Unfortunate turn!

[teamivey]

Would being more prepared helped Pat and Ali? Maybe. Most negative posters list things that could happen, not that have. A meteor could hit their boat. It could. Pirates could board them. A whale could breech under them. Fact is they have made it 3/4 of the way around the world. Which I'm guessing makes them more experienced than probably over half of the negative posters in this thread. Probably more than that. Having said that I am sure Wheels or someone with a lot of Experience will be the next to comment to defend their negativity. Some of it is understandable, but maybe should be said with a little more couth.

I drive truck. When I first started, I experienced the same kind of negativity from other experienced drivers. I also came to driving truck a little differently than the average, much like PnA's approach to sailing. I took 1 lesson from a friend of mine who owned his own 18 wheeler, got my liscence and then got a job. I had no experience at all and would ask other drivers questions all the time. Just like here, I would get two reactions. One would be that another driver would answer my questions, and let me know if there was anything else I needed to feel free to ask. The second reply would be a lot like the negative replies that I see here. I had no business being out there with no experience and that I was a danger to all. 9 years later I drive a 30 wheeler not 18. I have never been in an accident. Knock on wood. Pat and Ali have done great! Congratulations to them. They should get congratulations from you also. You were wrong. (you know who you is so don't post some indignant response if you are not one of the yous) Maybe not in theory, but Pat and Ali are not theory. Given the amount of experience they have now, who would begrudge them their trip across the atlantic?

Finally they have experienced local culture, maybe not on the same scale as some of you would've but they are them and you are you.

Pat started as a runner on the Chicagos commodities exchange, made his own money. Ali made the money prior to that. They are a smart likable INDEPENDENT couple. More than one person has made comments about Daddy's money and silver spoons. Those of you who did that are wrong, and never had any basis on which to make that kind of comment, in a public forum no less. To me if anyone deserve derision or rancor it is them. It is irresponsible and insensitive and since it was wrong it was also stupid.

Congrats to Pat and Ali for what they have done, and good luck with what they are doing.

Sean

[Talbot]

It was about time somebody came back on here and posted another "they can do no wrong" message

Perhaps if you took a spare couple of days and actually read what had been posted, you will find that on here, by and large we are supportive of what they have attempted, but not of how they have gone about it, and have been concerned that others will follow the same ill-prepared route, but may not have the same guardian angel hovering above them.

[teamivey]

As I tried to make clear you know who you are. Er maybe not if you thought that that post was directed at you. Or maybe so..... I will do things different also. To even state that you would do things differently is fine. To charcterize them as foolish because they did different though seems foolish itself. But my problem lies with the extreme posters to this thread not to those who just engage in conversation. Just remember Pat is a young funny witty guy, not for everyone but that is ok. It seems kind of like Seinfeld goes to sea, to me. And last but not least it is just sailing, been done since people thought the world was flat and even before then. They will be fine and one of the few people on the planet who have made a circumnavigation. And yes they will do plenty wrong and laugh about it post it on their website and learn from it. Oh and be lambasted for it somewhere in this thread. But guess what they'll laugh about that too.

Sean

[Lodesman]

It's been a couple months since we've seen this thread, so it's time to dig it up
For all the Bum watchers, thought you'd like to know that Bumfuzzle is for sale.

[beachbum]

This is my first post and I hope not my last.

I to leared to drive a truck by myself and did things wrong after learning, but 15 years later I still do things wrong. I have over 2million miles accident and ticket free. Was I lucky? Yes, just like the bums crew. Did they make wrong choices while sailing and the answer is yes, did they make it 3/4 od the way around the world? Yes to that, have I followed thier voyage, Yes. Would I do the same thing and the answer is No, because I'm my own man and would do things my way. Would I listen to others, Yes and No, it depends on the help being giving. Just like in trucking you don't listen to everything you hear.

As for most on this thread, have you did what they have did or as others have posted just armchair quartebacks without any positive reinforcement for thier feat. Myself I hope to one day do the things they and others have did.

By the way the only way to find bad weather on the ocean is to be on the ocean, therefore, not having experiance with bad weather isn't a problem unless you screw up. Plus how are they causing problems with other boats, since they don't sail with others, but by themselves.

[seafox]

it is a link on their home page.

[Alan Wheeler]

NOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!
Who dredged the depths and foul hooked that back to the surface :-0

;-) :-)

I haven't followed that site for yonks. So they are still surviving huh!?

[Tropic Cat]

The website says the boat is sold. The "Bums" are looking for a backup sales contract. Apparently a few years on the boat were enough, but who really knows,maybe Ali's pregnant?

Rick in Florida

[Intentional Drifter]

Oh, come on now, Wheels. Just because they aren't conventional, whatever that means in such a wild assortment of people called cruisers, doesn't mean they don't deserve some respect.

They're doing just fine, in the Canaries waiting for a weather window to cross. Pat and Ali have had an absolute blast, learned a lot, haven't hurt anyone or been seriously hurt themselves.

Despite having bought a terrible boat and made some silly mistakes (which they readily admit - not sure I would do the same), they've managed to keep it together enough to get them 3/4ths of the way around the world and, from the looks of things, will likely get the last 1/4th, too.

They've put together great memories, wonderful pictures, and enough stories to some day fascinate a passle of grandkids.

I hope to be able to say the same.

ID

[Alan Wheeler]

Missing an uncharted reef in Fijian waters by only metres is not bad boatmanship southernman. It's normal Pacific rock hoping. There's uncharterd reefs all over the pacific and you have more chance of hitting one than a container.
Now the real issue as I see it, is if you hit one and the boat sunk, could you find your survival gear like say, liferaft if it were painted grey. ;-) :-)

Notice the wink and smiley face before biting folks.
I am so over that fuzzle story.

[southernman]

love the grey bit wheels - funny you should say that but the original post made me survey everyone's MOB pole in the pacific and it seems that it is trend happening with some colour coordinated yatchs - painting their MOB pole the same colour as the yacht - white!! yep you'll really see that.

On the reefs yep their are reefs everywhere but acutally Fiji is pretty well charted and most of the charts show the reefs - this one was not charted anywhere and it was at least 20m long - my wife only spotted it once we had just passed a line of foam on the surface and saw a small wave a few metres from our stern. If anyone wants any info on cruising Fiji or Tonga I've just done the whole groups this season so I've got fresh info. If you have Maxsea I can even send you our tracks so you can go through those reef entrances at night!!

Southernman, I have stayed out of this thread for awhile, but I have to comment here. That is the most useful post that has come out of this whole thread in my opinion.

[Alan Wheeler]

Umm, but I take it you will bend that line missing the reef by a few ft won't you ;-)

[southernman]

actually i just looked up that bit of the trip and it's really funny - you can see the yacht is doing 7 knots and then all of a sudden you can see where I arrived in the cockpit after hearing "f**k* from my wife and grabbed the wheel and put it hard over putting the genny all over the main and spreaders!

I'll edit that bit of our track out! In all seriousness Maxsea was a great tool - and being able to swap tracks with other yachts meant we went into some areas with a little more confidence. We probably took a few extra risks than normal this season due to technology. I'll post photos of the fish we caught including a 25kg yellow fin tuna soon.

At least the Oh F**K Spots will stand out Love yellow fin. Makes great sushi.