Idiot or Hero?

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by charley

If you center punch the holes that you need to drill you will not need to drill a pilot hole. Also get a few high quality cobalt drill bits, makes a world of difference. When drilling metal it is important to go slow with a bunch of pressure ie slow RPM/high pressure. Also use more cutting/cooling fluid than you think is needed, it cleans off fine and makes your tools last longer.

This is excellent advice, charley. Most people try to drill holes in metal or plastic by running their drill at the highest speed possible. Big mistake. They're not so much drilling a hole, as melting a hole.

TaoJones

[David M]

One trick I learned from a machinist about drilling stainless. Don't leave the bit on the metal for more than a second or so. Drill by repetitively pushing down on the bit and then letting off. Use cutting oil and a cobalt bit.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by charley

I find it kinda funny that he will not be taking anything to navigate with, but he will have 2 ERPIBS. I say it again PUBLICITY STUNT. If he makes it back he will charge 100 bucks a head to hear his story.

The article mentions 2 GPS. Right next to where it mentions the EPIRBS. If he makes it he will be the first to do so. I guess he will be entitled.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Joli

I agree, most of my tools are PC, Milwaukee or Bosch. I have found it is a waste of money to buy cheaper tools, the comms and brushes are small and cheap, the shafts are undersize, the bearings are crap.

Most of the time I would agree with that. But when you are doing a one-off project that requires a huge amount of use of power tools, IMHO the cheapies are the better way to go. I have a good quality Bosch random orbit sander, and a Bosch router - both have failed inside a year, and both had to be sent away to be repaired. The sander was away for a month, the router for 6 weeks. That was when I bought the cheap chinese tools. I needed a sander and a router, simple as that. The cheap tools aren't as good, but their warranty is better. When they fail you get a new one, for free, straight away.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by David M

One trick I learned from a machinist about drilling stainless. Don't leave the bit on the metal for more than a second or so. Drill by repetitively pushing down on the bit and then letting off. Use cutting oil and a cobalt bit.

As a Machinist, I would have to disaggree. If drilling SS by hand your going to have trouble keeping enough pressure on the bit to penetrate without taking a chance of damaging the cutting edges. To and fro motions should only be used to clear chips. If drilling with a press, then one would only apply enough pressure to force the drill to cut.

Trying to force it thru the metal only builds heat and thats why production machines use a liquid coolant with power feed systems. And there are charts for the recommended amount "Feed & Speeds" for different metals and drill sizes.

A pilot hole is used to ease off on the amount of pressure needed to force the drill thru the metal. Every common drill has a flat spot on it's tip. A pilot hole is used to clear that flat spot so the pressure is against the cutting edges rather then the flat on the tip.

The pilot hole is generally slightly larger then the flat of the drill being used. Any more then that, the drill will have a tendancy to start walking leaving a star shaped hole at the surface.

As well, there are many shapes and types of drills. Colbalt generally have a very sharp tip and not needing a pilot hole. But once the sharpness is gone it takes more pressure to force it thru the metal. The other problem with colbalt is they are more brittle then the common drill bit and the cutting edge is subject to damage easily requiring more pressure to get it thru.

One thing one wants to avoid is going too fast. Once too hot, the harden metals in the drill get transfered to the opposing metal (work harding) and causes more heat which causes more transfer and so on...........

Other drills include; screw machine (in colbalt would be best for hand drilling), Max output (for production work), Fast spiral (for non ferrous metals - brass/alum.), Parabolic (for deep holes), Core drills (for re-sizing holes) and on and on..............
There are whole books in my library just on drills and drilling technology.............................._/)

[Hud3]

Here's the latest on David Vann's "adventure". Lot's of photos of the boat.

The Tin Can Blog - David Vann's Epic Journey Around the World - Esquire

[dcstrng]

<The idea that I was going to do that trip without having earned my stripes first in the yacht club, drinking toddies and discussing wind shifts, drove the naysayers practically insane….>

Well, his method may not be mine, but I have to admire his style… I’m convinced that although learning to truly grok GPS, weather fax and single sideband all in the same lifetime may be insurmountable for me, basic sailing maneuvers can be taught to a grade-school youngster in a couple afternoons… As for his frugality – I agree up until he depends on others taking large risks to pull his bacon out of the fire…

[liberty16]

Plenty of armchair sailors have scoffed at Ken and his attempt and rescue, but here's what Tony Gooch told him: "You left." Most sailors never leave their home port.

Despite his loss, Ken doesn't regret his trip at all. "You're living your life," he said, "not just existing. Most people just exist. And they might think it's crazy, but they don't know what it's like to see stars down to the horizon, a moon bright enough to read by, and waves high as mountains, bright as diamonds. You're too awed to be scared. You look at it and think, Nobody, unless they risk it all, will be able to see what I'm seeing right now."

Always build with poets and potters, never with tradesmen.

I tend to agree with those first two quotes. At least he's getting out there and attempting something. The only difference between a genius and a fool is the outcome, in some instances. However, that third quote makes him appear the latter of the two. Why would you disregard the suggestions and warnings of a professional? I suppose I can imagine a case in which that is ok, but to make a philosophy out of it ("NEVER with tradesmen") just seems like he's gone overboard.

The comment made about Everest climbers (or any mountain climbers for that matter) is spot on. Climbers die every year, so do sailors. Some are foolish and are partially responsible for their own undoing, others take every precaution and perish nevertheless. It has to be something you want to do regardless of the consequences, but if you really want to do it, you try to prevent the worst of consequences.

