73 replies to this topic

[Editor]

Guaranteed Failure

Sometimes the combination of people and boats is a lethal one. Here's a perfect example: Dude says he will sail around the world not once, not twice, but three times, nonstop with just him and his young girlfriend, who just happens to be a total novice. Oh yeah, its on a 70' Schooner. They have exactly one chance of completing this ridiculous attempt - none. You may follow their blog, but in the meantime, how long do you give them before they throw in the towel?

04/23/07

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[hammonegg]

HAHA
I like the part were thyey will sail in a "heart-shaped "pattern!!

[Wayne]

They tried to take their dogs, but they were too smart and jumped off.....




Guaranteed Failure

Sometimes the combination of people and boats is a lethal one. Here's a perfect example: Dude says he will sail around the world not once, not twice, but three times, nonstop with just him and his young girlfriend, who just happens to be a total novice. Oh yeah, its on a 70' Schooner. They have exactly one chance of completing this ridiculous attempt - none. You may follow their blog, but in the meantime, how long do you give them before they throw in the towel?

04/23/07
[/quote]

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[sodall2doo]

almost as good as that prat who tried to sail a tornado (sport rig too ) across the atlantic from las palmas to guadelupe !

[2high2tight]

he will have to stop at least once so she can get off and fly home.

[Billy Bones]

Isn't she from Guyana? If she makes it a month I bet she goes the distance.

Oh, wait..23 you said? well, maybe.

[DtM]

At least they have started. Tony Bullimore is still holding up the bar in Hobart

[USA-7]

Oh good, another Ried thread. ED had to have his own.

June 22nd, Dominican Republic.

[B.J. Porter]

Guaranteed Failure

Sometimes the combination of people and boats is a lethal one. Here's a perfect example: Dude says he will sail around the world not once, not twice, but three times, nonstop with just him and his young girlfriend, who just happens to be a total novice. Oh yeah, its on a 70' Schooner. They have exactly one chance of completing this ridiculous attempt - none. You may follow their blog, but in the meantime, how long do you give them before they throw in the towel?

04/23/07

I guess you missed the other four threads on this topic??

[hard aground]

Did they remember their frying pan?

[Riding Point]

I wish them well but Scot's right ... most likely a large amount of tax dollars will go to saving these two.

[JDL]

I wish them well but Scot's right ... most likely a large amount of tax dollars will go to saving these two.

I don't think they'll let it get that far along. My guess is that she'll suffer a minor injury and he'll abandon his dream because of his love for her. First or second time they have 40+kts for a day or two.

Epilogue: Espo picks up a shitload of parmesan cheese for next to nothing!

[Kaptainkriz]

cheese!

Epilogue: Espo picks up a shitload of parmesan cheese for next to nothing!

[cubfan]

cheese!

why the hell would ANYONE want to do this??? I can understand cruising for a few years-but why in the hell wouldn't you want to get off the boat and lay on a beach or get something different to eat??

This is just wrong. They are either going to change or die...I hope they change.

[R Booth]

why the hell would ANYONE want to do this??? I can understand cruising for a few years-but why in the hell wouldn't you want to get off the boat and lay on a beach or get something different to eat??

I just made a call into Costner. Neither he nor his publicist could answer your question either....

[Chapin]

I actually met these people back in 04 at the NY/NJ Sail-Expo
They had at the time for than just two and were trying to get myself and a fellow crew member from the schooner i was on to join them. .....Nooooo Thanx...

I give it a year...

[Big Stuff]

A year? I give it less than 6 weeks.

[MR.CLEAN]

Is this the same nutball who tried to sail for 1000 days back in '01, inscribing the shape of a turtle with his path?

[sailman]

Is this the same nutball who tried to sail for 1000 days back in '01, inscribing the shape of a turtle with his path?

You mean there's more than one of these lunatics out there?

