Donna Lange

[Sandero]

This gal does not have the resources, it appears to complete her journey. She has had income and she didn/t start with a large cruising kitty. She did all the heavy lifting herself with a little help from her friends.

If she needs a little dough to make it home... it would be a supportive gesture for yatchsman to show some generosity and support for her and what she has given to the sailing community. She is an examplar.

Most people waste 10 or 15 dollars on donuts and coffee they could do without. A few hundred $10 donations could get her boat back in shape for the final passage.

My thought.

[sneuman]

I'd love to kick in some cash, but can't do paypal from here in Thailand. any suggestions?

[Sandero]

Go to her web site:

Donna Lange the Musician, the Sailor

Send an email. Her mom Linda will reply and perhaps have a suggestion.

[NoTies]

I'll be flicking her a few dollars (Kiwi of course, they're almost worth more than $US at the mo)
As to "why"??? Because people like her are setting an amazing example for the cossetted youth of today and are achieving more for the advancement of cruising sailors than our own Yachting New Zealand body and I'm sure a few other country's yachting representative bodies. If I had a choice of my tax dollars being used for some namby pamby PC loaded crap to be thrown at our young whilst encouraging them to believe they don't have to take responsibility for themselves or their actions (all in the guise of "youth development") or paying a few bucks to such a role model as Donna to enable her to continue her quest (and at the same time show the young ones about striving for success) then I guess you know what my choice would be.
Rant over, nothing personal.

[Dunkers]

pwederell - you hit the nail on the head there! She really is an inspiration but I doubt if the indolent, mindless youth of today will see her as such. Reading accounts like hers and other legends of the past, Slocum, the Hiscocks, Guzzwell and even Acton made me want to get out there and have adventures, just as I am sure that many others were motivated too.

Its also typical that its always at the end of the voyage when the harbour is almost in sight that it is suddenly snatched from you and the worst weather comes in. My Elizabethan 29 and I had much the same after my crossing from Bermuda to the UK when I was hit with gale after gale and then on the final three days thick fog and no wind - pre-GPS days. It made the homecoming so much sweeter but it seemed at the time as if the weather gods were just playing with me.

[Heron]

I sent my contribution to Donna's address off her website. It took me 3 minutes to write the small check and address the envelope. I'll give up my Friday night pub burger and beers this week and feel pretty good about it.

HERON

[Sandero]

Heron,

I think what you did was terrific. We need more people who can forego their beer and use the little bit of money to help someone who needs it.

I just clicked the paypal...

What a guy!

[Sandero]

For what it's worth. I replaced my deck rails. But I have no access on the inside as there is a complete unremovable GRP gel coated head liner. The manufacturer embeded the nuts into GRP so that when you remove the screws the nut remains locked down there. The trick is to get the NEW threaded bolts to align and find the unseen and un seeable nuts. I managed to do it, but it was not easy. I have the same situation on the stanchion bases.

[little boat]

hey defjef, i've got a little sister to yours, a contest 27. might not be the same, but i replaced the deck chain plates, (had new one's fabricated)..the nuts are encased in fbg but they are also welded/soldered? onto the plates. i chipped it out to get a better view and some had rusted through despite ss and others cracked. might want to just take a closer look; i know the tabbing is a pain but nobody can see under there anyway.

[Raven]

As of this morning (May 13), Donna is 260 miles from Bristol, Rhode Island. She crossed the Gulf Stream yesterday, but not without mishap. A fitting on her forestay parted. After taking down the main and securing the inner stay, she took down the Genoa while the forestay dropped into the water. She is continuing on with an inner stay and a halyard securing the mast forward. She's flying a smaller jib, attached at head and tack, with nothing securing the luff. Tonight's winds are supposed to build to 25-30 knots. Should be interesting to see how the little Southern Cross behaves with a compromised rig for these final miles.

[Heron]

She sailed all the way around the world and the last 800 miles, she has been kicked hard, over and over again! Perhaps she should just keep going around the second time like Moitessier.

HERON

[Raven]

As with Moitessier and his decision to take a right turn on the final leg and head for the South Pacific again, it's always been interesting to see how people who've done something out of the ordinary make the transition back into "ordinary" life. Some do. Many don't. Certainly, there are those who have been forever changed by the experience and cannot go back to the lifestyle (or the person) that existed at the beginning of the voyage. Donna will sail into Bristol, Rhode Island in a couple of days, but after her circumnavigation aboard the little 28 footer, there's no going back.

[ssullivan]

Yeah, since when did the East Coast of the USA become one of the most hairy sailing grounds around?

We need a break in this weather. It's been silly. No end in sight.

Best of luck to Donna in her last leg. Stinks about the forestay... wow!

[Raven]

Donna arrived in Bristol, Rhode Island yesterday afternoon, completing her circumnavigation via the capes. She rode her 28' Southern Cross in on 25k southwesterlies, having sailed the last few days through another gale with a broken forestay (mast secured by inner stay and halyard).

I know that there are only 250-something people who have singlehanded around the globe since Joshua Slocum did it in 1896 (many via the canals), and very few women. Donna is in a very small group. Very impressive.

[ssullivan]

Good for her!!

She faced plenty of adversity and pulled through. If she reads this, "Welcome back to New England, Donna!"