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rebel heart · 03-08-2013, 20:14

Well for everyone who thinks I'm being an ass, put your money were your mouth is. Even odds on the boat breaking apart within its first 1000 miles in an open seaway.

And regarding him making it to the Sea of Cortez, he's like 2000 miles away. He'd have to pass Point Conception, the Dewey Channel, and a few other tricky spots first.

Even money, place your bets.

Sand crab · 03-08-2013, 20:20

I'm betting it never leaves the bay.

**boatman61** · 03-08-2013, 20:23

I think to many on here take life to seriously...

Notice the "He won't make it out off the Bay" is now 1000 miles...

rebel heart · 03-08-2013, 20:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by boatman61

I think to many on here take life to seriously...

Notice the "He won't make it out off the Bay" is now 1000 miles...

I never said he wouldn't make it out of the bay. The boat has "Hawaii" in the name! He's planning on taking it there, at least according to his previous interviews.

But sure, to protect my financial investments against loss I'm going with 1000 miles. That covers Point Conception or the outer Channel Islands.

**boatman61** · 03-08-2013, 20:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I never said he wouldn't make it out of the bay. The boat has "Hawaii" in the name! He's planning on taking it there, at least according to his previous interviews.

But sure, to protect my financial investments against loss I'm going with 1000 miles. That covers Point Conception or the outer Channel Islands.

LOLOL.... I was quoting others mate... chug a salt, Tequila and slice

bobconnie · 03-08-2013, 20:47

Gee I hope he never makes it to NZ, they would never let him leave LOL

SVNeko · 03-08-2013, 21:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Well for everyone who thinks I'm being an ass, put your money were your mouth is. Even odds on the boat breaking apart within its first 1000 miles in an open seaway.

And regarding him making it to the Sea of Cortez, he's like 2000 miles away. He'd have to pass Point Conception, the Dewey Channel, and a few other tricky spots first.

Even money, place your bets.

What's your thing about unprepared sailors? First the Zen guy, now this guy. It looks like nobody here thinks he's going far (although somehow that thing floats right on its lines). But most are willing to cut him some slack for being one of those oddballs this world needs.

rebel heart · 03-08-2013, 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVNeko

What's your thing about unprepared sailors? First the Zen guy, now this guy. It looks like nobody here thinks he's going far (although somehow that thing floats right on its lines). But most are willing to cut him some slack for being one of those oddballs this world needs.

Being a good sailor and taking a good boat (not necessarily an expensive one) to far away places is still being an oddball. Being unskilled and unprepared is a recipe for disaster and has an actual cost in lives and rescue attempts. Rarely are these lunatics only putting themselves in jeopardy.

I'm not advocating for anyone to stop them but my hope is that would-be sailors reading this forum might get their sailing chops up to speed a bit. Maybe someone building a ~70' catamaran should build a 12' dinghy first.

These are not unreasonable ideas.

CPseudonym · 03-08-2013, 22:02

Read somewhere a few days ago about a dude on a 55+' powerboat up north near Washington state was begging for a lift home. Boat was anchored and couldn't get it started sounded like clogged filters. Dude hired a water taxi to pick he and his family up to take them in because the mechanic couldn't get out for a few days.

Since when has intelligence or seamanship EVER been a prerequisite to boat ownership???

Cut this dude some slack, at least his home built cat is floating in the bay. Most home built cats are permanent yard art.

**sailorchic34** · 03-08-2013, 22:03

Well it certainly is a big boat and its away from the dock. Which is more then many ever get. Really he's not hurting anyone at the moment. At least I give him 5 stars for doing something different. Sure beats folks just bitching for bitching sake.

damianham · 03-08-2013, 22:28

I think if I was an experienced enough sailor, and I had a boat in the bay area, and the freedom to go as and when I choose, I would offer to sail alongside Mr hot rod for his first venture out of the bay in case there are any "difficulties".

I am not really being an altruist, the video might be popular on youtube

**Paul Elliott** · 03-08-2013, 23:40

You might want to compare the Flyin Hawaiian to David Vann's "Tin Can". Vann was going to sail his boat, designed and built by "potters and poets", around the world. It left San Francisco and barely made it to Santa Cruz. Here's a link to some photos:
Tin Can David Vann--From the Front Page

I'm not saying that an inexperienced person can't build a good boat of this size, but there are plenty of examples where such a project ended in total failure.

europaflyer · 04-08-2013, 03:39

I'm not the sort of person to get in the way of people's dreams. To many, my dreams probably look just as crazy (although I hope other sailors would understand!). However, the problem as I see it is that the scale of Hot Rod's dreams, and the ineptitude with which he pursues them, has already and probably will continue to result in environmental and financial impacts which affect others. Such as...

a) the use of several tonnes of good timber in a way which will almost certainly be a total waste;
b) the (probable) dumping of large amounts of scrap fibreglass in to the sea, which is unbiodegradable;
c) the dumping of several tonnes of epoxy-soaked wood in to the sea, which will contribute a lot of microplastic pollution as it breaks down;
d) the permanent loss of several hundred kilos of metals such as steel and aluminium, which are finite resources and have substantial environmental impacts associated with their production;
e) the costs to rescue Hot Rod and his merry crew from the shipwreck;
f) the costs to try to clean up the debris;
g) the risk of increased regulation on sailing because of our communal failure to self-govern and avert accidents in the making like this because of 'personal freedom'.

We might forgive Hot Rod all this if he was just a really nice sort of person. Unfortunately, he is a compulsive liar with a total contempt for the advice of people more competent than he is.

He spent $25k on his dream in a way which will never allow it to be realised. For that money, he could have bought, say, a Westsail 32 and have been living his dream somewhere tropical months ago. But he wouldn't listen!

Because of the wider impacts of his actions on others, a lot of people feel we have a right to having a good laugh at him as he slowly trudges towards disaster. What's so wrong about that?

Rant over!

**boatman61** · 04-08-2013, 03:56

Vaguely remember a boat called "The Ship of Fools" pottering round the Med back in the 90's.... they had a tree.. complete with branches for a mast...