Forum Member's Boat and Daughter in Trouble off of Mexico

[deckofficer]

atoll, your a hell of a decent bloke, my hat is off to you. You were prepared to drop everything and head out to save S/V Rebel Heart if it was possible. I am so sorry for the loss of the vessel, but elated that the entire family is safe. We are all a product of our experiences, good, bad, and indifferent, and even though I know many that have sailed on the lean with young children, I'll be curious if Eric and Charlotte might consider a cat as the replacement S/V Rebel Heart II.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Todd conant

Charlotte from Rebel Heart contacted her sister, Sariah and stated that RH was scuttled by the Navy due to a leak on the boat which made it a navigational hazard. Family are all fine including Lyra. Steaming toward San Diego.

thanks for posting todd and welcome to the forum,give eric and charlotte my regards when you see them.

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by atoll

,bad news i'm afraid from erics sister

I landed a couple of hours ago and I have just now finished interviews. I have more in a little bit also BEST NEWS! I talk to Charlotte for a while. Lyra is so much better. Everyone is resting aboard the ship. REBEL HEART HAS BEEN SUNK. They did not have a choice. Charlotte and Eric where able to take three bags off the boat. The are going to be helicoptered in Tuesday Morning. They are asking for a couple of days of rest and then they will make announcement and speak to media. I will be online later to help get things together. Thank you again for all the love and support. Charlotte is truly touched by all the kindness.
Like ·


edit thanks for all the support and well wishers.
if anybody feels like sending them a donation in lieu of support in their time of need they can here.
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/djWq3...5f0f88cab35adb

Well that's great for the family (I saw the NBC Sunday evening news segment about this, and looked at a few baby pics on the RH blogs, had tears in my eyes, they're so much like mine- a while ago).

Dangnabit about the boat though.
I spoke to my Coastie daughter a couple of hours ago, Coastie hubby is on watch, nothing yet about this incident (not in the same District anyway).
But she reiterated that with abandoned vessels, the Coasties policy is to either drive the ship over it, depending (crunch, shhh, this is unofficial), or let the gunners have a fine gunnery evolution; just for practice, and the entertainment of the rest of the crew. Hazard to nav and all that. Navy must be the same.

[Captain Bill]

The story has made it to AOL and CNN. AOL reported that the boat took on water every time they ran the engine (prop shaft seal?). Some of the AOL comments have been pretty mean. A lot of people are complaining about the cost. I think it's a lot wiser use of money to save one live little girl than the millions that are being spent looking for 239 dead people. I don't see any logical difference between the children on 370 and the children on Rebel Heart other than they are alive. No matter what you do, every day you live there's a chance that something bad might happen and you'll get killed. If 370 had ditched into the ocean would the people who are criticizing the costs of the rescue efforts for Rebel Heart and second guessing the parents be complaining about the costs of rescuing the 370 passengers and second guessing the parents wisdom for putting them on an airliner? I'm just glad that we (americans, not me personally) were able to help in this case.

[Gadagirl]

So Sad

[fozrunner]

Well that's sad news that they sunk the boat, it seems such a waste.

Glad the family is safe, it's the most important thing!

It will be interesting to hear from Rebel Heart about how this all eventuated and if anything different could have be done. Lessons learned in hindsight can be very useful for the whole community.

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

atoll, your a hell of a decent bloke, my hat is off to you. You were prepared to drop everything and head out to save S/V Rebel Heart if it was possible. I am so sorry for the loss of the vessel, but elated that the entire family is safe. We are all a product of our experiences, good, bad, and indifferent, and even though I know many that have sailed on the lean with young children, I'll be curious if Eric and Charlotte might consider a cat as the replacement S/V Rebel Heart II.

Yeah, what he said!

[MarkJ]

Is that the steering wheel in the pic?



Lolol good on ya Eric!

[atoll]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

atoll, your a hell of a decent bloke, my hat is off to you. You were prepared to drop everything and head out to save S/V Rebel Heart if it was possible. I am so sorry for the loss of the vessel, but elated that the entire family is safe. We are all a product of our experiences, good, bad, and indifferent, and even though I know many that have sailed on the lean with young children, I'll be curious if Eric and Charlotte might consider a cat as the replacement S/V Rebel Heart II.

thanks for the kind words,but i would like to say a special thank you to

minaret,wotname,kenomac,greg from mantus anchors,nolex77,nigel1 , high heels and lastly zeehag.

who all offered financial,logistical,networking and moral support.
also all the guys who offered to crew for me
and toby on OFLO in panama.

sorry if i haven't mentioned every body
who sent me thank you's

but any body who wants to say thanks you could do so by dropping a few dollars here for Rebel Heart.
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/djWq3...5f0f88cab35adb

[sww914]

Originally Posted by Gadagirl

So Sad

This is the most heart wrenching thing I've seen on this subject.
We wanted to save her.
We were trying to figure it out here, we were trying.

[minaret]

I'm guessing bad heat exchanger or other cooling system part. They said she took on water every time they tried to start the engine. Probably not the packing gland. What a shame. At least all are well, it's all that matters in the end.

[Wonderinlost]

Originally Posted by minaret

I'm guessing bad heat exchanger or other cooling system part. They said she took on water every time they tried to start the engine. Probably not the packing gland.

Thats my thought. One the seacock is opened up then trouble. If the packing gland dosent the shaft be spinning while under way with most gearboxes. Thus taking water anyway. If so bad taking on water while the engine running no matter running or not it would be taking on water.

[sparau]

Originally Posted by Travelnik

Yeah, what he said!

+1 and +1 to the CF community.

So Atoll, was a possible leaking stuffing box even a concern for you?

EDIT: just saw the supposition about heat exchanger etc.

So sad they lost their boat

[KDH]

Just shared on another site: Eric and Charlotte Kaufman, recently rescued from their sailing vessel in the Pacific Ocean, have issued the following statement from aboard the US Navy Oliver Hazard Perry class Frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG 48):

"First, we would like to express how grateful we are to the men and women of the Coast Guard, California Air National Guard and Navy who rescued our family, especially the pararescuemen and crew of USS Vandegrift. We are very thankful to be safe and well. We also appreciate all the concern, thoughts and prayers of everyone back home for the health of our daughter Lyra. She is doing well now, and her medical condition continues to improve.

"We understand there are those who question our decision to sail with our family, but please know that this is how our family has lived for seven years, and when we departed on this journey more than a year ago, we were then and remain today confident that we prepared as well as any sailing crew could. The ocean is one of the greatest forces of nature, and it always has the potential to overcome those who live on or near it. We are proud of our choices and our preparation, and while we are disappointed that we lost our sailboat and our home, we remain grateful for those who came to our aid and those family and friends who continue to encourage and support us.

"Thank you."

[atoll]

Originally Posted by sparau

+1 and +1 to the CF community.

So Atoll, was a possible leaking stuffing box even a concern for you?

EDIT: just saw the supposition about heat exchanger etc.

So sad they lost their boat

!

nah! wouldnt be the first time i've used old rope to pack a gland or dived over the side and sealed up a skinfitting with a plug,or a cutless bearing with a plastic bag............you should try sailing wooden boats if you are worried about a few leaks