66 days adrift at sea....

[s/v Faith]

There is a story in the news today about "Angel".  Apparently guy gets boat, does some work and  learns to sail her inland....  Heads out to sea to go fishing.

No arm chair quarterbacking here...  Not even going to state the obvious things like "shoulda had...."....  There are other forums that delight in talking about how superior they are by tearing others down.

Here is the story; Sailor missing since January survives on fish and rainwater.

Here is what interested me....  Forget the rescue equipment, but what do you have aboard (as a more self sufficient small boat Sailor) that  would  help you to make this work?

He was found 200miles off NC, likely had a fair amount of rain since the edges of the Gulf Stream tend to kick up weather.....

If I picture  Faith out there, even with some damage (say demasted)...  Here is what I see.

First, the same things that make her great for living on the hook somewhere off (Manjack) or some place...  Lots of tankage, and a good allocation of stowage space for food....  Make her more survivable at sea.

I carry a pretty good assortment of fishing gear.  At least as many repair supplies as Robert Redford.....  And she is such a great hullform that I suspect she would remain afloat for a very very long time if her bow were kept to the weather....

How about you?  Could you go 66 days?  What do you have, what might you do? 

Thoughts?

[ralay]

I think you also have to take into consideration what you were expecting to be doing.  Was this guy just planning on going fishing for the afternoon?

We could carry enough food/water/fuel to cross an ocean, but would we if we thought we were going daysailing?  It's worth considering how we are often less apprehensive, but in many ways more vulnerable on short trips.  I think of what I had with me when we were backpacking for 30 days vs what I might have with me on a day hike.  No one spends much time being afraid of going on a day hike, but plenty of people run into trouble when something unexpected happens and all they've got is a t-shirt, a Clif bar, and a liter of water.

So for the arm chair quarterbacking to be complete, you also ought to think of what you would have with you for a similar outing.  Even worse, think of what you have in your dinghy to help you if you suddenly lost propulsion in a strong offshore wind/current.  Judging from what you see at the dinghy dock, I'd say most folks have 3 beer cans, a tiny paddle, and some UV-rotted life jackets.

As for Faith's scenario, what are the other details?  Do you have part of a mast/a boom/a pole/anything to jury rig?  Does the engine work? 

[s/v Faith]

Yes, excellent points.

Faith generally sails with her standard cruising gear aboard.  Things like fishing equipment and spare  jerry jugs even her sea anchor are stowed...  Right now.

She generally has several days of food (canned) and sailing off shore her tanks are full....   I keep most of her comms gear in my boat bag I take on deliveries, but we are not so much talking about rescue but surviving 66 days at sea adrift.....

I am not so much even asking about  self rescue, since that was not what this guy experienced....   But the idea of our little "spaceships" supporting life aboard for 66 days adrift.

I may be crazy (ok, I am) but I think I might be ok....

[SeaHusky]

Apart from sailing I have an armchair interest in both "off the grid living" and "prepping" or being prepared, not for the zombie apocalypse, but for the several day power out or snowed in scenarios that are becoming a more and more frequent reality. I have not got an underground bunker full of supplies but small every day things like having a cupboard full of non perishable food at home and never letting the car get under half tank before refueling. I plan on taking the same way of thought to my boat, once I am finished refitting. Always have her fully loaded with water and diesel and having a fair amount of food on board. If a planned three day trip turns into two weeks then that should not become life threatening.
As ralay says, one thing that must be considered, now that roller furling may mean that all my sails are "on top" - do I have parts to make a jury rigged sail and/or steering?

[CharlieJ]

Yes, excellent points.

Faith generally sails with her standard cruising gear aboard.  Things like fishing equipment and spare  jerry jugs even her sea anchor are stowed...  Right now.

She generally has several days of food (canned) and sailing off shore her tanks are full....   I keep most of her comms gear in my boat bag I take on deliveries, but we are not so much talking about rescue but surviving 66 days at sea adrift.....

I am not so much even asking about  self rescue, since that was not what this guy experienced....   But the idea of our little "spaceships" supporting life aboard for 66 days adrift.

I may be crazy (ok, I am) but I think I might be ok....