[The Big D]

He did, in fact sail for a hundred days, or so he claims. However, he did not achieve a turtle shape, he did not do the research that he was paid to do while out there and did not return the equipment he was loaned to do it. He only achieved this hundred day trip because of the managing guidance and organizational skills of his past S.O., Laurence. One day a couple years ago she awoke from Rieds hypnosis induced stupor and hauled ass.
Rieds persuasive talents, standing on the big shoulders of the likes of Manson, Karesh and Jones, have been his living for quite a few years, both here and in the Caribbean. Not quite so impressive are his attempts at conjuring apparent feats of daring on the high seas, billing himself as the stolid and deeply knowledgable seafarer peering off over a far horizon at challenges mere mortals can't concieve.

He is a wild eyed whacko and he is taking somebody's gorgeous little daughter out to sea, out of sight of all witnesses. I might be overreacting but I would not trust this dude out there. If I were her father I would geld his ass.

[born2sail]

Prediction: Before everyone forgets about them, and before they get too far off, something will go haywire forcing an "adventure filled" return to port. Upon arrival they will be greeted like descendants of Thor Heyerdahl by the ignoranti who gave these "sailors" their 15 minutes of fame.

[Susan]

Who says history does not repeat itself? This guy is like a broken fricken record. Fathers, hide your daughters - he'll be back for another round.

http://query.nytimes...755C0A96F958260
http://www.nyc24.org...ory03/page2.asp
http://1000daysatsea.blogspot.com/
http://outside.away....0dispodyss.html

[Editor]

I guess you missed the other four threads on this topic??

Yes. But here I wanted people to guess how long before these two yokels quit.

[The Big D]

OK...pretty tough to get within a day count but I would guess that the Island of Bermuda and the Caribbean Islands are going to get pretty attractive to her. Hell when you think about it they are pretty well equipped (once again at other peoples expense) for a lovely vacation in the islands or Brazil.
If she toughs it out past Bermuda I would say the Caribbean...so three to four weeks. Very slim chance she will make Capetown.

[Green7075]

"Our sprouts are happy to be at sea and they are all sticking up their little green heads calling "Eat me! Eat me!" I ate a big full bowl with eggs and toast for breakfast. " ...

He sounds perfectly sane to me...

(Wouldn't put it past him to make it a couple years though...as soon as the girl ditches him...)

[KRC]

Hopefully they will stay out there long enough that everyone will have forgotten them when they call it quits. Then they can sell the boat to a worthy owner and retire out of sight and out of mind.

They'll make it as far as the Southern Ocean and then quit.

Still, I'm not gonna bash the guy for DOING what we only DREAM about.

[Hike, Bitches!]

A complete nutjob & whacko - 179 days, without the girl...he'll lose her somewhere around 85. "In a tragic turn of events, Soanya fell out of the focsle as it was overflowing with plastic garbage..she slipped on a cheese wrapper and was helplessly tossed into the sea...I attempted to retrieve her with my trusty fishing gaff, but all I saw as I groped was a pool of blood and hungry sharks. It is OK though...she'd never really got her sea legs anyway..."

[PhiloBeddoe]

Anyone else smell Donald Crowhurst?

[Floundered]

This is from his October 2005 blog:

Breaking News! A departure date around Thanksgiving [2005], has been set for the start of the 1000 Days Non-Stop at Sea voyage!

The departure date has been revised ad nauseam for years. I'm amazed he actually left. Given his apparent lack of planning skills and previous trip endurance, I'll give him 1 month max until she breaks down (boat or girl).

I hope they remembered a big cast-iron frying pan so she can defend herself.

I heard that his cement boat got seriously knocked down a few times during the last trip. Did he do anything to address that, uh, issue? Like maybe strapping down the sprouts.

[Sumner]

http://outside.away....0dispodyss.html

That 1998 article was great! (And I assume a prelude to the Wetass era...)

"For almost three years, his only companions will consist of one French girlfriend, two stray cats, and the dragon mask he dons when he smears his body with rainbow-colored paint and cavorts around deck in wild bouts of shamanistic dancing."

[Hike, Bitches!]

I thought that was pretty funny when I read it too Sumner. "zimmerman...hmmm..i wonder if this was pre-wetass?"

