Build yourself a boat and do a lap, crazy or not?

Gutsy move and gutsy setup. I've read the article, I know the emotions and I can sympathise with him. His biggest fear should be freezing to death if he doesn't heat insulate his living space aboard, the rest would be ok if strong enough, although I have my suspicions about being as fast as he claims it is going to be.

Too many people too scared to try something else other than the standard set by and created by others, scared of a novice's success . Or for the negative cryteria, jealousy.

I hope he makes it.

 

If too many wanted to do this kind of thing, it could turn into a problem. What the hell. He has sailed oceans,just hope he tests it well before embarking and that it doesn't prematurely fatigue itself to death. Life is short anyway, go for it I say. His run is too late tho for the SO.

 

Personally I wouldn't have built it in allu, but with fiberglass and polyethylene foam instead. There are however lots of boats around made of allu which actually floats. I'm not a metal boat fan, but it's ok with me if someone else is.

 

Theres an update on the blog.

He is planning to launch on friday, test sail on saturday, and leave on sunday, with the possibility of stopping in San Diego of there are problems.

Why do I get the feeling he is not giving the ocean the respect it deserves. Good luck David, this will certainly be a testing adventure.

http://www.esquire.com/the-side/blog/tincan

 

responsibility

here in the US, the coast guard will deny permission to sail. Several loonies in bathtub sized boats trying to do a trans Atlantic crossing have been turned around and escorted to shore. In our rowing races, the harbor-master or the Coasties have final say if we go or not, and we comply. If some one in the race has problems we are BOUND to stop and render aid; pass by the problem and you are disqualified. A universal tradition continues on, but with a little lessening of the problem if but a few fools can be dis-suaded from absolute folly on their part.

 

mark my words ,,a coastguard boat will be in his future,longliner

 

Dosnt even look like that hull would make a good raft once it comes apart in the Southern ocean.

What kind of experiance dose this guy have sailing. I read the blog and it only said he was familer with San Diego and San Francisco. Please tell me this guy has at least sailed something, anything, to at least Hawaii.

K9

 

I sincerely wish you well and really hope you make it but the design is questionable. I have got a bad feeling about the big X (with stiffeners) that holds the side pontoons to the centre main hull. :?: This project could be done but needs more outside help and less personal preferences.:idea: Always wear a life jacket.

 

I suspect this is a debate that will still be raging a thousand years from now.

Paul, you have stated the argument in favor of the standard of honor we all try to measure up to about as well as I've ever seen it expressed. There is no question that most of us will, when we are able, put ourselves at some risk to rescue whoever is in need, whether they are overcome by dire circumstance or by their own stupidity and short-sightedness. Why do we do it? As longliner put it quite well, "Because that's the way I am".

I would not want to live in a world in which some remote legislative body composed of professional politicians decided whether I could go to sea in my own boat or not. That's the core of the problem: we all know that some ventures are conceived by delusional idiots with no understanding of the challenges facing them. How do we distinguish between a complete idiot and someone who wants to push the envelope, knowing that that increases the risk, but convinced that he/she has analyzed the dangers and made the risk acceptable? How do we define acceptable?

EMT's and emergency room workers risk catching AIDS daily as they work to save the lives of drug addicts and gang members who will neither pay for nor appreciate the risks run by those who work to save their lives. My taxes and insurance costs skyrocket as society pays the huge financial costs to save their lives, often multiple times. But no one suggests seriously that we refuse to try to save them, even from themselves.

 

I have my doubts about the design, mainly about the crossbeam connections on the amas and center hull. If failure occurs, I believe that is where it will begin. That's from observing the photos; it appears to me that the construction is not exactly as depicted in the sketches. I could be wrong, though; obviously only an NA, professional builder, or surveyor would know for sure.

I read everything he has written, however. Unless he's a complete liar, David Vann has sailed the equivalent of 1 1/2 times around the earth offshore. His equipment is minimal, but there are backups for key elements. After the first NA quit, he agreed to modify the design when the second NA also insisted on changes. That demonstrates a degree of flexibility and willingness to accept input. The trip will be very high risk, but he has made an attempt to recognize the dangers and prepare within self-imposed constraints.

It's not the worst voyage preparation.

 

Thats good to hear. I wish him luck. Hehas obivously spent enough time out to know that it can get hairy fast, and what real fear can be like on the ocean. He should have some heavy weather skills with that experiance level. That makes me feel better.

I think he should be allowed to do his trip provided he has the proper equipment, and a working knowledge of seamanship. Which it sounds as though he might. After that, its really up to the ocean as to weather he makes it or not. If the Ocean can take a 600' tanker to task then you really cant design or build yourself out of troubble. It will allways come down to your knowledge of seamanship, and your understanding of your own limitations. Ignore either at your own peril.

Any fool can raise a sail. It takes a Sailor to know when to take one down.

K9

 

The nice thing about mother nature, is it predictably sorts out the ones that shouldn't be permitted to breed, by always having gravity pull in the same general direction and producing storm induced loads that haphazardly constructed craft can't endure. I hope he fairs well, though I don't think he'll complete his lap without major repair or reinforcement. With some luck, he'll hang on long enough to get plucked from the wet.

 

"Luck fortunes the brave"; er, "against fools the devil himself labours unsuccessful"; er, "death is natures way of saying you've failed" and so on! Best of luck buddy -in that you'll need it, but yet you may make it - I sincereley hope you do - for everybodies sake (except maybe those who wish to emulate you!)

 

He's going to make it. And why not. You all seem to forget that most of your forefathers came to your land of birth in much poorer wooden boats. All they had was guts to take them aboard and the hope of a future away from people making rules for everyone else. Pity more people does not have the guts.

Not sure why everyone is ranting and raving about the guy's effort. Seems to me whenever someone attempts to do something out of other people's boxes they want to push him right back in. Keep every one in line, right.

If this is something he wants to do then let him. He seems adult enough to make decisions for himself good grief, it's not like he takes a school bus with kids with him... eh !

Did the penny drop yet ?

 

Well the part about our forfathers you seem to be missing is all the guys that tired for eons before them, and that became fish food, before the first "succesfull" voyage made it.

Also some of the reasons people of knowledge worrie about these "stunts" is because more then likely when it gets bad the "stunter", becomes a lot less reliant on his own "abilities", then he seems when standing on the shore potificating about his "explorer spirit". Then true mariners in rugged craft have to go out and risk thier lives to save the "stunter". When you have organizations like the Royal Lifeboat, and USCG that have mottos like "You have to go out but you dont have to come back". We, as mariners get a bit protective of them, towards people, or "stunters" if you will, that needlessly indanger thier lives.

K9