Typhoon Adventures

[Ben Miller]

Has anyone on this forum taken a Typhoon out for a high-seas adventure? Attempted a passage or voyage of some sort? I'm thinking something like this (link), not a crossing of the Atlantic, although I vaguely remember seeing a radically reconfigured Typhoon hull that someone was using for bluewater cruising.

What prompts this question was a wild-hair thought I had the other day. I sail on Grand Traverse Bay and have gone camping on the Manitou Islands. What would it be like to sail my Typhoon up around the Leelanau peninsula and over to the bay on South Manitou Island? It would be about a 120 nm round trip, as the crow flies, with about half of that on the open lake. In perfect conditions, it would probably be a four-day trip.

To be clear, I'm not planning this anytime soon, and it'll probably never happen. I know the Typhoon is, at the end of the day, a little boat, without the room that's needed for the usual gear providing comfort and safety at sea. But it's also a sturdily-built vessel, and better-equipped by design for pushing the envelope than most boats its size. If someone else can share their story of a similar trip in a similar boat, this idea of mine might move a little closer to being a reality.

[Jim Walsh]

I didn't go through the trouble of checking the exact distance of your longest trip over open water but it appears to be 10 to 12 miles. That should be easily prepared for and accomplished. The entire trip is coastwise so you have solid ground available should the need arise. Any small dingy should serve well. The usual safety equipment would be fine and I bet you have cell towers in the area to allow your phone to be dependable. This looks like a nice adventure.

[David van den Burgh]

We've sailed that area more than a few times. Pick the right weather and you shouldn't have any problems; in fact, you'd probably have a blast. Sounds like a fun trip. Strong W and SW winds can send some decent sized waves up the coast from Sleeping Bear Dunes to Pyramid Point and through the passage. Perhaps the most important factor is whether or not you're forced to sail to a schedule. If you have plenty of time and can sail when conditions are favorable, rather than meeting a deadline, you'll likely have a better experience. Feel free to email if you'd like to talk more.

PS - Winthrop Fisher used to frequent this board and often shared stories of sailing his Typhoon, Easy Rider, in some unusual conditions. You might be amused by his posts: http://capedory.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=16496 http://capedory.org/board/search.php?au ... 5&sr=posts

[fmueller]

Ben,

Each of us has to know our limits ... so I wouldn't want to be the one to urge you into a situation you are not comfortable with ... but Grand Traverse looks about as big as my home waters, which is Narraganset Bay, and there are plenty of Typhoon sized boats on view all the time in good weather plying all over the place, including actual Typhoons, three of which I know about ... and if you have to be in a stink in a 19 foot boat, lets say a sudden summer squall, a Typhoon might be at the top of the list.

I think the best advice about safety is that you should not ever force a schedule in sailing, as David says. 4 days for 120 miles in a Typhoon sounds like pushing it to me. You need a week, and a good weather radio.

Fred

[Tod Mills]

I consider the Typhoon to be a more seaworthy boat than my Montgomery 17 (they both have rather large cockpits, but the Ty is narrower and deeper), and I've taken my M17 across Lake Erie, from Sandusky, OH to Leamington, ON and back.
Also took her from Lion's Head, Ontario in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, up to the North Channel and back (story here: http://www.msog.org/trippics/tod_lakehu ... _huron.cfm)
And out into the Gulf of Maine from Rockland all night, turning around in the morning. Most of that trip was in a light drizzle.

Other people have sailed M17s from Key West to the Dry Tortugas and further places than that.

What I consider important, among other things:

1. A pretty water tight cabin, with latches and gaskets on cockpit lockers, etc, and a way to shorten sail and know how the boat handles with shortened sail.

2. A way for the boat to steer itself especially if singlehanding. (I use sheet to tiller...little time slots on my overnight Maine trip were spent in the warmth of the cabin updating my position on the chart while the boat sailed herself in about 3' waves). It can be hard to navigate in the cockpit when it's raining, windy, the boat is moving about. The newer electronics make it easier, but you never know when they will go out. At the very least you would want to know how to heave to so you can have some time to take care of something.

3. Don't pressure yourself to go out in weather that you are not pretty comfortable with, especially if it is worsening. On the Great Lakes a lee shore is never far away.

4. If the weather is not very calm, it is probably not a good time to enter a difficult new harbor; pick one clear of hidden shoals if possible and save the more involved ones for lighter conditions.

5. Always be willing to change or cancel your plans.

[Oswego John]

How true, on all of Tod's points. How very true.

I don't know if you heard what the pious sailor said about sailing in hazardous conditions. He said "I'm not allowed to sail in snotty weather because of my beliefs. You see I'm a devout wuss and I'm only happy when I'm warm, comfortable and well rested.

Hmmm. Did I just hear someone say Amen to that?

But then again, how dull it would be if sailing was only plain vanilla. I like to spice mine up a notch or two.

Think spring.
O J

[John Stone]

Sounds like a great adventure.

Tom Kimmel’s song “Ships” is very apropos. “Ships are safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”

https://youtu.be/zKGkOSaj4Sw

[Ben Miller]

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone! And for sharing and pointing me to some sailing stories.

One of the most fun days of sailing I've had involved a friend and myself taking a Sunfish into Lake Michigan off Cathead Bay one afternoon. It was a completely impractical vehicle for the conditions--maybe 15 kts of wind and 4-6 foot waves--but we had a blast.

If I do this trip, I'd definitely want to leave myself at least a week. For one thing it would be worth spending a day hiking on South Manitou. More importantly, as several posters have mentioned, holding a trip to an arbitrary schedule, regardless of the conditions, is a recipe for trouble.

[mgphl52]

He said "I'm not allowed to sail in snotty weather because of my beliefs. You see I'm a devout wuss and I'm only happy when I'm warm, comfortable and well rested."

I never leave port in snot... but snot can find you when you least expect it!
Best to know your boat and be prepared...