CF Member Rescued After Being Lost at Sea For 66 Days-Merged

[Mystktravler]

Originally Posted by snort

I think I figured it out: He made it all up and was actually hiking the Appalachian Trail most of the time.

Like another famous guy in SC

[Spleen]

Originally Posted by jeepbluetj

From reading his posts, I definitely got the impression that $250 would be a very large sum for liveaboardl.

That close to shore a working VHF would have been a good thing to have too.

the Csmonitor article states the VHF was snapped in the rollover.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Spleen

the Csmonitor article states the VHF was snapped in the rollover.

One of the offshore race requirements is a spare antennae. Probably a worthwhile spare for offshore cruisers as well.

[Chuck Hawley]

I do not know the individual involved, and I am glad that he's safe, so please don't construe my comments as a personal attack. It occurs to me, however, that the reporting of the accident leaves some pretty big questions.

1. The sailor collected 25 gallons of water, and consumed a pint a day, and was dehydrated. Shoot, that's 200 days of water supply; it seems like you'd increase to a quart or half gallon.

2. I presume the boat was capsized early in the voyage and dismasted. But it righted itself, yet no jury rig was created for two months. Seems like the sailor would have sailed home.

3. No flares? No EPIRB? No SPOT? No PLB?

4. Engine could not be coaxed to work? I presume the battery was dead, but any other means of charging? Solar? Hand crank diesel?

5. How far away from the starting point was the boat found? I presume the Gulf Stream isn't too far away, so perhaps the boat was caught in a warm eddy? Seems like it would have traveled substantially further.

Anyone else have similar questions? Can't wait to find out the answers.

Chuck

[Spleen]

According to csmonitor article:

3) flares not seen. no EPIRB.

[jeepbluetj]

Originally Posted by Spleen

the Csmonitor article states the VHF was snapped in the rollover.

Waterproof handheld is a great backup (and even better if you can power it with AA's)

But as I mentioned before, liveabordl seemed to be on an extremely tight budget. I don't think that extra safety equipment was something he had access to. I don't know the guy other than what he posted here.

I'm a bit amazed that he was that close to shore and nobody saw him.

[captlloyd]

Lots of questions. My question is although he seems to not have filed any sort of float-plan, apparently his father knew what he was doing. It seems to me a drift estimation would have got a search area half way close. I have not read everything on this deal, but I haven't heard much about a search. Float-plans are good.

[TacomaSailor]

Just watched the national news showing him being picked up.

I've read some confusing and contradictory information. Maybe someone can clear it up for me.

His boat capsized and was dismasted yet the German ship said he was found sitting on the bottom of the capsized boat.

- Did the boat right itself?

- If not - where does one sit for 60+ days on the bottom of an inverted Alberg 35?
- If the boat stayed capsized - How did he "cook pancakes" and "cook fish" for 60+ days?
- If the boat righted itself - how did he run short of water? His tanks would have been full when he left the dock so he could have drunk 1/2 gallon a day and still had spare water?
- If the boat stayed inverted then how did he catch rain water to drink?

In the photo coming into the helicopter he looks identical to the pictures shown of him on shore.

- Did he get a trim and haircut while on the German ship?

[Jon Eisberg]

Originally Posted by Chuck Hawley

I do not know the individual involved, and I am glad that he's safe, so please don't construe my comments as a personal attack. It occurs to me, however, that the reporting of the accident leaves some pretty big questions.

1. The sailor collected 25 gallons of water, and consumed a pint a day, and was dehydrated. Shoot, that's 200 days of water supply; it seems like you'd increase to a quart or half gallon.

2. I presume the boat was capsized early in the voyage and dismasted. But it righted itself, yet no jury rig was created for two months. Seems like the sailor would have sailed home.

3. No flares? No EPIRB? No SPOT? No PLB?

4. Engine could not be coaxed to work? I presume the battery was dead, but any other means of charging? Solar? Hand crank diesel?

5. How far away from the starting point was the boat found? I presume the Gulf Stream isn't too far away, so perhaps the boat was caught in a warm eddy? Seems like it would have traveled substantially further.

Anyone else have similar questions? Can't wait to find out the answers.

