HI->Tahiti Dingbats found after 5 months

[Tetepare]

There is another thread running on this, and it's suggested that forum members not be critical until all the facts are known.

I agree. If "rudder" or "bigfoot" or "Elvis" are involved, they may have an excuse.

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

There is another thread running on this, and it's suggested that forum members not be critical until all the facts are known.

I agree. If "rudder" or "bigfoot" or "Elvis" are involved, they may have an excuse.

I am very curious to hear the full story. First of, how did they manage to stay so well fed (doggy included!) and fit after 5 months of "ordeal"? Professional sailors look worse after a passage that went all according to plans...

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by GTom

I am very curious to hear the full story. First of, how did they manage to stay so well fed (doggy included!) and fit after 5 months of "ordeal"? Professional sailors look worse after a passage that went all according to plans...

Article says they took a year of food.

Alain Bombard crossed the Atlantic in an inflatable bringing virtually no food or water, living off the sea and sky. I certainly am not proposing that that these two dingbats were capable of doing likewise, but...

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Article says they took a year of food.

Alain Bombard crossed the Atlantic in an inflatable bringing virtually no food or water, living off the sea and sky. I certainly am not proposing that that these two dingbats were capable of doing likewise, but...

That's allright with me, just sounds weird they are very well prepared on one side, got a year worth of food but no means of communication. Not even an EPIRB

[BobHorn]

I suspect there is a whole lot more to that story. U-tube hit, movie rights, book rights? Nobody is that stupid to plan a trip like that without an EPIRB or knowing how to use sails.

[barnakiel]

I read this story on Guardian today with video attached.

The story is full of errors saying e.g. mast broken while the mast looks fine in the video, etc. etc. etc.

Typical for any sea story written by an ignorant landlubber journalist.

Glad they made it fine and dogs not hot.

PS I assume the 'engine broken' was more of a broken rudder perhaps, too. A broken engine does not affect navigation of a sailing boat from Hawaii to Tahiti.

Cheers,
b.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Article says they took a year of food.

Alain Bombard crossed the Atlantic in an inflatable bringing virtually no food or water, living off the sea and sky. I certainly am not proposing that that these two dingbats were capable of doing likewise, but...

Year of food for two biggish humans and two dogs, in this size of a boat, could be a challenge. But not unreasonable, knowing food prices in Tahiti.

I find it funny to imagine year's load of dog poo on these decks ;-)))))

Then again, having two big dogs for 5 months like that is probably what they consider against animal rights in some jurisdictions.

b.

[Bmorgan562]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

And...why do you provision for 5 months when embarking on a month long journey?

Neither them nor the dogs appeared to have gone hungry.

Something fishy here.

Yes! Weird. And yes you tube! Thank you to the first who started this post as this story has just enough information to leave you confused, why didnt the navy hole that unseaworthy thing? Seems there will be much more to this story, I may never hear it but none the less, it sure is entertaining.

[shadowdancer]

very confused, sails, mast, electrical power, 5 months, does not equate

[barnakiel]

Ney.

Nothing fishy about 5 months' supplies. Supplies to get you to Tahiti (what - a month's trip?) and back, some cruising. Or maybe onward travel - there is no shopping beyond Tahiti and Tahiti can be bloody dear too.

What is odd is the boat not getting there. I bet they got some kind of rudder steering issue or something similar that rendered them control-less.

Or maybe they did not know how to navigate or how to sail it but this would be odd, not fishy.

Cheers,
b.

[UAEguy]

So this is what stupid looks like. Maybe we can introduce them to Ken Barnes.

[UAEguy]

Their shark attack stories are priceless!

[dwedeking2]

According to the NBC report a spreader failed, which if they were inexperienced/not smart and couldn't figure out a way to rig a replacement would prevent them from sailing.

They say they were "attacked" by sharks which seems odd in a boat that size.

From the article: ""I went downstairs with the boys and we basically laid huddled on the floor and I told them not to bark because the sharks could hear us breathing. They could smell us," Appel said."

I don't think it's fishy (as in a scam or something contrived), but Hawai'i collects kooks so I'm not surprised that is where they are from.

[UAEguy]

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

They say they were "attacked" by sharks which seems odd in a boat that size.
.

They claimed a "Group" of tiger sharks attacked their boat!

The tiger shark is a solitary, mostly nocturnal hunter...and typically does not eat 45ft sailboats.

[mindsofman]

Personally,,
I think they were going for the "lost at sea "
Record,,,nobody , nobody nobody could possibly
Be that stupid...NOBODY.
Ooops , forgot about Trump...