The
Importance of Speed
We've briefly
mentioned the importance of the ability to maintain high average speeds.
Let's take a few minutes now and look at this subject in more detail.
We'll start with weather.
Although
we've spent a great deal of effort to make these designs capable of dealing
with heavy weather, the real key to this subject is avoiding it in the
first place. Given the current state of weather forecasting, and the sources
of information available to us, with a boat able to average 10
to 11 knots, even on long passages we can do a pretty good job of staying
away from adverse conditions.
Our previous
experience is that the magical number is a sustainable 240 to 270 miles
per day. This is quick enough on long passages to hook onto a high pressure
system and stay within its typically benign influence, while riding the
high across the ocean.
On shorter
hops, where there is a requirement to passage between frontal systems,
this speed often affords a two- to three-day window.
And
if we are caught out, we have the capability of moving the boat to a position
relative to the weather which can work to reduce the influence of wind and wave
(sometime just 50 or 100 miles can make the difference between hurricane and gale-force
winds).
Our trip
between New Zealand and Fiji is a good example of making boat speed work
for us. We were able to leave under the influence of a high pressure system,
and within a day and a half were far enough north so as to be out of the
track of those low pressure cells that create such uncomfortable and occasionally
dangerous weather in this part of the world. Maintaining an 11.4-knot
average got us to port before a forecast trough of low pressure messed
up visibility and created head winds as we approached Suva, Fiji.
Of course
most cruising is in areas of clement weather, where risk factors are low.
In this case speed allows us to pick the optimum conditions for voyaging,
when wind and wave are favorable, or at least not substantially unfavorable.
An example of this was our trip up the Pacific Coast from Southern California
to the entrance of Puget Sound. This trip can often be difficult with
strong winds and big seas on the nose. But Wind Horse's speed allowed
us to make quick work of a series of short hops, all in relatively calm
weather. During the spring of 2007 we made the trip between Marina del
Rey, California and Prince William Sound on Alaska Panhandle in 23 days.
Just four nights were spent at sea during this period, and we had time
to enjoy some extraordinarily beautiful anchorages along the way. Best
of all, only 12 hours were spent with sufficient wind on the nose for
us to notice the waves.
On shorter
trips, speed brings more flexibility to the decision on where to go. This
is particularly true in the tropics, where sun angles and cloud cover
are important to keeping track of the coral reefs (we typically do not
rely on charts, preferring eyeball navigation).
Our trip
from Suva to Musket Cove is another example. Most boats make this 103-mile
trip in two or three segments. However, we were able to leave at first
light (0700) and have the anchor down at 1500, averaging a hair over 12
knots for the trip.
At the other
end of the world, cruising Alaska, we are often able to cover 170 to 180
easy miles between anchorages using our 11 knot cruising speed and 18
hours (or more ) of daylight.
Combine speed
with range, and interesting things really begin to happen. Take our trip
back from New Zealand to California. Normally this would be a long, slow
slog, with little time for enjoying the wonderful island groups along
the way. However, we need just 23 days of sea time for the roughly 5,800
miles. That left plenty of island time in the three months we spent on
the trip (most cruising boats would allow a full year for this trip back).
In terms
of net comfort it is usually more comfortable on this type of boat to
go fast. Speed increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the active
stabilizers. Speed also brings with it a form of dynamic stability from
the hull shape and fins. Combine these two factors, and you have efficiency
in terms of fuel burn and comfort.
Finally,
going fast is more fun than slow - especially if there is another boat
on the horizon to grind down (and you can always slow down if conditions
suit).
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