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Old 10-09-2019, 09:12   #1
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Gulf stream trouble

I have been following Josh Post on YT for a few weeks now and he has posted some good DIY stuff for a 1st-time owner. I have been day sailing for the last few years but a relatively new owner of a used sailboat and I find his videos very helpful.

Recently, he posted a video (https://youtu.be/YoOxRHmYes4) detailing his misadventures during a solo sailing trip across the gulf stream - it is very painful to watch but I admire his courage in posting it. I don't claim to be an expert on solo sailing and navigation and even though I can solo sail my boat for a weekend I wouldn't venture far from my home grounds without a crew or two.

I am sure we will all take something from his video, I know I did.
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Old 10-09-2019, 09:45   #2
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

Quote:
Originally Posted by navdi View Post
SNIP

it is very painful to watch but I admire his courage in posting it. I don't claim to be an expert on solo sailing and navigation and even though I can solo sail my boat for a weekend I wouldn't venture far from my home grounds without a crew or two.

I am sure we will all take something from his video, I know I did.
So painful to watch I could not do it. At about the 2:30 mark it became clear that there is no way to sugar coat it this guy has sheet for brains. Who in their right mind would think it was a good idea that their first real solo passage should be a 3-4 day passage (or more) in open ocean.

The first time I was in the Gulf Stream was in 1954, and crossed it multiple times since. Since 2012 when I bought my boat I have almost exclusively single handed it. Lots of miles in the Keys, Florida West Coast, and across the Gulf Stream. I did have one problem with the pin on the main halyard pully giving way but other wise nothing to speak of.

Of course the first thing I do is plan the passage and make sure I get the best weather window possible. It is quite possible to cruise the Bahamas and never do anything but daylight passages in great weather.

Just as an aside if he had gone down the ICW to Miami, or even better the Keys, and left from some place like Anglefish Creek with a good weather window he could have left at dawn and be eating supper in Bimini. Then across the banks to Morgan's, to West Bay, and North to the Abacos or East to Spanish Wells, and the South to Georgetown; and never have to sail in the dark.

When folks talk about learning to sail/cruise the most important part is not what happens out there, it is what you do before you get out there.
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Old 10-09-2019, 10:21   #3
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

It takes some guts to post that video - and I genuinely admire him for it. He's a normal sailor with experience levels of an intermediate level - and everyone who sees it can benefit from it. No shame there at all, as far as I'm concerned. Complete lack of sleep, and repeated unexpected problems can lead to an overwhelming experience for anyone. By evidence, it appears any typical disaster is usually a long combination of things. He probably will not make any mistake twice.
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Old 10-09-2019, 10:45   #4
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

Finally watched the whole vid. First thing that comes to mind is his boat looked like it was in good shape. Almost always the boat can take a lot more than the captain and crew. Does not really sound like he hit any weather one would not expect on such a passage.

What bothers me worst about this is his comment to 'follow your dreams'. He clearly is not a good sailor. I am reminded of the Redford movie where lots of comments were along the lines of someone who made a check list of everything possible you could do wrong and then followed the check list.

This guy has no experience solo sailing and has terrible judgement. He does not belong on a boat without adult supervision. I am reminded of the Rebel Heart story. Guy gets over confident and sets of on a passage he is not ready to make. He says he knows he should have reefed but did not do so. Not sure about the head sail issues but he did mention he was making good time and I got the feeling he was treating this like a race as opposed to wanting a safe passage.

I am not so sure he won't continue making similar mistakes. One thing I have noticed is that back in the day guys like this were few and far between; now it seems like there are a lot more guys with no experience and bad judgement who pull out their credit card and think they are capable of sailing off into the sunset.

At some point I expect the government to step in and require some type of certification to operate a boat as a result of guys like this who should stay on dirt.
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Old 10-09-2019, 10:46   #5
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

I don't understand why anyone would contemplate crossing the stream from Jacksonville to the Bahamas, fighting the current and likely the wind. It's not like there is a dearth of information about crossing the stream. I guess some folks don't understand just how crazy it can get in the wrong conditions and how it does not take a lot for it to get that way.

Did not watch all of the video yet but sure hope it includes lessons learned and some good information.
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Old 10-09-2019, 11:13   #6
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

Navdi, what we take from the video is that he is an incompetent idiot!

Amateur Hour on Y-tube. If you read the comments on his site other idiots actually think he knows what he is doing!

Our 8 yr-old grandson, Ben, is a better sailor!
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Old 10-09-2019, 12:06   #7
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

I thought that this was a sad and ridiculous video. Why anyone would want to post something like this baffles me. It is just pathetic self pity, and the crying just emphasises his lack of spine.
An idiot looking for a village.
Truly pitiful.
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Old 10-09-2019, 12:08   #8
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

Wtf.. 2 foot seas and a little wind along with **** planning in the old days we would just call him a pussy
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Old 10-09-2019, 12:29   #9
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

Where did this guy get his sailing experience? His bathtub. Good sailors would have done their research to determine the best place and time to cross the stream. I've crossed it form Buford after getting a good weather window. Even then, I ran across fog and stopped for a US submarine. Ain't no telling what you can run across. Florida Keys sounds like a good place to wait for a good weather window.
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Old 10-09-2019, 12:43   #10
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

His video reminds me of the demotivator poster:

Mistakes: It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as warning to others.

