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deckofficer · 13-04-2014, 22:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor g

Deck Officer-It's nice to try to get an honest discussion going but it seems you've been discovered.

Question, how does....
"That was quite a read. Sounds like Charlotte is as strong as ever and Rebel Heart II is in the future.

The human spirit and its strength is alive and well."

mean I've been discovered? I'm confused.

What I took away from reading Charlotte's latest blog entry was that her spirit was still good and they plan on sailing again.

Doodles · 13-04-2014, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by deckofficer

...
What I took away from reading Charlotte's latest blog entry was that her spirit was still good and they plan on sailing again.

If they do, more power to them, but I didn't read that anywhere. What did I miss?

deckofficer · 13-04-2014, 22:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doodles

If they do, more power to them, but I didn't read that anywhere. What did I miss?

From Charlotte's blog,

"Rebel Heart will be back. Just give us some time.

Sincerely,

Charlotte"

On their blog there is Eric's blog pages and Charlotte's pages and the boat has always been called by name, that being S/V Rebel Heart.

Delfin · 14-04-2014, 07:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doodles

New posting from Rebel Heart:

Rebel Heart - Charlotte's Blog - Overwhelmed, Shocked,Â*Saddened

Let the nitpicking begin … she says "they helped us manually pump our bilge every few hours" and "They slept for three nights in a tiny, cramped cabin that poured seawater with every breaking wave."

This doesn't sound like what I heard on the press conference video by the rescue crew.

Oh boy......

I guess I must be of another generation when personal privacy and dignity were somehow connected. It would never have occurred to me to send a picture of my junk to someone, although Congressmen and athletes now do that, nor to blog about uncomfortable private family matters where they can be viewed by anyone prurient enough to care.

But sticking to more practical nautical matters, how the heck does a 36 foot fiberglass HC become unsound enough after 9 days half becalmed to ship water with every wave? Something unanticipated before leaving shore, I have to assume, because if this is true, no responsible mariner would have left shore until the vessel was sound. I'd like to understand what that catastrophic event was, since it sounds like something to prepare for. And if it's not true, then I guess we'll never know what occurred nor will newbies with similar dreams be able to learn anything form the Kaufman's experience.

3000 · 14-04-2014, 08:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Part of Rebel Heart #1's contribution has been like a beginning course in in what the internet can be. I wonder if the positive shall outweigh the negative?

A.

I wonder if the truth -- whether positive or negative -- shall outweigh the story-selling.

Palarran · 14-04-2014, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delfin

Presumably there are many people reading these posts who want to understand what cruising is about, perhaps even trying to coax a reluctant spouse into making the move. Pretending that experienced cruisers on this forum would have done things just as the Kaufman's did gives altogether the wrong impression, I think. Those folks would be impressed with how supportive the cruising fraternity is, but without a little honesty about what might have been done differently could get the impression that you can do everything right but still have to call the navy to save you and lose your home in the process.

The only other comment I'll make is that the way even modestly questioning voices have been insulted, reported to the moderators, or accused of ill faith is quite disturbing. If Weber is a journalist looking for a story, that is the story, not the unfortunate sequence of events that led up to a near disaster. And it wouldn't be a very complimentary story for this forum, IMHO.

Good post Delfin. It's good that the forum is now honestly looking at the situation of Rebel Heart.

While this rescue is probably almost totally faded out of the public's attention, it has to be the most widely publicized sailing story ever while it did live. I don't recall this much attention to the Americas Cup. On a flight to Augusta this weekend the guy next to me was reading the story in USAToday. I've seen it on almost every news medium multiple times.

It's been good to see the public's perception turn from about 99.8% negative to 50/50. Most of the negative comments have to do with the children not remembering the adventure in the end and parents trying to fulfill their dream at the expense of their family. IMO, these are somewhat understandable views.

If there is to be a RHII, hopefully they will approach it differently and maybe a little more humbly.

CatInHand · 14-04-2014, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3000

I wonder if the truth -- whether positive or negative -- shall outweigh the story-selling.

Who cares? It's their story and they can do what they want with it.

Mycroft · 14-04-2014, 08:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delfin

how the heck does a 36 foot fiberglass HC become unsound enough after 9 days half becalmed to ship water with every wave?

I was wondering the same thing. How the heck does THAT happen? There are only two things I can think of:

1. She's talking about water coming into the cockpit?

2. One or more of the hatches or port lights were leaking like a sieve?

Strange. I sure hope Eric will be willing to tell us the details of what happened so we can learn from it.

CatInHand · 14-04-2014, 08:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palarran

Most of the negative comments have to do with the children not remembering the adventure in the end and parents trying to fulfill their dream at the expense of their family. IMO, these are somewhat understandable views.

Yes and no. They seem to be approaching the idea from their own perspective which is usually taking the kids out of school or daycare for a big adventure. That is very different from a family that lives on a boat and were changing locations. The diapers would have been washed in the sink (or wherever) anyway, the boat would rock in rough weather anyway, the living situation was cozy anyway.

A better comparison would be a family that lives in an RV and decided to travel across the mountains on logging roads.

SaltyMonkey · 14-04-2014, 08:23

Here we go. Deconstruction of a story at its worse. Embarrassing.

goboatingnow · 14-04-2014, 08:24

It's good to see a little more thoughtful inspection being considered here alongside either unthinking cheer leading or outright castigation

It's leaves me with one overriding view, don't write personal public blogs.

Dave

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

colemj · 14-04-2014, 08:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I read a fair bit f the press coverage and the comments. The blog actually seemed to attract far more highly charged comments then the press coverage. I thought the blog was WAY too personal for public consumption and not a good idea. Public blogs should contain smiley people and happy stuff. Keep the 3am panicked thoughts for a private reading

Dave

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes, the problem was their blog and their need to air all of their immediate personal thoughts and issues on it in real-time. I mean, do we really need a daily update on when they have sex and when she gets her menstrual cycle? Their blog set new standards for self-absorption and personal details.

Consider that a month before the RH saga, a family with three kids aged 1, 3 and 5 yr old were dismasted and required rescue while rounding Cape Horn. This story was barely picked up by the actual yachting press, let alone Fox News, and nobody is talking about the danger of taking those kids around Cape Horn like they are about RH taking similar kids on a milk run passage. Two crews dismasted near Cape Horn | Yachting World

The difference is the blog.

RH was ill-prepared for this trip - experience wise, boat wise and, most importantly, psychologically wise. However, RH did absolutely the right thing by pulling the pin when the kid got sick. Same with scuttling the boat and following the family back.

The blog is why this story unfolded like it did. If they do not learn that lesson, then they are doomed to repeat it.

Mark

CatInHand · 14-04-2014, 08:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mycroft

I was wondering the same thing. How the heck does THAT happen? There are only two things I can think of:

1. She's talking about water coming into the cockpit?

2. One or more of the hatches or port lights were leaking like a sieve?

Strange. I sure hope Eric will be willing to tell us the details of what happened so we can learn from it.

3. Charlotte's setting the stage for a good story with a little embellishment.

Her blog is her story; it isn't a postmortem and there's no reason to assume it's specifically accurate.

3000 · 14-04-2014, 08:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatInHand

Who cares? It's their story and they can do what they want with it.

Agreed. Half-truths, exaggerations and cover-ups, as well as blame- & attention-deflection attempts, always make the truth that much more exciting.

There have already been inconsistencies between the blog and the California Air National Guard press conference. Why is this?