Though the ships of his day were structurally weak, and he lacked navigational aids, Katsu braved rough seas to cross the Pacific Ocean and reach landfall in the United States.
勝海舟曾奉命率領一隊木造艦隊，前往美國報聘。當年由於船隻構造不堅，缺乏動力，又沒有現代化的航海儀器，一路行來極為艱苦。但儘管風浪侵襲，船上水手怨聲載道，勝海舟一直咬緊牙關、堅毅不拔，最後終於到達了美國的舊金山。