GEEZE.... (another Heather thread)

[sailordave]

Okay, I haven't kept up w/ all the details... but tonight I went to Heather's web site and ended up clicking on the link to NOTES FROM FRIENDS....

One of the posts caught my eye..

Glad to hear that you are back home for repairs. Sounds like the weather was pretty rough out there. The buoy records show Force Six and Seven. WOW / OUCH!

Excuse me? Now I know her Flicka isn't exactly BIG, but WTH did she think the ocean was like? And Force 7 is what, 33knots? Um, hmmmm. Like it never blows like that?

Oh, never mind.

[denby]

33kn, thats a good day of sailing.

[camaraderie]

Now I know her Flicka isn't exactly BIG, but WTH did she think the ocean was like? And Force 7 is what, 33knots? Um, hmmmm. Like it never blows like that?

In fairness...Heather never said that or complained about the conditions she found out there. She did find some new respect for sea conditions! The post was made by a guy named Tom who clearly doesn't know a near gale from a hurricane.

[Valiente]

33 knots gets my tub to hull speed. The motion is such that I have to put my drink on a gimballed surface. But in a 20 footer, well found, you'd probably get leg strain from bracing yourself across the beam...

[sailordave]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Now I know her Flicka isn't exactly BIG, but WTH did she think the ocean was like? And Force 7 is what, 33knots? Um, hmmmm. Like it never blows like that?

In fairness...Heather never said that or complained about the conditions she found out there. She did find some new respect for sea conditions! The post was made by a guy named Tom who clearly doesn't know a near gale from a hurricane.

Hey Cam... what DID she say. B/c obviously the guy that posted that quote read about it somewhere. And I would love for you to put up the (sanitized) thread again so I can catch up.

And I agree, that thread deteriorated into some of the nastiest stuff I've seen here...

Still, I find it interesting that from what I have gathered from various sources, the boat was not as prepared as it should have been. Hmmmm.

[sailingdog]

From Heather's own site, it clearly states that the engine had serious issues just after her Jan 3, 2008 departure. Also, the sliding companionway hatch had managed to lock itself, and lock Heather out in the cockpit... forcing her to hack her way through the dropboards to get back in--leaving a relatively big hold which would have been really bad in the case of a knockdown or storm.

Also, Heather did have a dislocated thumb at the time she left. From what I understand, she's not selling Filght, but going to be doing some coastal cruising around Florida and the Caribbean with her.

I think part of the biggest problem she had was the mental pressure that was the result of publicizing her attempt so strongly. It didn't help that she had also asked for donations and financial support through her website. BTW, one recent post said that refunds were going out to people who had donated to fund/support her circumnavigation attempt.

[camaraderie]

Dave...Here's the link on what the wrote:
http://www.solo-sailor.com/ShipLog.htm

[sailordave]

Thanks Cam... Interesting read. I am wondering why she didn't use a Scop patch or something. I always do for the first 24-48 hours and then I'm fine; to the point that 18-20' waves Force 7-8 didn't bother me at all on one delivery.

Wonder if she'll regroup and actually enjoy the cruising life for a while?

Regardless of the debate over whether she was prepared or not I was sorry to hear this. And I wonder why she didn't just TAPE the barrel bolt in place? Esp after the FIRST time it locked.

[camaraderie]

Dave...I think it simply comes back to being prepared to go from the things you've read and heard and been told vs. being prepared to go because you've worked your way up to it by doing it in graduated steps with real world learning taking place at each step. Learning how your body reacts and your own limits of endurance and instinctively knowing what must be done RIGHT now doesn't come all at once and when she decided to leave in the teeth of a near gale in a small boat...she didn't give herself time to learn all those things. How much better it would have been if she had set off first along the Florida coast and done jumps to the Keys, the Bahamas and worked her way down the Caribe chain. Well...it sounds like she is planning to do that "easy" cruising once healed and I hope she does. She may find that you don't need to cross oceans to be happy and fulfilled, or if not, she will be better prepared for the next attempt. I like her guts and her honesty and hope she does climb back on board and do some cruising.