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Confessions of a Long-Distance Sailor

arachnoid.com

21–30 of 59 posts

Re: Confessions of a Long-Distance Sailor

#21

A few years ago I was part of a national-level rescue chain, the chain that starts with a phonecall and snakes it way up through different first responders. The group I worked with were at pretty much the far end of the chain. I am all for people doing great things, but for every great-thing-doing long distance sailor there are a hundred rich idiots. 50ish, got rich, bought a boat and is out on the open ocean ... and…

> He knew to crash on a golf course so the doctors didn't need to walk very far. (Not a joke. That happened.)

The link only mentions that he crashed on the golf course, not why he chose it. (Well, other than "can't make it to the airport, golf course is best alternative"). Personally, I suspect "it's got open stretches of flat land with no trees or buildings" was more of a consideration than "doctors are often found there". :-)

Re: Confessions of a Long-Distance Sailor

#22

A few years ago I was part of a national-level rescue chain, the chain that starts with a phonecall and snakes it way up through different first responders. The group I worked with were at pretty much the far end of the chain. I am all for people doing great things, but for every great-thing-doing long distance sailor there are a hundred rich idiots. 50ish, got rich, bought a boat and is out on the open ocean ... and…

Something I've read on HN once, and that nailed it for me: in the middle of the Pacific you are further away from any possible rescue than if you were on the ISS.

Re: Confessions of a Long-Distance Sailor

#24
post #2

I was reminded of this book today when I read some comments here about the popularity of “sailing log” manuscripts. This one is written by Paul Lutus, of Apple Writer fame. https://arachnoid.com/administration/index.html

That connection makes it even more interesting

Re: Confessions of a Long-Distance Sailor

#25
post #8

In my spare time I message people of means to fund a 100ft carbon maxi sailing campaign to break ocean records at the major offshore events around the globe.(www.msailing.org) I call it my moonshot, something I spend a few hours on a month, and you'd be amazed how many people actually politely decline. I wish more people knew the joy and the rawness of the ocean.

There are worse ways to spend a few hours a month than trying to talk rich people into funding an absurdly fast sailboat

Re: Confessions of a Long-Distance Sailor

#26

Also in this genre: Moxie Marlinspike (yes, that[1] Moxie Marlinspike)'s documentary about anarchist yacht-squatting, "Hold Fast" (2007) https://vimeo.com/15351476 [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxie_Marlinspike

That was a nice video, huge balls on all four in doing this...

Re: Confessions of a Long-Distance Sailor

#27
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like a good role for a drone rescue ship that targets the EPIRB location.

And how fast is this drone ship? I bet slower than the helicopter. And how do you get people onboard? A drone with a robotic arm? Will it be like the claw game, but with wounded people being clawed up?

> And how do you get people onboard? A drone with a robotic arm?

Nets. Nets are how you get people on board in basically all emergency scenarios.

Not that drone rescue ships seem like a particularly good idea, mind you.

Re: Confessions of a Long-Distance Sailor

#28
post #8

In my spare time I message people of means to fund a 100ft carbon maxi sailing campaign to break ocean records at the major offshore events around the globe.(www.msailing.org) I call it my moonshot, something I spend a few hours on a month, and you'd be amazed how many people actually politely decline. I wish more people knew the joy and the rawness of the ocean.

I'll bite. How does Gitana 18 and the general continued technological progress in the Ultim class fall short? If you had something to contribute, couldn't you just get involved in one of these projects?
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