Shane Acton Quote

[graham]

Presently reading "Shrimpy" by Shane Acton for about the third time. If anyone doesnt know he circumnavigated the world in 73 /74 in a 19 foot long Plywood Caprice with bilge keels.

.Amazingly the large open cockpit was initially not self draining.He modified it half way round.

For what its worth the sentence that jumped out at me was<font color=blue>"One of the biggest things I have discovered is that the human race is much nicer than I thought it was."</font color=blue>He wrote this aboard "Shrimpy" appropriately enough in the Friendly Isles.

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[tugboat]

From the books I've read, I get the impression that the smaller your boat the nicer people are to you?

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[Sgeir]

also, in inshore waters at least, the smaller the boat, the nicer the people IMHO

<hr width=100% size=1>My father was born in Govan. They had a ferry at the bottom of the garden.

 

[tugboat]

Now just a minute! My boats not that small and I'm nice. Honestly. Except when I'm having a rant, that is /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[Sgeir]

I meant to add "except for people in steel cutters".

Ah, dream, dream.....

























Ah, dram, dram.... wonder how the mince is doing?

<hr width=100% size=1>My father was born in Govan. They had a ferry at the bottom of the garden.

 

[Parsonsheath]

I have the book on my shelf, and even saw the guy at the London Boat show all those years ago.

I think he was quite an inspiration to many, and showed what could be done on a limited budget, but he was a hell of a character in any event, and he did it off his own back without the sponsors and the hype. I also think what he did rang a chord with most of us who have pottered, and dream of the longer cruises.

In case SWMBO reads this my admiration has nothing to do with the fact this amazing guy seems to have found a young Swiss miss in the middle of nowhere and made enough space in a wooden Caprice to accomodate her!

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[tugboat]

I have both his books and, while his departure with no prior experience would be frowned on by the authorities today, it goes to show what can be achieved with courage and COJONES! I think it is really sad that after all his exploits he died in poverty and squalor.

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[graham]

tugboat I didnt know that.What were the circumstances of his death?I thought he was lost at sea attempting a second voyage.

Also what are COJONES? dare I ask.

 

[BobOwen]

I'm pretty sure he died in a UK hospital (Cambridge?) of lung cancer.
As mentioned before, a real inspiration.

Many pundits dismissed his first circumnav as 'lucky'. So he did it again. End of argument. :>)

Cojones are those that are often described as BIG. Ie: "He has big cajones" or "The dogs cajones" or as my wife says "Your talking Cajones".

<hr width=100% size=1>Beer - its not just for Breakfast you know.

 

[machurley22]

Re: Cohones

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.dalebroux.com/humor/jokes/000006_Cojones_.asp>This</A> should explain.

Dave

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[machurley22]

Doubtless everyone has seen <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/archives/2002/03/04/south.html>this?</A>

Dave

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[Dave_Snelson]

I absolutely love that book (even though I'm a stinky) but have you tried to buy you own copy??

Changing hands at over £100 a time!

<hr width=100% size=1>Madoc Yacht Club
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk>http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk</A>

 

[BobOwen]

I bought a first edition signed by the man himself and his Girlfriend, early this year which cost me over £90. But you can source a readable version (not collectable - just tatty) from the states at around £10. A google search should quickly find you something.

<hr width=100% size=1>Beer - its not just for Breakfast you know.

 

[AOWYN]

Try www.abebooks.com, it is a wonderful site and one can often buy new books at less than amazon prices.

Unfortunately the only copies of Shrimp listed are from UK book-sellers at quite high prices, Good luck

B

PS I wonder where my copy of Shrimp is.....

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[tugboat]

I'm really sorry to have passed on some false information. The article I read after his death said that he died in a squalid room above a bar (I think) in Costa Rica. It said that he had done occasional boat deliveries but always returned to Costa Rica which he had fallen in love with. There was also an implication that he didn't have two beans to rub together. I'm glad to find out now that he passed away not in squalor and not alone. Once again, my apologies.

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[graham]

If he passed on in an NHS hospital you may have been closer to the mark than you realise.

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[bigdog]

Found this thread on a search for Shane Acton. I didn't know he had become so well known although I did hear that he had made it around.

We first met Shane and Iris in Tahiti. As we were walking the quay after securing our boat(Galatea),we saw this couple unloading all the gear from a small plywood sloop. They had everything spred out and piled up on a lawn area. We asked them what they were up too and Shane said they were trying to get rid of cockroaches by emptying the boat,painting the inside of the hull white and examining everything before it was returned to the boat. He told us later in the Cook Islands that they had several sightings of roaches scurrying around with white backs. Don't know if he ever cured Super Shrimp of that plague.
Tied up next to Super Shrimp was a 10'-12' inflatable dingy. Some yachtie had given it to Shane and Iris but they didn't know how the were going to stow it as it was almost as big as Shrimp!
We did hook up wih them in Raratonga in the Cook Islands. Shane was planing on putting Super Shrimp on the hard for the fast approaching storm season then continuing on when the weather was more comfortable. We heard through the grapevine that Shane and Iris stayed in the Cook Islands throuh the storm season with Shane skippering the inter-island boat.

Shane was quiet but had a great sense of humor. He was also a hell of a seaman.
I am sad to hear that he has passed. I would have liked to see him again and hear some of the stories.

I have some pictures of Shane and Iris if anyone is interested. If so I will find them and post here if that is allowed.

<hr width=100% size=1>Gettin' old ain't fer wimps!

 

[Nico]

Well it is nice to hear that the book is worth money. I bought a copy a couple of weeks ago for £2.99 from my local Oxfam shop - hard back signed by the author and Iris. In top condition too. It looks like it's a first edition.

But the best bit about the book is that he is generally very upbeat about all the people he meets. Even when struggling with bureaucracy he often finds someone who goes out of their way to help him.

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[bigdog]

Hope this works. I apologize for the quality. It was taken as a slide and not transfered to disc for 30 years. This is Shane and Iris in Rarotonga,Cook Islands. I am thinking it was Oct-Nov 1975. I will look for other shots if you guys are interested.

 

[BrendanS]

The picture won't show, as the link you provided does not work. It might be that MSN do not allow links to external websites