Charles Stock or Laura Dekker

[Blue5]

get dissed continuously by all the VMs here.

I agree she has done a remarkable job, probably the pick of the youngsters for me.

As an aside and not living in London can you translate "dissed" and "VMs"........

 

[Reverend Ludd]

I agree she has done a remarkable job, probably the pick of the youngsters for me.

As an aside and not living in London can you translate "dissed" and "VMs"........

Disrespected - Victor Meldrew

 

[doris]

Disrespected - Victor Meldrew

Many thanks your reverend.

 

[chinita]

Charles Stock, with his quiet humble prose and pea stick echo-sounders has taught me a lot about sailing.

I find Charles Stocks' style of writing quite vitriolic, not at all humble.

In the end I got bored reading his nasty comments about anybody who did not conform to his very narrow parameters........and I love mud plugging.

 

[islandsailor]

I love Charles Stock / Ellen and RKJ(Haven't followed laura's voyage so can't comment).

I cannot however work out where the idea that that any singlehanded voyage undertaken now is by a computer and not the sailor onboard. Having sailed on a modern Open 60 nothing could be further from the truth. RKJ was in Falmouth to welcome Ellen home he publicly said "Ellen has done superbly, it is an outstanding effort,"

You can't compare single handed sailing of the past with the present. BOTH are great achievements

The one person who could comment is RKJ the only person I think to have sailed RTW as one of the original pioneers and a "modern Open 60"

Perhaps a article for Yachting World?

 

[Fittster]

Only a matter of time before the robots take over: http://www.roboticsailing.org/

 

[Yantlet]

Wow! You sure stuck a stick in the wasps nest this time Dylan. Maybe the point that has been missed is that "Rock Star" sailors operate in a parallel universe. No one would deny that it takes guts to attempt any voyage of magnitude, but the anointed few that get the opportunity are few and far between. Me, I am just content to read about it, sigh, and wonder why.

 

[A1Sailor]

Dylan,

in the good old days it took an ex-SAS bod like Chay Blythe, or seriously determined nuts like Sir Francis Chichester and Robin Knox Johnston - not forgetting the quiet, modest Sir Alec Rose ( the only person I ever asked for an autograph, when rather younger, still have it ).

And not forgetting arguably one of the most steely, determined and admirable of all - "the founder of the SBS", the late Lieutenant Colonel HG (Blondie) Hasler DSO OBE RM.
Sadly I don't have his autograph, but he did allow me to "borrow" his mooring for a week or two, more years ago that I care to let on. I think some whisky was involved - he was a lovely Gentleman.
Is sailing now easier than it used to be? Or just more forgiving..?

 

[Slowtack]

Joshua Slocum would probably have used the electronics if only he had a battery.
Fair play to her.

 

[Fantasie 19]

+1

Couldn't agree more - it's about attitude, skill, some luck, courage and stubborness in great quantities... a fancy plotter isn't going to make up for any of those if they're missing... does anyone really believe that Chichester would have turned down the modern kit if it had been available at the time????

 

[Babylon]

You know the one thing that is rapidly putting me off this whole forum is the pain in the a** sailing folk who believe that unless you've got a long keeler, at least 30 years old with minimal comfort below you are somehow not a sailor.

OMG! I've got a 30 year old long keeler with minimal comfort below!

Ever since I first started wasting my time on this forum, I've developed a deep tolerence for the opionated, curmudgeonly, provocative, contrary, ill-informed, mis-informed, etc.

What still gets right up my nose is arrogance, self-righteiousness, ignorance, self-entitlement, etc.

The jury is still out on the braying.

Oh, by the way, hats off to the millions of unknown sailors whose achievements - big and small - are a quiet personal triumph.