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Old 15-04-2014, 14:30   #361
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

I believe I read RH lost its self steering, not steering. I think he had a vane of some sort. It probably malfunctioned.
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Old 15-04-2014, 14:43   #362
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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Originally Posted by cwyckham View Post
I actually really hope that he does find a way to turn this into at least some income to help either replace RH or set up a new life on land. They lost everything and have been torn apart publicly. I hope they find a way to at least partially monetize their 15 minutes to compensate.
Agreed

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Old 15-04-2014, 14:44   #363
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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Originally Posted by SVNeko View Post
I believe I read RH lost its self steering, not steering. I think he had a vane of some sort. It probably malfunctioned.
that would have been most unfortunate,on a downwind passage in 5 ft waves.
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Old 15-04-2014, 14:46   #364
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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that would have been most unfortunate,on a downwind passage in 5 ft waves.
Lucky i have a book

Self-Steering for Sailing Craft: John S. Letcher Jr.: 9780877420422: Amazon.com: Books

I can read it while waiting for PJ's
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Old 15-04-2014, 14:50   #365
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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I believe I read RH lost its self steering, not steering. I think he had a vane of some sort. It probably malfunctioned.
You'll need to provide a reference to a reliable source. Otherwise you're just increasing the uncertainty. I'm sure I haven't seen that stated anywhere.
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Old 15-04-2014, 15:01   #366
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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You'll need to provide a reference to a reliable source. Otherwise you're just increasing the uncertainty. I'm sure I haven't seen that stated anywhere.
seems very likely,given that they had no problem sailing to windward to redendevous with vandergrift,and it was the sister that reported the steering problem,plus we have a photo of a pj hand steering.
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Old 15-04-2014, 15:08   #367
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

What we have seen so far via the blog and news indicates to me a tired skipper faced with a sick child and a boat that was accumulating defects. His wife was by her own statement quite out of sorts and exhausted. I suspect that the illness of the child was the event that in light of all else tipped the scale to seek rescue.
In my own case, while I have no desire to cross the Pacific I do have some open ocean plans. The fate of RH is instructive to me in that fatigue must/will affect how you feel about what is happening at any given moment. What might be an annoyance under one condition can become an ominous threat under another. Even though I have sailed with my kids all their lives I will be careful to remember what happened to RH and try to avoid such a fate by all means necessary. This story is a cautionary tale.
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Old 15-04-2014, 15:14   #368
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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What we have seen so far via the blog and news indicates to me a tired skipper faced with a sick child and a boat that was accumulating defects. His wife was by her own statement quite out of sorts and exhausted. I suspect that the illness of the child was the event that in light of all else tipped the scale to seek rescue.
In my own case, while I have no desire to cross the Pacific I do have some open ocean plans. The fate of RH is instructive to me in that fatigue must/will affect how you feel about what is happening at any given moment. What might be an annoyance under one condition can become an ominous threat under another. Even though I have sailed with my kids all their lives I will be careful to remember what happened to RH and try to avoid such a fate by all means necessary. This story is a cautionary tale.
faced with the prospect of 2000 miles of handsteering,only 100 liters of fuel left to charge the bateries to run the electric auto pilot.......game over
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Old 15-04-2014, 15:15   #369
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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You'll need to provide a reference to a reliable source. Otherwise you're just increasing the uncertainty. I'm sure I haven't seen that stated anywhere.
I don't "need" to provide you anything. There have been numerous news reports quoting the boat's inability to steer itself. That's a lot more plausible than the boat losing steering. But if you want to believe the worst, suit yourself.
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Old 15-04-2014, 15:25   #370
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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It isn't your business. If Eric decides to say anything it's nothing more than courteous on his part.
That's your opinion, but this is still an open Internet forum where we are free to pose questions. You may not like that but I don't particularly care for people telling me what my business is either.

