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Old 11-10-2008, 18:09   #121
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Aloha,
Why donate to me?. Maybe you enjoyed reading my blogs every day for the past week, and want to see them continue. Maybe you had a dream that never came to fruition, or maybe you are sympathetic to my situation. ........I am going to have RJ set up a donation page, with all proceeds going to continue my travels. The level of funding I can generate will dictate whether I travel by sailboat, bicycle, motorcyle, foot, etc.

Thank you all for your love and support,

Ronald A. Simpson
Formerly of "La Cenicienta"

DISCLAIMER: This is not a charity..... If you donate money to me, you are knowingly donating it as a gift to a private citizen, for me to use at my discretion to continue traveling...... etc.
Give me a break!...we all have had dreams, we all have worked hard to achieve them, had setbacks and failures, set new more realistic goals…… but NEVER do we suppose that our dreams are more important than others, go BEGGING for charitable donations, when that money should be better spent helping all those starving children…. that are really in need!

Writing a blog does not make you special nor does it entitle you to handouts!

Yet again a good indication of this Dudes lack of character…… he may be personable, but I wouldn’t sail with him as I have little time for those who just KNOW they are above normal people like you and I


Get a job like the rest of us and earn the right to travel....and PLEASE....don't call yourself a SAILOR...
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Old 11-10-2008, 19:34   #122
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I bet my list of bonehead moves is longer than his.
I'm still working on my list. It's a "lifestyle choice"
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Old 11-10-2008, 21:14   #123
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I feel that God has put me in this situation and that I am to continue traveling and filming my documentary.
God didn't put Ronnie 800 miles from shore in a broken boat. Ronnie put Ronnie 800 miles (does that distance keep growing BTW?).

I for one have other things to do with my donation money than to give it to a youg kid that blames God for his situations.

Ronnie's 15 minutes are up as far as I am concerned.

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No doubt it was a bonehead move, but at 52 years old, I bet my list of bonehead moves is longer than his. I’m sorry we couldn’t reach him with the information that MIGHT have made a difference. He sounds like a good guy who made a mistake and will persevere.
1 - I am glad he went. We learned a lot and he pursued the dream. Better to try and fail (and not die) than to not try.

2 - For anyone reading this I would say it is definitely not a good strategy to go to sea not knowing how to fix and jury rig your boat with the hopes that you can relay messages via the internet to teach you on the fly.

Final thought. I don't think Ronnie was ever hove to and I don't think he ever slept. He talked about reefing sails and manual steering. Someone may clarify but I don't think he ever knew how to secure the boat. Hove to means you can go below, close the hatch and sleep.
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Old 12-10-2008, 05:39   #124
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Hmm....

Well the jury is still out as far as I am concerned regarding Ronnie's character but I am toying with the idea of with sending him a donation.

I might just reach around behind me and pick out a book off my bookshelf (maybe 2 - no, just 1) about preparing oneself (and ones boat) for an offshore passage.

Does anyone know if he reads books? OK, a little sarcastic, didn't really mean it that much. Guess I am just wondering where Ronnie goes to seek knowledge: his mates, books, the internet? The devil in me says "You Tube" but again that may be a little harsh.

Of course I could send him a copy of "Ice Bird" by David Lewis to give him some idea of a tough passage or perhaps "Sailing to the Reefs" by Bernard Moitessier as an example on how boat building and cruising is possible by sweat rather than begging.

In case you are wondering, I am actually serious about sending him a book; probably with a note in it to say that if he finds it helpful, he should buy similar one to get a better perspective. Should he not find it helpful, he could perhaps pass it on to someone else or return it.

Ronnie, if you ever read this post and are planning to sail again, PM me with your contact details and I will send you my spare copy of Storm Tactics by L & L Pardey.
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Old 12-10-2008, 07:37   #125
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Does anyone know if he reads books? OK, a little sarcastic, didn't really mean it that much. Guess I am just wondering where Ronnie goes to seek knowledge: his mates, books, the internet? The devil in me says "You Tube" but again that may be a little harsh.
If you would have bothered to visit his site you probably would have noticed he has been reading books and planning for the past year. He even spent 6 months trying to get his boat ready (More time might have been wiser obviously). But oh well, anonymously bashing a kid on the internet during his life lowpoint is always fun, amirite? I mean, how else will the interweb know how awesome of a sailor you are....

I like how we spend tax dollars to give junkies clean needles, but there are individuals who complain when a Japanese freighter uses extra gas to rescue and American? Really? I am very surprised and a bit disappointed with the quality of replies in this thread. Oh well, I imagine the sailor's life can be very conducive to know-it-alls.
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Old 12-10-2008, 09:21   #126
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Schuyler said "I imagine the sailor's life can be very conducive to know-it-alls."

What benefit is it to inexperienced sailors to read about a great dream, and that a freak accident took it away from such a great guy through no fault of his own, and there was nothing he could have done?

How much better training is it to read a list of here are the mistakes that he made from A to Z, and here are the consequences of those mistakes. Anyone can read that and say here is a list of 5, 10 or 20 mistakes that I should not make.

