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08-01-2013, 09:05
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#1
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Chesapeake Bay
Boat: Sabre 28-2
Posts: 3,197
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Imaginary Helmsman
Slocum talks about a "homonculus" who steered for him during a storm when he was too fatigued to go on. I have read of such an imaginary helmsman in at least a few other solo single-handed accounts and have a friend who claims that someone took over duties at the wheel from him after 50 some hours of solo helming.
Not an entirely serious thread, but just curious what others think about this phenomenon.
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08-01-2013, 09:25
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#2
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: north carolina
Boat: command yachtsdouglas32
Posts: 3,113
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Quote:
Originally Posted by sneuman
Slocum talks about a "homonculus" who steered for him during a storm when he was too fatigued to go on. I have read of such an imaginary helmsman in at least a few other solo single-handed accounts and have a friend who claims that someone took over the helming duties from him after 50 some hours of solo sailing.
Not an entirely serious thread, but just curious what others think about this phenomenon.
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Manery and Tinkerbell had such a pilot crossing the Atlantic...
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08-01-2013, 09:35
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Tampa Bay area, USA
Boat: Beneteau First 42
Posts: 3,961
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Sleep deprivation does cause hallucinations. On a trip to Key West some years ago I was required to stand continuous watch because of very bad weather. After 20 hours at the helm in really rotten conditions, we were approaching Key West somewhat before sunrise and I kept imagining islands to our east even though I knew darned well there were none there. Never the less their apparent presence was rather compelling and were I in unknown waters I might have reacted rather than simply ignoring the impression and trusting my instruments. FWIW...
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08-01-2013, 09:48
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#4
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Wasn't Slocumb sick at the time? So a fever can bring on hallucinations, as does fatigue.
I think they are probably quite normal for a fatigued or I'll mind to conjure up what you would like... Relief from the storm, someone strong guiding etc.
Far better than the other way where fatigue could produce like what some drugs produce... Visions of horror!
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08-01-2013, 10:13
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 5,009
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Hallucinations can be powerful things. Obviously, this is nothing more than that.
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08-01-2013, 11:36
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Tampa Bay area, USA
Boat: Beneteau First 42
Posts: 3,961
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkJ
Wasn't Slocumb sick at the time? So a fever can bring on hallucinations, as does fatigue.
I think they are probably quite normal for a fatigued or I'll mind to conjure up what you would like... Relief from the storm, someone strong guiding etc.
Far better than the other way where fatigue could produce like what some drugs produce... Visions of horror!
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Slocum had rather over indulged in goat's cheese and Pico plumbs which anyone/everyone knows is a fool's mix. Fortunately for him the helmsman from the Pinta arrived on the scene and held Spray on course while Slocum endured his abdominal phenominal, chiding him for having indulged in such foolish provisions and regaling him with tales of travel and travail with Senior Capitan Columbo.
Ya gotta know yer history son....
__________________
"It is not so much for its beauty that the Sea makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from the waves, that so wonderfully renews a weary spirit."
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08-01-2013, 12:02
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 20,420
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
I think the stories come mostly from solo sailors: they get more tired, they have no company to talk to, they may start seeing and hearing things other people do not see and hear.
Never happened to me. My crew had hearing hallucinations once - this was too after many hours of exhausting watches and too little sleep.
b.
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08-01-2013, 12:17
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#8
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Boat: Retired Delivery Capt
Posts: 3,684
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svHyLyte
Slocum had rather over indulged in goat's cheese and Pico plumbs which anyone/everyone knows is a fool's mix. Fortunately for him the helmsman from the Pinta arrived on the scene and held Spray on course while Slocum endured his abdominal phenominal, chiding him for having indulged in such foolish provisions and regaling him with tales of travel and travail with Senior Capitan Columbo.
Ya gotta know yer history son....
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Speaking of knowing history..... The helmsman accompanied Slocum for much of his journey. They first met off that night, but like many noteworthy hallucinations he came by often.
Bill
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08-01-2013, 12:33
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Arctic Ocean
Boat: Under construction 35' ketch (and +3 smaller)
Posts: 2,738
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Might also be that a well balanced seaworthy boat handles itself fine. The skippers though he's somehowe irreplaceable navigating throw the eye of the storm being just delucion..
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09-01-2013, 08:31
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Tampa Bay area, USA
Boat: Beneteau First 42
Posts: 3,961
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Quote:
Originally Posted by TeddyDiver
Might also be that a well balanced seaworthy boat handles itself fine. The skippers though he's somehowe irreplaceable navigating throw the eye of the storm being just delucion..
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Actually, the Spray reportedly would hold a steady course with well trimmed and balanced sails and the helm free. The Hiscock's had the same experience, off the wind, with Wanderer III in the 1950's as did Joe Richards with his Freedom Sloop, Princess, in the 1930's-40's. In each case, the helm was left free.
FWIW...
__________________
"It is not so much for its beauty that the Sea makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from the waves, that so wonderfully renews a weary spirit."
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09-01-2013, 08:51
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#11
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2012
Location: At sea somewhere in the Pacific
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Fast 40.3
Posts: 6,351
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Old boat in my harbour, double ender, claims to have sailed 17 days on trimmed sails alone.
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09-01-2013, 08:57
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Vancouver, Wash.
Boat: no longer on my Cabo Rico 38 Sanderling
Posts: 1,810
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
I once had to chase an elephant off of my foredeck.
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09-01-2013, 09:06
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Marathon FL
Boat: Endeavour 35, 1984,
Posts: 937
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John A
I once had to chase an elephant off of my foredeck.
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I had the same experience also, but mine was pink, and get out of there flying!
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People spend time putting little boats in bottles, me I put bottles in my little boat...
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09-01-2013, 09:25
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Vancouver, Wash.
Boat: no longer on my Cabo Rico 38 Sanderling
Posts: 1,810
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alecadi
I had the same experience also, but mine was pink, and get out of there flying!
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Mine was grey with small ears. Yelling didn't work so I attached my teather to the jackline and went forward using a winch handle to force it to leave.
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09-01-2013, 09:50
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
Posts: 6,252
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Re: Imaginary Helmsman
We are social animals and crave company.
Robin Knox-Johnson claims it never happened to him. But there is one incident about which he writes hearing a voice that sure sounds like a hallucination.
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