Has the quality of those out sailing dropped to marine equivalent of camper van sailors

[IanCC]

Coast Guard cutter assists sailboat in waters south of Puerto Rico

This boat left Curacao to head to PR. About 450nm North. They encountered Northerly winds that were well forecast. They could have sailed on a port tack to end up in The Virgin Islands but instead called for assistance and got towed in. This is not how sailing should be IMO

What's a campervan sailor?

 

[awol]

What's a campervan sailor?

Top hamper, wide arse, in-mast main with no sail number and is usually tied up to a pontoon by 3pm in case they are too late for a berth.

 

[Skylark]

What a great thread. Perhaps we should create the Greatest Ever Emeritus Mariner award for condescending comments.

 

[franksingleton]

From the brief details above, I guess that the majority would not have gone. A 450 mile beat to windward is not everyone;s idea of fun. As is well known, I am not a fan of weather routeing but, had the skipper seen a routeing prediction, he would have realised what was involved. Of course, he may have had a routeing but just not realised how tough it was going to be.

 

[johnalison]

There is a difference between those who are incompetent through lack of experience, as may have happened to some of us, and wilful lack of desire to learn combined with an absence of situational awareness. We see a good many of the latter, both sailing happily along with the sails hopelessly wrongly set, and bumbling around in marinas oblivious to the havoc they cause and unapologetic when challenged. They mostly sail undemanding boats, which in the past would have been Centaurs and nowadays BenjeBavs, though I believed that the occaional skilled sailor has owned one or other of these marques. I don't think that the caravan sailors are any commoner now, only that marinas have brought them closer.

 

[geem]

From the brief details above, I guess that the majority would not have gone. A 450 mile beat to windward is not everyone;s idea of fun. As is well known, I am not a fan of weather routeing but, had the skipper seen a routeing prediction, he would have realised what was involved. Of course, he may have had a routeing but just not realised how tough it was going to be.

We consider the trip from Curacao back to the normal Caribbean cruising grounds as a delivery trip. Its just one of those trips you don't look forward to and just want to get out of the way. You invariably have head winds and current against you. If you are lucky with a weather window you might make it to PR on one tack all the way as we did a few seasons back. This year we made it to St Martin, but had some very unusual weather and some motoring.
We know of another very inexperienced sailor who has just left Curacao on a forecast I would definitely would have not left on. He will be getting headwinds all the way.

 

[Biggles Wader]

Plus the riotous parties in foreign bars, tattoos and ladies of negotiable affection.

Ah! You have been to Bandar Abbas then.?

 

[capnsensible]

Ah! You have been to Bandar Abbas then.?

Twinned with Dumbarton....

 

[Never Grumble]

Campervan sailors ...

 

[jlavery]

Hearing of couples where the wife doesn't know how to sail reminds me of this recent heartbreaking article.

It saddens and annoys me that the skipper almost definitely contributed to his death by not insisting that his wife knew even the basics of how to operate the boat and systems.

 

[laika]

I can see it ok, it may be that it is blocked to UK users? I have a VPN, or summat, that tells people I am in America, for some reason. So that might explain why I am allowed.

Thanks: blocked to those covered by European cookie laws might well be the reason if you can see it, but that doesn't explain why we have a three page discussion on an article people can't read. Are any UK-based contributors able to see this without a paywall or are you commenting on the general subject without reference to to article in the original post?

 

[Never Grumble]

Thanks: blocked to those covered by European cookie laws might well be the reason if you can see it, but that doesn't explain why we have a three page discussion on an article people can't read. Are any UK-based contributors able to see this without a paywall or are you commenting on the general subject without reference to to article in the original post?

Couldn't see the article and suspect thats the same for many that have commented .... I only posted a photo.
@jlavery I made sure my wife was better trained to accompany me on the Solent

 

[Wansworth]

What a terrifying account so sad.

 

[dunedin]

Hearing of couples where the wife doesn't know how to sail reminds me of this recent heartbreaking article.

It saddens and annoys me that the skipper almost definitely contributed to his death by not insisting that his wife knew even the basics of how to operate the boat and systems.

Might have been better, rather than training his wife to do a an MOB recovery, would have been to have on a Lifejacket and harness clipped to something solid before going onto the foredeck.
Even with a trained crew, a mid ocean MOB is a tricky and uncertain feat - all of return, locate, connect and, most difficult, lift on board by a typical size lady need to succeed. Staying on board, using the harness is the only safe option. Wearing a Lifejacket with an automatic AIS beacon next best.
And of course, those of us who sail solo have the least trained crew left on board.

 

[Blueboatman]

Campervan sailors ...

View attachment 147548

Rear engined ?

 

[Cariadco]

Hearing of couples where the wife doesn't know how to sail reminds me of this recent heartbreaking article.

It saddens and annoys me that the skipper almost definitely contributed to his death by not insisting that his wife knew even the basics of how to operate the boat and systems.

Sad, but truly silly what some people will do.
I do question the Million Dollar value on on a Bav 44......

 

[Stingo]

Sad, but truly silly what some people will do.
I do question the Million Dollar value on on a Bav 44......

There are roughly 7 Trinidad & Tobago dollars to $1 US, so more accurately, close to $142,000 US Dollars

 

[awol]

No-one going to mention that the keel fell off?

 

[geem]

Might have been better, rather than training his wife to do a an MOB recovery, would have been to have on a Lifejacket and harness clipped to something solid before going onto the foredeck.
Even with a trained crew, a mid ocean MOB is a tricky and uncertain feat - all of return, locate, connect and, most difficult, lift on board by a typical size lady need to succeed. Staying on board, using the harness is the only safe option. Wearing a Lifejacket with an automatic AIS beacon next best.
And of course, those of us who sail solo have the least trained crew left on board.

In his case a life jacket with EPIRB since the Mrs was never going to rescue him.

 

[dune16]

Running your cat on the reef cos you have no idea ( Green island, Antigua last week), complaining on Facebook about the tides putting you aground ( Spanish Water, Curacao this week), sailing to PR when the forecast was Northerly and then running out of fuel cos you can't sail a boat to windward and needed a tow.
These aren't people giving it a go. They are a liability to the sailing community, rescue services and a victim of false Utube lifestyle videos.
We had drinks on one such boat. The owner stood on one of his open hatches and fell. He broke the hinge. He closed the hatch and said it would be OK. I explained that he needed to replace the broken parts before he sets off to sail 500nm to the BVIs. He said it would be alright. It clearly wasn't but he has no experience, has only sailed dinghies before he purchased a 57ft boat. As I am sure you know, that trip to windward against the current isn't easy. His wife has no sailing experience. It's a disaster waiting to happen. Its about a 4 day passage for a couple that have done no more than 10nm in the boat and never sailed a yacht overnight before. They are not interested in learning or taking a course to increase their knowledge. Their attitude isn't about getting stuck in. It's more along the lines of we have a credit card. That will solve everything

I would of found this terrifying. It took me far longer than probably necessary before i plucked up the courage to do my first overnight passage as skipper. I don't know how these people don't get nervous to even consider whether they're ready ?