What do they say? Failing to plan is simply planning to fail. Nothing of consequence gets done without planning. So… I’m coming up on a year since I set my sights on sailing across the Atlantic. Like any BHAG (Big Hairy Ass Goal), as you take strides towards accomplishing it, two things happen. First, you realize that the BHAG isn’t such a reach after all. In fact, it is entirely possible. In this case, thousands of people do it, many with far less boat, preparation, and experience than I will have. Second, there comes a time when you realize that it’s actually going to happen, which is kind of an “Oh, sh** what did I get myself into.” moment. Haven’t had that feeling yet, but I know it’s out there…
First things first. The boat showed up! A little earlier than planned, but if the right boat comes along… well, you need to jump on it. The right boat in this case is a 53 foot bluewater ketch rigged sailboat that is capable of circumnavigating the world. That and a half dozen different certifications to refresh my seamanship gets me on the water. Now I need to sail her, get to know her, and learn how she reacts when the weather kicks up. She, by the way, is Celtic Cross, named for our Scottish, Irish, and Hungarian heritage. Yes, my wife Jill’s Hungarian ancestors were the original Celts; dating back to around the time when Christ was born.
This brings me to where I can use some help! I would like to build a support network of like-minded individuals who may (may) be interested in bluewater sailing, whether for a day or two or a few weeks. Celtic Cross is set up so that I can single-hand her if the need arises, but single-handed sailing comes with its own set of added risks. I’m not there yet! There are any number of websites where I can easily obtain crew, but this is going to be a lot more fun with family and friends.
Right now Celtic Cross is berthed in Fort Lauderdale. The plan is to make a handful of daysails and shorter overnight passages up and down the Florida coast and out to the Bahamas. Then sometime in March I plan on bringing her north up the Atlantic coast in a series of offshore passages. When we get to New York City the two masts come down, effectively turning Celtic Cross into a river barge. Perfect for a 500 mile trip up the Hudson River and across New York’s Erie Canal. The river voyage is supposed to be a beautiful trip and it sure beats the 2,000 mile run around Nova Scotia in May. I should mention here that the Hudson River and Erie Canal have biking paths along their entire length. It is quite common to see cruising sailboats with multiple bikes strapped to the lifelines for daytrips or riding along the canal while the boats are motoring. I intend to have a bike aboard.
Finally, re-rig the masts in Buffalo, set the sails, and it’s a three day run across Lake Erie and up to Detroit. The goal is to be berthed for the summer on Lake St. Clair by the 1st of June.
So here are some of the longer passages in the works. There is little to no chance that it works out exactly like this, but it’s a starting point. There are of course daysails interspersed in the sailing this winter, but nothing that I will try to schedule.
With this as an outline, if you might be moved to see what this is all about, drop me an email or post a reply below. Experience is always welcome, but certainly is not the primary criterion. The primary criterion for a cruising sailboat is crew compatibility. A 53-foot sailboat sounds big until you put four to six people on it for several days at a time! The opportunities to go out for a walk by yourself are somewhat limited.