Safe to cruise after a massive stroke?

[Tayana42]

eric12, I’m sorry that you experienced a stroke that has caused you to change your sailing plans. But it seems that you have a great attitude about adjusting to your abilities and continuing on with your dream. I wish you the best of continued recovery and health.

[eric12]

When you can't go right, go left.
When you can't go forward, go backwards.
When you can't go fast, go slow.
Im still going, and no complaints.
This is my new normal..
Im in a great marina, CWM San Pedro, preparing for our move.
Thank you for the kind words Tayanna

[merrydolphin]

I have noticed that a few have mentioned that they have had to go to a powerboat, in an almost apologetic tone. We don’t have to apologize to ourselves or anyone else. I am primarily a sailor but have immensely enjoyed power boats. And am thinking again after just selling my sailboat that I would like another. Have cruised and lived aboard 2 powerboats now, 4 sailboats. Thoroughly enjoyed them all! If I’m on in or under the water, I’m happy.

[eric12]

Very well put. When my doctor found out we lived on a boat she totally freaked. Told me this was over for us and that we needed to come up with a plan B. 3 days later she returned and asked what our plan B is. I simply told here from the hospital bed,, is that our plan B is to make our plan A work and that we were staying on our boat.

[secrabtree]

[QUOTE=BugzyCan;3285801] "boat made for single handing, roller main, roller jib" , anchor roller etc. and then be sure to keep an EPIRB on you at all times,
I often see these recommendations for preparing a boat for singlehanding. As one that has much experience singlehanding in the Sacramento River/San Juaquin River Delta, and also between California and Hawaii - MUCH easier - I disagree with roller main (and I'm sure much of the "etc."). Roller furling jibs are fine and quite reliable and easy to use and douse if the roller furling does fail. But roller furling main, especially in mast furling, is more problematic. A jib is easy to drop if the furling fails. A partially in-mast main can't be lowered and the flailing boom is a killer.

[john manning]

It is madness, definitely unsafe.

IF I WERE IN YOUR POSITION I WOULD DO IT.

If you stop living the only thing left is dying.

[darylat8750]

Originally Posted by john manning

It is madness, definitely unsafe.

IF I WERE IN YOUR POSITION I WOULD DO IT.

If you stop living the only thing left is dying.

This!

[Sherpa17]

I was a sailing companion for 15 years for an active stroke survivor with aphasia and right side neglect. We were on the water all the time and in a lot of different conditions. Mitigating falls is the biggest concern. Otherwise, being on the boat was a refuge.

[battlecrab]

IM 73 , cancer survivor and am planning to sail as long as I can. If you are looking for a crew, I would give it a go.

[Manatee66]

Go for it!

Endangering others? Forget it. Do "others" get a screening every time before they operate a car, a boat etc.? You did not know you will get a stroke - others don't know it beforehand and might operate machinery while being hit. That's caled risk of life!

Don't buy a mono. Rolling anchorages etc will not be easy to cope with.
If you buy a catamaran look for a light boat. Light boats do have light equipment which is easier to handle! If you buy a sailboat buy the "all lines to cockpit" option, one electric winch and reef early.
Have a look at the TS42. As far as I know one of those was single handed out of a wheel chair (at least partially).

Chuck Yeager died @ 97. What are you going to do all the time without a boat?

[Rob_P]

Originally Posted by john manning

It is madness, definitely unsafe.

IF I WERE IN YOUR POSITION I WOULD DO IT.

If you stop living the only thing left is dying.

Not this.


The one thing in this thread that's clear is that the OP isn't safe alone on the boat. That means he needs to have someone there to help him. Which then fails to consider what happens when the OP's crew needs his help after they're injured or fall overboard.

Going forward with the idea to "just do it" puts at least 1 if not 2 people into danger in an emergency situation. And that's just an absolutely terrible idea no one should consider on any level.


Life doesn't revolve around a boat. The boat is part of some people's lives but living doesn't require a boat. Living requires finding a way to be happy with what you have and not pining over what you don't.

[Manatee66]

I agree - if something ugly happens you might look at a desaster.
But where's the difference to single handing (e.g. Vendee Globe)? If you fall overboard there, you are history too. Some like it that way - some not.
Life is about achieving things. Otherwise mankind would still crawl after the discovery that falling off two feet hurts.

[Juggerknot]

Go for it, may as well go out doing what you love.

[PineyWoodsPete]

Originally Posted by Sherpa17

I was a sailing companion for 15 years for an active stroke survivor with aphasia and right side neglect. We were on the water all the time and in a lot of different conditions. Mitigating falls is the biggest concern. Otherwise, being on the boat was a refuge.

That's an unusual defect if it was "only" aphasia and right-sided spatial neglect without significant motor loss. How was he/she able to communicate with you? Receptive (Wernicke's) aphasia also, or only?

[Nomad57]

The fellows who suggest a motor boat have a point. In 1997, we decided that we wanted to see what sailing was all about, (after many years of power boating). We chartered a 26 foot sailboat. The boat was poorly maintained and equipped, (the owner was chartering it to get the $ to make improvements.)


We had three storms that week. This particular boat had an unfortunate lurching motion that we were not accustomed to, which was a problem when down below. By the time we got back, we had both been beaten into submission. A short while later, we traded our Sea Ray in on a Trojan F26.


The Trojan had a "muffler" very similar to a "glass-pack", and was fearsomely noisy when on plane, (it was under-powered) so we trawled most of the time. The boat averaged 5.21 knots, burning 1.85 gph. This increased over the years, as the engine got older, to 2.11 gph. About five bucks worth, (at the time). For being dry when it rained, shaded from the sun and wind, and having a relatively comfortable seat to sit on, I was glad to pay it. Being able to plane, when necessary, was a bonus. On plane, our mileage dropped from 3.6 statute mpg to 1.8 statute mpg.


Give it some thought.


Nomad