Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

marineinsight.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 281 posts

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#61

Post by ofalkaed »

agentultra wrote: post #58
ofalkaed wrote: post #54

As someone whose goal in life is to be blown about the oceans by the wind, I have mixed feelings about this. With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way, my being a sailboat under the wisdom of the wind, they have to make allowances for me and change course, but things are different when that freighter is also under the wisdom of the wind. The same goes for things like offshore wind power, my life…

A freighter is always the stand on vessel when you’re sailing. They don’t have the turning radius to even try!

In a bay, sure, but in a busy bay this is not much of an issue, the solo sailor is not going to be asleep in their berth when sailing about the bay.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#62

Post by ofalkaed »

chrisweekly wrote: post #60
ofalkaed wrote: post #54

As someone whose goal in life is to be blown about the oceans by the wind, I have mixed feelings about this. With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way, my being a sailboat under the wisdom of the wind, they have to make allowances for me and change course, but things are different when that freighter is also under the wisdom of the wind. The same goes for things like offshore wind power, my life…

> "With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way" In theory, perhaps. In praxis, might makes right, bigger wins, and if you in your sailboat want to play chicken with a freighter of any kind, you're taking an unreasonable risk. Actually, commercial boats get priority over pleasurecraft, so even in theory it's probably your job to stay out of the way.

Not even in theory. Sure I may loose my boat but they will be liable for it and will not even question being liable, the cost is tiny to them and I would get a new boat if they ran me down. Things are more complex when that freighter is also under sail and most of the world lacks any legal bearing here.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#63

Post by rkomorn »

ofalkaed wrote: post #54

As someone whose goal in life is to be blown about the oceans by the wind, I have mixed feelings about this. With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way, my being a sailboat under the wisdom of the wind, they have to make allowances for me and change course, but things are different when that freighter is also under the wisdom of the wind. The same goes for things like offshore wind power, my life…

I find it somewhat inconsistent that you feel people's choice of indoor temperature is an imposition on you, but also that your choice of sailboat should entitle you to having something that is literally hundreds of times larger and less nimble than you have to make the effort to go around you.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#64

Post by chocalot »

ofalkaed wrote: post #54

As someone whose goal in life is to be blown about the oceans by the wind, I have mixed feelings about this. With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way, my being a sailboat under the wisdom of the wind, they have to make allowances for me and change course, but things are different when that freighter is also under the wisdom of the wind. The same goes for things like offshore wind power, my life…

> The same goes for things like offshore wind power, my life is made more difficult because most people expect their home to be 70F when it is 60F outside and 60F when it is 70F outside, anything else would incur undue hardship.

This is an overly simplistic view of demands on energy, but it might be one of the easiest for people decry. (As it happens, comfort is nice though.)

> should I be penalized for wanting to live a life that has little or no environmental impact at cost of those who want to live in reasonable comfort while being a part of/contributing to, society?

No, but it's also unrealistic to expect to be sheltered from all externalities of society.

After all, switching to sail cargo ships is itself reducing an externality incurred by others.

> what happened to the first 'R' of the three R's (reduce, reuse and recycle)

This is a good principle, but it's not universally accepted, and it still permits things that involve cargo via ocean.

As more and more people are pulled from poverty, they too will begin to use more energy to improve their lives, perhaps to the point that they can choose to follow their dreams upon retirement.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#65

Post by wewtyflakes »

ofalkaed wrote: post #62
chrisweekly wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way" In theory, perhaps. In praxis, might makes right, bigger wins, and if you in your sailboat want to play chicken with a freighter of any kind, you're taking an unreasonable risk. Actually, commercial boats get priority over pleasurecraft, so even in theory it's probably your job to stay out of the way.

Not even in theory. Sure I may loose my boat but they will be liable for it and will not even question being liable, the cost is tiny to them and I would get a new boat if they ran me down. Things are more complex when that freighter is also under sail and most of the world lacks any legal bearing here.

You can be right, and dead; your posthumous estate would get a new boat.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#66

Post by ofalkaed »

chocalot wrote: post #64
ofalkaed wrote: post #54

As someone whose goal in life is to be blown about the oceans by the wind, I have mixed feelings about this. With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way, my being a sailboat under the wisdom of the wind, they have to make allowances for me and change course, but things are different when that freighter is also under the wisdom of the wind. The same goes for things like offshore wind power, my life…

> The same goes for things like offshore wind power, my life is made more difficult because most people expect their home to be 70F when it is 60F outside and 60F when it is 70F outside, anything else would incur undue hardship. This is an overly simplistic view of demands on energy, but it might be one of the easiest for people decry. (As it happens, comfort is nice though.) > should I be penalized for wanting to li…

I admitted or strongly implied everything you used as rebuttal with the exception of your final point, I don't believe using more energy improves ones life. Also, this is not a retirement dream, this is going to happen in the next year and I will be pulling over to work for ~6 months every couple years.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#67

Post by ofalkaed »

rkomorn wrote: post #63
ofalkaed wrote: post #54

As someone whose goal in life is to be blown about the oceans by the wind, I have mixed feelings about this. With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way, my being a sailboat under the wisdom of the wind, they have to make allowances for me and change course, but things are different when that freighter is also under the wisdom of the wind. The same goes for things like offshore wind power, my life…

I find it somewhat inconsistent that you feel people's choice of indoor temperature is an imposition on you, but also that your choice of sailboat should entitle you to having something that is literally hundreds of times larger and less nimble than you have to make the effort to go around you.

I didn't say that I am entitled or that it was an imposition, just that it was complex and I have mixed feelings about it, literally said that I don't think society should make allowances for me.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#68

Post by ofalkaed »

wewtyflakes wrote: post #65
ofalkaed wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not even in theory. Sure I may loose my boat but they will be liable for it and will not even question being liable, the cost is tiny to them and I would get a new boat if they ran me down. Things are more complex when that freighter is also under sail and most of the world lacks any legal bearing here.

You can be right, and dead; your posthumous estate would get a new boat.

A large ship is very unlikely to just instantly destroy and sink a small sailboat, bow wave pushes it aside and destroys the rigging leaving the boat adrift, crew either abandons it or scuttles it when rescued unless they are near land and can be towed.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#69

Post by newsclues »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #29
bloudermilk wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you pricing in the externalities of GHGs?

No. If it isn’t cheaper it isn’t on the board for the next decade or two outside niche routes. The hard part is in making it economically viable. We already know sailboats work.

EVs are sinking ships.

If you could build mass fleets of smaller ships that are sail and electric powered to move electric cars and containers of batteries.

Re: Largest cargo sailboat completes first Atlantic crossing

#70

Post by brk »

ofalkaed wrote: post #62
chrisweekly wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "With the "traditional" freighter I would have the right of way" In theory, perhaps. In praxis, might makes right, bigger wins, and if you in your sailboat want to play chicken with a freighter of any kind, you're taking an unreasonable risk. Actually, commercial boats get priority over pleasurecraft, so even in theory it's probably your job to stay out of the way.

Not even in theory. Sure I may loose my boat but they will be liable for it and will not even question being liable, the cost is tiny to them and I would get a new boat if they ran me down. Things are more complex when that freighter is also under sail and most of the world lacks any legal bearing here.

You might want to read more about the right of way rules and USCG apportionment in maritime accidents. In the scenario you describe you most definitely would not be getting a new boat.
Post reply on HN