Single Handed 84 Year Old Rescued off Easter Island

[avb3]

Hope I can still do this at that age (but rather not single handed).

Chile finds stranded 84-year-old U.S. sailor

[samson]

neat story worthy of sharing

Chile navy locates solo US sailor in South Pacific - Yahoo! News

[hummingway]

Seven attempts! "If it weren't for bad luck he wouldn't have no luck at all!"*


*Albert King "Born Under a Bad Sign"

[socasailor]

Happy ending to this story. Another catastrophe on a Westsail though...

There were 2 or 3 that didn't make it on last years puddle jump too.

[atoll]

if he had taken a couple of russian girls with him he would have been fine.....mast may be broken ,but at least he wouldnt have been "suffering from a broken mast".............

[maxingout]

He sounds like a good mate, and at age 84 I admire his gumption to attempt a solo rounding of Cape Horn. He has more courage than me. It sounds like the Westsail hull was in fine shape, it was just the broken mast that was the problem.

I owned a Westsail 32, and the round bilges make the boat roll badly when there is no mast. The roll moment of inertia in the mast keeps the boat more stable. When there is no mast, the rolling could beat you up in heavy seas.

[S/V Alchemy]

Get rescued because you've perhaps pushed your luck too often and for too many years? I would say that if you've tried six previous times to round Cape Horn solo and haven't made it, you have the wrong boat, the wrong skipper or too many years to manage it.

This doesn't mean it can't be done: I know some tough-as-nails old circa-WWII guys at my club who still take out their PSCs and Albergs into very snotty weather without comment or bother, but it does suggest that this particular achievement is perhaps beyond this particular sailor. Whether that's age, skill or luck-related is unknown, but this would seem to be a clear case of the universe trying to tell this old man something he is not prepared to hear.

[ogalili]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

Get rescued because you've perhaps pushed your luck too often and for too many years? I would say that if you've tried six previous times to round Cape Horn solo and haven't made it, you have the wrong boat, the wrong skipper or too many years to manage it.

This doesn't mean it can't be done: I know some tough-as-nails old circa-WWII guys at my club who still take out their PSCs and Albergs into very snotty weather without comment or bother, but it does suggest that this particular achievement is perhaps beyond this particular sailor. Whether that's age, skill or luck-related is unknown, but this would seem to be a clear case of the universe trying to tell this old man something he is not prepared to hear.

Oh please give me a break!

Keep on trying and never, never give up!

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by ogalili

Oh please give me a break!

Keep on trying and never, never give up!

Absolutely

This guy has obviously never read cruisers forum , and as such, is making his own way by his own hand. That is never an easy task.

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by ogalili

Oh please give me a break!

Keep on trying and never, never give up!

hear hear. Where would we be if everyone gave up after only six tries at something difficult?

The circus and Olympics would be pretty boring, I bet.

[red_sky]

i too hope if I get to 84 I am still floating around somewhere on the planet. Good on 'im!

[44'cruisingcat]

Hope he doesn't have to abandon his boat. Seems like he's lost his mast, but maybe they can supply him with fuel?

[boatman61]

Lives to fight another day...

[rebel heart]

Guy sounds competent and like he got hit with some bad luck. Normally whenever a rescue or disaster happens there is a ten mile long trail of bad decisions that lead up to it. From his accomplishments and the fact that he's alive and well it seems that he had his act together.

[rubyjean]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

Get rescued because you've perhaps pushed your luck too often and for too many years? I would say that if you've tried six previous times to round Cape Horn solo and haven't made it, you have the wrong boat, the wrong skipper or too many years to manage it.

This doesn't mean it can't be done: I know some tough-as-nails old circa-WWII guys at my club who still take out their PSCs and Albergs into very snotty weather without comment or bother, but it does suggest that this particular achievement is perhaps beyond this particular sailor. Whether that's age, skill or luck-related is unknown, but this would seem to be a clear case of the universe trying to tell this old man something he is not prepared to hear.

Come on now, sailing is life, not luck. No age limits, just desire to do what you love. I've been around the horn, it's not luck at all, just the desire to survive and use your skills to meet the challenge. My hat is off to him for his effort & courage...Michael..