Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

[eyschulman]

The point about getting into trouble in the middle of a big ocean is you are in the middle of a big ocean. And yes all boats and all crew can have the **** hit the fan. My thought is do the individuals who see the adventure also see the **** hitting the fan and how many are not seeing that before departing. Does a parent with small kids adequately weigh that prospect? While I might take some significant risks on my boats I am pretty conservative about what I would drag my kids or grand kids into. Yes it's a personal judgment thing, but I make the call giving weight to both sides . Maybe because I have looked in to the face of sixty foot waves and the fury of the north Atlantic I tend to be conservative. I doubt that too many of the posters that encourage the ocean hopping life style or the cruisers they cheer on would have survived the conditions I allude to. Ok it's rare but I know for sure its out there.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by eyschulman

The point about getting into trouble in the middle of a big ocean is you are in the middle of a big ocean. And yes all boats and all crew can have the **** hit the fan. My thought is do the individuals who see the adventure also see the **** hitting the fan and how many are not seeing that before departing. Does a parent with small kids adequately weigh that prospect? While I might take some significant risks on my boats I am pretty conservative about what I would drag my kids or grand kids into. Yes it's a personal judgment thing, but I make the call giving weight to both sides . Maybe because I have looked in to the face of sixty foot waves and the fury of the north Atlantic I tend to be conservative. I doubt that too many of the posters that encourage the ocean hopping life style or the cruisers they cheer on would have survived the conditions I allude to. Ok it's rare but I know for sure its out there.

We are not cruising in the North Atlantic in winter. Most families would not. Except yours

[Waterway Guide]

There have been so many misrepresentations in the media, like the reporting that the baby was sick when they left Mexico (the baby had been sick with salmonella, but they waited until the baby was healthy before leaving), or that the boat was sinking (it was taking on a small amount of water). Here is a very uplifting video that also clears up a lot of the media's mistakes: Guardian Angels from the 131st Rescue Squadron speak at a press conference about the Rebel Heart search and rescue mission (Moffett Federal Airfield, April 9, 2014 – U.S Air National Guard video by Airman 1st Class Julia Bates). In the 23-minute video, members of the rescue team express that the cruising family "made the right call to call for help when they did" and handled themselves very well during the rescue – "The family was very very well-prepared for the voyage...they did everything right, including calling us as early as they did." When a reporter asked whether "the taxpayers pay for the rescue" or whether the family will be billed, the rescue member stated "we're using the same resources we would have used if we were training in Monteray Bay...just this time we come back with four lives...we're in the saving-lives business, not the billing business." There are many more moments like these, plus some very stupid questions from the reporters (like "were they worried that people would think they were terrible parents?")...worth a listen: The Rebel Heart rescue - UPDATE | General | Waterwayguide.com News Updates

[captainbri]

Originally Posted by Waterway Guide

There have been so many misrepresentations in the media, like the reporting that the baby was sick when they left Mexico (the baby had been sick with salmonella, but they waited until the baby was healthy before leaving), or that the boat was sinking (it was taking on a small amount of water). Here is a very uplifting video that also clears up a lot of the media's mistakes: Guardian Angels from the 131st Rescue Squadron speak at a press conference about the Rebel Heart search and rescue mission (Moffett Federal Airfield, April 9, 2014 – U.S Air National Guard video by Airman 1st Class Julia Bates). In the 23-minute video, members of the rescue team express that the cruising family "made the right call to call for help when they did" and handled themselves very well during the rescue – "The family was very very well-prepared for the voyage...they did everything right, including calling us as early as they did." When a reporter asked whether "the taxpayers pay for the rescue" or whether the family will be billed, the rescue member stated "we're using the same resources we would have used if we were training in Monteray Bay...just this time we come back with four lives...we're in the saving-lives business, not the billing business." There are many more moments like these, plus some very stupid questions from the reporters (like "were they worried that people would think they were terrible parents?")...worth a listen: The Rebel Heart rescue - UPDATE | General | Waterwayguide.com News Updates

Like he said they are happy to rescue American's. . They are out there rescuing evweyone else as soon as an American's people want to know how much it cost..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[IdoraKeeper]

I normally don't agree much with Ann T Kate but in this case I do. More must be known to comment. I too have reservations about the way the vessel was crewed for all the reasons given here but we still need to know more facts. Can't this wait a month?

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by minaret

If it helps, I did this once too. No diver, much smaller boat and no damage to anything due to my long habit of taking a turn around a cleat, both on deck and on the dock. Still highly embarrassing, particularly with the usual audience.

The cleat idea is a good one. The 50 cable is pretty thick, but I could probably take a turn about the windlass and maybe the cleat. Thanks.

[Horror Hotel]

Really good point about the Bumfuzzles, they got trashed on hard from this form in particular, but they made it without issue or disaster.

I think the Bumfuzzles are great, Pats care less attitude is representative of our generations get out and do it style.

