Not a sailfar guy but...interesting read - Singlehander Rescued Mid-Pacific

[Zen]

I do not know if anyone has read or heard of this I came across it on at 38

the website - http://www.openbluehorizon.com/frontend/index.php

Singlehander Rescued Mid-Pacific

October 10, 2008 – 700 Miles off San Diego

It's hard not to admire Ronnie Simpson's determination and spunk, even though it could have easily gotten him killed. The former Marine, 23, who was medically discharged after being wounded in Iraq — "I was in a Hummer, behind a .50 cal, when I got hit" he explained on his website — was disenchanted with "real life" so he quit school and sold his house and six motorcycles to fund a trip around the world on a 40-ft Rhodes Bounty. "I have begun to fulfill my commitment of not working, going to school, or providing any other 'contributions' to society, of any nature."

He and his 25-year-old brother, R.J., hatched a plan to make documentaries on the places they sailed, hoping the films would fund their adventure. "My goal is to bring valuable experiences to the people following my life and earn enough money on those experiences to continue to follow my passion," he wrote. Since R.J. was already in Hawaii, Ronnie decided to sail from San Diego to Hilo singlehanded. He'd never sailed before he bought the boat this February.

Having spent the summer "reading books" on sailing, working on La Cenicienta, living the wild and rowdy life of a young guy (lots of references to hangovers and hot chicks on his blog) and getting advice from old salts on the docks in Ocean Beach, Ronnie cast off his docklines on October 1. Yesterday, eight days into his planned circumnavigation, he set off his EPIRB and was rescued by a China-bound freighter in 35- to 40-knot winds and 20- to 30-ft seas.

In reading the log entries on his website, it's easy to see Ronnie had idealized the trip by his constant mentions of the "light and gentle tradewinds." To his credit, he took the advice of experienced sailors, almost to the letter, but he admitted he was unprepared for the reality of a Pacific crossing. Below are a few excerpts from his blog:

October  2: "These next few days until I reach the trade winds could be very, very exhausting. I'm already becoming very tired."

October 3: "Progress is still slow and the miles are fairly hard fought, but I should be on track to make it to the trades in a few more days; something which I am very excited about."

October 4: "I can't wait to hit the trades. It's gonna be so sweet."

October 5: "My bilge pump stopped working . . . somehow my main water tank has become contaminated with salt water but I still have drinking water . . . and the v-berth is soaked in gasoline."

October 7: "Things are deteriorating very very quickly aboard La Cenicienta. I no longer have self steering. These are supposed to be the gentle N.E. trades. They're not."

October 8: "I had no clue what I was getting myself into, setting off alone from California to Hawaii. I thought it was going to be an easy, pleasant run in a steady 15 knots of breeze."

October 9: "The boat is getting SLAMMED by waves. I am quickly finding God, that's for sure."

Later in the day: "The f*&^* rudder post sheared off. There is nothing that I can do. I almost rolled over. Get me rescue asap."

La Cenicienta was dismasted in the rescue but there's no word on if she's still afloat. Ronnie is now safely aboard Vecchio Bridge, bound for China, from where he'll immediately fly to Hawaii. Armchair sailors might judge the young man harshly for daring to even attempt such an endeavor with so little experience, but it's hard to dissuade young men from doing daring things until it's too late. We're glad Ronnie is safe and have no doubt he'll be on to his next adventure very soon.

[AdriftAtSea]

Zen-

I don't see how anyone can admire Ronnie.  IMHO, he's in the same class as Ken Barnes—one of those sailors who gives our sport a bad name and makes other sailors, who take the proper precautions and make the proper preparations, look like risk-taking fools. 

The problem I have with people like Ronnie is that he set off knowing that he was woefully unprepared for what he was attempting in a 47 year-old boat that hadn't been surveyed or inspected to any degree with almost no preparation aside from buying an EPIRB.   Then, when the poop hit the fan, he pulled the tab on the EPIRB and expected that people will bail his dumbass self out. 

Being a Marine, you'd think that he'd understand the importance of checking his equipment and going out with the right gear.  Obviously, he doesn't.

The problems with the boat were probably fairly serious, otherwise how does a v-berth get soaked in gasoline???

[Zen]

I think people that know nothing only see that he went through some major life injuries and then went out on a dream. Unprepared YES! However they only see his grabbing gusto. Yeah very stupid. I thought it was interesting in his lack of being prepared for what he was doing , only reading an listening to people. Sailing only in San Diego, where winds are 90% of time light and thinking it will be like that around the world. HAHAHAHAHA. 20-25 knot is normal sailing here on the SF Bay. Thankfully no one was hurt!

[AdriftAtSea]

While I'm glad no one got hurt, especially the poor bastages that had to go to his rescue, it is people like Ronnie that make me think the gene pool needs some cleaning up.   I don't mind people going after their dreams.  I do mind them putting other people at risk because they have failed to make the proper preparations to do so. 

