Distance sailed in a single day

[sunshinecoasting]

Just curious, I want to sail from my home to a location 58 Nm north of me but it is open sea and I dont want to travel at night, so the obvious answer is to motor a part of the way at least. However this lead me to wonder how far has anyone else travelled in an X or an M by sail in a single day and what were those conditions? I think 60 Nm a day is achievable if I could maintain a constant 5 knots or better but that is a big ask of my boat, skills and local conditions.

So, what's the furtherest you have sailed in a single day? (preferably using only a Main and Jib/Gen)

Dennis.

[mastreb]

31 NM made good, over open ocean. Probably about 40NM over ground. Took twelve hours. I think 60NM is highly optimistic.

Consider running your main and the O/B at the same time if you have to make good time. You'll get the consistency of the O/B speed, the main will dramatically reducing rolling under power, and any wind you have will reduce fuel usage (but not by a whole lot, maybe 15%).

Matt

[Chinook]

Easily the finest sailing day I ever experienced was in April 2011, in the Bahamas. We were headed from Nassau to Ship Channel Cay in the northern Exumas. The route crosses over the shallow Yellow Banks, which is studded with coral heads, the tops of which range from 10 to 20 feet below the surface. With the MacGregor centerboard and rudders extending 5 or 6 feet below the surface and 3 to 4 foot seas running, it kept me on my toes steering my way between the dark colored patches of water. The wind was steady at around 15 knots, out of the southwest. With our course set to the south east, we were on a perfect beam reach. Our genoa was new, and the main nearly so. Once the sails were set, I never had to touch the sheets until we neared the anchorage. Our speed at the outset was 5 knots, and this increased to over 6 knots about halfway across. Our heel never exceeded 15 degrees the whole way. The distance covered was about 30nm, and the time just flew by. We could easily gone several hours longer under those conditions. While sailing, I hit 6 knots infrequently, and usually for short lengths of time. This particular passage was incredible, with all conditions lining up perfectly. I've longed for another day like that one, but it hasn't happened yet.

[sunshinecoasting]

Yes 60Nm is highly optomistic but as I said I would motor a couple of hours to assure me of the distance before dark. However it's looking like 30-40 Nm is a very good days sailing in our boats. I'd still like to read more stories of long days though so keep 'em coming if you have them.

Cheers, Dennis.

[kadet]

36.4NM over ground by GPS got back to ramp with about 1 hour of sunlight still available good all day sail from Shorncliffe to Morteton Island and back.
Wind 15kn out of South West changing to due South about midday increasing to 18. Headed east at about 80 degrees returned on a reciprocal course of about 260. AP steered all the way with me just tending sheets and trimming, speed varied between 4 and 6kn. Non-factory Main and 150 Genny about 1/2 DB and both rudders down, engine up and disconnected from steering, heal got up to 30+ degrees at some points and when the wind was consistently over 18kn I put the first reef in the main, wave height was only about .5 of a metre and the sets were not steep or bunched up.

With a steady breeze above 12 knots on a favourable angle no or little counter current a long summer day I think 50NM would be easily achievable 60 on a perfect day. But how many perfect days do we get .

[mastreb]

How about worst day ever:

8 hours beating against an 8 knot headwind in a 33 foot keel boat with old moldy blown-out sails. Did 3NM made good, no idea what the over-ground was because there were no trons at all. This was moving my brother-in-law's just-purchased project boat in the bay from his old to new Marina, sans motor and electronics (so no option to give up, and no shortcuts). Only had 1 shot at the dock as well. Everything worked out fine, but I was exhausted at the end of the day.

The really disheartening part was watching people ashore walking faster than we were making way.

Matt

[Catigale]

I think we are all going to bow our heads to Mad Mike on this thread - he sailed his Mac to Everest of course...

[NiceAft]

I think we are all going to bow our heads to Mad Mike on this thread - he sailed his Mac to Everest of course...

And was blindfolded during daylight hours, and only kept one eye open at night

[yukonbob]

We've regularly done 80nm in a loooong day. Half motoring and mostly running or broad reach sailing. It does stay lighter here later too so that helps. Thats a 10-12 hour day non-stop with a consistent 15kt wind coming back and timing the tides right. It's almost always dead calm here in the mornings til early afternoon so we motor south in the mornings and sail north in the evenings.

[Phil M]

Sailing at 6 knots X 12 hours = 72 nm. Highly optimistic plans that are almost unachievable, unless of course it's a government plan.

[yukonbob]

Or power for 5 hours at 8 knts then sail for 7-8 hours at 4.5- 5.5 knts. More realistic. Again…long day but doable.

[Freedom77]

Newport to Ensenada, approx. 120 nm. 25 hours. But one year it took 42 hours. Mother Nature is Bipolar Fair winds and full sails. Old Salt

[mastreb]

Sailing at 6 knots X 12 hours = 72 nm. Highly optimistic plans that are almost unachievable, unless of course it's a government plan.

Yes, of course keep in mind that mileage is your track, not your distance made good. Sailboats only have the luxury of a straight course 2/3s of the time, so you shouldn't count on more than 70% of the track distance made good or count on doing more than 4 knots unless the winds are fresh and the seas are flat.

[dlandersson]

Yeah, the local govt. has nice slips for $1,000 a season on Wolf Lake, Indiana, which is not very big and has NO access to lake Michigan. For some odd reason, no one's buying them.

Sailing at 6 knots X 12 hours = 72 nm. Highly optimistic plans that are almost unachievable, unless of course it's a government plan.

Yes, of course keep in mind that mileage is your track, not your distance made good. Sailboats only have the luxury of a straight course 2/3s of the time, so you shouldn't count on more than 70% of the track distance made good or count on doing more than 4 knots unless the winds are fresh and the seas are flat.

[azav8tor]

Newport to Ensenada, approx. 120 nm. 25 hours. But one year it took 42 hours. Mother Nature is Bipolar Fair winds and full sails. Old Salt

Maybe you can answer a question for me. I have been wanting to sail up the coast from San Diego, to around Newport, and then out to Catalina. Are there any anchorages or marina's between San Diego and Newport, and where are they?