Sea Breeze

[Jim Payton]

What do you guys think about Richard Van Pham and the "Sea Breeze"? I looked at the pictures from the msnbc.com web site several times. I don't think its an Ericson, but it could be, I think, maybe. Does anybody know him or the boat?

[Loren Beach]

Not an Ericson -- his boat had wooden hatches. The E-26-1 had frp hatches. Cabin and hull appear to be more like an old Pearson or Alberg design.
I looked at the photos at the 'Lectronic Latitude part of the Lat. 38 site (they have an "almost daily" update part of their fine web site).

http://www.latitude38.com/


Loren

[Martin King]

I think his story sounds fishy. I can't remember any serious
rain we've had this year much less a storm that would cause
a dismasting as he claims. The photos show a boat in sorry
shape-the kind of deferred maintenance that could lead to
trouble. It looks as though he managed a jury rigged sail yet
was unable to sail it toward a landfall. No flares, no radio, no
floatplan anyone was aware of-he should never have left the dock
in that tub and apparently the Coast Guard determined it was better to sink it than to save it.

Martin King

[Loren Beach]

Originally posted by Martin King
I think his story sounds fishy. I can't remember any serious
rain we've had this year much less a storm that would cause
a dismasting as he claims. The photos show a boat in sorry
shape-the kind of deferred maintenance that could lead to
trouble. It looks as though he managed a jury rigged sail yet
was unable to sail it toward a landfall. No flares, no radio, no
floatplan anyone was aware of-he should never have left the dock
in that tub and apparently the Coast Guard determined it was better to sink it than to save it.

Martin King

I concur that it looks as though he should have been able to make way under some sort of sail.

OTOH, the one time I was on 29 foot sloop that lost its mast we were sailing to weather in about 15 kts of wind, up the Washington coast, about 3 miles off shore in moderate seas. A lower broke inside of the swage and the other lower instantly broke its toggle and let go. The mast hairpinned and went over the side. All this happened in a micro-second...

One moment I was driving along looking forward at the horizon and the working jib, and the next instant there was a loud bang and there was no jib blocking my view any more...(!)
And then things got verrrrry quiet as we stopped and rolled gently with the long Pacific swells.
:(

From the looks of the guy's boat, Neptune only knows how old and shot the rigging was when he set out...
:)

Loren in PDX

[Geoff Johnson]

The story in the New York Times this morning reported that he woke up in the moring to find he had been dismasted. He must be a very sound sleeper!

[Sean Engle]

Here's a link to the story (http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/West/09/24/man.adrift.ap/) if like me any of the other readers of this thread were unaware.....

//sse

[Geoff Johnson]

My favorite part of the story is that he was found roasting a seagull, yet some of the photographs show several birds sitting on the part of the mast protruding forward of the bow, as though they were waiting to be next. It reminds me of Lewis Carrol's walrus:

"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize,"
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none --
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.