- It’s not about sailing, it’s about keeping the sea from destroying your rig, spars, and sails.
- Modern navigational electronics are fantastic. When they work. Instantaneous COG is a wonderful thing to have.
- I’m very glad I’d practiced rigging the storm sail beforehand.
- Forecasts of wind speed and direction are rarely accurate. They’re good for avoiding nasty stuff, for the most part, but beyond that only rough planning is possible.
- It was very exhausting at times. Overall I had much less energy/motivation than I was expecting.
- It is hard to be creative and solve problems when you’re tired.
- More soup and less oatmeal. Bring frivolous or outlandish comfort foods. Bring a beer for each day.
- If you’re having a good passage… Poseidon might just be saving his best tricks for the last day.
- If you don’t have confidence in your boat, you’ll be miserable. Even though it sounds like the hull will be smashed in by the waves, somehow it isn’t. Not yet, at least. Maybe the next wave, though…
- Know your boat well enough that you can plan comfortable sailing angles.
- I probably should’ve gotten a bigger boat. (Bonus 11th item!)