S4E8 Solo Atlantic Crossing: Sailing the Atlantic Ocean Alone in a 21ft Home Built Sailboat Pt8

Wave Rover has departed Virginia Beach, USA and is en-route to the Port of Horta in the Azores. I demonstrate how to safely go forward in moderate seas on a small boat. I give a good explanation on how to use your AIS effectively. In this video I explain what makes a good plan and the many benefits from knowing how to do this.
"Forge Your Own Adventure"
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Thank you and fair winds

[@barrymacneil1471]

Thank you allowing us Wana Bees to be a part of your great adventures. From boat design to the construction to being your virtual crew aboard WAVE ROVER.

[@RoversAdventure]

You bet!

[@haroldstewart2381]

Hi we Brit’s call tallow beef dripping I have dripping on toast every morning I get laughed at but hey ok 80 years old You’ve got me wanting to go back to see. I’m looking at small boats obviously will never build one ever again, but you keep me smiling. Good luck

[@RoversAdventure]

You must be far younger than your years due to the beef tallow I suspect! Well done my friend, see you on the high seas.

[@jimbelair8374]

Glad to see you wearing a harness when going forward.

[@lindamanderson62]

Seeing you on the front deck gave me the willies - thank goodness you got back safe - I'd have been overboard in no time lol Yes planning is essential - to me - I'd be like a sip without a sail without planning and we know that wouldn't be good! Thanks for another great video!🐬

[@RoversAdventure]

Your comments always make me smile Linda.

[@mountainmandale1587]

You're making everyone happy with your progress, Mr. Rover!

[@RoversAdventure]

Thank you

[@japeltoni]

Great video Alan! You proof your principles in your actions - ethics not often observed. Very genuine and committed attitude, appreciated. Br, Janne 👍👋

[@RoversAdventure]

Thank you for saying so. You put a smile on my face.

[@peterforrest6682]

I admire your seamanship Alan. I can see you have great respect for the sea...and always take a sensible and cautious approach. Great video...thanks

[@RoversAdventure]

Thank you kindly

[@pyrozhukful]

Exciting stuff Alan, thanks for taking us along w you. I loved "It's not that it's unpleasant, its a different kind of pleasant." Good health and safe sailing, my friend

[@RoversAdventure]

Thank you

[@jepomer]

My mind is primarily focused on problem solving. But to properly solve problems - especially as a field engineer needing to hop a plane to get to the customer - I did have to plan quite a bit. While home with no pressing matters, I don't recognize my mind planning. But these past 24 hours, I have been planning what I need to take with me when going to our summer place to install some hardware cloth between the park trailer and accessory hard room (a large enclosed porch). The two units move over the year. And the little furry critters manage to enter the hard room and leave their droppings. My wife has had strong words for those critters when we open the units up for the summer. Very much enjoyed the voice over commentary describing your thoughts while viewing the ocean that surrounds you.

[@RoversAdventure]

Without a plan it is very hard to even get started.

[@jepomer]

@@RoversAdventure - Yes. And it does happen subconsciously for the problem solving activities. But, several other things that I should have planned ahead of time didn’t quite happen that way.

[@johndoll7199]

Thanks for sharing one of the most genuine, most thoughtful, and best articulated ideas on purpose and meaning in life. Thank you for sharing both your adventures and your planning! Fair winds!

[@RoversAdventure]

Wow, thank you!

[@modularhippo]

The boat design and build is absolutely amazing!! Hearing your talk about life, planning, etc. made me so excited as you put in exact words how I myself have lived my life. My last adventure was a global circumnavigation on 2 wheels (motorcycle), and now building my own boat to experience the life at sea. It is so comforting to know that i am not alone in my way of living and thinking. Always been a list person breaking down my plans in small parts. One step at a time, trusting the process and that it will lead me to the life and image i cary in my mind. Most of the time I not even have the funds when starting, just another problem to solve along the way. The important bit is to start. Big thank you!

