On Feb 13, 7:43 am, "Frogwatch" wrote:

Skip and Lydia got beat up pretty bad and I hope it doesnt ruin their
dream.

This fact speaks loudly. The weather by S&L's account was 25 knots
with 6-8' waves. Regardless of wave frequency or if 30 K and 10'
waves. And yes I have worked the GOM. Those conditions are an
excellent day in most waters. And for a 46' boat !?!?!?

However, the few people I know (3) who did this sorta thing, spending
years building a boat, defferred sailing until she was finished, etc.
sailed a short way and ended their dream.
How does this happen? I call it the "Cruising World" syndrome.

YES..... I agree!

I have met four couples in the last 6 years who fit this pattern. Most
recently in a little harbor called Winchester Bay, OR. The couple
worked in finance, bought a never sailed 42' something. It was so
shinny bright white I had to wear shades. She drank wine, he worked
busily adding do-dads. After 1+ years getting ready for their "Dream"
the two headed out over the bar. They got about 3 miles off shore, got
knocked around, the alternator light went on and they returned to
port. The boat has not left the slip since. That was three years ago.

I wont detail the Rawson 30 couple. They are a case study and she is
just a ....case. Neither have ever sailed, she doesnt know how to swim
because she doesn't like the water, bought the boat over the internet
sight un seen, and have spent the last four years "fitting" their
vessel for their Dream cruise to Mexico and beyond.

The one common word I hear in every case
is.................................. DREAM. For some reason people
have lives they want to escape and sail away to paradise. For them a
sailboat is a symbol of freedom, a blissful way of life that can free
you from the shackles of stress, boredom, drudgery, and pressures of
deadlines, bills, screaming kids, or a demanding boss. In other words,
if I buy this thing it will make me feel happy.

The
magazines dont give a real pic of what it is like. Most of the
problems are not physical but mental.

Agreed. And I would add that equipment (as seen in their magazine)
will solve ALL problems. "...This NAV gizmo will guide your boat through
any treacherous channel. My gosh, technical accuracy to 3 meters...!"

Days at 4 knots and soon you
are so bored you are talking to jellyfish. Then suddenly you are so
scared you become a jibbering idiot. Then you anchor and you and your
spouse drive each other nuts being so close. Mowing that lawn at your
old place ashore starts to look real good.

Agreed! But for the few who truly are humbled by the sight of petrels,
albatross, the first sea spout, flying fish jumping on deck, a bunch
of spinner dolphins 20' away or my all time favorite. Sailing in total
darkness with two dolphins riding the bow wake. The bioluminescence
lighting up the dolphin. Stardust streaming off every fin leaving a
trail of sparkles in their wake. My guess is that sort of stuff is
rather boring to the Dreamers.

How to keep it from happening? Dont defer sailing while you build.
Keep your small boat and sail and cruise regularly. I think Skip and
Lydia ought to have stuck to their original plan of daylight sailing
only EVEN IF IT MEANT GOING DOWN THE ICW DITCH. This would have
exposed many flaws in the plan until they could jump on the outside to
Naples and then Everglades City. From there it is a daylight trip to
Marathon. By the time they really needed to sail at night they'd be
good.

Yes, if the reported weather gave them such a problem it is obvious
they needed more training/experience.

Ive read a few plane analogies. If I had soloed a Cessna 150 with 25
logged hours and then bought a Boeing 707 to fly around the world I
think most people would think I'm going to kill myself.

Excellent obervations Fogwatch.
BOb