On Apr 24, 5:19 am, "Roger Long" wrote:
Donna Lange's 36 hour trick at the wheel was pretty impressive, especially
as she was already pretty beat up when it started. Last year, a professional
delivery captain took a friend's 45 foot Beneteau out of Bermuda with three
strong guys. Four days later, they were taking a 300 mile chopper ride home
leaving the boat which was towed into Boston a week later with only minor
damage. The series of little disturbances they encountered didn't even make
the news.

I'm sure character and genetic grit are a major factor in this disparity but
I wonder how much of a role the acclimatization of many thousands of miles
to the motion and lifestyle played. If Donna had encountered those
conditions on her first leg out, would the outcome have been different?

There are other factors. It was just a job for the delivery captain where as
the boat is Donna's whole life estate. The delivery captain was also
responsible for the three other crew members. Although there is no evidence
that the boat was in any real danger for the sea, the rather inexperienced
crew were evidently in some danger from the motion of the boat itself.

--
Roger Long

You pegged it right, many, many so called delivery Captains do not
have a clue. They get a 6 pac or a 100 ton and think they can hang. It
all has to do with determination IMO, and time at sea. Just look at
how many boats are abandoned by crews who know they are going to die,
only to have the boats ride out the storms without damage.

Just this weekend I meet one of these so call delivery Capt's. He
told me he had delivered many boats to my marina and said he always
has Randy do work on the boats cuz he's the best with reasonable
rates. Randy is the laughing stock of shops here. He is so bad once he
installed a bow thruster on a 62ftr so shallow it did not work, he had
to re-do it and had the guall to charge the fellow to do it right.

IMO Donna set a goal and nothing is going to stop her, infact I think
she enjoyed her latest challenge (leg) and will look back on it as the
highlight of her trip.

Joe