Regret to Inform Have Lost my Boat off Honduras...

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Could have done with you to help me hand stich the length of the leach on a 100% genoa of a 54ft ketch I delivered...

I dunno ... you might have benefitted from an assembly line for that!

[boatsail]

I posted it earlier, but did not see a logical answer.

There was a lot of talk about fixing the sail that was torn, but the reality is that the main was serviceable and working.

Why not simply sail back under main alone?

[s/v Beth]

Having just read this thread from top to bottom, I think I have learned a few things.
1. Do not expect a rescue in the third world. Even if you have some importance down there (which this guy apparently did) they do not have the fuel.
2. Your boat will quickly become an empty shell if you leave it alone.(in these waters) Just business in trying economic times man....
3. I learned what a baja filter really does.
As for this poor gentleman, he's got enough troubles. I going to wait for a whale to sink Rebel Hearts boat before I start my remarks and for Don L to sail across the Atlantic.....

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by boatsail

I posted it earlier, but did not see a logical answer.

There was a lot of talk about fixing the sail that was torn, but the reality is that the main was serviceable and working.

Why not simply sail back under main alone?

My boat sails like ship without some headsail. I would repair it if I could. There's already enough going on without the boat sailing badly. A lot of it would depend on the tear itself.

Then there's my ever-present concern about storms. In a storm I really want to have some headsail out. That puts a strain on all of the sail, and the rip should be repaired.

To me, "I don't have to fix the headsail" is wishful thinking. When boats founder, it is usually a cascade of events, as someone else has pointed out. Not repairing a tear could be a part of that cascade of events.

[rognvald]

Competence is relative to one's level of experience. Knowledge is a cumulative process that occurs over time. Experience is a result of competence and knowledge. How long do you wait until you're ready? Most who sail . . . will never go . . . but pontificate into old age from behind their computer screen, in the seminar halls of Boat Shows or at the marina dock hooked up to shorepower where they regurgitate excuse after excuse for not departing and receive, from those who do, the well deserved moniker--Captain NoGo.*





*Compliments to Bruce Van Sant for this excellent name.

[cheoah]

Everyone likes to see a vulture get a meal, but we will all feed on your carrion too when you find yourself in a desperate situation. If you cannot imagine it, it is likely your lack of imagination or hubris... We will debate your decisions as you and your loved ones are shark food, as demonstrated on other threads with ships lost at sea and family members participating in the thread.... Unlikely we will hear about it here, though, right?

Thousands of posts on a forum do not represent any noteworthy accomplishment - besides being able to stay connected to wifi while out cruising - and it is really quite comical to see such rueful posts from people with no *real* accomplishments, as far as I can tell. A small dose of empathy and compassion would have provided a much better environment for discourse, and how a situation like this comes to pass.

I for one, can see myself in a similar situation, and I can truly imagine doing something similar. People do the damnedest things when they are scared and unsure and alone in strange waters. Very easy to say this and that as we are tied to the dock, even if we have thousands of sea miles. OVercoming adversity, a situation similar to this or other, is an accomplishment, and a good contribution to this thread would look something like this: I once was off *.* and lost my *.* and here is how I handled it. I completely agree with dissecting the situation, but being overly critical really reflects on your character. Criticizing this guy who lost his boat is very different from analyzing the situation.

I'm way more impressed with this guys guts posting here than I am with the weenie police for telling him everything he did to ***% up - including a fuel spill - that is supposition.

Not impressed with this community today. If there were more of this I would log on much less. Doubt I'm alone.

OP, I hope I do it differently. Your post allowed me to really reflect on how the psychology of these situations can make one do things that don't make sense. With such a large cross section of personalities, it is to be expected that the cynics will do what they do, but I do not envy them.

Suerte-

[rognvald]

Well said, Cheoah!

[endoftheroad]

Quote:
Originally Posted by rebel heart
Look this is going to sound really harsh but some people just aren't cut out to be sailors.

Quote Bash;
I have to agree. Anyone so totally dependent on his engine really shouldn't be out there. Cruisers need to be able to fix problems as they happen. If a bad tank of fuel is enough to force one to abandon a sailboat 18nm from land, then that someone needs to take up a new hobby.

I fully agree to both your comments.

[ka4wja]

Newt,
If you're really interested in learning about assistance/rescue odds on the high seas and in 3rd world areas (particularly when using what's considered the "best" way, when deploying a GPS-EPIRB), there is a tread that you will find helpful...

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Having just read this thread from top to bottom, I think I have learned a few things.
1. Do not expect a rescue in the third world. Even if you have some importance down there (which this guy apparently did) they do not have the fuel.

Read the thread and follow the links there, for facts from Cospas-Sarsat, the USCG, etc. as well as wonderful article by Beth Leonard, and further learned information from myself and others...

It is titled, "EPIRB Activation? What happens/How to improve rescue odds"
SSCA Forum • View topic - EPIRB Activation? What happens/How to improve rescue odds



I'm sure you, and many others, will find it helpful....

Fair winds..