We were just reminded by a moderator that asking critical questions is not a sin here even though some seem to think so.
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Old 15-04-2014, 15:28   #371
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Unhappy Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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faced with the prospect of 2000 miles of handsteering,only 100 liters of fuel left to charge the bateries to run the electric auto pilot.......game over
Quite so. Glad they are safe and hope they can pull up their socks and get back on the water. I have wreaked cars but never lost a boat. I would have trouble living it down without a rematch.
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Old 15-04-2014, 15:31   #372
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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Loss of steering is unlikely on the Hans
36, does it not have a robust worm drive steering and a emergency tiller? Leaking fuel tanks prior to leaving?
I saw this couple in La Paz over a period of several weeks and advised them to have a method of long distance comms, I believe they purchased a sat phone.
Both the children were exposed to measles prior to their leaving and yes, there was dengue fever around. The marina was spraying for it continually.
Despite RH large number of posts on cf he seemed to lack any offshore experience as did his wife and it would appear they just had enough and came up with a excuse to push the big red button to get off. In turn this has cost the taxpayer a huge sum not to mention putting life's in danger. The USCG did not take part in this rescue. It was the National Guard and the US Navy. Now the funds that have been donated should go to the wounded warriors and not lining their pockets for endangering themselves and the children.
This tired old retarded statement always comes up and it's just plain dumb. These folk are already being paid whether they are sitting around drinking coffee, saving lives, or training to save lives. All the planes, ships etc are frequently being used in 'pretend' training exercises. Here they actually get to do what they joined up to do and get the satisfaction of a job well done. The point is, the taxpayers $ is being spent anyway, there is no extra cost.

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Old 15-04-2014, 15:38   #373
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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faced with the prospect of 2000 miles of handsteering,only 100 liters of fuel left to charge the bateries to run the electric auto pilot.......game over
The 2000 miles of hand steering is a major issue. The fuel? I would think that he could have got a diesel top up.

I think the decision maker here was Erik felt that either his wife was not in a condition to handle the kids, media etc alone, or he had reached his own limit.
Neither would be surprising given what they were going through.

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Old 15-04-2014, 15:46   #374
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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Originally Posted by SVNeko View Post
I believe I read RH lost its self steering, not steering. I think he had a vane of some sort. It probably malfunctioned.

Ok, let me say a bit of conjecture...

He had a small Raymarine autopilot too, quite new.
He bought the wind vane steering too, but didnt upgrade the Auto Pilot to a 6000 series.

I think he was deluded but the forum crap (imho crap) that wind vanes are better than AP (sextants et al).

A small AP will not hold a heavy boat like that in bad weather and seas unless the boat is finely balanced.... And that needs a 2 man crew, or more.

I certainly dont think a wind pilot is worth diddly-squat in those conditions.

So he only had hand steering... And a one man band cant hand steer 24/7


It brings it down to what were his fundamental flaws? Listening to old technology, and in the 9 years he owned the boat he did not do enough long distance sailing to work those flaws out.


Mark
P.S. Sorry if it sounds negative but the glad handing sh!ts me. Time to get serious about helping others from the same or similar situations
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Old 15-04-2014, 15:51   #375
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Re: Rebel Heart's Contribution to the Cruising Community

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Ok, let me say a bit of conjecture...

He had a small Raymarine autopilot too, quite new.
He bought the wind vane steering too, but didnt upgrade the Auto Pilot to a 6000 series.

I think he was deluded but the forum crap (imho crap) that wind vanes are better than AP (sextants et al).

A small AP will not hold a heavy boat like that in bad weather and seas unless the boat is finely balanced.... And that needs a 2 man crew, or more.

I certainly dont think a wind pilot is worth diddly-squat in those conditions.

So he only had hand steering... And a one man band cant hand steer 24/7


It brings it down to what were his fundamental flaws? Listening to old technology, and in the 9 years he owned the boat he did not do enough long distance sailing to work those flaws out.


Mark
P.S. Sorry if it sounds negative but the glad handing sh!ts me. Time to get serious about helping others from the same or similar situations
+1 to the above,plus i think now we are in no danger of the media running away with this and performing a crucifiction.
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