#17: Sailing Goals - Offshore Sailing

Your Pocket Sailing Instructor Podcast

This episode is for those of you who are interested in offshore sailing. Unlike my other episodes in this Sailing Goals series, I am not going to focus so much on courses. Instead I'm going to focus on physical and mental preparation required for offshore sailing. In 2018 I participated in a boat delivery for the Vic-Maui International Yacht Race. What an adventure it was!

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The Magic of Offshore Sailing

I would be lying to you if I told you that offshore sailing is anything short of magical. Don't get me wrong, it can be very uncomfortable at times and is not for everyone! But if you are interested in offshore sailing it can be a life-changing experience.

Mental Preparation

Night Sailing

When you decide to join an offshore sailing trip, make sure it is NOT your first time sailing at night! If you discover that you are prone to seasickness, cannot handle sleeping in shifts, or are just plain old grumpy when out of your comfort zone, offshore sailing may not be for you. The first thing I suggest you do is get a couple off night sails under your belt. I would also recommend that you try to do them during times when the weather may be challenging. This way you get some yucky weather sailing under your belt, and you'll start to see what you're made of. CONCLUSION: get out of your comfort zone.

Hot Bunking

Be prepared to share your bunk space with others. I learned early on that if you do not stow away your pillow and sleeping gear, it will most likely get used by someone else. Ewww. Be ready to share small spaces with smelly, snory, people who are just as uncomfortable and excited as you. It is a process. We all get to the point of exhaustion and laziness, so try to keep your space simple and clean. CONCLUSION: it's gonna get uncomfortable.

Creating Routines

This is an area where I failed miserably on my last trip. I kept saying that I would get myself into a good routine at the beginning and end of each shift. Instead I pulled myself out of bed and put on my gear in a zombie-like state! I wish I had spent more time giving myself a few minutes to get into a better state so I could at least try to enjoy the shift changes a bit more. It may be the only time you get to spend with the other half of the crew! I would suggest picking 2 or 3 simple things you can do to ground yourself before heading out of your cabin. Feet on the floor, change into clean clothes, brush your teeth. You'll start feeling human again at some point. CONCLUSION: remember to take care of yourself!

What you will experience...

• billions of stars
• insane number of shooting stars
• no encounters with people for days, and then porpoises show up at the bow
• no wildlife to speak of other than Albatross, tuna and porpoises... then a random bird will land on your deck
• phosphorescence that are impossibly beautiful
• waves that are taller than your house