Some basic questions

[Steve K]

holy smokes, this guy wants to sail three miles and he needs charts and locater beacons, hull maybe he should hire a helicopter escort with an ER doctor on board.

Ray,
I was thinking something similar, when I read your post

I guess I'm lucky to be alive, as one of my first sailing trips alone was from Dana Point, Ca. to Catalina Island and back (about 30 miles each way). Oh, but that was just in the big, calm Pacific . I remember sharks everywhere that first day......... good thing I didn't fall in .

Not being familiar with the area being discussed in this thread, I was thinking something over 50 miles.
I'm all for safety and staying out of the way of freighters in the fog though. As far as freighters go, it's a lot more scary inside the breakwater at Long Beach/ San Pedro.

Not knocking the advice given in this thread. It's good to educate and prepare oneself for new experiences, but the experience itself is always the best teacher............... if you live through it (really, kidding...... I'm sure it'll be fine )
Also, there's nothing like a good GPS

Best Breezes,
Steve K.
Mac 26D "Three Sheets" ...........................and a bottle o' rum..........................and a breeze.............that's all I need............... and a good GPS..............couple life jackets..................some drinking water..............no, the rum will do..............and this flashlight......... that's all I need is this flashlight................ and I don't need nothing else............just a breeze, a bottle o rum, a gps, a couple life jackets, and this flashlight ...................oh, and some food........ Okay that's all I need................. is a breeze.........etc...etc.

[Catigale]

Abiehl...

1 ask around your area/club/marina and see if you can find someone to day sail with you out of the harbor a few times ...

2 it's really important to file a float plan ...basically, if someone calls the CG and tells them you left point A at time X and were due at point B at time Y, and are over due.....they will send boats, planes, choppers to find you.

If you are reported "late" without that info they stay home...

The right combination of wind or offshore storm, and that nice chart of currents gets all changed btw.....

[Steve K]

Seriously though,

Even though I may take a lighter point of view here, you can do yourself a favor by listening to Catigale and others advice in this thread. I don't really know your skill level, or how well you have been trained. And as I said in my last post, I really know nothing about the venue.

I've been sailing for many years, in several different waters and sometimes I figure if I can do it, anyone can, (as Forest said, I don't consider myself a smart man... and as Catigale said, I still consider myself a beginner, in many ways).
It is best to know as much as possible, before going out into the big ocean.
I think this holds true whether you have 15 feet of water under you, or 1200 feet. You really need to know your sailing grounds.

I've mentioned, many times on this board that I consider some lake sailing more dangerous than ocean sailing. However, the right conditions ( or wrong, depending on your point of view), ANYWHERE, can get you killed, or at least wreck your boat.
Sail all you can and don't take big chances, particularly at first. You know when you are, 'cause you get that gut feeling that you wish you wouldn't have done this, or gone there. THIS, my friend is the time you should head for home, as fast as possible.

I remember heading for the marina, wondering if my affairs were in proper order and if my life insurance policy was good enough to take care of things, if I didn't make it. Funny...... when a 20 foot deep hole opens up it the water, right next to your boat (big enough to swallow it), you start think about such things.

Okay, enough said.... I think you, likely, get it............ right?

Luck is when preparation and opportunity converge

Best Breezes,
SK

[dlandersson]

Here's an example:

Abiehl...

1 ask around your area/club/marina and see if you can find someone to day sail with you out of the harbor a few times ...

2 it's really important to file a float plan ...basically, if someone calls the CG and tells them you left point A at time X and were due at point B at time Y, and are over due.....they will send boats, planes, choppers to find you.

If you are reported "late" without that info they stay home...