[InTolerance]

I'm not so sure that she will jump ship. She's only 23. If she completes this she will never, ever have to work a job, guaranteed. She could do tours, books, lecture for the remainder of her life. That would be one heck of an incentive for me to stick it out to the bitter end. And it's almost guaranteed, given this guy's history, that the end will be bitter. And best of luck to her on the birth control issue!

[NoStrings]

Well then keep your sea bag packed, because he's going to need a crew mate after June 6th (a date I picked on one of the other 19 threads on this voyage of insanity).

Is it possible that this guy is even more wacked than Tom Kennedy?

[Eric97217]

Wonder when they will get ran over by a tanker

Captain's Log Day 3
April 24, 2007

Day 3

Reid's View:

Last night we had a fast rough ride in a light gale and made 130 miles in the right direction. This took us out into the North Atlantic where we were then free to choose what course we will. The wild ride finally made Soanya seasick, so we were not able to keep up with our email updates. Both Joe and Rand were curious and gave us a call on the iridium telephone. As evening came along, the wind died down, but the seas remained lumpy, tossing loose things back and forth across the boat. There being little wind again, I left our lights on and both of us slept through the night. I did wake up to take looks around and in the morning, I set the sails for a SSE course.

[Christian]

The pieces will come unglued the moment she has her first period after the start and he cannot find his meds.

[LIsailorkid]

I'm not so sure that she will jump ship. She's only 23. If she completes this she will never, ever have to work a job, guaranteed. She could do tours, books, lecture for the remainder of her life. That would be one heck of an incentive for me to stick it out to the bitter end. And it's almost guaranteed, given this guy's history, that the end will be bitter. And best of luck to her on the birth control issue!

I guess so..If there are people like you willing to pay to hear what she has to say.. but there far better things to do with that time and money.

[olaf hart]

There might be a spare spot at Bellerive Yacht Club sometime in the next seven months.
Whats the bet he has heard of TB and is heading for the freeloaders paradise right now.

[Eric97217]

April 26,2007
Day 5

Wind 20-30 knots, Heaved-to 1knot side drift.

20 knots... that is good sailing wind and need every bit of it for the boat they have and instead they heave too.... pussies!

[sailman]

April 26,2007
Day 5

Wind 20-30 knots, Heaved-to 1knot side drift.

20 knots... that is good sailing wind and need every bit of it for the boat they have and instead they heave too.... pussies!

Its 1000 days, I think they are going to have more than enough days of sailing. Assuming of course they go even close to 1000 much less 100

[Trickypig]

I hope Reid's girlfriend doesn't become his biggest victim, if the sea decides.

Reid Stowe is a con man - a swindler who exploits the confidence of his victim. He seeks attention through grandiose claims and so far he has had gauranteed and undreamt of success...

The longest time spent at sea 657 days is by the single hander Jon Sanders. His preparation for his triple circumnavigation was a double non stop navigation and countless miles spent sailing his and other's yachts around the oceans.

By comparison Reid is an idiot.,,,,,I give him 50-150 days; tops.

[Hike, Bitches!]

Well stated Trickypig..I have not met this Reid person, but I also do not disagree with anything in your post...nor do I think anyone else here would disagree with you, but as CA itself is a little more conservative than SA, I'll try not speak for everyone

I am amazed by all the idiots that are 'living vicariously' thru Reid on his site as if he is doing something heroic and they all envy him...in reality I think they really have no clue about sailing a vessel of any size around the world, or how long 1000 days really is on a boat. There isn't any grocery store in the Southern Ocean, and I don't even know if this dude has a watermaker, or fuel to keep the batteries up. How big are his solar panels then?? Does he have a sewing machine to repair any of those already old looking dacron sails that fail from UV degredation? Will it even hold a stitch and thread after 750, or 500 straight days in the sun? Is all this stuff just chillin' in his hold next to all that cheese? I realize that the comments are all monitored, and while a few negative ones have made it thru, they seem pretty benign, so my guess is that they are having to do some heavy moderating on his blog if so many people seem to know what an idiot con man this guy seems to be.

