Anyone interested in knowing more about offshore sailing and survivalism?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

Over the past ten years I have been unknowingly preparing for the calamity ahead... by sailing around the world and learning self sufficiency thousands of miles away from land... Solar panels, wind generators, inverters... these are all staples in the yachting community. If you are interested in the prospect learning more about "survivalism" at sea or purchasing an offshore sailboat contact me at richard@hostmasters.net We are currently setting up a course in conjunction with a Caribbean boat broker (We are based in Sint Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles).

see www.suchislife.com/richard/resume.htm for my media and sailing resumes

Cheers Richard Producer www.suchislife.com

-- Richard Kastelein (richard@hostmasters.net), August 31, 1998

Answers

Good idea, but I've only got a Sunfish used on Lake Allatoona here in upper GA. I think I'll have to stick with Kennesaw "law & order." They have a law requiring all homeowners to have at least one operating weapon at home.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 01, 1998.

Richard; I have often pondered a marine form of "survival" as a means of dealing with such a disaster as Y2k. There are plenty of threads to consider, all of them interesting, most of them reasonably practical, some of them thrilling and romantic, but impractical. Here are a few of my thoughts on the subject:

Firstly, being as far from the masses and the powers-that-be is a great idea. The fewer the people who would be a problem to you, the better. A good, weatherly boat with good charts (lots of them) and a good set of old-fashioned navigational insturments (and of course the knowledge of how to use them) would put you in a fine position to "ride out the storm", as it were.

Second, with a good supply of food and water, plus the means of replenishing both at sea (by means of fishing gear etcet and de- salinizing equipment), you have a good deal of "sea-keeping" ability, as they used to say.

Third, with a good sailing craft of sufficient size, you can have a crew big enough to handle most situations as they arise without the need for using auxilliary power (though I wouldn't suggest not having it, it's just nice not to need it)

I guess the real questions would be academic ones, such as the most efficient rig for the anticipated weather, the actual type and material of the boat, how long you expect things to last, a need for defence, etcet. I'm sure that you had to ponder all of these questions in preparation for a 'round the world sail, but it would be interesting to hear your take on them.

Note: my sailing is limited in scope to big stuff close to shore,with lots of reading on the subject. I do believe that the historical record is an excellent teacher on this subject, and worthy of much research. In the "good old days" sailing a ship in and of itself was an act of survival, so what the sachems of old had to say is probably pretty valid today.

Geff

-- geff (nebbo@sirius.com), May 23, 1999.


Arrrrrrh matie!

We'll be lookin farward ta ya comin are way! Aye, I hope yar bringin all o' yar gold wit ye, and don't farget ta bring yar good lookin wenches with ye, I bin at sea a good spell.

All be seein ye at sea bucko,

Cap'n Blackie

-- Skull and cross bones (sailin@yeandtakinyar.wimmin), May 23, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