Brewster Entertainment wrote:
> I am planning to sail from Los Angeles to Hawaii, then on to Hong Kong
> next summer (2010), and would like insight and pointers from others
> who have sailed the same route - in full, or in part.
>
> I will be sailing a 26-30 footer with nav and auto-pilot.
<snip>

What you truly need is a wind vane, IMHO.

Had a sailing club member who was retired navy, and a competent sailor.

He had a 38 ft ketch rigged Mariner complete with a heavy duty, under 
deck electric autopilot, large battery bank, a high output alternator, 
and planned to sail from, L/A to Sydney for the 2000 Olympics.

He never made it.

Several of us had advised him that it was not prudent to rely solely on 
an electric autopilot for an ocean passage.

Off the coast of Mexico, took a wave and lost engine.

With no engine, soon lost autopilot, and was left to hand steer back to 
Mexico for repairs which took 30 days since he was steering directly 
into the off shore currents off the west coast of the Americas.

He arrived with an exhausted crew that abandoned ship as soon as they 
hit land.

He never made it to Sydney, but that's another story.

Lew

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