[Triceratops]

I can't imagine for the life of my why anyone would want to stay at sea for 1000 days, let alone what course you would take! I would say go for the calmest area in the ocean, drop an anchor and relax for as long as possible, hmm leaving now, go to to Maine and anchor, or Newfundland. Nothing says the have to go around the world, or get off the boat, but I imagine they will at some point get off the boat and step on dry land before the 1000 day mark. Now it would be a little more impressive, and a much greater research project if they were to have no incoming information for this time. Leave the modern world behind and come back to all the changes unexpectantly. That would be a story I believe.

Tri

[SamLowry]

Does he have a sewing machine to repair any of those already old looking dacron sails that fail from UV degredation? Will it even hold a stitch and thread after 750, or 500 straight days in the sun?

I sense a marketing opportunity here. Go to a loft and tell them you're doing a 1000 day trip. Have them give you a set of sails that you'll report on once a month. If they survive 1000 days and still be able to race in the America's Cup, that would be excellent PR!

Q has a similar ad with Skip Novak about how long their cruising sails last.

[SamLowry]

Leave the modern world behind and come back to all the changes unexpectantly. That would be a story I believe.

I think that the world will not change a whole lot in 3 years. The Middle East will still be a mess, most of the African continent will still be a mess, traffic in our cities will still be a mess, service in McDonalds will still be as bad as the food, the price of gas will still be too high, and we'll still be force fed Britney's latest fashion/party/parenting/lovelife disaster on Entertainment Tonight/Talk Soup/WB/48 Hours/60 Minutes/SNL.

Nope. Not a lot of changes. Now come back in 300 years and you might see some changes, except the Middle East will still be a mess.

[Kaptainkriz]

mmmmmmm, 1000 days. Even if they stayed on the hook in a nice tropical harbor for the whole time I bet they don't make it. ok, I place my bet at 200 days or 1st encounter with snow....whichever comes 1st.

edit.....website claims he's sailed the antarctic...so maybe the snow won't bother him....my 200days still stands.

[Heynoose]

Today

Clicky

Wonder when they will get ran over by a tanker

Captain's Log Day 3
April 24, 2007

Day 3

Reid's View:

Last night we had a fast rough ride in a light gale and made 130 miles in the right direction. This took us out into the North Atlantic where we were then free to choose what course we will. The wild ride finally made Soanya seasick, so we were not able to keep up with our email updates. Both Joe and Rand were curious and gave us a call on the iridium telephone. As evening came along, the wind died down, but the seas remained lumpy, tossing loose things back and forth across the boat. There being little wind again, I left our lights on and both of us slept through the night. I did wake up to take looks around and in the morning, I set the sails for a SSE course.

[Kaptainkriz]

ouch....just listened to the audio report....no one was watching. Sounds like he's going to cut the sprit off and rebuild the headstay smaller.....they are not quitting yet....

....doh, they have a collision detection system, and they have not been able to get it to work yet...

yea, no kidding

Today

Clicky

[Trickypig]

Lost his bowsprit in a collision.


That took only two weeks....

[Lochnes]

I dont know, but if your planning to sleep during your watches, shouldn't you at least install some radar or passive DSC radar device?

Or train yourself to waking up at the big noise these freighters make...When the weather is not to heavy, you usually hear them before seeing them.

If they already hit a boat after 10 days, this could get very interesting for the amount of freighters and containers they are going to encounter in the 99% of the time left. They will probably end up being dismasted but still floating for a 1000 days which would make this the worlds first and longest attempt to a self inflicted rescue mission.
Lets hope they stay clear of white whales.

[born2sail]

Well for starters, what kind of collision with a freighter will result in just a damaged bowsprit, I ask?

Next, did anyone take a serious look at the photo posted with the bowsprit news? There's a high degree of seamanship missing on that boat, not to mention a lack of proper clothing.

