what a mess: zenamaran

[atoll]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I'll bump this thread from hiva oa and you can double check my angsty opinions.

And in my defense, I've gotten everywhere I've left for.

and given birth! lol

just don't temp fate,as people who live in glass houses.............stones

[David_Old_Jersey]

I haven't read all of the blog, but I can understand why the last series of posts were very reflective. Zen stuff not my cup of tea, but I can sympathise with the man in this situation - not easy to see your dreams disappear down the sh#tter - in slow motion.

From what I can tell he wasn't new to boats, nor totally ill prepared (but maybe he should have stuck with a Mono!) and I think a fair few mistakes made which did not help (and possibly that includes the Zen attitude?!) - but at the end of the day he had the wit and ability to get self out of his predicament alive. That might have been sooner or later than others (and a predicament of own making?), but that don't matter.............and not every sailor manages that.

[Capt Rottnest]

The guy's attitude is fine. In fact he seems to be well suited to the task. He probably would have brought the boat back but for his partner being totally unsuited, and he had no control over that. The whole thing was just unfortunate.

I wonder if the motion of the little cat was the culprit re partner's seasickness.
Shoulda' kept the mono, put a windvane on it.

[I.Grind]

I read some of the blog, especially the end and the very beginning. I missed the part where he switched to a cat. I think this was the mistake. Some people don't like the motion of a cat, I think his wife was one.

For a zen guy, he sure seemed to miss out on the whole go with the flow aspect of zen. Even after he turned around, he kept fighting the wind and tide. Methinks if he had just gone with it and hit the coast wherever he hit the coast and then made a decision about where to go next (day sailing only) he could have kept the boat.

In the blog, there's this whole shakedown to French Polynesia that is discussed then sort of glossed over hard to tell if it was aborted or what. Very confusing.

[TaoJones]

Today's 'Lectronic Latitude carries an interesting article on the loss of Zen II with, perhaps, a little more compassion than that shown in this thread by some. Here's a bit of it:

In happier times, Lady Zen and Zen display the banner of their eco-friendly voyage campaign.
© 2013 GD French

But only days after jumping off from Southern California and beginning their nearly 2,000-mile westward voyage, they were sobered by the difficulties of offshore sailing — especially in such a small boat. One of the cat's twin rudders became inoperable early on, but Zen did his best to jury rig it, while learning to control the boat with a single rudder. Eventually, the couple decided to head for Ensenada for repairs.

* * * * *

To read the entire piece, go to:

The Loss of Zen

TaoJones

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Capt Rottnest

(...) his partner being totally unsuited, and he had no control over that. (...)

Like what?

I thought in this age we elect our partners. I know there are countries and cultures still around (and going strong) where they are GIVEN one.

If your partner is not a sailing person, do not take them sailing. How come a proposed zen master (buhahaha) does not see this most basic fact of life?

The sense, the nonsense, and the zensense ;-))))

b.

[sharkbait2035]

Originally Posted by Capt Rottnest

The guy's attitude is fine. In fact he seems to be well suited to the task. He probably would have brought the boat back but for his partner being totally unsuited, and he had no control over that. The whole thing was just unfortunate.

I wonder if the motion of the little cat was the culprit re partner's seasickness.
Shoulda' kept the mono, put a windvane on it.

no point cat bashing here, the problem was not the boat, it was how it was sailed and inspected for departure - do rudders spontaneously fall apart, or on an old cheap cat is it something worthy of some time and reinforcement? At any point he could have given up fighting it and run with the wind and or current... wonder if I should suggest this cat in the cheap multis thread? just gotta find her!

[barnakiel]

Yep. Nothing wrong with a boat being old. But the basics have to be in new condition (not 'like-new'). Standing rigging, steering, hull integrity, ballast (if present), etc. are sort of like essential to making it to the other side.

Really silly anyone labeling themselves as 'zen' associated can not see the bare facts of life.

Budget sailing, to be done in a safe and effective manner, is ALL about having the basics in good working order.

b.

[captain58sailin]

I'll be Rebel's Wife will be surprised to learn that he has given birth.

[Capt Rottnest]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Like what?
..

b.

Like the reason he hit the button, was his missus's misery..
Otherwise he would have hung in there for the final 500nm.

Yeah, he made a bad choice boat wise, antithesis to my boat in the yard (huge solid transom hung rudder, heavy galv steel pintles).
That cat looked like a weekend cruiser to me.

[DefinitelyMe]

I can't help wondering if he would have made it had he just had a little bit of experience with sail trim. It's clear that he's struggling to hold a course but look at the shape of the sail in the picture. The halyard has FEET of slack in it, so the luff is a big baggy mess. That alone must have cost him 20 or 30-degrees of pointing ability, never mind the loss of speed. It sounds like he's really happy when he manages to top 5kts for a few minutes, but if that picture is his standard for sail trim then he could easily have managed another knot or two consistently with a bit of trim. At one point he wants the wind to go to the W so that he can make way NE?! I'd be hoping it would go NW, not W, and he should be able to make way NE even with it from the N! OK, he's got a broken rudder and he can't fix it for some reason but really?

Such a disappointment. I kind of like the guy! Sounds like he has a lot more patience than me!

[salticrak]

Reading this got me thinking of Ole Jimmy Wharram and his first adventures on a catamaran. Now Wharram as most of you know sailed the first cat across the Atlantic. He too had rudder problems on a few occasions. This all on a craft that was untested and in it's infancy.

I for one am glad Wharram never packed it in, or abandoned his boat. This Zen guy, I am glad he is alive.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Capt Rottnest

Like the reason he hit the button, was his missus's misery..
Otherwise he would have hung in there for the final 500nm.

Yeah, he made a bad choice boat wise, antithesis to my boat in the yard (huge solid transom hung rudder, heavy galv steel pintles).
That cat looked like a weekend cruiser to me.

I think the boat was a good choice. I think the bad choice was to go on a crossing with a partner who should have stayed ashore.

Yep on the rudders - there are many ways one can improve: either build new and possibly more meaty ones, or else redesign to get a more seaworthy solution.

b.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by salticrak

Reading this got me thinking of Ole Jimmy Wharram and his first adventures on a catamaran. Now Wharram as most of you know sailed the first cat across the Atlantic. He too had rudder problems on a few occasions. (...)

Wharram, being a Brit, was a practical guy. Two of everything! Two hulls, two rudders ... and TWO GIRLS.

The other guy resolved to substitute the second girl with an EPIRB. It turned out a mistake.

;-))))
b.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by salticrak

Reading this got me thinking of Ole Jimmy Wharram and his first adventures on a catamaran. Now Wharram as most of you know sailed the first cat across the Atlantic. He too had rudder problems on a few occasions. This all on a craft that was untested and in it's infancy.

I for one am glad Wharram never packed it in, or abandoned his boat. This Zen guy, I am glad he is alive.

Im a wharram fan - but "sailed the first cat across the Atlantic". I am not so sure about that. First "modern" cat maybe?