Or possibly:

Hope isn't much of a plan.

He didn't adjust his plan/make a good plan, was overconfident in his abilities, was fighting sleep deprivation.

While I appreciate him posting, I wonder if he realized he'd get a lot of internet sympathy out of it. Hey, risking death is good for ratings.

Was he sailing for the Bahamas? Looks like he had awesome weather, so I guess he was lucky about that. I guess he got lucky and turned back for Florida, which means his boat probably survived the hurricane.

Is he fake news, or is it true that God takes care of drunks, children, and wayward sailors?

All that said, he's a likeable guy.
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Old 10-09-2019, 13:04   #11
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

This is definitely one way to learn. Maybe not the best way, I bet he will never make those same mistakes again. He is very lucky to not have any serious issues and he got a great deal of experience.

I did 2 separate 10 day solo runs a while back. For me i feel that you need to power-nap. Its a meditative state you get into to give your mind and brain rest and keep fresh. It worked for me. Dodging squalls, reefing, tending sails, etc.. and being able to fix stuff along the way all worked when i gave myself frequent power naps of few minutes to 10-15 minutes. And by frequent, I mean all the time. Whenever I felt tired. With that schedule, I was able to fix a lot if issues along the way... For instance i had to convert engine to raw water after heat exchanger blew up, or on numerous times I had to sew ripped sails (I have a sailrite onboard). Two important tasks...Keep the boat under control, and nap. So when sh*t hits the fan you are rested and ready to go and you don't exert significant energy to keep things in control. Monitor windvane was priceless as it steered most of the way. i barely went behind the helm.
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Old 10-09-2019, 13:07   #12
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

While I agree with most of your comments I wouldn't completely bash the guy, he made a mistake and he paid for it - every sailor is inexperienced until he gains experience. I am a novice sailor but I do know my limits and will never undertake a passage like his, especially when he admits he only learned about the Gulf stream in the previous week. Also, I find it weird that he just decided to go to the Bahamas when he was offshore near Jacksonville! A knockdown through which he came out ok will certainly teach him a lot - I hope, as he says he will still continue going solo, I would hire crew/s that have made this passage to gain more experience and overcome fear before I go solo again in his place.

A certification/assessment system for sailors is not inappropriate but I find it very difficult to add any kind of objectivity to it. How do you assess different sailing styles where they all may be right? After certifying, how do you assess his/her decision making prior to passage making? How many hours is enough experience? What sailing grounds and weather/conditions do you test someone in? Do experienced sailors never get knocked down? A guy may be an excellent sailor but not know how to fix stuff on the boat which could be equally disastrous..

Thoughts? Comments?
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Old 10-09-2019, 13:48   #13
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

In a way, this is just a natural result of all the YT sailors of recent years. It's become a cultural thing to have long, heartfelt, soliloquys with just yourself - and a camera broadcasting it. Other people see it - and feel - "I can do that," and they do it.

I'm not that old, but in my earlier day - you did not view your life as a drama for affirmation. You just prepared yourself, and did it, if you had a mind to. You did not think of broadcasting it - because that would be egotistical. You generally tried to come across as confident, and having your act together. This generally contributed to your being confident, and generally having your act together. At least now - as people increasingly sit on front of a computer screen (myself included) - they say "Hey - I can do that too" so perhaps it is a net positive, if not always a good idea. Kinda circular. I'm not sure where it's going.
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Old 11-09-2019, 05:38   #14
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

Quote:
Originally Posted by navdi View Post
...every sailor is inexperienced until he gains experience.
This is not an issue of experience. There is a HUGE amount of information out there about how to cross the Gulf Stream safely. He, very obviously, didn't bother to do even the least little bit of research before heading out. Or, if he did, he arrogantly decided that he knew better than all of the folks who have done it multiple times in the past. Either way, that is NOT "good seamanship." Not even close!
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Old 11-09-2019, 06:40   #15
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Re: Gulf stream trouble

This gentleman was not prepared for what he set off to do. The sad part is that the "lessons learned" are not those that should have been learned.


Where are the lessons learned for a better understanding of weather forecasts?The deficiencies of gribs (and therefore all apps) compared to synoptics charts?


His routing, navigation, and piloting skills are deficient. Set and drift matter with ocean currents. Crabbing across a big current is a sucker bet. Dependence on electronics is why so many people leave Lake Worth for West End. It's just foolish.


Who in their right mind sails down against the Gulf Stream (even the edge) from Hilton Head to Jacksonville before turning toward the Bahamas?


He doesn't appear to know what heave-to is. Easing the jib before heaving to? What's up with that.

He doesn't understand the nature of the Gulf Stream. He has a diagram but does not get the implications.

"2 knots/hour" all by itself is a clear indication that he can't navigate.



Nice videography and editing. Value to the sailing community is zero.
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