[@RoversAdventure]

Truly the important bit is to start! Great comment

[@nickgoodall578]

I come to your channel mostly for your sailing and boat building content, but your philosophizing about planing resonated with me today. I have a cut plywood kit arriving shortly for my first dinghy build. I have a plan, and if can execute it, and make adjustments if the wind kicks up against the current, it should lead to adventure!

[@RoversAdventure]

Excellent Nick! Very happy to hear this.

[@inveterateforeigner2780]

i usually don't like gushing praise but you are definitely a singular guy. Godspeed and God bless.

[@RoversAdventure]

I appreciate that, thank you

[@sailingbrewer]

I love your talk about plans. I can't tell you how many people I've seen fail simply by thinking if you think it, it will come. That's total smoke in mirrors BS people sell books about. If you want it build a plan, review it, update it, and LIVE IT and your dreams will come true

[@RoversAdventure]

Absolutely

[@jameswest685]

Braver than me. Thanks for letting me live vicariously. Much safer here.

[@GLF-Video]

Been following your adventures and boat constructions. I’ve learned much. Thanks for sharing all of it. Good luck with your situation.

[@RoversAdventure]

Awesome, thank you!

[@dancarter482]

_Mark Three_ is an excellent first mate - hard to find crew who don't complain about the grub or ruin your quiet contemplation! Makes a HUGE difference knowing what the currents vs winds are doing as opposed to feeling like a barrel in a weir. _Hold Fast!_

[@chrisevans8455]

Ah well, my Thursday night is complete. Alan has just come into my living room to give me my weekly dose of inspiration. My heart was in my mouth watching you at the foot of the mast. Do you have glue on the soles of your shoes? You are truly a joy to watch. I'm not too sure about your culinary abilities.

[@RoversAdventure]

Culinary abilities...lol

[@EdBrewster-m4s]

I rigged up a 100 foot ski rope with a floating handle that I let drift behind the boat. Its tied off to a cleat located aft on the portside corner of the rear lazarette. Before that tie off, it goes through a stainless eye on the tiller. If I fall over, while untethered, then at least I have some time to swim to the rope and hang on to it. Once i hang on the tension on the line will transfer through the stainless eye to the cleat and pull the tiller hard to port. Now the tiller will cause the sails to stall and stop the forward speed of the boat. There is no way I could pull my way back to the transom if I had only the ski rope with no mechanism to pull the tiller hard over too. Otherwise, I would just get dragged by the ski rope until I swallowed the entire ocean and then maybe just walk home after that I suppose. You are doing great on your trip. Don't get hungry !

[@RoversAdventure]

Great comment, you will see something very similar in a few videos down the line.

[@giork2828]

Brilliant speech at 6:56! And if you plan you instinctively sharpen your skills and emotions to deal with eventual issues. From the movie Hell or High Water: “That was your plan, and it worked. Every step of the way. Trust it!” Focus on results, enjoy the ride. 👍👍

[@RoversAdventure]

Thanks for sharing that.

[@UUBrahman]

Gratitude and encouragement to stay with the theme of narration on self-development, self-help, personal development along with a visual focus on parts of the boat underway, which is fascinating. You have a unique ability to combine these elements in an uplifting video. Congratulations. Thanks. P.S., If you want to compare Wave Rover to another boat, consider the Capri Catalina 22 because of volume produced.

[@RoversAdventure]

Thank you very much

[@GrenvilleMelonseedSkiff496]

Another brilliant video! For sure, adventures don’t forge themselves eh! Hold fast! ⛵️🇨🇦⚓️😄 PS: For some reason that last video clip of your wandering index finger reminded me of ET phoning home!

[@RoversAdventure]

Lol

[@rudyhoffman1683]

As long as you are alone with nature you'll never be alone ;)

[@RoversAdventure]

Well said

[@DrSurf-fx4gf]

Thank You for the update and stay safe. You are definitely our hero.

[@RoversAdventure]

Very kind of you

[@SiqueScarface]

I am still amazed by the sturdiness of the junk rig.

[@longone844]

Loved the out take at the end.

[@davidclarke2232]

Yeah, thats a great idea…

[@gator8381]

Alan, I must say, forging your own adventure is fun to watch from my easy chair. I do wonder about something you brought up. What are you doing for fitness over this journey. Mature specimens decondition rapidly. Take care of your self and watch that boom.