20-25 knots of wind isn't that much wind when you think about it.... It isn't even storm conditions....around here it is just good sailing weather.   If you're having problems in 20-25 knots of wind, you ain't ready for a Pacific crossing.  Add to that he timed his leaving port to make the evening news and was leaving fairly late in the season for a Pacific crossing, when the northern Pacific tends to get a bit nastier and didn't account for the storm system that was sitting down off of Mexico while doing all of this. It isn't a real big surprise he got swatted by the ocean.

[okawbow]

The world would be a dull place without people like Ronnie. As far as endangering his rescuers; no one HAS TO come to your rescue if you set off your epirp 700 miles out. They do it because they WANT TO and think they can do it reasonably safely. He was picked up by a freighter. He was the one that could have been( was )  hurt or killed in the rescue. Very little danger to the crew of the freighter. Besides, he's earned a little concideration in the service.

The things that happened to him could have happened to anyone, and any boat. No amount of planning can guarantee you won't have trouble. He used the equipment he could afford. He had a dream, but lacked the knowledge and experience to fullfill it. Who knows how he would have done if his rudder had stayed on? Several others have "learned the hard way", and were lucky enough to finish their dream.

[CapnK]

Hmm. Guess that whole Marine saying "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" kinda flew out the porthole, propelled by fear that had been exaggerated by the uncertainty of inexperience...

No rudder? Fasten a cabinet door to the spinnaker pole, or the boom. Drag a bucket, sail cover, or some other drag-inducing device. Steer with the sails...

Sounds like his "learnings" were maybe too little to have encompassed what he could - or what others *have* done - in similar, 'emergency' situations, when 'stuff' let's you down (as it will invariably do...). Instead, when things didn't go right...

...he relied on the electronic "OH S**T SAVE ME" ejection handle...

A shame, that, IMO.

::)

Conditions were bad:

The coast guard report says that the seas were 20 to 30 feet and 35 to 40 knot winds with gusts to 45.  With the steering out of commission and Ronnie out of commission the boat was in bad shape.  Several times, Ronnie could remember, at least four times the mast of his boat was in the water, however, the boat did not flip.  He thought he might be able to tough it out, but feared it could get much worse and he already could not take the sea, loneliness, sickness, anymore.

...but not insurmountable. To someone with a bit of experience. That seems to be the one thing he left without, that he *really* needed.

I do think enthusiasm is admirable. At the same time, it should be tempered with a healthy dose of pessimistic "what if X bad thing happens" thinking prior to applying it to large endeavors. As well as some learning regarding what has gone before... :) I can think of lots of sailing stories I've read where steering was lost for one reason or another. Hard to believe (sort of) that someone would depart on a circumnavigation not have read of that happening. Perhaps the largest contributing factor to his leaving the boat was that he was just plain scared, I think, in a totally strange environment...

I'm glad that noone was injured or otherwise endangered by the incident. It is too bad he blew such a big wad of dough, only to lose it 8-10 days into his trip. I hope things turn around for him somehow.

[AdriftAtSea]

CapnK-

Considering he had HD camcorders from what I read on his boat, it might have been money better spent on getting a proper survey of the boat and dropping the rudder and inspecting it,  the rudder stock and steering quadrant. 

Given the weather charts and time of year, bad weather like what he ran into was not only fairly readily predictable, it was also almost inevitable.

Also, the rudder post did not break from his description, it sounds more like the key locking the quadrant to the post broke.  However, an emergency tiller generally has its own fitting and doesn't depend on the rudder stock steering quadrant.  If he had had an emergency tiller, it more than likely would have been usable, since that usually attaches via a rudder post fitting at the top of the rudder post.  If the post itself had broken, the rudder would have probably dropped out of the boat. 

I hoisted the sails back up and started to get going, but I have no steering. the rudder post is broken. not the linkage, but the post. it is broken. if i turn the wheel, everything works, but you can see it turning on the rudder post. it sheared off. it was old, fatigued metal i guess. i dont know. i am on a boat, 700 miles from land, WITH NO STEERING. there is nothing that i can do. i am going to call mayday and try to get rescued. i am going to be activating my EPIRB with the Unique Identification Number 2DCC56C554FFBFF. notify the coast guard with that number, and let them know it is me. I am at 28*21' N, 129*44' W. No matter which way i turn the rudder, or how hard, I loko over the side, and it's staying same position. dead ahead. boat is just rocking too. fear its going to roll over in these seas, because i am beam on to the ocean. i need rescue. this is the lowest ive ever been. i am activating epirb soon. email me right back. call the coast guard. comm still works, so i can stay in touch and wait for rescue.

BTW, it doesn't sound like the boat was in all that bad a shape at least before it got hit by the freighter.  The rig was intact by all accounts.  The sails were still usable.  The main problem was the steering, and that sounds like something that was jury-riggable if he had had the emergency tiller that should be carried on all wheel-steered boats.

