Just heard another story on the radio. A father and 2 kids in serious trouble on an afternoon sail in a cat from Yeppoon. Guess the guy sailing from n.z. must have had some good skills.

Safe sailing everyone.

Bristol

Bristol (currently removing sauna, ice cream maker and pool table from "Alibi

Think I will remove the hydraulic hoist and the Wurlitzer from the "Phoenix Star"

Stewbo said..
Wow! So much negativity in the comments towards this man for what is a very well sailed passage.

There is also a big case of users who are commenting here deciding what is possible for someone else based on their own self-imposed limitations. Just because you can't see yourself doing the same thing as this man, doesn't make it foolhardy or dangerous.

I had to check that I was actually in a sailing forum. Anyone that has done long passages at sea on a sailboat knows there really isn't much to fear. The guy was very prepared. He and the girl arrived safely. And there is more going on behind the scenes than we shall ever know.

The Wharram designed Tikis are known for being very well designed boats. They have a huge following all over the world. A Tiki 21 has circumnavigated.

Perhaps a little more sailing from some of you lot and a little less commenting.

What was well sailed about it? He put to sea in a boat that lost its rudder, and couldn't jury rig another one or control a small cat well enough on just one rudder? Cats are intrinsically well balanced. Some of them regularly lift one rudder when racing and others spend much of their time flying a hull and sailing on just one rudder. Given the shape of a Wharram's hulls, a person who could not sail a 21'er with one rudder is arguably not sailing very well.

People who go offshore with a boat that has no way of rigging effective emergency steering aren't what some of us would call "very prepared". Emergency steering is pretty simple to rig on a boat like that.

The Tiki is a good boat but Wharram himself says that it is a coastal boat, despite the fact that Rory circumnavigated in one. I suppose you'll now insult Wharram's experience, vision and ability too?

I first sailed across that area of water when I was 17 and have done it a couple of times since, so I can see myself sailing a Tiki across - but not with a 6 year old kid who has not been able to give adult consent to the risks. And those risks do exist, which is why up to 8 people at a time have been lost sailing in that area.

PS - if cruising with this guy is so safe, then why did he lose his previous catamaran?

frant said..
Get off your high horse with the child endangerment folks. Read between the lines. The poor man is in a custody dispute over his daughter. As I read it he is an Australian, the daughter most likely is also, therefore they are now home and to some small degree out of the reach of the NZ family courts. I wish him all the best in the ongoing battle. You folk on the other hand would apparently freely give up on your kids and let welfare officers decide what adventure is acceptable in their life.

Stewbo said..
Wow! So much negativity in the comments towards this man for what is a very well sailed passage.

There is also a big case of users who are commenting here deciding what is possible for someone else based on their own self-imposed limitations. Just because you can't see yourself doing the same thing as this man, doesn't make it foolhardy or dangerous.

I had to check that I was actually in a sailing forum. Anyone that has done long passages at sea on a sailboat knows there really isn't much to fear. The guy was very prepared. He and the girl arrived safely. And there is more going on behind the scenes than we shall ever know.

The Wharram designed Tikis are known for being very well designed boats. They have a huge following all over the world. A Tiki 21 has circumnavigated.

Perhaps a little more sailing from some of you lot and a little less commenting.

I agree. Look at the grin on the girl's face. She will have memories and experiences most kids will never have. Custody Disputes are awful and that's all I'll say on that.
I know 2 Wharram's, one with a young couple who have sailed her here from Hawaii and will continue around the world. They have to sleep in separate hulls as there is no room for 2 in either one, but they are happily enjoying their adventure.

Ill be opening myself up here but stuff it.
back in the ghost of christmas past when i was 6 i lived in a horrid environment of domestic violence and as a 6 year old could do nothing. Despite this i was a pretty happy kid because i had skateboarding and a thirst for adventure.
I used to play chess with my mum at 6 and i knew what was going on.
I can honestly say that i would have loved to get away from the situation on an adventure like that rather than go through the womens refuge centers. 6 is young, but if you believe in your parent/guardian it would be a hoot i reckon....
We went the opposite way from oz to nz in 79 (on a plane!)
not condoning his actions but id rather have a story like that at 6yo than my story.

Sectorsteve said..
Ill be opening myself up here but stuff it.
back in the ghost of christmas past when i was 6 i lived in a horrid environment of domestic violence and as a 6 year old could do nothing. Despite this i was a pretty happy kid because i had skateboarding and a thirst for adventure.
I used to play chess with my mum at 6 and i knew what was going on.
I can honestly say that i would have loved to get away from the situation on an adventure like that rather than go through the womens refuge centers. 6 is young, but if you believe in your parent/guardian it would be a hoot i reckon....
We went the opposite way from oz to nz in 79 (on a plane!)
not condoning his actions but id rather have a story like that at 6yo than my story.

Steve,
Thanks for opening up with your story... very sad. Wish you had a story like that 6 yo to tell.