Same here. Tehani goes nowhere without full water tanks, enough fuel, and a good supply of stores, plus a decent supply of clothes

But personally, I'd be insane after 66 days floating around. Hope I  never have to find out

[CapnK]

Knowing the waters he went out into, and when, I can state that he exhibited ***extremely poor judgment*** - and I am being very kind and not using proper sailor words...  ::)

I found that he has a membership at Cruisersforums, started posting there at the beginning of last year, apparently when he first got the boat. Reading what he wrote, you can get a real 'feel' for how (in)experienced he was/is, and besides that, in some of the posts the previous owner of the boat ***tells him*** that the boat is not suitable for offshore work in the condition it is in... His membername there is "LiveaboardL". Enjoy! ;D

Example post here.

[Tim]

I thought that what he says about staying within range of radio in beginning of this interview is very telling.

http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/2015/04/02/coast-guard-rescue/70849184/

[CharlieJ]

I notice he dodged the question on how far out he was when this first happened- she asked him  3 times, and he just slid it past.

One thing that puzzles me- he was in the stream. That runs northward (Roughly) at roughly 2.5 knots. That's 60  miles a day. Lets give him a few good days so say 58 after it happened- so 58 x 60 is 3400  miles upstream. How did he manage to stay just off Hatteras???

[CapnK]

CJ - He left here 3-4 days before a NE'er. That should have given him *plenty* of time - even not really knowing how - to get south, perhaps to the eastern side of the Stream. Then the storm hits, he gets pushed further for 12-24 hrs maybe, before losing it. He might even have been near West End when he rolled. :D Then the wreckage meanders NE-ward in the eddies and such to the E side of the Stream - is what I figure might put him where he was after 2 months... Just some thoughts.

[CharlieJ]

Apparently he left via Little River Inlet, so that changes things a bit.

[Cruiser2B]

I was working on the Elizabeth River last Thursday night and saw the coast guard helo fly him in. I wasnt sure what was happening at that time but saw the USCG helo fly over downtown Norfolk area several times. I am glad he is ok.

I admit that I dont leave the dock prepared for a week let alone 66 days. My water is usually about 2 or 3 gallons at most a few snacks and thats about it. Although like him I could stand to lose a few lbs so I could make it a while on stored body fat. It says he lost 42lbs. This story and what you all have post have convinced me to be a bit more prepared, although sailing on the southern Chesapeake I rarely leave the area between the bridge tunnels.

update: Read from Mario Vittone, Maritime Risk Consulting page, he lost 90lbs

[s/v Faith]

I think I am more intregred by the question then his actual story.

I am glad it worked out well for him, and I really look forward to hearing his detailed version of events....

Part of the idea of taking to sea in our little ships has always been making plans and preparations to be able to take care of ourselves when things go wrong.

I feel Sailors, just as society as a whole, have come to rely on the idea of not being personally responsible.  What if a simple tarp to collect rain water made the difference in keeping you (and your crew) alive?   

The "to heck with it, I'll just press the red button and summon help" idea has never resonated for me.  Granted, I DO carry a PLB and SPOT as well as other devices....  The care of my crew and guests their lives have been entrusted to me. 

There is a very real motive to be able to take care of ones self, even if your tendencies are a bit more on the "social safety net" then my own....   Sometimes you (and your little ship) are going to be your only option.

What have you done to make yourself better able to make it?

If dropped at sea, at any given time, could you survive 66days adrift on your little ship?  If so, how?  If not, why?

[Tim]

66 days? in the open ocean? I am not sure I could with what I have on my boats for my typical coastal cruising. I do go out typically with twice as much food as I end up using. With coastal cruising up north there is a fresh water available that I can use the pump filter that I always have aboard for. There are various ways of rigging rain collectors aboard with the sails when at sea. I haven't had fishing equipment so far, but I was thinking about bringing some as I head farther north anyway.

A Spot would be a good idea, but I am hoping Sat phones will come down in price and for me that would be the way to go because complete information about a situation could be relayed instead of just "help".

[Godot]

I'd be hard pressed to be lost at sea for 66 days on the Chesapeake. But I've been out longer than anticipated more than once. The food is not always interesting; but I haven't starved yet.

If coastal sailing, I doubt I'd have 66 days worth of provisions aboard. That's a lot of provisions when not expecting to be out more than a day or two. I'm sure right now I have enough food aboard to last 7-10 days. Maybe more. I'd have to top up the water tanks (tough at the moment as the dock water is still turned off...lots of jugging).

I have thought, however, that setting the boat up as a way to get out of dodge in the event of catastrophe is not the worst idea in the world. It shouldn't be too tough to keep at least a month's worth of rice, pasta, and oatmeal aboard. Of course, if I put all that effort into it, the disaster would probably be a major hurricane or something and the boat would be washed to Spain.  :-\