[@RoversAdventure]

I felt fine on the upper body but dod a lot of walking/sprinting upon arrival

[@hecdc305]

Just love your crew: Safety lines, AIS and the MK 3. Fair winds. Thanks for the video.

[@RoversAdventure]

Our pleasure!

[@marcgatto9675]

AIS is a fantastic tool. Without it, you would be invisible. Especially with a bit of weather around you. I doubt Wave Rover makes any sort of radar signature. It was great that the watch hailed you when they did. Good on them.

[@RoversAdventure]

It happened more than once

[@joncatalano5923]

Outstanding video! Loved the talk on planning. 😎👍🏼

[@RoversAdventure]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ObsessiveScientist]

story time was very inspiring. as always. thanks Allan.

[@RoversAdventure]

Thanks for listening

[@howardang1]

Great to follow you in your adventure. One thing which may add to the interest would be to include your noon position periodically . How about it? Not sure abut the seafood omelette, however. Do you ever ring the changes for variety? Howard

[@RoversAdventure]

Welcome aboard. Great idea. It's too late to do it for this passage but I can put the Lat and Long in the video discription.

[@stephencifka4629]

Wonderful video as always. Pretty scary watching you go forward, especially at fast forward:) Clearly you know what you are doing, but it's not for the faint of heart!

[@asd67lkj]

Thanks for the video. Keeping this old salt well entertained. 75+ now, so not likely to meet in person.

[@RoversAdventure]

You never know

[@robertfontaine3650]

It's a damn good thing you don't get motion sickness.

[@RoversAdventure]

Very true

[@ximono]

For most(?) it tends to wear off after some days at sea. A lucky few almost never seasick, an unfortunate few doesn't get anything _but_ seasick at sea. At least I'm not in that last camp.

[@schwabrichard9829]

Your fast forwarding got to this land lover! fair seas Allen!

[@RoversAdventure]

You really notice the motion at that speed

[@brianfields4479]

Thanks for sharing, your presentation is so memorizing to watch. Brian in nz.

[@RoversAdventure]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@SteveeCee]

Another great video blog from your epic journey, thanks. One thing that did bother me a little though, was your anchor point facing straight into the cockpit 😬. A big swell and an unbalanced moment I'd hate you to get impaled. Maybe think about reversing the mounting?

[@ximono]

Hey! Stop prodding me in the eye. Jokes aside, I think you've thoroughly proven the seaworthiness of Wave Rover II, the Mk3 windvane and the junk sail. What a wonderful little package that is!

[@RoversAdventure]

Thank you

[@eric99vigne]

Bravo🤞

[@skyl4rk]

I really like your sail. Design idea: at the base of the aft cabin bulkhead, build a step with a hinged top that would also function as a line bin.

[@RoversAdventure]

Great idea

[@sailawayteam]

Your variations of the breakfast reminds me of when I spent a month birdwatching on a remote Baltic Sea island, and every morning at sunrise had the same breakfast, can of pea soup with smoked pork 😂 I still love pea soup!

[@RoversAdventure]

Love that!

[@kenailtri]

“Adventure is just bad planning.” Roald Amundsen. Keep planning Alan!

[@RoversAdventure]

Great comment

[@sebinasia]

Is the rudder lashed to the transom???!!! Thank you once again for the incredible content - truly inspiring!

[@RoversAdventure]

Yes it is! Check out the building videos in season 2 for a complete understanding

[@kirbythomas5468]

Alan too many of us fall into the repetition of life…it is to easy to just let life happen like get a job and find a life partner then children. Working to pay off the house, car and college for the kids then before you realize it forty year’s have gone by and those dreams you had in your teens and twenties are but distant echoes… I love my wife and children and grandchildren but sometimes I wonder where I would be if I had followed my dreams. I’m an empty nester now and those dreams have started seeping back but with a little more uregency as I’m 68 now not twenty. In your twenties you always think I have time but it’s always just out of reach…the car breaks down or the washer wears out, the roof leaks and needs replacing! Now I’m on that second roof but I can see you out there on that tempest of a sea and it’s giving me hope that maybe it’s not to late!

