATION

Being single-handed means that there is no one to rescue you if you go overboard. Fit strong jackstays and wear a harness and safety lines where appropriate. I always had a harness and lifeline within easy reach and wore it when it was rough and always at night, even calm nights.

7 KEEP AN OPEN MIND

I visited many places, some of which others advised against. For instance, I nearly passed St Vincent by because of its bad reputation but I am glad I visited; I found the people very welcoming. Similarly I enjoyed Jamaica and Haiti. I am not the most gregarious person, yet I didn’t once struggle to communicate with islanders. It is said that travel broadens the mind but only if you journey with an open mind.