John
s/v Annie Laurie

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by cheoah

Everyone likes to see a vulture get a meal, but we will all feed on your carrion too when you find yourself in a desperate situation. If you cannot imagine it, it is likely your lack of imagination or hubris... We will debate your decisions as you and your loved ones are shark food, as demonstrated on other threads with ships lost at sea and family members participating in the thread.... Unlikely we will hear about it here, though, right?

Thousands of posts on a forum do not represent any noteworthy accomplishment - besides being able to stay connected to wifi while out cruising - and it is really quite comical to see such rueful posts from people with no *real* accomplishments, as far as I can tell. A small dose of empathy and compassion would have provided a much better environment for discourse, and how a situation like this comes to pass.

I for one, can see myself in a similar situation, and I can truly imagine doing something similar. People do the damnedest things when they are scared and unsure and alone in strange waters. Very easy to say this and that as we are tied to the dock, even if we have thousands of sea miles. OVercoming adversity, a situation similar to this or other, is an accomplishment, and a good contribution to this thread would look something like this: I once was off *.* and lost my *.* and here is how I handled it. I completely agree with dissecting the situation, but being overly critical really reflects on your character. Criticizing this guy who lost his boat is very different from analyzing the situation.

I'm way more impressed with this guys guts posting here than I am with the weenie police for telling him everything he did to ***% up - including a fuel spill - that is supposition.

Not impressed with this community today. If there were more of this I would log on much less. Doubt I'm alone.

OP, I hope I do it differently. Your post allowed me to really reflect on how the psychology of these situations can make one do things that don't make sense. With such a large cross section of personalities, it is to be expected that the cynics will do what they do, but I do not envy them.

Suerte-

If something scares you.. don't do it... you'll only make bad decisions and put yourself and possibly other at risk... know your limits and stay within them... not everyone has the mental/physical strength to be a Motesier...
Oh... and you can feed on my carcass anytime you'd care to go through my posts... ignore the few 1000 welcome posts... not many bother doing them but they do rack up ones tally... lolol

[Mr B]

Thats it in a nut shell, Boatman61,

Know your limits and try and stay within them,

[deckofficer]

This is a tough one. Earlier this month when Jarred and Josie informed the forum their boat wasn't repairable after a 30' wave knock down that had debris in the wave that crushed and split their hull, and the OP loss of his boat, it tells the other side of cruising. I for one, applaud both the OP and Jarred & Josie for sharing their maritime misfortunes, no matter what lead up to it. A dose of reality is a good thing to have, and by sharing on CF might help a "dreamer" and "wannbe" to consider gaining more experience before setting off themselves. And that is a good thing, by sharing these stories, Jerrad, Josie, and the OP might have saved some lives in the future.

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I'm speechless. Not just from the story of the OP, but also from many of the replies. Scary even. And then to see that the posters that do have the knowledge and experience get bashed instead of listened to; it is beyond insane.

I hope events like these make people understand that the sea will not be gentle with starters: bring somebody with experience until you have that too and can handle your boat in offshore conditions. Do not think that a Baja filter would have made much of a difference; it is not about stuff you carry, it simply is about the combination of seamanship and experience and you need both before heading out on your own.

+1.

There is a long list of vessels that have been abandoned by people who become frightened and either call others to come to their rescue or take to the rafts then have their vessels show up quite sound a month later floating without them. The Fastnet race comes to mind. This is one of the more remarkable cases I have heard of in that a vessel capable of sailing by ITSELF for 120 miles is abandoned 18 miles offshore because the engine won't run. Put Larry Pardey on that boat and he'd throw the engine overboard to make room for the bathtub, not abandon ship....

I feel really badly for the OP, and hope he lands on his feet, but frankly I feel worse for those that are left to clean up what looks like an unnecessary mess on a reef.

And yes, different people have different reactions to situations they think challenging. So perhaps some people shouldn't expose themselves to challenging situations if they are easily frightened, or have no idea how to deal with them.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by cheoah

I'm way more impressed with this guys guts posting here than I am with the weenie police for telling him everything he did to ***% up - including a fuel spill - that is supposition.

What exactly do you think will happen to the diesel in that tank as the boat is eventually holed by rocks on the beach or the keel broken and then holed?

The rocks are clearly visible in the water, it's five miles north of a 375 person town on a barren stretch of Mexico in an area hardly notorious for it's wealth of Johnny-on-the-spot salvage workers. Oh, and let's not forget the overflowing coffers that Mexican municipalities are known for.

And regarding whatever "accomplishments" you feel necessary before someone can rattle off their opinion, I could grab an ASA 101 student who could have figured this thing out.

[psneeld]

I have a question here...back to the issue of the head sail....If I plotted the position correctly...there was land approximately 150 miles north and closer clocking westerly all around to the south where it was only 50 miles away (mainland...not islands).

Are the people who said headsails are important telling me that 180 degrees of sailing possibility needs a headsail and even under main alone...you couldn't make 150 miles in several days?

Though I have a trawler now...I was a cruising sailor for quite a few years...something sounds weird that even the worst of boats needs a headsail to accomplish that piece of sailing...

I could be wrong as I haven't treated this like an accident investigation yet...but I gotta wonder...