[PUP] Alanui 350miles down, 150 to go!

[Peter Pisciotta]

> Re: Crossing Teuhentepec: Most people I talk to are
> taking the direct route, AFTER waiting for a window.
> I suspect this will become the norm in the future 
> as more people discard the practice of hugging
> the beach.  Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but
> respect for those of you
> that will never do anything different based on your
> experience!  

I respect Scott's decision, but I'll take a moment to
describe why I'm a beach-route guy. This is a
passagemaking list, and this is a great topic.

The weather system that causes T-Peckers - a high
pressure system above Texas that spins winds through
the mountainous gaps - has been well known for years.
And yes, with better communications, that information
can be disseminated. 

There are 2 problems:
1. The wait for a wx window can be long.
2. Wx predictions aren't always accurate. Given the
offshore nature of the winds, the only direction to
avoid a T-Pecker is to head west a couple hundred
miles. Even a moderate T-pecker will cause a 60-foot
vessel to slow to 4-knots or less, and change
direction. Which means that the 45-nms shortened
distance (about 6-7 hours) will be lost, and then
some.

I don't mean to be one of those naysayers, but places
like Hualtulco are chock full of relatively new
cruisers who left their West Coast base in prime
cruising weather and simply don't have any experience
with what getting caught with a wrong wx forecast can
mean. T-pec is legendary so it doesn't surprise me
that folks wait a very long time for the perfect wx
window, but when the decision comes to crossing
Papagayo in Costa Rica (similar wx rules apply), I'd
bet that many folks aren't as patient - and get
slammed. The only good news is it's a shorter
distance.

Personally, I've lost a lot of time over the years
taking a short cut and having weather beat me back.
I'd rather be wrong by having the weather pleasantly
beautiful (at which point you can angle out to sea and
regain a little time) than be wrong the hard way:
expecting beautiful weather and getting surprised 40
miles to leeward of any protection.

Just my opinion.

Peter
W36 Sedan
(and ex Pacific Coast delivery skipper)