Single handed?

cliffordpope

cliffordpope

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I'm not trying to denigrate the tremendous achievement of Michael Perham, but does anyone else feel a little uneasy that the expression "single-handed" has become a bit debased?
I know there was no physical contact between the boat and its escort, but according to the report in today's Telegraph they were in constant radio communication and took it in turns to keep watch. That's not really single-handed, is it?

Also other "single-handers" have had back up teams ashore radioing them advance notice of wind shifts etc, and calculating the most advantageous course for them. I know this is all a matter of definition - even Slocum had a little help from the sun and the magnetic north pole - but the line does now seem to be being pushed to the extremities of what could still be termed single-handed.
After all, Buzz Aldrin (or whichever one it was) walked single-handedly on the moon, but he did have a little bit of help from his team.
 
Yep! I do, I will get accused of being a pedantic old fart I suppose, but "Single Handed" should mean just that!
 
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What about the kid.....(Robin Lee Graham) who....

in the 60s at 16 sailed a 24footer properly ALONE (except for a kitten as I remember) around the world.

Sorry, I'm not too impressed by this staged event we have just had thrown at us.

"Ohh I wonder which way to go? Let's look back and see which way dad is pointing shall we?

Anybody's kid could have done that.

Unimpressed

Steve Cronin
 
Sorry, I didn't notice the other new thread when I started this one. There seemed to have been such a stunning silence, it felt like the proverbial elephant in the room.
 
Solo or Single Handed ?

You can't say the chap didn't sail Single Handed - he did, he had to do all the sailing himself ... as did his Father ...

as for Solo ... well - it was escorted rather than all by himself and I would've thought they would both be discussing the sail set and course to steer on VHF when possible. Slightly different scenario to EMc who would've had to use the Sat phone to talk to someone 000's of miles away with only an idea of what she was going through rather than a few miles away ....

Still a fantastic achievement for a 14 year old ..
 
Whatever--The lad did well, hopefully other youngsters will follow his example and take up sailing.
 
So do a lot of other lads do well.....

...in many walks of life but they don't set up a circus-coming-to-town scenario just to tell the rest of the world how good they are - especially when it's ever-so-not-quite-what-it-looks-like.

Also, isn't it a bit funny-coincidence that a "Mr Peter Perham" (could it have been him in the escort vessel we have to ask?) was the designer of these boats.

Chuck you kid across the pond as a publicity-stunt's-ville, eh man? OHHHH!

Steve Cronin
 
I think anyone who achieves anything that is an achievement for themselves, is entitled to feel pleased with themselves, for having achieved something they think is challenging.
HOWEVER:
The French run the 'mini-transat' for small pogo type single handed boats... Escorting this flotilla are a French RN frigate, a Patrol boat and a couple of large yachts.... Now without doubt the participants cross the Atlantic single handed, but with the risk reduced to an absolute minimum, and the major decisions taken by more experienced people.

The ARC and the Round the world Rally are both aimed at organising and reducing the problems and risks as much as possible. A chance for rich people to do a circumnavigation or cross the Atlantic swiftly, in company with most of the hassles removed and lots of back up at every stage and advice from more experienced sailors.

I understand that relatively inexperienced climbers can be escorted up Everest - still challenging but with the risks reduced to a minimum.

Compare the above with the recent Jester Challenge, Joshua Slocum, Hilary and and his companions.

I suppose you could argue that reducing the risk and organising responsibilities is a wise and sensible way of achieving something... I think it is..

Going bravely where others have been before is fine, except going bravely alone and unaided and unheralded is possibly more satisfying in the long term - I did it my way is a lousy song but a great sentiment ...
 
I think the lad done well --- on a 6 week ocean crossing it`s having the balls to make the start ,knowing that if all goes wrong you may be left in the middle of a very very large watery pond, that does it for me.

That said, if I had a "rescue" boat following me I`d make dam sure it was a nice 50 footer a la Halberg or similar ,not the same tiny thing I was in.
 
When it comes to raceing it should be alone as it was in even the 90s

The rich super stars wont move today unless they have multimillion back up!and "new" superstars are disadvantaged untill they do well with a few shillings against multi million Dollar/Pound paid boats

Im wondering if im really sane to sail without life raft or pumped up tender??I wonderd what id do if i sank 100m off cannes port!!1 mile and you would be definatly dead 100m mayby!!

Which life raft/dtender for a small boat?????Help!!
 
Re: So do a lot of other lads do well.....

Whatever we may think of the lads crossing it is much much better than being drugged out of his mind and kicking the **** out of my car for no reason other than he wanted to at the time.
 
Why.....

...would you assume that kicking the [--word removed--] out of your car would be his only alternative in life/

THE MAJORITY of our young people make a success of their lives. this kid has been taken advantage of by his father's desire to promote his design of market entry sailboat when he should have been at school at a vital stage in his development.

Steve cronin
 
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