[Eric97217]

Damn, I hate when I am right. But given their lack of seamanship, it should be no surprise.

[LakeBoy]

Guaranteed Failure

... how long do you give them before they throw in the towel?

04/23/07

They'll make it into the Caribbean however,
sometime during this hurricane season,
they will be overcome by a storm and
end up marooned in sight of Halmos just off the Florida keys.

[CaptMSR]

I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents from the Cruising blog. Anyone disagree??

Yeah I have to admit, Reid and Soanya took off with log entries that sounded like they were expecting tofu rainbows and blue birds of happiness chirping the whole way. I don't know the details of the collision but from listening to the radio report on their site, it won't be too hard to figure out what part of the Maersk 'Dunedin' they hit once it gets into port. I say they hit it because if it was the other way 'round, we'd be waiting a helluva long time to hear from them. I give him about a week to figure out they they can't fix their boat to last 983 more days. I say him, cause the Mate won't have a clue. A day or so into their trip, I asked Reid to post a tool kit inventory. Was he too busy being on watch to answer?

[EVK4]

....doh, they have a collision detection system, and they have not been able to get it to work yet...

yea, no kidding

This "collision detection system" is apparently what you and I would call a bowsprit.

[Combat Wombat]

Was looking at the clicky, gave me chills.

Tried to post this:

I'm a licensed Unlimited Mate, have raced in the Whitbread a decade ago, lost track of my time under sail, big and small, spent many years on active duty as a Navy Surface Warfare Officer and been Master/Mate of Motor and sail yachts to 139'. Think I'm qualified to "assert (my self)yourselves from a position of moral and seamanship superiority,"? Reid could have not waited 15 years for a roller furler, fishing boats solved this problem centuries ago by using a "flying stay". A quick look at Chappelle's "The American Fishing Schooner" would have offered ideas to ensure the loss of relatively minor piece of the rig wouldn't result in a compromised voyage. Preparation is key, particularly when you're thinking of sailing other people into dangerous waters.

These guys scare me, if only that after this, my planned mini campaign will never see a sponsor or be allowed by the USCG to leave.....

They are now moderating their posts. suppose all that is not "Love and white light" vill nicht tolerated be!

[burnsed]

We just finished a 100 mile offshore "race" this weekend, 12 hours was way too long. We missed closing time at the local bars by an hour or two, I can't see doing that 365 times X how many years it would take for that trip

[Joli]

Was looking at the clicky, gave me chills.

Tried to post this:

I'm a licensed Unlimited Mate, have raced in the Whitbread a decade ago, lost track of my time under sail, big and small, spent many years on active duty as a Navy Surface Warfare Officer and been Master/Mate of Motor and sail yachts to 139'. Think I'm qualified to "assert (my self)yourselves from a position of moral and seamanship superiority,"? Reid could have not waited 15 years for a roller furler, fishing boats solved this problem centuries ago by using a "flying stay". A quick look at Chappelle's "The American Fishing Schooner" would have offered ideas to ensure the loss of relatively minor piece of the rig wouldn't result in a compromised voyage. Preparation is key, particularly when you're thinking of sailing other people into dangerous waters.

These guys scare me, if only that after this, my planned mini campaign will never see a sponsor or be allowed by the USCG to leave.....

They are now moderating their posts. suppose all that is not "Love and white light" vill nicht tolerated be!

You're surprised they are moderating the posts? Look at some of the tripe being posted. The guys a piece of work and the girl, well she must be wondering WTF she's doing by now. But hey, they saved the bowsprit carving, woo woo.

[born2sail]

I'm spending as little time as possible showing interest in these misguided fools, but I am curious...where are they now?

[Eric97217]

I was on watch in the pilothouse looking for lights of ships every 15 minutes to a half hour. I heard a loud bang and some scraping. When I opened the hatch, I saw the stern of a freighter passing by. We were not hit hard.

Those little green, red, and white lights mean there is a ship coming. If you are checking every half hour for ship in a known shipping lane, that is to too much time. A ship coming at you at 20 plus knots and you heading to them 5 to 7 knots, that is goes from just about being over the horizon to on top of you in about half hour. They wont be so lucky next time.

