The Flyin Hawaiian is gone!

[ElGatoGordo]

Hadn't thought about this boat in over a year. It never occurred to me they would ever really take her out the Gate.

I've been unable to read much online lately, was there recent talk about movements, preparations, etc?

You can't help but make comparison to the Gunboat. 5 people, short cruse, etc. FH had a longer life though....

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Latitude 38 - 'Lectronic Latitude

From the Latitude 38 link (fair use I hope, my "type bolding"):
" For years, James 'Hot Rod' Lane had dreamed of sailing to Hawaii on his homebuilt boat, then living the good life afloat in some friendly anchorage. That dream ended today, as Lane and his crew were air-evacuated from the 65-ft Flyin' Hawaiian catamaran 120 miles west of Monterey, and the huge, unconventional craft was left to drift. According to the Coast Guard, she had been taking on water; sea conditions at the time have yet to be clarified.

Activation of a crewperson's personal locator device this morning after 8 a.m. triggered a Search and Rescue (SAR) response that included flyovers by a Coast Guard C-17 and a C-130 aircraft, the diversion of a large tanker to the scene, and activation of three CG helicopters — one from San Francisco and two out of L.A. After the sailors were unable to transfer to the tanker, all five crew were reportedly hoisted to safety within the waiting helicopters and flown to the mainland. None suffered injuries.

Although the trip was a failure, we hope Lane can take some comfort in knowing that he at least got his self-designed creation out into the open ocean. Since the cat's launch in May 2013 at San Rafael's Loch Lomond Marina, he'd had numerous problems maneuvering her, and keeping her moored without dragging. If you happen to spot this vessel offshore, please alert the Coast Guard to its whereabouts.

- latitude / andy "

Well, the FH 'sailed' at least 200 miles (? est). Good thing they had a PLB (doubt they had a VHF).
If Hot Rod filled out the forms, when the Coasties looked up the PLB registration, they probably knew exactly what to look for.

Expensive mistake all around, those USCG Dolphins (HH-65C's/Eurocopter) cost about $4K/hr to run, plus all the other assets involved.
And no catfights over 'maritime rescue' pro's and con's, please; see avatar (it's all 'practice'). It's part of what we pay as a major seafaring nation.

If Hot Rod had had a practical, realistic 'dream', he could have spent half what he did (IIRC, ~$80K, and many hard hours) by getting a reasonable used boat, outfitting it, practice sailing a bit, then tackling the voyage; and maybe he would have been sitting in HI already, on his boat, sippin' a Painkiller.

I'm doubting that the CG needs to worry about ever 'spotting this vessel offshore' again out there. There's going to be CDX, 2x10's, and 2x4's scattered all up and down that pristine California coastline...

[RTB]

Originally Posted by Tx J

If Hot Rod had had a practical, realistic 'dream', he could have spent half what he did (IIRC, ~$80K, and many hard hours) by getting a reasonable used boat, outfitting it, practice sailing a bit, then tackling the voyage; and maybe he would have been sitting in HI already, on his boat, sippin' a Painkiller.

....or it could have turned out like Rebel Heart, who ironically was a big attacker earlier in this thread. I guess karma really is a bitch.

Ralph

[Kenomac]

An interesting thread in the first 8 pages or so, especially knowing now what happened to one rather obnoxious serial poster Rebel Heart.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

An interesting thread in the first 8 pages or so, especially knowing now what happened to one rather obnoxious serial poster Rebel Heart.

What happened? ?Did I miss it while out of the country?

[Mike Vogdes]

Have always been a doubter on the Flyin Hawaiian, I'm very surprised they made it into the ocean at all, last I heard the boat was slowly deteriorating away in the shallows.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[savoir]

Originally Posted by RTB

....or it could have turned out like Rebel Heart, who ironically was a big attacker earlier in this thread. I guess karma really is a bitch.

Ralph

Fair comment. Somehow this quote seems appropriate (from post #98) :

" Being a good sailor and taking a good boat (not necessarily an expensive one) to far away places is still being an oddball. Being unskilled and unprepared is a recipe for disaster and has an actual cost in lives and rescue attempts. Rarely are these lunatics only putting themselves in jeopardy.

I'm not advocating for anyone to stop them but my hope is that would-be sailors reading this forum might get their sailing chops up to speed a bit. "

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by RTB

....or it could have turned out like Rebel Heart, who ironically was a big attacker earlier in this thread. I guess karma really is a bitch.

Ralph

Originally Posted by Kenomac

An interesting thread in the first 8 pages or so, especially knowing now what happened to one rather obnoxious serial poster Rebel Heart.

Tough audience.

RH was a little abrasive sometimes, I guess; but I thought he seemed to make every effort to prepare his boat well (a decent 'BW' one), to be seaworthy and prepared.
The little ones, and the salmonella or whatever were certainly problematic (my oldest daughter contracted Salm. many years ago, before the full range of antibiotics today, spent a month hospitalized).
It just didn't work out, some mis-steps, bad luck, and it's SOL time.

'Some days you the windshield, some days you be the bug' (for, appropriately, Dire Straights fans); 'sum days jes' bees dat way'.

[Cap Erict3]

Glad to hear they got off safely. Hate that they lost the boat.


------------------------------
Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Mike Vogdes

Have always been a doubter on the Flyin Hawaiian, I'm very surprised they made it into the ocean at all, last I heard the boat was slowly deteriorating away in the shallows.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

The weather there has been very calm. The Pacific was reported to be like a "mill pond".

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Therapy

What happened? ?Did I miss it while out of the country?

Were you out of the country for 6 months and had no internet, newspapers, tv, or anything? It was a world wide event. Google search "rebel heart". Infamous.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by Tx J

Tough audience.

RH was a little abrasive sometimes

Sometimes?

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Were you out of the country for 6 months and had no internet, newspapers, tv, or anything? It was a world wide event. Google search "rebel heart". Infamous.

I was gone a couple of months and had a bad time. I came back and had a rough summer.
I don't care for the Nooze much. I get most of it here. Or links.

Had a rough Nov. and have not watched a whole news clip nor read a single whole article in a newspaper since then.

I don't think I missed much really. The IRS is still an institution so that means the FAIR TAX has not passed - darn. Obama is still the pres. - darn. Etc - darn.

So if you say I have to google it myself I will try to do it some time. I would rather see the Cliff Notes though.

[Therapy]

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22r...tk0G4kQVXGA%3D

Huh!

[Sand crab]

Therapy: try Rebel Heart sailboat.
https://www.google.com/search?q=rebe...AUoAA&dpr=1.45

Cliff Notes: His child was very sick and the Navy had to drop medical people in by parachute from a plane because they were too far out for helis. This caused a media firestorm including TV and print about what was acceptable risk for a sailing with a young one. A very big deal. Some where saying that they should be charged with child abuse. They weren't.
They were all rescued and the boat was abandoned. The kid recovered.