[gamayun]

It took more than 2 months to cross the Atlantic, but at least they did it in one piece.

Across the Atlantic - in a garden shed: Most 84-year-olds would settle for a Saga cruise. But this ancient mariner had other ideas... | Daily Mail Online

 

[GeorgeB]

??? The Flyin' Hawaiian catamaran was lost (and presumably sunk) about 100 miles off of Monterey. All hands were rescued by the CG, but sadly, the Harley went down with the ship.

 

[georgemci102a2]

I gotta get me one of those....George.

 

[kentobin]

Maybe they did their shopping at Lowe's and not Home Depot?

 

[Don L]

I don't understand the thread title, why does this change the Flyin Hawaiian story?

 

[SHNOOL]

I don't understand the thread title, why does this change the Flyin Hawaiian story?

I'll try to answer that...
The Flying Hawaiian builders had little sailing experience, and no skills with severe survival conditions, or survivor skills... and wanted to design a cruise ship (mobile home?) using basic carpentry skills, then cross the ocean.

The Antiki builders, had sailing skills, mariner skills, and survivor skills... and wanted to design a basic craft (with bare minimum necessities) that could cross an ocean safely.

You are right there is really no comparison. Carry on.

 

[vega1860]

I though this thread was about John DeSoto

 

[gamayun]

The title was not meant to defend the Flyin' Hawaiian debacle, but they are comparable. I'm all for adventure, home-made ingenuity and having luck on your side, but I don't really see the difference between packing a Harley to cruise to Hawaii and ripping off the topsides of a coral reef because you can't effectively steer your vessel near shore. It would have also been a whole different story had this raft turtled and these guys needed to be rescued.

 

[gamayun]

I though this thread was about John DeSoto

Well, he lived in California, which is next to the water, which is tangential to this thread

 

[krisscross]

Great story of the nicely designed raft and old men still up to awesome adventures. They were lucky not to have run into major storms.
As to the title of this thread:different boat, different crew, different ocean.

 

[vega1860]

Well, he lived in California, which is next to the water, which is tangential to this thread

Hawaii is kind of close to the ocean too.

 

[RTB]

This is old news. We were anchored close to Antiki in Governor's Harbor (Eleuthera) last year. I had no idea of it's voyage at the time. We figured it was some local's floating condo.....I wish we'd checked it out closer, and maybe met the old dude.

Ralph

 

[Sal Paradise]

Both were crazy!!! But the old men got lucky!... and the Flyin Hawaiian didn't.

The Flying Hawaiian had absolutely no chance, zero , of making it to Hawaii.

The raft actually had a better design I think. Well, it wasn't really much of a design but it wouldn't instantly self destruct from moderate waves so they had a chance.

That wooden catamaran had no chance.

 

[Scotty C-M]

I read with interest, the Antiki story. Lots of research, models and a well executed plan for an unusual adventure. Yes, rafts are crazy, but it's one form of voyaging. I compare that to other effort where the builder purposely chose to ignore design and build methods, common sense safety and seamanship. Antiki, like Kontiki, is an outside the box exhibit of human creativity.

 

[Capt Len]

Tom Neale, (I think, memory fails now/then) another old fart with a dream, built and sailed a steel pipe raft from S Americe to Polynisia .Did the trick,wrote the book. Tough old duck.

 

[SloopJonB]

I wonder if he studied thousands of raft designs before building it?

 

[krisscross]

I wonder if he studied thousands of raft designs before building it?

I remember reading Kon-tiki accounts that addressed a lot of raft design questions. Very interesting subject matter. Kon-tiki was a non-rigid design, which had it's advantages and disadvantages. Antiki looks like a rigid raft. I would love to read more details about their raft and trip. I hope a book is in the works.

 

[Capt Len]

New thread what makes a raft blue water material.? Different from your common production raft.? Rig preferences?

 

[Scotty C-M]

Does the rudder fall off of production rafts?

 

[krisscross]

Does the rudder fall off of production rafts?

And if it does, can you tell the difference?