Offshore Sailor Needs Advice

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

Ronnie was actually here before his mishap. Although I think it was for a very short time. I think it will be interesting to watch the layers of the onion be peeled back. I believe we will watch Ronnie mature as a sailor quickly. Only this time he will be putting a lot of thought into his actions. He now understands what he is up against. I think he also understands he didn't really see much of what Mother Nature is capable of throwing at us......i2f

And asked for advice.

He did not "take it to heart", he ignored a lot of it.

I am sure someone will keep us informed, probably himself.

How much money does he have now anyway? How much is coming in?

It is hard to recommend things without knowing the approximate budget.

As for that other couple - I think they are well above average intelligence and they read voraciously and retained much of it and put that reading into practice much of the time. Many cannot glean that from the way they (he) write(s) but it is clear (to me) that they listened to many and heeded the advice many a time. I don't think there is a close correlation here.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Therapy

<snip>

As for that other couple - I think they are well above average intelligence and they read voraciously and retained much of it and put that reading into practice much of the time. Many cannot glean that from the way they (he) write(s) but it is clear (to me) that they listened to many and heeded the advice many a time. I don't think th ere is a close correlation here.

I have to agree completely with this assessment by Therapy - unless you've met and talked with the Schultes, you can't appreciate how intelligent they really are, especially Pat. One of their greatest assets, it seems to me, is the ability to recognize gaps in their knowledge, quickly gather the information to fill those gaps, apply that information, and do it all with a pleasant attitude.

In my opinion, that attitude successfully took them around the world every bit as much as Bumfuzzle did.

TaoJones

[ronniesimpson]

the sailor from New Orleans hit the nail on the head, as far as my situation is concerned. I made a monumental mistake by being lulled into a false sense of security in San Diego. Being that the entirety of my brief sailing career had been in San Diego, I experienced no bad weather and never got a good chance to test myself or my boat. I will definitely go about things in a very different way on my next boat.

as far as my financial situation is concerned, i had pretty much everything wrapped up in that boat. probably another error. I only have a couple grand ($ US) left, but there is a potential deal on the table where I would get enough money in advance royalties from a publishing company to put together what I feel could be a very nice boat, capable of taking me to distant lands.

I just got a 2-month lease (today) on a pretty basic but pretty decent place here in Hong Kong, so I can now being working. I have a few magazine articles lined up (sailing mags as well as other) that should be able to pay the bills for at least a couple of months, giving me time to pursue other avenues of obtaining funding for a new boat. While here in HK, I plan to crew on some yacht deliveries, race boats, etc, to continue gaining experience until I can take off on my own voyage again.

[hellosailor]

Ronnie-
"While here in HK, I plan to crew on some yacht deliveries, race boats, etc, to continue gaining experience until I can take off on my own voyage again."
I suspect you are finally GETTING IT. It is possible for any blessed fool to sail around the world ten times in perfect weather with no failures. It is possible for a less blessed but more skilled person to dodge bad weather for substantial periods--something that was impossible for circumnavigators just a few decades ago.
But, unless you think your luck is endless, you will need to gain experience in really lousy sailing conditions, so eight, or ten, or thirty foot waves are something you can say "Done this before" and likewise, 30-40-50 or more knots of wind and driving rain.
There is no substitute for sailing with people that you can (rightfully, not simply) trust as being able to handle things, and learning from them what has to be done--and avoided.
And then you want to take your own boat out. Not far out, just out for a day or two in the slopiest nastiest weather you can find, so that there is shelter or rescue near at hand--but you've got the chance to work your own boat in the worst of it. Preferably with extra crew aboard--even if their only purpose is going to be backing you up, cooking, and shooting video.

I got out to a boat (not mine) a couple of hours early, and having nothing better to do, went around checking rigging and fittings, cleaning things up. Happened to find the cotter pin holding the forestay had almost totally slipped out, and hidden under the rigging tape, there were an immenent dismasting waiting for us.

We all trusted that boat, and the maintenance on it. Trust? I hate to quote George Bush (who stole the words from older and sier men) but "Trust but verify" is the only safe thing if you are heading into water deeper than you can walk back out of.

The guys on the space shuttle aren't kidding when they say "You're flying on a ship built out of a million parts, each supplied by the lowest bidder."

The sea gods gave you a mulligan--its rare for them to do that twice.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

And then you want to take your own boat out. Not far out, just out for a day or two in the slopiest nastiest weather you can find, so that there is shelter or rescue near at hand--

Didn't Ronnie already do the rescue thingie -

If Ronnie hooks up well in HKG he will sail with some great people. I think the adventure continues and the adventure is awesome.

However, instead of writing magazine articles maybe he should get a job in the boat yard for some hands on fixing experience.

Just kidding on the articles. If his notoriety converts into a paying journalism gig that's awesome.