Chuck

Seems many of us have similar doubts, his rate of drift does seem to be less than one might expect... The Condor 40 trimaran abandoned off Cape Fear back in January, if it is still afloat, could be well on its way to Ireland by now... :-)

My first thought was that after departing from Bucksport, he might have simply 'disappeared' for awhile in some of the backwaters along the Waccamaw, before eventually heading out of Winyah Bay... Wouldn't be hard to do in that area, especially in the dead of winter.. Hell, even if he had anchored up among the Blue Tarp fleet sitting off Georgetown, no one would have taken much notice :-)

However, it turns out he departed from Little River Inlet instead, after running up the Ditch from Bucksport... So, there's one fairly simple means of confirming whether the timing of his departure is as he claims...

Bridgetenders in SC generally record the passage of yachts for each opening, and he would have had to pass thru the swing bridges at Socastee, Barefoot Landing, and Little River prior to entering the ocean. A check of the records of those bridge operators might go a long way in confirming the timeline is as claimed, as once past Little River, there are precious few places where anyone might be able to 'hide'...

So, if the record indicates that he did indeed transit those bridges prior to 23 of January or thereabouts, I'd have to concede the likelihood that he really was 'at sea' for the period of time being claimed...

:-)

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by captlloyd

Lots of questions. My question is although he seems to not have filed any sort of float-plan, apparently his father knew what he was doing. It seems to me a drift estimation would have got a search area half way close. I have not read everything on this deal, but I haven't heard much about a search. Float-plans are good.

I'll withhold judgement till more information is available, but I read somewhere that when the father notified the CG (which might not have been on the same day the son left), they searched 10 days before giving up because they didn't have many details on the float plan such as where it was going. It's a big ocean to pinpoint something 35 feet in length. He is extremely lucky to have been found. And he just might make enough after his 15 minutes of fame to buy a more seaworthy boat

[jeepbluetj]

Big problem here is that the silly news folks say "capsized" where it was several 360 rolls. According to the interview with liveaboardl I saw this AM, occurred when he was asleep.

Only way an Alberg 35 is going to stay upside down is if you moved the keel to the deck.

I'd be pretty sure the hull was right-way up, without a rig.

Now, as to the amount of hair growth in 66 days. I can't say. The rest of y'all seem to have that pretty well covered. (It is strange tho)

[jackdale]

Rescue swimmer Kyle McCollum was the first to care for Jordan on the flight back to land.

"You would expect sunburns, severe sunburn, blisters maybe ... a bunch of medical issues that could possibly be wrong with him," he said. "But for him to be in his current state was pretty amazing."

Grenz was also surprised by Jordan's condition, physically and mentally. The rescued sailor knew almost exactly what day it was, remarkable for someone who had been on the water for more than 60 days.

Sailor adrift for 2 months in 'surprisingly good' shape - CNN.com

[EzzyD]

Originally Posted by jeepbluetj

<snip>
Now, as to the amount of hair growth in 66 days. I can't say. The rest of y'all seem to have that pretty well covered. (It is strange tho)
<snip>

To all the hair pulling over hair growth.. please note this earlier photo....

66 days of growth? Makes sense to me...



This is of course from the Daily Beast Story.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Whenever I see an account of someone "lost at sea" and then rescued after many days or weeks, I have to wonder "WHY" sailors or boat owners let this unnecessary vanishing happen, when today a sailor can get a PLB for about $250 or an EPIRB for $450.

While some may criticize the EPIRB use by sailors who "hit the Help Me button" for what some may think the wrong reasons, EPIRBs (and PLBs) do work and they do save lives and they do locate vessels in distress very quickly (and that frees up the SAR assets from wasted time searching).

I think stories like this one (and a very similar story some months ago about a man "lost at sea" for 12 days while fishing on a sailboat near Oahu, Hawaii) are good as reminders that some very simple decisions and simple to operate things (EPIRB) can make a big difference in rescue or survival stories.

As one Coast Guard officer said:

"An EPIRB takes the 'search' out of 'Search and Rescue.'"

In this case, having a $260 item (PLB) on board the boat would have meant locating him in minutes or rescuing him in hours, rather than "missing for 66 days" and adrift "surviving" for 64 days.

I think the lesson for ANY boat (power or sail) is: "Don't go offshore without an EPIRB or PLB."

While a boat may sink, as long as the crew has a working EPIRB (or PLB), there is a very good chance they will be located.

Will only be a matter of time before USA mandates EPIRBS for all coastal/offshore vessels as is the case with some countries allready. Saves enormous amount in search costs.

[Rustic Charm]

gee guys lots of guessing going on here. And it's a bit below the belt suggesting he was hiding out somewhere.

Let's just wait for a thing called 'information' to be released before condemning him yet.

Hell, if he's a CF member maybe he will even come and answer some questions. unless of course he's read CF then he'll be ready to be crucified.