[@RoversAdventure]

68 is very far from too late my friend.

[@kirbythomas5468]

@@RoversAdventure Thanks Alan that makes me feel like when the cashier asks for my ID when I pick up some rum! Hope springs eternal lol 😆👍

[@patrick-po2lx]

I’d love to see a quick video explanation of what heaving to looks like with a junk rig.

[@RoversAdventure]

Go back to season 3 and I did it a couple of times

[@micakingsea9031]

Its cool that under COLREGS all able motor vessels give way to sailing vessels at sea but somehow chinese fishing vessels underway don't adhere to this practice

[@RoversAdventure]

It's certainly a worry.

[@kw7292]

On your last adventure you shared video of your discussion with another ship that you contacted. If you have the video it would be interesting to listen to the back and forth discussion. Forge on!!!

[@philerasmus]

Hi Alan Have watched all available videos. Very inspiring. Would love to know if the construction plans can still be purchased. Looks like a great project.

[@RoversAdventure]

We are redrawing them to reflect improvements. Send me an email if interested: [e-mail]

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

Great video. Thank you.

[@simonblackwell4273]

Balls of steel

[@John-dm2ik]

When I was at sea back in the day the VHF was only turned on when in range of the coast, not deep sea.

[@RoversAdventure]

They don't consume a lot of power these days

[@shanec.7105]

I am learning a-lot from your adventures; For my eventual voyages to come. Where do you buy those air only vent caps?

[@RoversAdventure]

Best thing is to google it. It is a Ukrainian company.

[@baronsamdi1800]

Please be safe My Skipper.🤲

[@japhillipscpa]

Can you talk about what you do for safety when you are in rough seas. e.g life jacket, safety harness etc.

[@RoversAdventure]

If I go forward I wear my harness and tether

[@FairladyS130]

4:00 looks like the mast is flexing a fair bit but it is hard to tell and for all I know that could be normal. Anyway, wishing you fairer seas ahead.

[@RoversAdventure]

It does flex but well within normal range

[@speedyhpv]

Ahoy Allan. Been following for a couple years. Just a thought came to me with your encounter with the ship in this video was on sail color choice and visibility for other vessels. What are you thoughts as seaman on visibility of various sail colors and visibility. Wondering on your red sails as well. Happy sailing, cheers, Paul

[@tj7870]

that's a dangerous looking foredeck!

[@RoversAdventure]

one hand for the ship and one hand for yourself...and a tether. It's not dangerous for me.

[@simonbuttigieg8390]

Looks scary going to the front end of the boat. Do you have the means to tie yourself in case you slip? Would be great if you show us where you have reached with every video. Thanks and stay safe. Simon from Malta

[@RoversAdventure]

I am tethered off while going forward.

[@johnzink3309]

Thx

[@craigh3381]

Thank you for sharing..whats the lag of time from making your video and it being posted..be safe and smart

[@RoversAdventure]

it's a few months these days

[@24hourtravellers]

Do you mind I ask why in the design of Wave Rover did you make the coach roof so curved? It's difficult to stand on and balance no? (No offense, I been curious for a long time but after watching today's episode where you show you went forward to the mast)

[@RoversAdventure]

I spend a lot of time inside and the headroom is amazing. Even if the deck was flat you wouldn't be standing on it at sea.

[@marcgatto9675]

Strength and water shedding ability with the curve.

[@restlessperson5258]

+ Strength from a monocoque structure.

[@24hourtravellers]

@@RoversAdventure yes the headroom is good. And is it for strength like our fellow friends have said too?

[@24hourtravellers]

@@restlessperson5258 I see and thank you will check monocoque and what that means.

[@robinj6997]

Speeding up the video really helps visualizing the ocean movement. I have a technical question. Do you know the righting moment at 30 degree (RM30) for your vessel? Just curious as a reference for stability.

[@RoversAdventure]

I don't know that stat, sorry.