[hellosailor]

"Didn't Ronnie already do the rescue thingie - "
Yes, but if you are only 20-50-100 miles out of port, and still near coastal, your options are greatly increased. And the fear factor should be somewhat less.

800 miles offshore, if there's no commercial shipping to divert for you, about the only option is for a Hercules to fly grids and dump a drop pack on you--if they can find you. 100 miles offshore, and helo's can run a much tighter search, and hoist you up if they find you.

Well, in theory a Herc can perform a lift from at sea--but they really, really, don't like to do that unless it's for Hollywood.<G>

A boatyard is one idea. Tagging along and filming a marine surveyor for a week might be good too.

"Rescued at Sea" always sells magazines. "Film at 11" pays better though.[g]

[nickj]

It's quite fascinating how a voyage that was essentially a failure, has now landed book deals, and magazine articles.

Think of all the incredible and heroic adventures through history that were well planned, executed and successful, which people don't really care for.

I met a older Swedish gentlemen who had written five books, none of which were accepted for publication, because nothing bad had happened. He had simply circumnavigated solo through some rather treacherous waters, and written a wonderful account of his voyage...

I'm going to stay well away from making any judgements about anything, however I'm just pointing out there is something fundamentally wrong, when there is considerably more interest in failure, than success.

n.

[NOLA_sailing]

Originally Posted by nickj

I'm going to stay well away from making any judgements about anything, however I'm just pointing out there is something fundamentally wrong, when there is considerably more interest in failure, than success.

n.

How often do hear about Iraq on the news now?

[nickj]

Originally Posted by NOLA_sailing

How often do hear about Iraq on the news now?

I'm not sure what you're asking: I hear about it all the time though, if that's a question. Of course the current 'financial meltdown' and the election seem to be overshadowing everything, however my point still stands: Gross failure is still inimitably more interesting to the majority of people. I've fallen prey to it myself, and I don't know why.

[hellosailor]

It is the same reason that people rubberneck at accidents. They want to see blood and gore and how much luckier they are than the poor SOB who didn't make it, or might not make it.

Oddly enough, if you take those rubbernecks and make them get up close and personal holding the body parts in place while someone else is trying to keep them alive--they'll usually lose future interest in the process.

In a (not for the public) driving safety course, we were shown an interview with the uniform who had to walk a hundred yards of hurricane fence, looking for pieces of the arm that the drive had been hanging out the window when he hit the fence. And the amputee driver. I don't think anyone in that class ever drove "Vinnie Style" with an arm hanging out their window after that one.

Why did the Romans go to the Coliseum? To see the lions win, and be glad there were no lions on the streets.

[nickj]

Absolutely hellosailor... As you've pointed out, there is a long history of such a mindset!

If Ronnie can maintain and increase his spotlight from the unfortunate events of his departure, I think he's destined for a certain type of success. The whole Marine angle, do or die attitude, not caring too much about what people think etc is enough to cause a maintainable stir: To rally the experienced with his lack thereof, and to tickle the fancy of dreamers alike... A recipe for future sinkers: Survive, and continue with gusto for a dedicated following!

Then again, Vann managed that exact recipe, but is still despised by many. Although, he has a successful book and money in the bank... And that strangely welded contraption of his.

I guess success is a relative term.

[NOLA_sailing]

Originally Posted by nickj

I'm not sure what you're asking: I hear about it all the time though, if that's a question. Of course the current 'financial meltdown' and the election seem to be overshadowing everything, however my point still stands: Gross failure is still inimitably more interesting to the majority of people. I've fallen prey to it myself, and I don't know why.

Just trying to shore up your point with a rhetorical question. We of course still hear the debate on the war's legitimacy, but not so much about what is going on the ground like we used to when things looked bad because the media moved on to the next negative issue; which of course is now the economy. Have you seen Time Magazine's recent cover with a picture of a Great Depression soup kitchen comparing today's mess to that? Our economy shrank 30% in the 30s. It is projected to shrink maybe 1.5% before reversing. It's irrepsonsible journalism, but somehow they are still selling copies.

...but this is for another forum. Who wants to take me sailing?

[LakeSuperior]

I have been wondering if the threat of global warming has abated as it doesn't seem to be making the news much in the last few months.

[nickj]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

I have been wondering if the threat of global warming has abated as it doesn't seem to be making the news much in the last few months.

Against the elections, Iraq, financial meltdown, and Ronnie, there is little time to debate the impact of CO2 and the survival of our planet! Silly!

[ronniesimpson]

Originally Posted by nickj

Against the elections, Iraq, financial meltdown, and Ronnie, there is little time to debate the impact of CO2 and the survival of our planet! Silly!

nick, i don't think my exploits are on the same scale as the election, Iraq, and the financial crisis. thanks for the plug, though. haha.