May I ask where you got this number from?
Mighty Merloe
- Thread starter Bill Gibbs
- Start date
May I ask where you got this number from?
D Wayne G
Member
I’m fucked!
shebeen
Super Anarchist
Lest we forget our professional crew friends on Vestas Wind who also crashed their VO65 into a stationary thing that appears on charts...
Volvo Ocean Race: Team Vestas Wind grounding report published - Yachting World
The report into the grounding of the Volvo Ocean Race VO65 Team Vestas Wind has been published.www.yachtingworld.com
My current boat is nowhere near as fast as either of these and I can attest to how quickly even it gobbles up sea room and how far ahead you have to plan!
that's a very good point. How has the navigator's career gone since that whoopsie?
would also be interested to see how much actual experience he has, plenty of other racers have proved critics wrong before. Not much to add here at his official page.
Captain Donald Lawson & the Dark Seas Project
Giving back through life-changing experiences.
captaindonaldlawson.com
unless you count a youtube vid with 600 views.
ronnie_simpson
Anarchist
Thanks for the kind words, Clean.
Yes, I had high hopes for Don, though I knew his odds of achieving his stated goals were a long shot at best. My opinions have evolved over the past couple of months, unfortunately not towards the positive. I still remain optimistic that he will figure out a way to turn this all into a net positive though. I hope he can focus his efforts on making his non-profit actually serve others instead of chasing this pipe dream that will end in either catastrophe or merely as a failure. If anything, I feel more sorry for the guy than anything. As a guy who is running an Open 50 RTW campaign on a shoe string and feeling the weight of this endeavor, I can only imagine how overwhelming it must be trying to accomplish something that is a lost cause from the get-go.
MR.CLEAN
Moderator
- Moderator
- #227
I know, me too.
He's a nice guy and really dreams big, and I don't see him as just another one of the Reid Stowe/Rimas/SV Seeker style grifters. I don't believe he intends this to be a scam, but neither does he have the reality-based worldview to accomplish much or prevent catastrophic issues. Hopefully he lucks into someone who knows what they are doing, and is smart enough to follow their instructions.
sailhmb
Member
Capt Don, Tori, and MM spent a month as guests of the Half Moon Bay Yacht Club after they left SF. I guided him into the anchorage off the club and sent him off at dawn when they departed. In between I spent time breaking down his plan to mitigate failure (This is my wheelhouse). He is not dreaming but understands that capital improvements and practice were required as a priority of preparation. Whether he could obtain enough of both was not certain. He reminded me of many silicon valley start-up founders where there are always big gaps to be bridged to success. 95% fail. During his boat delivery period plenty of stuff failed and he performed work arounds. I remember a discussion about mid ocean rescue at sea.. He had a plan for that because he knew it was possible. Tori was not wild about this subject. He has had a bad run south since departing HMB. Is he going to keep on or stop? I'll wait and see what he decides.
been reading up on this one and unfortunately it looks like ambition over ability, which is sad and people just kicking someone for trying is just plain unhelpful. What IMHO he needs is assistance in reviewing his aims to those that are achievable within his skills
here's some thoughts..
WSSRC does not record records for nationality - (i've held a couple and looking for 1 or 2 more) and there are not insignificant costs in attempting one (now £1800 fee just to record the attempt) plus boat and crew on standby for how ever long the weather window comes, weather router etc. He needs some input on what can be claimed and what can be achieved
Buying the boat is the easy part, and often why ex races are dirt cheap and in the USA given away as a charity donation (tax write off!). I bought one boat that way from the W coats of the US
Running and maintenance is the BIG cost.
I know the budgets needed for an ORMA (sponsor almost bought me Geant from Mr D.. but the world's finances crashed and that stopped that), Open boats and multis.. and on the big ones you you need a maintenance team full time just to keep the boat afloat. Without that, the boat becomes unsafe and bites back.
To be blunt, and no offence intended, that knowledge and skill in USA is just not there in any large amount, being highly concentred in NE Europe (France/UK) so anyone in USA will struggle to get access to sailing skills and technical skills without a BIG BIG budget to import people
Too many have bought ex racers to find the maintenance schedule is $$$$/££££ and the technical skills required few and far between, and if you can get them not cheap.
I'm fortunate that i know much myself and within my (very small/tight team) we have skills. Also (and probably more importantly) contacts at the highest level to access the required knowledge. Meaning I have been able to run with the big boys on relatively (it is all relative!) low budgets
Then there is learning how to drive the darn things.
