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26-10-2017, 15:40
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,477
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Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
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"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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26-10-2017, 15:53
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 98
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
I'll preface this with the full disclosure that I don't own a sailboat, but I have crewed for others along the Pacific coast. The longest trip I've taken is about 3000 nm and 5 weeks from Colon, Panama to San Diego. After 5 months at sea, I'm sure that they are happy to see the US Navy. However, my gut feeling is that something is wrong with this scenario. They admittedly had sufficient food and water. Nothing is said about the condition of the boat except that the engine was not working, and the navy spokesperson says the vessel is not seaworthy. My question is: Couldn't repairs be made to make it seaworthy, bring the engine to working order, and restore their navigation capabilities?
Has anyone had a similar experience, and would like to comment. What is it like to be at sea for this period of time?
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26-10-2017, 15:58
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,477
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
Yeah, it seemed a bit strange to me also. You would think, with sails, even in the doldrums..... in that amount of time they could have moved on. But the boat looks old, and they look young. I wonder if it's a situation where a couple who knows nothing like engine maintenance, or sailing for that matter.... just headed out. "should we encourage people to "just go"?
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"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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26-10-2017, 16:00
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
I’m not saying anything about these two as I know nothing at all about them, but not all who go to Sea, should.
There are people who will call the engine broken if the fuel filter clogs cause they have no idea what to do. This Boat had sails, and it appears in the photo that it still does. One assumes in months they could have gone somewhere. Perhaps they had no idea where?
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26-10-2017, 16:17
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Round Bay, Severn River
Boat: Formerly Pearson 28-1, now just a sailing dinghy
Posts: 1,332
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
Quote:
Originally Posted by a64pilot
There are people who will call the engine broken if the fuel filter clogs cause they have no idea what to do. This Boat had sails, and it appears in the photo that it still does. One assumes in months they could have gone somewhere. Perhaps they had no idea where?
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"After having engine problems on May 30 during bad weather, the two thought they could make it to land by using only their sail, according to the Navy."
I think you're on the money. Bad weather shakes up deposits in tank, fuel is restricted, engine fails. They apparently thought they could make it to land using the sails, but ... Maybe they chose to emulate Rimas instead?
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26-10-2017, 16:22
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 9
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
I just saw the video on TV and yes, they had sails! Would like to hear more about this, hope someone with sailing knowledge (not a TV reporter) gets to interview them. A year’s worth of food? They looked quite healthy. I’m really wondering if they knew how to sail. Strange!
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26-10-2017, 16:38
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#8
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: aboard, cruising in Australia
Boat: Sayer 46' Solent rig sloop
Posts: 28,432
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
All it really takes these days is loss of electricity. They said a water purifier, not an r/o unit. If they were relying on electronic charting and it was kaput, they could easily be left to the "follow the contrails" method.
To the poster above who does not sail. Sailors are a widely varied lot, as to inclinations, seamanship skills, knowledge and what I would call "gameness", or perseverance. Someone else here may choose some other qualities!
Furthermore, someone mentioned on another thread that people are really not equal, intelligence wise. Perhaps these people were not of the McGuyvering type.
Some people seem to get turned onto the fictional impression of cruising shown on U-tube, and don't seem to know the ocean doesn't care about humans at all. Then they pay attention to the "just go now" crew, many of whom want to go themselves, but have neither boat nor time.
Almost all of my sailing has been done with Jim, who is my husband. When you're really out at sea, you are really on your own. If you have ham radio or other communication with land, your land based acquaintances can offer ideas that may help you, but you are on your own with your choices of provisions and spare parts, and paper backups for repairs when you are without electricity.
Off my soapbox now, and back in the box!
Ann
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Who scorns the calm has forgotten the storm.
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26-10-2017, 16:42
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Trunk (boot) of my car
Boat: Tinker Traveller...a dozen feet of bluewater awesomeness!
Posts: 1,230
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheechako
Yeah, it seemed a bit strange to me also. You would think, with sails, even in the doldrums..... in that amount of time they could have moved on. But the boat looks old, and they look young. I wonder if it's a situation where a couple who knows nothing like engine maintenance, or sailing for that matter.... just headed out. "should we encourage people to "just go"?
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Maybe, but leave the dogs at home with someone smarter than the dogs.
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26-10-2017, 16:42
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Irish Sea
Posts: 1,321
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailrfred
I just saw the video on TV and yes, they had sails! Would like to hear more about this, hope someone with sailing knowledge (not a TV reporter) gets to interview them. A year’s worth of food? They looked quite healthy. I’m really wondering if they knew how to sail. Strange!
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Indeed, they all look well fed, not worn down at all, doggy included! Weird story. If all true, they likely didn't know how to use the sails (always motored, never sailed?). Unlikely scenario is that they used the sails as intended but their instruments went bust and got lost.
Apparently they had no EPIRB either but they did very well in the provisioning/survival department!
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Useful as a fireproof bottom paint...
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26-10-2017, 16:51
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Trunk (boot) of my car
Boat: Tinker Traveller...a dozen feet of bluewater awesomeness!
Posts: 1,230
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Re: 2 women/2 dogs rescued
I wonder how many dogs they started out with.
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26-10-2017, 16:57
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#12
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: aboard, cruising in Australia
Boat: Sayer 46' Solent rig sloop
Posts: 28,432
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
Mod note:
We had two threads on this subject; they have been merged, which is why this thread may seem a little disjointed.
Ann
__________________
Who scorns the calm has forgotten the storm.
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26-10-2017, 17:00
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Trunk (boot) of my car
Boat: Tinker Traveller...a dozen feet of bluewater awesomeness!
Posts: 1,230
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
Quote:
Originally Posted by JPA Cate
Mod note:
We had two threads on this subject; they have been merged, which is why this thread may seem a little disjointed.
Ann
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....but not nearly as disjointed as the news account (rimshot).
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26-10-2017, 17:03
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Irish Sea
Posts: 1,321
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
I see a solar panel and a tiny windgen. Are those sufficient to run a watermaker? (did they have one in the first place?)
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Useful as a fireproof bottom paint...
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26-10-2017, 17:15
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Round Bay, Severn River
Boat: Formerly Pearson 28-1, now just a sailing dinghy
Posts: 1,332
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Re: Couple and dogs rescued after months at sea
Still trying to figure out how they intended to go from Hawaii to Tahiti on engine alone. They must have meant to use the sails at some point, right?
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