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Old 15-05-2014, 10:00   #376
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

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Originally Posted by cwyckham View Post
So why don't you tell us the big secret?

Is it 42?
because you're not ready to believe.

take another guess.
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Old 15-05-2014, 10:15   #377
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

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because you're not ready to believe.

take another guess.
Oh.....I am so confused......
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Old 15-05-2014, 10:22   #378
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

HCs have always had a rep for being a strong vessel. I have a 37 year old boat (gasp!), and I have every confidence in her. I may be proven wrong in the future, but I don't think so. That is not to say if one of the crucial systems fail, that I won't be in trouble. Trying to diagnose what failed at this point is just mental self gratification. The family survived, the Captain made the right call and they all came home in one piece. I believe if RH gets the time to reflect on what went wrong and look at it from all angles without self recrimination or guilt, he will be able to learn what really happened and learn from it and go on. As for the rest, you cannot fill a cup that is already full, so there is nothing to take away from the experience.
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Old 15-05-2014, 10:29   #379
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

I ain't no expert. The lessons I'm taking away from this whole thing is:

- don't out into the open South Pacific in an old wooden boat with rot and leaks
- don't go out into the open South pacific with real young children
- don't go out into the open South Pacific as your first major crossing
- don't sail out in the open anywhere and not sail conservataly to keep stress on the boat low
-don't get in a hurry to leave or arrive at a port
- don't post on forums and be critical of others sailing adventures unless you are proven to be better
- be careful of how much you allow people into your life on forums and blogs
-regardless of how well someone writes and posts in a forum it doesn't mean they really know anything (that applies to books people like to quoter about all the time)
-while it is great to overcome fear and take off on a big voyage, there should still be enough fear remaining that you don't forget that you should have lots of it
-there will almost certainly be bad luck during a trip

I originally was willing to put this whole thing down to bad luck. But the more I read and think about it makes me believe it was a poor boat and sailing choices combined with bad luck. I also feel that a lot of past trash posts from Eric now seem hypocritical.
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Old 15-05-2014, 10:37   #380
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

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I feel very sad if you didn't already know all of this already, which can stand alone without any incidents you imagine.

This also goes for all the addendum's others are attaching.

There is nothing profound or different in anything you all list.
Oh help... clearly my sarcasm was far too subtle for monkeys! My point was that the only 'lessons' from this were things we all should know anyway, mainly because Eric did things pretty much by the book. Yes, of course leaky teakys can leak and if that's news to anyone then they have some learning to do. People have made far greater voyages in far leakier teakier things than Hans Christians, so no criticism meant here or in my previous post.
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Old 15-05-2014, 11:01   #381
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

But perhaps, as others have mentioned, the real lesson is that absolutely anything you post online can be used against you later... so be nice. And I try, really I do.
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Old 15-05-2014, 11:56   #382
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

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Oh.....I am so confused......
ask me offline
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Old 15-05-2014, 12:02   #383
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

Quote:
Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey View Post
because you're not ready to believe.

take another guess.
Definitely has something to do with the Flying Spaghetti Monster, then.

May His Noodly Appendages ever caress your sails!
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Old 15-05-2014, 12:09   #384
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailorboy1 View Post
I ain't no expert. The lessons I'm taking away from this whole thing is:

- don't out into the open South Pacific in an old wooden boat with rot and leaks
- don't go out into the open South pacific with real young children
- don't go out into the open South Pacific as your first major crossing
- don't sail out in the open anywhere and not sail conservataly to keep stress on the boat low
-don't get in a hurry to leave or arrive at a port
- don't post on forums and be critical of others sailing adventures unless you are proven to be better
- be careful of how much you allow people into your life on forums and blogs
-regardless of how well someone writes and posts in a forum it doesn't mean they really know anything (that applies to books people like to quoter about all the time)
-while it is great to overcome fear and take off on a big voyage, there should still be enough fear remaining that you don't forget that you should have lots of it
-there will almost certainly be bad luck during a trip

I originally was willing to put this whole thing down to bad luck. But the more I read and think about it makes me believe it was a poor boat and sailing choices combined with bad luck. I also feel that a lot of past trash posts from Eric now seem hypocritical.
I agree with some of your take-aways and not others. I wanted to pick up on one point, though, that has come up a few times. It seems some people believe that Eric was sailing too fast and that one needs to be super conservative offshore.

First, his progress was pretty bloody slow overall. Not saying it's his fault, could have been the conditions. But he wasn't rocketing along by any measure.

Beyond that, though, I think that a prudent sailor keeps their speed up as much as possible without overstressing the boat or the crew. This is not a less is more situation. Extending the length of the passage will leave the boat exposed to risk for longer. That's risk of injury, sickness, storms, etc. When a climber crosses below a rockfall hazard, they do so as quickly as possible. The same principle applies.