Pat, Eric and I are all roughly the same age. Most here ridiculed Pat, but now won't stand to hear a bad word about Eric. Says a lot about being part of the "in crowd " around here. And about age gap as well.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Delfin

The cleat idea is a good one. The 50 cable is pretty thick, but I could probably take a turn about the windlass and maybe the cleat. Thanks.

Yep, 50 cable will usually make one turn. I assure you, I got laughs as I throttled up and wondered aloud why my boat wasn't moving. 50 cable is also pretty strong, and works fine as dock line...

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by minaret

Yep, 50 cable will usually make one turn. I assure you, I got laughs as I throttled up and wondered aloud why my boat wasn't moving. 50 cable is also pretty strong, and works fine as dock line...

Well, very nice of you to share the pain, so to speak even if of a less spectacular sort. I was mortified, but thank you.

[eyschulman]

Salty Monky I was not cruising with my family in the North Atlantic in winter it was summer and I was an officer on a 311 ft USCG cutter during a rescue of five souls aboard a sailing vessel with a professional captain and able crew. You should also be informed that there is no such thing as an absolutely safe passage across a large stretch of ocean. Weather aside there is fire-water intrusion-collision even with whales and disease. So when you are out there you are really out there. So in like the situation I described above an entire ship of coasties had to risk ship and life to rescue five adventurous sailors. So From that prospective I see cheering people on some of them truly clueless as somewhat irresponsible.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by eyschulman

Salty Monky I was not cruising with my family in the North Atlantic in winter it was summer and I was an officer on a 311 ft USCG cutter during a rescue of five souls aboard a sailing vessel with a professional captain and able crew. You should also be informed that there is no such thing as an absolutely safe passage across a large stretch of ocean. Weather aside there is fire-water intrusion-collision even with whales and disease. So when you are out there you are really out there. So in like the situation I described above an entire ship of coasties had to risk ship and life to rescue five adventurous sailors. So From that prospective I see cheering people on some of them truly clueless as somewhat irresponsible.

Didn't quite understand. Can you elaborate a biT?

- the boat had professional captain and able crew?

SM: The boat was in best practice?

- So From that prospective I see cheering people on some of them truly clueless as somewhat irresponsible.

SM: Didn't quite understand that.

EDIT: My point though was the coconut route isn't usually the north atlantic fast moving movie.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by eyschulman

Salty Monky I was not cruising with my family in the North Atlantic in winter it was summer and I was an officer on a 311 ft USCG cutter during a rescue of five souls aboard a sailing vessel with a professional captain and able crew. You should also be informed that there is no such thing as an absolutely safe passage across a large stretch of ocean. Weather aside there is fire-water intrusion-collision even with whales and disease. So when you are out there you are really out there. So in like the situation I described above an entire ship of coasties had to risk ship and life to rescue five adventurous sailors. So From that prospective I see cheering people on some of them truly clueless as somewhat irresponsible.

Well you beat me to it. Was going to point out that it doesn't have to be winter to see big seas in the north Atlantic. Once you get into the higher latitudes it's a crap shoot, no matter what time of year.

That being said, in my opinion and experience, the odds of seeing survival level weather (like 60' waves) in lower latitudes is almost zero unless you are out in hurricane season. However, even then there are those occasional tropical depressions that seem to have misplaced their calendar.

And by the way, thanks for serving in the CG. So far have not needed rescuing myself but always good to know that it's there if I do.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by skipmac

That being said, in my opinion and experience, the odds of seeing survival level weather (like 60' waves) in lower latitudes is almost zero unless you out in hurricane season. However, even then there are those occasional tropical depressions that seem to have misplaced their calendar.

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by eyschulman

Salty Monky I was not cruising with my family in the North Atlantic in winter it was summer and I was an officer on a 311 ft USCG cutter during a rescue of five souls aboard a sailing vessel with a professional captain and able crew. You should also be informed that there is no such thing as an absolutely safe passage across a large stretch of ocean. Weather aside there is fire-water intrusion-collision even with whales and disease. So when you are out there you are really out there. So in like the situation I described above an entire ship of coasties had to risk ship and life to rescue five adventurous sailors. So From that prospective I see cheering people on some of them truly clueless as somewhat irresponsible.

Perhaps the waves look different from Monkey's apartment?

Quite right on the inherent dangers associated with cruising. My wife's greatest fear when we are a week away from land is that someone falls down a companionway ladder, slices open a finger, has a heart attack. This stuff happens on land, so can certainly happen offshore and you have to be mentally prepared to deal with it, recognizing that sometimes you can't have fully prepared for what happens. It is avoiding and preparing for the obvious ways to fail that separates the responsible from the clueless. And causes some to ask "what were they thinking" when they read about the catastrophes that do occur.

[eyschulman]

Salty Monky I think any further elaboration will only confuse you more. If you don't get it you don't get it. So I agree to disagree with your attitude whatever it is. My attitude as well demonstrated by the misfortune of Rebel Hart and crew is that Ocean crossings in small boats is serious business and should not be taken lightly. While I may not get too much support for that opinion on this site(a matter of audience selection) I still think it has to be said.