[vouz etes ici]

Half hour is too long. More like 15 minutes.

[Pascal]

Half hour is too long. More like 15 minutes.

With the amount of pot smoking probably going on in there even if the freighter sounded collision one can assume that whoever was on "watch" wouldn't have noticed it?

[vouz etes ici]

With the amount of pot smoking probably going on in there even if the freighter sounded collision one can assume that whoever was on "watch" wouldn't have noticed it?

Honey, did you hear something?

I think that ship is saying hello... its honking at us.

Kewl! Pass the poptarts!

[EVK4]

Half hour is too long. More like 15 minutes.

After almost being run down by the QE2 mid-ocean, I timed her being next to us to disappearing over the horizon: 12 minutes.

More details here.

[LakeBoy]

Anne, meet Andrea,

Andrea, meet Anne!

Hurricane Season early

[Eric97217]

The show will begin with a live phone call from Reid and Soanya starting at 12 noon. R & S will be able to answer some of your questions about the collision and the repairs; how they feel about continuing the expedition and what they have decided at this point in time.

The end is near and it has been less than two weeks. Shame we did not get to see what happens when they get caught in a real blow.

[crankcall]

Yes is been said but warrants repeating, at some point somebodies navy or CG will have to leave port to go collect these twits from whatever shitbin they landed in this time. Maybe a freighter crew that are trained but not expert at rescue will have to alter course and put somebodies dad, sister, brother at risk to haul these guys back to land.
He should be wearing an ankle bracelet that only lets him 10 yards from shore and she should just get herself checked into a clinic.

[Hike, Bitches!]

Maybe they can sacrifice their treasured sprouts and tear apart the garden in the bow and use it as a makeshift raft and drift towards a freighter like Tom Hanks did in Castaway!

[Claymore]

It's pretty telling that no one who has sailed with Reid previously was willing to go with him on this one. I guess the only person he could find was one who'd never been sailing before.

[MSafiri]

Not an experienced sailor myself, but this is rubbish......they are not isolated at all, have an org, okay, god knows how long, behind them, regular connection, blog, web, gps and all sort of stuff to talk to others.....for what a trip like this is good for....remember Crowhurst??? he faked all, they can fake it all, loose the GPS and net, then anchor away in South America, send rubbish and live happily.....

[R Booth]

I've still got my money on the Parmesan..........

[mrdarklight]

I'd pay that guy money to learn his persuasion techniques.

[Latadjust]

Gotta hand it to them, they are crossing an ocean, but what's with the growing ivy reference in the blog? "...plan to make an ivy arbor that envelopes us completely." I think I hear that music from The Twilight Zone.

[Hike, Bitches!]

Yummy..today is salted fish day. He managed to snag a poor fish by accident in the gut with his swinging hook. One fish in 45 days...by accident...nice work buddy - you are the man!

" Day 45 Landed a small mahi-mahi
Friday, 08 June 2007
June 6, 2007

We landed our first fish, a small mahi-mahi. A pair of them were kicking around the boat and I decided to throw them a lure. I pulled about 50 ft. of line off the reel and swung the lure out from the boat and started pulling it back in as fast as I could. They immediately saw it started swimming for the lure, but they weren't fooled and seemed to play with the lure. I tried a few more times and they were still hanging around. Finally, I jerked it up and down next to the boat hoping it looked like a frantic lost fish and one of them got hooked. It was small so it couldn't put up much of a fight and I had him onboard in a second. It turns out that I hooked the fish in the belly. The hook came out, so I threw the lure out for the other one. He immediately went for it and bit it. For a few moments I tussled with him thinking we caught two fish in a row, but he got off the hook and swam cautiously around the boat. I'm sure he was waiting for his mate and I felt sorry for them, but I said a few prayers like the American Indians do when for the game they hunt and then I cleaned the fish, chose two pieces to eat immediately and salted the rest."