Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by Oronoco

I read in Charlotte's blog that they joined DAN prior to their voyage in case they needed an evacuation. I guess an evacuation is on everybody's mind at some point.

Interesting. Do you have a link to that post Oron?

[colemj]

A 170nm day is hull speed for your boat - a very good and enviable run for sure, but I don't think it can be considered surfing. The nice thing about the newer 10-20hz GPS units is they sure do register some high instantaneous top speeds! Our older 0.5hz one made us go lots slower...

I don't think Rich meant to say that cruising boats can't surf - just that anything more than instantaneous acceleration on a wave face as it passed over you is not realistic for most cruising boats. Your picture shows your ride about to end - how long was the beginning of it, and what speeds were you registering on the backside? It is only surfing if your average speed is higher overall - not if you go 12kts for 10secs, then 2kts for 30secs, etc.

Not sure the DAN thing is meaningful here. They do not have the facilities to reach out 900nm without involving the services of SAR, navy and commercial shipping - which are free anyway and don't require insurance. DAN is a very good thing for cruising, but not for the way offshore part of it. Evacuation is always on our mind - bitten by a poisonous snake, heart attack, fast and serious infection, etc. Anchored just 20nm from a mainland, or on a mainland not serviced by highways, and rapid access to medical care is impossible without an air evacuation. Particularly if the person who needs care is the only person who can fully operate the boat.

Mark

[mbianka]

A new article written by Charlotte has been published:
http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-...Family-Speaks/

[deckofficer]

Since Eric said he would answer direct questions here from another thread, here is my only question. Did the HF SSB radio work to your satisfaction prior to the passage? What do you think happened to it?

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Since Eric said he would answer direct questions here from another thread, here is my only question. Did the HF SSB radio work to your satisfaction prior to the passage? What do you think happened to it?

We checked into the Pacific Puddle Jump radio net several times, pretty much every day. Once we started hitting a lot of squalls I think we stopped; if someone really wants to dig they can find out the last time we checked in by contacting the guys and gals that run that net.

But that was at least several hundred miles of range when it was working well.

I saw a lot of seawater all over it (it was up against the starboard bulkhead), and wasn't able to raise anyone or hear any intelligible traffic on the channels I checked out on the morning we hit our EPIRB.

Whether that's due to something faulty in the installation, sea water damage, or just bad luck, I really don't know. I cleaned all the contact points before we left so I don't think there was anything systemically wrong, and we used it for a good year successfully in Mexico.

[model 10]

Was single handing to Hawaii an option?

[deckofficer]

Thanks for the reply Eric. Too bad it quit when it did. I was a radio junkie on my boat, talking every morning and a lot of evenings. I was solo, so my way of socializing when nothing was happening in the anchorage. This was before wi-fi, and sat phones.

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by Oronoco

I read in Charlotte's blog that they joined DAN prior to their voyage in case they needed an evacuation. I guess an evacuation is on everybody's mind at some point.

We also joined DAN (again after years of having it as divers) for the "unknown reasons" you might need it. It is for the same reason people get boat insurance-for the 'just in case'.

[SVNeko]

Better read up on DAN. They recently made clear that they are not in the business of flying cruisers with illnesses back to the USA.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[chris5977]

What is DAN? I tried googling it but could not figure it out.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by chris5977

What is DAN? I tried googling it but could not figure it out.

DIVERS ALERT NETWORK.

[OutOfControl]

Originally Posted by chris5977

What is DAN? I tried googling it but could not figure it out.

Divers Alert Network

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Guy

Was single handing to Hawaii an option?

It was, but the distance there wouldn't have been that much different than continuing on to the Marquesas. Maybe shaved a couple of days, but we also would have been close reaching through the easterly trades in a fairly strong section of them.

[Scottuk]

Did you actively sail towards the rescue boat after picking up the 4 guys? Did they bring anything for communication?
If you didn't sail then why?

[who_cares]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Maybe shaved a couple of days, but we also would have been close reaching through the easterly trades in a fairly strong section of them.

And what's wrong with that? Sounds fast and fun, easy singlehanding conditions as long as the boat could handle it.