This is a Cruisers Forum: my understanding is that most of us here either have, do or intend to spend thousands of miles in open ocean, not learning from someone elses mistakes could cost us as much as Ronnie lost or more.

I appreciate the people with lots of experience providing the benefit of their knowledge. Is anyone compiling a list of the errors?
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Old 12-10-2008, 11:02   #127
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Is anyone compiling a list of the errors?
Ronnie's biggest error was either in listening to an expert who wasn't, or not listening to an expert and disregarding his advice.

The difficulty is always in knowing what category that advice comes under (good or bad), and the only way to help sort out the good from the bad is to listen (and read) lots of different advice and then analyse that data until you understand the situation.

This is something that young people often have difficulty in understanding, let alone putting into action.
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Old 12-10-2008, 11:09   #128
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Oh, my bad. I hadn't read the whole thread, and I now see it is very constructive if a little harsh at times. I had just finished the story at another forum full of sharks with comments like:

"LET THEM DIE!!!! These idiots don't deserve the bodies they occupy."
" I think it was justice the freighter hit his boat"
"This guy was deaf, dumb and blind" ect,ect,ect

It's nice to see this site above such petty disrespect. I see that this thread was started with the sole purpose of supplying help, but it's a shame to see others elsewhere created just to bash a guy. Thanks for correcting me.
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Old 12-10-2008, 12:43   #129
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From Ronnie

Here is an email Ronnie just sent from the Vecchio Bridge. He has not read this post yet, but he will when he reaches Hong Kong. He knows you guys have lots of questions, because I told him so, and this is what he wrote back, oh i told him about the chinese junk idea, I know it was a joke, but I thought it was hillarious.....

Concerned readers,

I have done a lot of thinking, writing and soul searching over the past few days, and have come up with a new plan. RJ informs me that many have been suggesting a similar plan to what I have already been thinking about. After disembarking the “M/V Vechhio Bridge” in Shanghai, I am going to travel south to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, I hope to purchase a boat and begin outfitting it for my first voyage, in which I intend to go to the Philippines. I will be most likely looking for a Chinese junk, but I will also keep my eyes out for any affordable, sea worthy fiberglass sloops that may be locally available. It is my intention to obtain a work visa while in China, and then find a suitable job and temporary place of residence in Hong Kong, so that I may put together funds, find a boat, and then begin outfitting it. Once I have a boat, I will probably live on it for a few months, while getting it ready to set sail. Here comes the purpose of this letter: I am looking for a job and a place to live. If anyone who reads this knows of any prospective jobs that I could work, please forward any pertinent contact information to RJ. While I speak no Chinese, I am a hard worker and have worked in car dealerships, restaurants, motorcycle shops, construction, landscaping and military work fields. I feel that I pick up on things quite quickly, and could be a good employee in nearly any field. Whether you are an American working in Hong Kong, or have a friend there who could perhaps help me, I am open to mostly anything. I will also be looking for a place to stay, very temporarily, until I can find more permanent residence. Although I do not have much money, I will do what I can to repay anyone who helps me. I once had a friend in Texas who was an electrician at the US Embassy in Beijing, and he told me of many veterans, young and old, working in US Embassies all over the world. I will try to establish employment through the Embassy as soon as arriving in Hong Kong. I really have no idea, though, if that will work. Thank you to everyone who has had me in their thoughts and prayers, it means more to me than you will ever know.

RJ says that many are questioning what my mission is, and what my goals/ plans/ ambitions are. They are still the same as the original mission statement on my site. I am going to be sailing around the world, while filming a documentary. I am going to document the sailing aspects, as well as any countries that I visit, in great detail. I also hope to display any major local deficiencies and shine some light on these problems, showcasing them to the world, and showing how others may help out.

Thank you,

Ronald A. Simpson
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Old 12-10-2008, 12:56   #130
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I'll be on the look out for "La Cenicienta." It is pretty certain the boat will make it to landfall unless the hull integrity has been breached. As I understood the bow was smashed?
The last one to find its way to Hawaii had been abandoned for about six months if I remember correctly. It too was abandoned because the skipper thought it irrepairable and unseaworthy.
Regards,
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Old 12-10-2008, 14:06   #131
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I'd have to say, at first I was a little put off by the notion of sending someone money that I hardly know and honestly I thought Ronnie was a bit crazy for setting off alone to sail during such a turbulent time, being it hurricane season. As I followed his journey, he's become more human to me and a kind of "real life" adventurer. I feel as a voyeur peeking over his shoulder as he suffered through this ordeal, and so publicly. His dream seeming to deteriorate after abandoning his boat. At times, I was excited for him, then disappointed with him, then encouraging him, then mad at him. As I normally get when I read a good book or get emotional when hearing a story told from a friend... yet at other times, I forgot he was a real person. Airing all his "dirty laundry." His inexperience. His lack of preparation. His overwhelming self-confidence. His "arrogance." His "wrong" choices.

It's quite honestly DRAMA at its finest and I can't wait until his next blog. This guy is getting so much heat for his "lack of experience," but man... he's been through more in his short life than many of us would in two life times. But just a month ago on Sept. 1 a very experienced sailor of 32 years, Skip Allen, was rescued in the same seas as Ronnie and needed to abandon his ship, but many praised him and someone even offered up their boat for free. But Ronnie gets slammed for his inexperience. This SAILOR of 32 years gets caught in the same conditions and abandons his boat... and he's the hero? Weird.