These are boats that don't bite, they feck'n kill you. In inexperienced hands these boats are unleased sadomasochist, maiming, killers.
I have mentored a number of similarly ambitious folks over the years and many realise they just dont 'have it' and move on. I have lost potential sailing sugar daddies because i have been honest and open as to what it takes. I also remember the early days of the UK solo sailing program and the mentors getting crews through their first year, knowing that just that they didn't have what it takes.
Hence, there is a reason why USA mega buck sailors bring in the European multi hull kings
So whilst admiring his ambition, IMHO he needs close mentoring and support to help him rain back ambitions and get access to those who have the skills, technical and sailing before either he goes bust or gets hurt. Not mocking abuse
here's some thoughts..
WSSRC does not record records for nationality - (i've held a couple and looking for 1 or 2 more) and there are not insignificant costs in attempting one (now £1800 fee just to record the attempt) plus boat and crew on standby for how ever long the weather window comes, weather router etc. He needs some input on what can be claimed and what can be achieved
Buying the boat is the easy part, and often why ex races are dirt cheap and in the USA given away as a charity donation (tax write off!). I bought one boat that way from the W coats of the US
Running and maintenance is the BIG cost.
I know the budgets needed for an ORMA (sponsor almost bought me Geant from Mr D.. but the world's finances crashed and that stopped that), Open boats and multis.. and on the big ones you you need a maintenance team full time just to keep the boat afloat. Without that, the boat becomes unsafe and bites back.
To be blunt, and no offence intended, that knowledge and skill in USA is just not there in any large amount, being highly concentred in NE Europe (France/UK) so anyone in USA will struggle to get access to sailing skills and technical skills without a BIG BIG budget to import people
Too many have bought ex racers to find the maintenance schedule is $$$$/££££ and the technical skills required few and far between, and if you can get them not cheap.
I'm fortunate that i know much myself and within my (very small/tight team) we have skills. Also (and probably more importantly) contacts at the highest level to access the required knowledge. Meaning I have been able to run with the big boys on relatively (it is all relative!) low budgets
Then there is learning how to drive the darn things.
These are boats that don't bite, they feck'n kill you. In inexperienced hands these boats are unleased sadomasochist, maiming, killers.
I have mentored a number of similarly ambitious folks over the years and many realise they just dont 'have it' and move on. I have lost potential sailing sugar daddies because i have been honest and open as to what it takes. I also remember the early days of the UK solo sailing program and the mentors getting crews through their first year, knowing that just that they didn't have what it takes.
Hence, there is a reason why USA mega buck sailors bring in the European multi hull kings
So whilst admiring his ambition, IMHO he needs close mentoring and support to help him rain back ambitions and get access to those who have the skills, technical and sailing before either he goes bust or gets hurt. Not mocking abuse
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MR.CLEAN
Moderator
- Moderator
- #231
Nice to see you commenting here.
The problem with Don is that he's had literally years of advice, assistance, and offers of same and seems to not have internalized much, if any of it. As I have only spoken to Don once, I am not in a position to know whether his resistance is ego-based (emotional) or intelligence-based (IQ).
MR.CLEAN
Moderator
- Moderator
- #232
The stark differences in power and load between almost anything else and a 60 foot or larger multihull are shocking and very hard for even experienced sailors to get their heads around until they see it for themselves. Even the shit an ORMA will do without sails up can be pretty fucking wild.
silent bob
Super Anarchist
Tritium docking out from San Peedroh. Hopefully, she doesn’t suffer the same fate as MM!
giegs
Super Anarchist
- 1,169
- 671
Could you please elaborate on this a bit? Is the "it" they typically don't have the blue collar work ethic needed to stay on top of the many jobs that come up? The management skills to keep such an ambitious project on its feet and moving forward? Lack of an immediate support network like you'd have in Europe to keep them focused?
Irrational 14
Super Anarchist
Perfect. Now we have the room for the MOD 70's coming in for TPac. Lots of teams starting to trickle in. More cool boats on the way.
silent bob
Super Anarchist
Looks to be a Vinyl wrap coming off!
Irrational 14
Super Anarchist
If that is in fact Nomex, it might be crumpled and done. Hope I'm wrong.
silent bob
Super Anarchist
I love how Rio 100’s mast towers over Merlin’s! Like Comanche‘s towered over the other sleds in 2019!
silent bob
Super Anarchist
Bad Vinyl job!