Maude Fontenoy, a French single-handed sailor, broke her mast 200 NM from her final destination.  When her shore crew asked if she was going to need assistance, she basically replied that she'd be a bit late, and got there under a jury-rigged mast and sail.  It did take her a bit longer than normal, but she made it.

[Tim]

And of course there is Ruben and Sparky
;)
http://rubenandsparky.blogspot.com/

and I will not beat a dead horse, (OK maybe just one kick)

Seems to me an adventurous soul is living life to its fullest, but one should be prepared as possible when heading out!

[roybaots]

I say prepare for the worst and hope for the best. When things go wrong we learn from them. overcome our problems using our wit and experiance. Its seems to me the guy didnt have much of either. On the other hand I can say "oh boy he did aloy of learning". My last note on this, bad weather isnt an accident its a certainty.

[Captain Smollett]

...but not insurmountable. To someone with a bit of experience. That seems to be the one thing he left without, that he *really* needed.

I've mentioned this before, but I feel the need to repeat it.

Survival expert Bradford Angier has written repeatedly that survival is about 90%, if not more, MENTAL.   It's not "stuff" or "gear" that gets you through...

Experience breeds confidence (the right kind, not foolhardy bravado) which allows you to keep your head and solve problems in trying times.  I know each time I go out on a boat a learn something new...each and every time.

And experience is the one thing that cannot be bought.

Fair Winds to Ronnie.  Hope he bounces back.

[rtbates]

what was his line" I was surprised by the conditions because everything I saw when I did a "Sailing to Hawaii" search on YouTube showed gentle conditions." Something along those lines. And now he's asking for donations? Personally I find folks like him a detrement to all sailors who prepare  and pay their dues climbing the learning curve.

Mark my words. IF enough of these "dare devils" wind up being rescued at tax payer expense the goverment will start regulating who leaves the shore and with what equipment. Want to sail off shore single handed?, no way that's inherently dangerous. Yes, to only the sailor involved up to the point where he turns on his EPIRB. Then others are put in danger. Do this enough and when you start hollering 'mayday, mayday', the response back may just be, "Will that be master card or visa?".

[okawbow]

Mark my words. IF enough of these "dare devils" wind up being rescued at tax payer expense the government will start regulating who leaves the shore and with what equipment. Want to sail off shore single handed?, no way that's inherently dangerous. Yes, to only the sailor involved up to the point where he turns on his EPIRB. Then others are put in danger. Do this enough and when you start hollering 'mayday, mayday', the response back may just be, "Will that be master card or visa?".

Funny you mention that. When I activated my SPOT, they offered $100,000 "extraction insurance" for only $7.00
I bought it. Maybe that's the future of rescue. After all; anyone in a pleasure craft doesn't really HAVE TO be out there, do they? We may very well be asked to pay for rescue. I can't believe the amount of money spent rescuing ocean racers. They spend millions on their boats, but expect to be rescued for free?

[dnice]

Mark my words. IF enough of these "dare devils" wind up being rescued at tax payer expense the government will start regulating who leaves the shore and with what equipment. Want to sail off shore single handed?, no way that's inherently dangerous. Yes, to only the sailor involved up to the point where he turns on his EPIRB. Then others are put in danger. Do this enough and when you start hollering 'mayday, mayday', the response back may just be, "Will that be master card or visa?".

Funny you mention that. When I activated my SPOT, they offered $100,000 "extraction insurance" for only $7.00
I bought it. Maybe that's the future of rescue. After all; anyone in a pleasure craft doesn't really HAVE TO be out there, do they? We may very well be asked to pay for rescue. I can't believe the amount of money spent rescuing ocean racers. They spend millions on their boats, but expect to be rescued for free?

I know it costs plenty to have an Ambulance cart you away, so why not? Maybe it will be a matter of govt. regulated insurance requirements or something. Either way, what will 'they' do past the 12 mile mark? if you're heading out to sea any govt. regulation is moot, and the Volunteers will be doing what they currently do, despite any politicly correctness or government concerns.

[newt]

I have been following this guys notes on cruisers forum. I think he still has alot to learn, but he is getting there. I just hope he doesn't pick up something he does want in Hong Kong.

[Christopher]

I do think enthusiasm is admirable. At the same time, it should be tempered with a healthy dose of pessimistic "what if X bad thing happens" thinking prior to applying it to large endeavors. As well as some learning regarding what has gone before... :)

Agreed -
In the Sensible Cruising book by Casey, he talks to a point I've held on to.  Look at every part on your boat and think of how you'd handle the situation if it failed.  What if the windward shroud breaks?  What if you lose your rudder? 
I've never been in 25 foot seas, but I would think if you still had your mast at the time, you could rig something off the back of your boat to serve as a fixed rudder and heave to.
Another thing that stuck with me is what one of my sailing instructors said the first day of my first class.  "Be proactive, there is always something you can do to get yourself out of a pinch.  Doing nothing will only force the inevitable"

[AdriftAtSea]

As one of my friends is fond of saying:  "Not making a decision is making one, usually one you don't want."