In addition, most people have a bit of a love-hate relationship with crossings. It often leans towards hate the longer one is out. I will push my vessel as hard as I can to get there just for my sanity, as long as I'm not exhausting anybody or endangering the vessel.
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Old 15-05-2014, 13:07   #385
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailorboy1 View Post
I ain't no expert. The lessons I'm taking away from this whole thing is:

- don't out into the open South Pacific in an old wooden boat with rot and leaks
- don't go out into the open South pacific with real young children
- don't go out into the open South Pacific as your first major crossing
- don't sail out in the open anywhere and not sail conservataly to keep stress on the boat low
-don't get in a hurry to leave or arrive at a port
- don't post on forums and be critical of others sailing adventures unless you are proven to be better
- be careful of how much you allow people into your life on forums and blogs
-regardless of how well someone writes and posts in a forum it doesn't mean they really know anything (that applies to books people like to quoter about all the time)
-while it is great to overcome fear and take off on a big voyage, there should still be enough fear remaining that you don't forget that you should have lots of it
-there will almost certainly be bad luck during a trip

I originally was willing to put this whole thing down to bad luck. But the more I read and think about it makes me believe it was a poor boat and sailing choices combined with bad luck. I also feel that a lot of past trash posts from Eric now seem hypocritical.

I am no expert either, far from it, and since I can offer no relevant sailing experience to this, I have this thought.
I wonder where this thread would be if Lyra didn't get sick, but all the same boat breaking events happened and Eric limped Rebel Heart all the way to the South Pacific Islands like he implied he likely could have.

Would we be taking away lessons like:
- Prepare yourself and your boat the best you can and go for it.
- Sailors can overcome adversity when properly prepared.
- Don't implicitly trust your Sat phone or the provider.
- Don't dream your life, Live your dream. (Thanks Bob)
- You can be young and go cruising

I'm sure there are many more. This reminds me of a little of the closing argument in the movie "A Time to Kill". Instead of "Now imagine she is white"....substitute "Now imagine Lyra didn't get sick."

Would this change anything for you if (making the assumption) Eric completed his crossing in spite of these boat breaking events?
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Old 15-05-2014, 13:21   #386
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pirate re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

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I'll post this question again since it may have been missed with the interest in boat rot.

The other question I had was related to logistics. From earlier posts there seemed to be not much fuel carried, 30 or 40 gallons as I thought I read you had taken a tank out of commission.

Since you were going slower than planned, 900 miles in 11 days with 2000 miles remaining how was your fuel margin to run the water maker for the remaining 22 plus/minus days? Did you have backup water tankage? Did you feel there may be an up and coming issue with this?
This has nothing to do with Eric.. tho' some may see it as a sly pop at him.. but I don't do sly..
This post above is a very good point for Newbie Voyagers to consider..
New folk always seem to estimate ETA's on hull speeds of their boats.. however these are speeds under 'PERFECT CONDITIONS'.. most times you'll be happy if you average 100-120nm/day on a long passage... 32ft to 54ft..
Panama to Marquesas took me 37days on a 54ftr... a friend of mine crossing at the same time as me took 54 days in his 36ftr..
Folks.. the boat will only go as fast as the conditions permit so don't make assumptions all will be peachy coz you say so..
In 2001 I did a 47 day non-stop SMX to Salcombe with 200litres tankage.. I still had 30+ left when I arrived..
I run a tight control on water at sea.. Baby Wipes to keep your body odours under control.. and a solar shower with 3litres twice a week.. be surprised how clean and un-smelly folk are away from land.. unless they've a glandular problem.. the 'Need for a Shower' is a combination of habit and 'civilized' paranoia..
Treasure your water.. lack off it will kill you in days.. lack of food a couple of months.. on the Pacific run rain is very rare till past the Marquesas and halfway to Samoa.. so don't bank on rain catchers.. they only work if it rains..
The best and cleanest way to catch rain I know is raise the boom to 75 degrees short of level using the topping lift and belly the sail a bit.. then hang a bucket at the goose neck.. some tubing and your jugs tied together underneath will allow you to siphon 1 litre a minute in a decent tropical rain squall..

Nice post MarkJ... RH has been and gone.. nothing said will change whats done.. but those yet to come have much to learn from others mishaps..
including mine..
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Old 15-05-2014, 13:35   #387
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

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a solar shower with 3litres twice a week..
Good Lord.. I couldnt possibly manage on less than 20 litres 2 x a day!!
Dont drink the filthy stuff... beer is good enough......
A lot to be said for watermakers.........

(I hide a couple of bottles of Evian water in my cabin in case of emergency.. Like when the Guinness runs out and there is only Bass.... )
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Old 15-05-2014, 13:48   #388
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

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Nice post MarkJ... RH has been and gone.. nothing said will change whats done.. but those yet to come have much to learn from others mishaps..
including mine..
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself. ” -- Eleanor Roosevelt
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Old 15-05-2014, 13:52   #389
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

Wind River, taking the sick child out of the mix is very interesting way to consider the remaining situation RH was facing, given the boat condition (rot, leaks, low power, small tankage, etc.) shown in the pics. If he makes it, he's a hero, if he doesn't....
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Old 15-05-2014, 14:00   #390
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re: Call for Help/ This American Life (Merged)

To me if you take the sick child out of the mix and the boat makes it, every take away lesson I got from the trip still applies. But they still have the boat!
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