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The Last Voyage of the 85 year-old Vollmer Twins

7K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  polaris2.11 
#1 ·
#2 ·
I was waiting until someone else posted this here. So many people have sent this to me because I live in their old neighborhood in Brooklyn.

I like how all their dreams hinge on the Venezuelan finance minister issuing more debt with a bond broker who promises to fork over his commission.
 
#7 ·
The entire article is based on an interview with these two old guys and an appearance by "Steven" at a tapas bar????

The amount of planning they are doing?? Have they thought about what other countries think of weapons on board, much less shooting someone, Clint Eastwood style?? How about a budget to run, maintain supply the voyage? Maybe he will just sign his name. Or getting a real captain? The crew will get one month training in Florida from these two guys and they are all set. Yup.
 
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#8 ·
If the brothers get one of them cute Asian mail order brides to be part of their crew (one should be plenty for both of them), they may get a chance to finance their trip through some reality TV deal. And they would not have to sail very long to make their wish come true.
Well, at least now you know what I would do if I was 85... except I would not get such a hard to handle boat.
 
#9 ·
Stranger sh&t has been successful, my guess is the US will invade Venezuela before these guys see a dime though. Would it not have been easier for these guys to just join the crazy cult, and offer to crew/sail the boat? The youngens dont' want the boat, but you know they could join, get christened with these folks, crack the whip on the slave labor that helped maintain the boat, and then take it off on a voyage around the world, um converting the heretics.

Good to see they are thinking ahead, you know protecting the ship with a Faraday Cage from electronic warfare when the US and Russia open up both barrels of nukes... I think I've seen this plot-line on a bad Austin Powers take of a James Bond movie... and all it'll take is "one million dollars," sorry make that three, yep, must be corrected for inflation or something.

You see if they were out to purchase a 100 foot catamaran, people would call them crazy, but you know something more traditional looking, and all of a sudden it sounds "cute."

Perfect example of how they expect to treat the world... stiffing the restaurant owner on the bill.

God Bless them hucksters, I really hope they both get sailing on ANY boat hopefully in 30+ knot breeze and a full frontal chop of 8-10 ft waves. Perhaps it'll help them recognize that while they are perfectly willing to be fish food of themselves, they will also be essentially feeding their inexperienced crew to the fishes as well.

Shouldn't this be moved to the "Crew Wanted/Available" forum?
Maybe they can get a hold of Rimas, I think he'd be all in, you know once he's done circumnavigating the world in his San Juan.
Rainmaker skipper/crew might be looking for work.
 
#10 ·
On some level, you have to accept the story for what it is ... two dreamers trying to do what people half their age wouldn't even contemplate. Sure their plan has a few questionable elements.

Given their short time table, they should follow recent trends and have someone set up a crowd-funding page. Their story is compelling enough that they should raise a heap of money in short time. You know, in the off chance that the Venezuelan bond trading thing doesn't work out.
 
#12 ·
I'd be worried if they ever got the money, so lets not give them any ideas (since they are averse to going online, or facebook perhaps there isn't a huge fear of it). Sometimes I think there is a Darwin type of leveling of the playing field, or perhaps karma, that applies to dreamers who don't really think through their dreams well. If one were to believe in "divine providence" then perhaps they haven't been funded yet because it'd really upset the master plan. So karma, darwinism, or divine providence, sometimes its best to let things play out on their own. Kind of like it was a bad idea to fund Rimas.
 
#14 ·
That is one I was not thinking, a Con between the Cult, Financier, and the Brothers. I like it! Conspiracy theory! Of course if it fails we all know who was to blame. He even says he is a right wing nut job. I can see it now he is about to board the boat and is stopped by the Kenyan Muslim and forced to by health care at a price below market rate.
 
#27 · (Edited)
So, as it happens, I have an 85 year old friend who is looking for crew to sail to Ireland first and then the med. Unlike these guys, he's done the trip before and has a well kept (and paid for) Hans Christian 43. He'd like to keep sailing until he passes, and would will the boat and whatever is left of his cash to the crew. He's serious.

Any takers?

I'd consider it myself, but I have my own boat to look after, plus job, family, etc...
 
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