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

On Tue, 24 Apr 2007 06:19:32 -0400, "Roger Long"
wrote:

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.

The boats are almost always tougher than the people in my experience.

Donna may be the exception but I think her trip planning and weather
routing skills need some work. She was fortunate to have people
guiding her into Bermuda. It is not an easy landfall and harbor
entrance.

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

On Apr 24, 3:19 am, "Roger Long" wrote:

I wonder how much of a role the acclimatization of many thousands of miles
to the motion and lifestyle played.

Roger Long

Two words, "sea legs"

Id say everything. Typically when I was doing marathon "voyages" I
spend the first day puking, the second dry heaving and horrizonal, the
third day beginging to recover and rehydrate. However, there is a
whole diffrent set of musscles in use at sea. It took me 30-50 days at
sea before getting 100% again. If one thinks someone is an
"experienced skipper" with "thousands of miles under their keel" my
bet is they never spent more than 3-15 days at sea at any one time. In
other words a very experenced daysailor. Something happens to a body
after the 4th week on a boat. I think its called adapting or
"acclimatization." The problme I had after 90 plus days at sea was
back on the dock................. urp

Bob

"Roger Long" wrote in news:462ddbf6$0$18876
:

the rather inexperienced
crew were evidently in some danger from the motion of the boat itself.



I think I'm gonna be sick, again, just thinking about it....Ohhhh.....

Larry
--

On 24 Apr 2007 08:41:36 -0700, Bob wrote:

On Apr 24, 3:19 am, "Roger Long" wrote:

I wonder how much of a role the acclimatization of many thousands of miles
to the motion and lifestyle played.

Roger Long

Two words, "sea legs"

Id say everything. Typically when I was doing marathon "voyages" I
spend the first day puking, the second dry heaving and horrizonal, the
third day beginging to recover and rehydrate. However, there is a
whole diffrent set of musscles in use at sea. It took me 30-50 days at
sea before getting 100% again. If one thinks someone is an
"experienced skipper" with "thousands of miles under their keel" my
bet is they never spent more than 3-15 days at sea at any one time. In
other words a very experenced daysailor. Something happens to a body
after the 4th week on a boat. I think its called adapting or
"acclimatization." The problme I had after 90 plus days at sea was
back on the dock................. urp

Agree about sea legs, and getting land legs back too, although that
normally happens fast. One time the Navy destroyer I was on took
about 2 weeks to get back to Norfolk from the Med in heavy wintertime
seas. Somehow I was off on liberty right after docking, walked to the
bus, and was dropped off near a liquor store in downtown Norfolk.
I walked in to buy a pack of gum and stepped to the counter.
I put my hands on the counter and saw bottles of liquor stacked to the
ceiling on shelves behind the counter.
For some reason, though my feet were planted on the floor and my hands
on the counter - maybe because of that - my heart jumped as I thought
those bottles were about to fall on me as the store "rolled."
Scared the hell out of me for an instant, and I've never forgotten it.
Weird. Only thing I can figure is that was the first time I had been
standing motionless in weeks, and physiology had to do a final tweak.

--Vic

On Apr 24, 3:19 am, "Roger Long" wrote:

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... The series of little disturbances they encountered didn't even make
the news.

I wonder how much of a role the acclimatization of many thousands of miles
to the motion and lifestyle played.

Roger


Hi Roger:

Since no one else stepped in I give my 2 cents.
About your thought. Id say its got everything to do with it. In fact,
I have two words: "Sea Legs."

I would guess 99% of the "globe girdling experienced cruisers with
1000s of miles under their keels" and most the delivery operators out
there are simply just experienced day sailors. Or at least the ones
I've met. Lets face it, when cursing most are never out more than 2
weeks at a time until they pull in someplace. There was a time when I
spent 80-95 consecutive days at sea. Some of the boats were big others
80' workboats. This was typically fall-winters in the Bering and
NorPac the remainder..... Ugg.

I usually spent the first day barfing, day two dry heaves and
horizontal, day three recovery and rehydrate. At about 2 weeks I was
feeling pretty frisky. However, I really did not get 100%
(acclimatization) until the end of 60-70 days out. It really took 2
months for me to get my sea legs. After my 3rd trip I realized that I
had to be exceptionally careful for those first few weeks cause all my
accidents occurred then. For example bruised shins and bumped and
bashed head; pinched, crushed, or cut fingers and, all the slips and
stumbles... etc. If I pussy footed around for a few weeks I did not
have to care for all the painful cuts and bashes for the remainder of
the cruise.

For the last five years I've only "day sailed" my boat. At the end of
this summer I'm gone. First thing im going to do is sail out 100 miles
then heave-to off shore for three weeks. Then..... go sailing. May
sound weird, but I believe so strongly that people must get acclimated
to enjoy a sail safely and for me that means at least three weeks.

Yea, so how does some grandma in a little boat able to cruise all over
world when other manly "sailors" were abandoning ship?

Bob

Roger .. Donna wasn't in a position to call for help and leave her "home".

But your posting has me thinking .. ???

I don't know anything about delivery Captains, I don't think I've ever met
one.

Wait .. Captain up in Boothbay,, I do know one.

Anyway,,, when a big yacht owner is looking for the delivery Captain does
the boat owner ask the Captain to fill
out a form with experience etc? References? That kind of thing?

Did the Beneteau delivery end the career of the Captain .. of the boat in
your narative?

Just curious..

ps ... things getting better at the marina.. met a whole new bunch of people
... lots of smiles .. happy folks.
seems like the bad attitudes folks are Monday and Tuesday boatyard visitors.

One thing though .. in the boatyard where I am at .. 90% of the boats
haven't been touched. The covers are still on.
I wonder if this is common. With such a short season, I try to get going as
soon as possible. Heck, I was sanding the bottom in
February .. I must admit .. that was nuts.

====


"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
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

NE Sailboat wrote:
Roger .. Donna wasn't in a position to call for help and leave her
"home".

Sure she was. She was sending a long email every day to her web site with a
position.

But your posting has me thinking .. ???

Don't know any more. But, wouldn't you check references before entrusting
someone with your boat?

ps ... things getting better at the marina.. met a whole new bunch of
people .. lots of smiles .. happy folks.

Good to hear it. Smile a lot and be approachable and don't say outrageous
things to folks and it will get even friendlier. Offer the help whenevery
you can.

I'd hate to hear that Great Bay Marina was an unhappy place.

going as soon as possible. Heck, I was sanding the bottom in
February .. I must admit .. that was nuts.

Good for you. That's the way you have to do it in New England.

--
Roger Long