Some may think Ronnie's an idiot for the choices that he made, but at least he had the BALLS to do sail/live his dream and unlike some of you... had the BALLS to admit his failures so openly, then suffer getting ripped apart by what I thought was an amazing community of people. I thought the boating community was more than that... I thought they were a brotherhood of men/women sharing the commonality of loving the sometimes treacherous seas. Whatever. Whether or not you all want to admit it, this guy is fascinating... I'm a fan.

At least he made the choice to do something rather than nothing... then allow us to share in it. Get from it whatever you want. Live in your own little box, your own cookie cutter lives, and then question how happy you are there... probably not very much. Get off you high horses and do something noteworthy. This guys surely is.

Pelagic said, "Get a job like the rest of us and earn the right to travel....and PLEASE....don't call yourself a SAILOR..."

By the way, Pelagic ... 'cause I know you'd never want to check out Ronnie's story, he is planning on getting a job and working his way through this too! And, I don't know if Ronnie's ever called himself a SAILOR... I haven't gone that far back in his logs, but I know if he's anything like you, Pelagic - a self-serving, self-righteous, know-it-all, he's definitely NOT a sailor.

My money is on Ronnie.
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Old 12-10-2008, 14:22   #132
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Before our friend Ronnie takes on the voyage from Hong Kong to the Phillipines, I would recommend he read this thread:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ster-3435.html
It might provide him with some pointers from the experience of others. Not saying he shouldn't try. Just that he should consider some free information that might help him if he gets in a pinch, or help him avoid it all together. Some of the links are no good anymore, but this one has the pubished story:
http://asap.ap.org/stories/510321.s
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Old 12-10-2008, 14:42   #133
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I don't want to talk for Ronnie and this is the main reason why I have not come to his defense on cruisersforum. I did come to his defense when Dan, not sure if its ex-calif, or a different Dan posted some distasteful comments on my site openbluehorizon.com. I'm going to make this quick, I don't want to get down with the mud slinging and attacking those that say negative things about Ron, its your right. But this is where he is coming from.

He would give his last dollar to someone in need without even questioning it. He is gullible to a fault at times. Eg. He purchased a 4 wheeler, several months later decided to sell it. One of his "friends" asked him to buy it for his son, to make Christmas special, but of course, he did not have the money to pay Ronnie then. This is what Ronnie did, He looked his "friend" in the eye and said, "Promise me your not going to screw me and you will pay me back." You know how this one ended. Ronnie owes suzuki $7,000 for a 4wheeler his friend took, never paid for, and wrecked three months later. Ronnie truly believe this guy would pay him back, and now he is stuck with the bill.

He set out on this trip to inspire people, meet people, and changes lives for the better. He took a gamble and lost. You can prepare for ever, turn around and your 50, 60, or older and its too late. You could even try then and still end with the same results. As it shouldn't, this won't stop Ronnie, he is going to keep on keeping on. He will take his shorts, his shirt, back pack, two camera's and move on. If someone along the way needs help, if one of you ever need help and see Ronnie, I bet you everything I have, he will bend over backwards to help you.

Kick while he's down, say rude comments, celebrate his set back, if you ever need something, you can still ask him, because he is just that stupid, he'll help you.

For all of you that do realize what kind of "character" Ronnie has, thank you for supporting him with your arguments and persuasive words. Some people forget we are only here a short time and a very small percentage of us take advantage of our time, others wish they had.

His brother,

RJ
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Old 12-10-2008, 15:37   #134
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I don't want to talk for Ronnie and this is the main reason why I have not come to his defense on cruisersforum. I did come to his defense when Dan, not sure if its ex-calif, or a different Dan posted some distasteful comments on my site openbluehorizon.com.
Hi Silver911r - I assume the way you are posting that you are Ronnie's brother. If so welcome aboard.

I want to assure you and everyone here that I have not posted anything at OBH.com and find it a little unfair that you insinuate I would post untasteful comments. I post here so anyone who wants to can debate me and tell me I am wrong.

As for Ronnie's trip my comments are here and they stand. There is a ton of stuff to prepare but heavy weather saililng should have been near the top of the list.

I have lived in Asia 24 years. Ronnie will like Hong Kong but it will be very difficult to work. In order of ease of working I suggest that he think about, The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore.

It would be much better for him if he had some specific training/education but maybe he could get a Scuba instructors rating and do that for a while. I know lot's of foreigners in Thailand and Philipines teaching diving. He won't get rich, won't be able to buy a boat with the pay, but he will make lot's of contacts, have lots of fun and won't starve to death.
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Old 12-10-2008, 15:52   #135
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The guy on OBH just signed Dan. I figured you would say if t was you or not. As for what you say about Asai, I spent a year in Korea. I'm not sure what he plans to do there, but I agree work will not earn enough to buy a boat anytime soon. I do all the site support and handle problems as they arise. Ron has always been creative, I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens.
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