Lost for 3 days

[Gary Fox]

Oh, are the refugees mostly Remainers?

They will certainly be remaining here..

 

[LadyInBed]

Would that be classed as a legitimate use? Unless he'd run out of drinking water or no food for days I'd say not really. A handheld VHF though for sure

A fair point.
Even with no wind there are ways to modify drift like using a drogue or sea anchor on one of the tides, but it assumes that you carry one or have sufficient warps to dangle. It sounds like the guy was only equipped for coastal day sailing.

 

[Biggles Wader]

Has the wind really been THAT light down that way for the last 3 days?

I have an idea you might be right there. If a small boat is seen drifting aimlessly around that area the authorities will eventually notice and go have a look.

 

[Athomson]

A fair point.
Even with no wind there are ways to modify drift like using a drogue or sea anchor on one of the tides, but it assumes that you carry one or have sufficient warps to dangle. It sounds like the guy was only equipped for coastal day sailing.

the rescuers said he lives aboard though

On the one hand could be a nice place to sit out a few days of lockdown but then maybe his heating relied on shore power and he might have been at risk of being run down so couldn't sleep much. Just seems so implausible that someone could be stuck in some of the busiest shipping water in the world for 3 days with not being approached or reported.

 

[LittleSister]

I'd be happy to stay aboard for three days, especially if it's calm, but I wouldn't be keen on sleeping as I drifted up and down the busy Channel.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Just perhaps he could not make his mind up about the Covid regs, it took him 3 days to decide upon a course of action that he thought was legal enough to chance it ?

 

[Athomson]

Just perhaps he could not make his mind up about the Covid regs, it took him 3 days to becide upon a course of action that he thought was legal enough to chance it ?

I wonder if he really lives aboard, might be a blag. Most who do have an address they use ashore, parents or relatives, for driving licence etc and are not registered for council tax in a marina unless thats changed more recently. So wouldn't be simple to prove they don't live aboard.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Something isn't right.

 

[Athomson]

Something isn't right.

Yeah the more I think about it it can't be right, with sails up, off Dover he would have been visible from both sides the whole time.

I wonder where he started drifting to end up at Dover after 3 days? I've never worked out where after 6 hours east going tide and 6 west you'd end up but I assume its not exactly the same spot

 

[Resolution]

Maybe he was a Brit trying to escape back to the EU?

 

[pvb]

The guy has an interesting line in sails. This photo was in today's Daily Telegraph...

 

[Sandy]

The guy has an interesting line in sails. This photo was in today's Daily Telegraph...

A little racy boat there.

There one in the marina a few months ago, a mini transat? As a liveaboard it is a tad sparse!

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I suspect he would have been visible and tracked on Dover CC radar.

 

[Athomson]

The guy has an interesting line in sails. This photo was in today's Daily Telegraph...

View attachment 106855

Its the most respectable way to be homeless. I lived aboard for a few years when I was single, the first year in a 26ft yacht, whenever I told someone I lived on a boat they'd invariably be positive and get dreamy eyed and I assumed they were picturing a gin palace. If i'd have said I lived in a potentially much more comfortable van they would have turned their nose up and thought I was a tramp.

 

[Little Grebe]

A little racy boat there.

There one in the marina a few months ago, a mini transat? As a liveaboard it is a tad sparse!

The "main" seems to comprise of a storm tri-sail and a jib from a Pico or some such.

 

[Athomson]

Looks like a German ensign? And a British courtesy flag. EU expeditionary force perhaps

 

[Capt Popeye]

Yea well cannot make any constructive comments BUT guess he would have been visible to any Coast Guards with Binos for sure; the CG at Teignmouth track any passing boats with their Binos and log it down, mind you think that they missed a Fella a few years ago who bought a Yacht at Torbay Marina sailed it away never to be seen again I understand; the Yacht reported ashore washed to the East of Teignmouth but up no sign of the Fella; a mystery as to how he Fella managed to get pased the CG station !

 

[Capt Popeye]

Might also like to state that we have a fella wandering the Devon / Dorset Coast plus further affield who buys up or just aquires derilect or abandoned small Yachts and sails them elsewhere often the rigs are somewhat cobbled together and the hulls showing much neglect etc ; think that although her might appear rather threatening at first, being tall and well built with a full beard, a tad abrupt when asking who owns that Craft as he has his eyes on it; those that have engaged in conversations with him say that he is OK just hankers for small Yachts to call his own and sails them wherever he can get away with it !
Maybe the same Fella ? or his twin Brother ?

 

[Sandy]

CG at Teignmouth track any passing boats with their Binos and log it down,

The CG are long gone, That will be the good people of the National Coastwatch Institute.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Ahoy there Mr S yes you are quite right there, its indeed the National Coastwatch Institute; do they report to the Coast Guards though ?