[@robinj6997]

That's okay, thank you anyways. Safe journey

[@NatTate-f7e]

My experience has been of plans being derailed because you told someone of your plan.

[@RoversAdventure]

That is so true. trust yourself

[@stephengrimmer35]

The Colibri carries space rockets from France to their launch in Guyana.

[@RoversAdventure]

Thanks for sharing that, very interesting.

[@tomwaite4594]

Studly Captain, Craft and Advise

[@micportigal]

I'd be interested in knowing how you heave-to with only a main sail...

[@RoversAdventure]

Check out season 2, somewhere around Episode 108

[@speedyhpv]

Ahoy Allen

[@CowboyStag]

If you had a woman - you’d likely need at least another 10 feet and a head. You are the ocean master

[@RoversAdventure]

lol and very true

[@alanbutterworth4219]

When you went forward, it was like watching rodeo.

[@NatTate-f7e]

Maybe they wondered if you were a container adrift. Wait. Those a bigger than you. lol

[@RoversAdventure]

lol

[@Andrey-z9m]

👍👍👍👏💪

[@mariajosemorenoguerrero8638]

En España decimos que el hombre propone y Dios dispone...

[@RoversAdventure]

Tan cierto mi amigo

[@jerrysmith4461]

Alan I am curious of how you heave to with that type of rig?

[@RoversAdventure]

I show it in detail in season 3

[@whitepawrolls]

When do you even get a chance to sleep on a run like that when you can't just anchor somewhere for the night?

[@RoversAdventure]

I explain in a later video

[@whitepawrolls]

@@RoversAdventure Please do :)

[@haydenwatson7987]

I heave-to almost every time I sail with the most common being the need to use the head and prefer a level throne to one at 20º. How do you heave-to on a junk rig?

[@RoversAdventure]

I show it in detail in season 3

[@haydenwatson7987]

@@RoversAdventure THere are a lot of episodes in season three. Any idea which one it would be in?

[@RoversAdventure]

@@haydenwatson7987 between Halifax and Stonington

[@haydenwatson7987]

@@RoversAdventure Thanks.

[@haydenwatson7987]

@@RoversAdventure Season 2 episode 108. thanks.

[@naignildoi826]

how do u heave too in a junk rig????

[@RoversAdventure]

Go back to season 3 and I show it a couple of times

[@harrycash8713]

Are there really deserted islands in the Gulf that you could build a cabin on?

[@RoversAdventure]

You have to purchase the property

[@felipek6496]

​@@RoversAdventure😂😂😂😂😂

[@redwood1957]

Do you tmt as well as receive ais? Thank you

[@RoversAdventure]

Both

[@Antipodean33]

The only thing i don't like about this boats design is the precarious nature of clambering over that cabin top to go forward. I gotta admit in any sort of serious sea state that would be a nightmare to do

[@RoversAdventure]

I demonstrate how easy it is for me while wearing a tether in a few of the videos. It's not much different than any small boat. You must be confident in your safety line and always have one hand on the boat.

[@alricmarchand2877]

Making plans is very easy. How can anyone follow a plan though? Life keeps changing and the energy needed just isn’t always there.

[@RoversAdventure]

You need something to get started, after that it becomes dynamic

[@joecase9592]

Alan, I am really enjoying the ride! Is the availability of build plans for the Wave Rover 650 still a reality? Can’t seem to connect with the architect and I am anxious to forge my own adventure if plan availability has fallen through.

[@RoversAdventure]

Hi Joe, I am updating the plans with the significant improvements that went into Wave Rover 2 and they should be ready before Christmas. If you are interested send an email to [e-mail]

[@Otrepiena]

La cosa che mi preoccupa, che lei non ha mai il salvagente e non è legato durante le manovre alle vele.

[@pyrozhukful]

Otrepiena is wondering how come no PFD and no tether when working on the fo'c 'sle. I think

[@TroyaE117]

My word. That boat is small !

[@rogerdepretto440]

Have a Tophat 25 planning to go around Australia and beyond 🦘 learning the ropes so to speak looking forward to the adventure Alan cheers.

[@RoversAdventure]

Bon voyage my friend.