When I decided to do this trip, my wife and I went out to a celebratory dinner, through which she cried. But she's been cheerfully supportive ever since, which I have to believe is unusual. We've been in storms together, sank together, and also had our best times on the water, and I wish I could be sailing with her. Nonstop solo is a cruel invention.

This is a strange thing to say, and hints that he really is doing this to sell books if/when he gets back. No one is forcing him to nonstop solo. If he thinks it's going to be such hell, why is he doing it? He speaks as if he's being moved unwillingly by an invisible hand, and even mentions that his friends and family have voiced theories that he is trying to commit suicide like his father. I think this might just be the case.

[sneuman]

so, what's up with KenSolo? more than a year after Ken's rescue, nothing seems to have gone forward on the Web site redesign.

[BigCat]

Another clueless publicity hound. His project has doom written all over it. The quiet competence of thousands of ocean voyaging yachtsmen and home boat builders who do their homework gets ignored, and he gets the headlines.

[Kanani]

I hope that for everyone's sake on this forum, that this guy succeeds in his adventure.

I feel strongly that anyone should have the opportunity to pursue their dream. If he wants to risk his life in some make-shift boat to pursue a dream or just out of pure arrogance to gain publicity for himself, that's fine with me.

The problem comes in when people like him, Ken Barnes and others, fail. In their failure they risk the lives of others and cause many, incredible expense. I notice in the Esquire article, they didn't mention the expense that Ken Barnes caused the Gvm't of Chile and aslo some commercial fishing vessel that had to power some 600 miles to execute the rescue or the risk that they took. I'll bet that whole venture cost over $1 million US.

My feeling is that we all have the right to risk our own lives but none of us has the right to risk the lives and $ of others.

It is guys like these two that will eventually cause the cost of registering your EPIRB to include a rescue insurance policy. I would be willing to bet that withinn the next 10 years, it will cost $2K-$5K to register an EPIRB.

This guy seems to look up to Ken Barnes as beeing some sort of hero. I'm sorry, the guy was a failure. He did many things wrong in his preperation and sailing technique. The worst thing that he did wrong IMHO was not jeri-rigging that boat and getting it to shore on his own. He decided that it was more prudent to risk the lives and $ of others than to take the vessel to port.

If you look at pictures of Barnes boat (below), there was still a substancial amount of main mast (about 20') left on deck, he still had his boom and his windvane looks intact. He even had his sails. This crap about the wheel being bent is a real tear jerker.....so what, cut it off and improvise.

I have no patience for this type of thing or people that have no thought of taking risks because they know that if they fail, someone will bail them out at no cost to them.

He may well have had $250K into his project but when I hear stories about big screen TVs and 14 batteries that were not properly secured and a big dinghy lashed on deck, going into the Southern Ocean, I lose a lot of respect for the sailor.

[mikereed100]

While I applaud intrepidity (is that a word?), what makes me a bit queasy about these guys is that they embark on their bold adventures with the full knowledge that if they get into trouble, someone will likely be there to pull their okole from the fire. I would have far more respect for what they do if they were to embark without any means of calling for help. No SSB, no epirb, the implication being that while indulging their brand of adventure they would be entirely responsible for their own safety without endangering others needlessly.

Mike

[BigCat]

Blondie Hasler, of "Jester" fame, never carried a broadcast radio. When asked what he would do in a disaster at sea, since he refused to have one, he said, "Die like a gentleman." He had been in charge of a a famous commando raid in WWII in which most of the men on the mission died, so he wasn't just blowing smoke. Old age took him at last. The sea didn't, even though he gave it some chances to do so.

I would have far more respect for what they do if they were to embark without any means of calling for help. No SSB, no epirb, the implication being that while indulging their brand of adventure they would be entirely responsible for their own safety without endangering others needlessly.

Mike[/quote]

[Steve Pope]

B C. I agree it would be nice to be allowed to take responsibility for yourself, no 406 no SSB etc. Unfortunately in the safety industry that is the last thing they want you to be allowed to do. They have a vested interest in selling, checking, testing and of course charging for these services) In NZ any New Zealand registered vessel has to be up to cat 1 specs before they will be cleared to leave NZ. (they even recommend a pregnancy testing kit in the first aid kit) The irony is that as soon as you reach your 1st foreign country (Fiji or Tonga usually 8 to 12 days later) your cat 1 is downgraded to cat 2. That appart, no other country checks your boat for safety equipment anyway as your yacht is not registered with them.
There is often a fuss made about the cost of "saving" somebody, and recently criticism of a yacht skipper who had some difficulties in rough conditions but refused to leave his vessel, although his daughter was taken off and not allowed to return, he made some temporary repairs and was safely in port 36 hours later. Often the Coast guard are straining at the leash to be useful / helpful as it is their "reason for being" they are often begrudging when their talents are rejected and bad press is given to the offending yachty. Be responsible for yourself and involve no one else!

[BigCat]

I was visiting New Zealand by yacht when they not only introduced their draconian safety measures for yachts, but tried to claim that they had jurisdiction sufficient to require visiting yachts to follow their rules. No doubt some some ambassador, or perhaps a merchant seaman or lawyer versed Admiralty law, explained to them that only the country of registry, or international treaties such as SOLAS, could claim such jurisdiction, and then only over the vessels of signatory nations. They swiftly backtracked from this claim of jurisdiction over visiting yachts