Since I left full-time sailing for a living many years ago, what I miss most is passage-making — the process of crossing vast expanses of open ocean. The excitement of the challenge and satisfaction of making landfall is extraordinary. Even just running out to the Atlantic canyons or down the West Coast into Mexico can offer an exciting adventure. And with the technology available today, combined with the proper boat, anyone can learn enough to start taking such epic journeys.Here are just a few of the initial considerations you can explore to plan your first passage.FuelKnow your boat’s fuel consumption at varying speeds. Determine how far you can go on a full tank at optimum cruise, including a 10 percent cushion. Once you have that information, you can decide where you can go.What if your destination is farther ...![passage gear]()
