'We sold everything to do this and lost it in 20 minutes'

Likely I am just a crotchety old fart, but they disgust me. Even more stupid are the folks that donated money to their go fund me account.

Only proving that there are lot more than one born every minute.

According to one report I read, their dream is to take the boat to the Caribbean. If they actually try it with no more experience than they have, they won't survive crossing the Gulf Stream. The Coast Guard will spend thousand$$ searching for them before giving up..and that will be that. The dog will be the only innocent victim.

HeadMistress said:

Likely I am just a crotchety old fart, but they disgust me. Even more stupid are the folks that donated money to their go fund me account.

Only proving that there are lot more than one born every minute.

According to one report I read, their dream is to take the boat to the Caribbean. If they actually try it with no more experience than they have, they won't survive crossing the Gulf Stream.

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Yeah, the father and grandfather in me hopes that doesn’t happen. The crotchety old fart cynic part of me grumbles “serves them right”.

It really doesnt take much to get to the Bahamas on any given day..... 50 miles over there is hardly death defying for all but a wreck..... unless they really ignore those standing around them.

Once there, their survivability most likely decreases with every passing cold front and orher open water passages....

dhays said:

I have an incredibly low opinion of these two. Likely I am just a crotchety old fart, but they disgust me. Even more stupid are the folks that donated money to their go fund me account.

The smartest person involved may be the guy that sold them his old boat for a $1. Likely the best sale he ever made. He has saved himself the trouble and expense of disposing of that boat.

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Wifey B: Yes, you're a crotchety old fart, and I'm a hot young girl and I totally agree with you. It hurts to see this and think of all those with real needs, just needing a little help, not to go on some adventure, but to survive tomorrow, to feed their kids, to clothe them, to keep from being evicted from their slum rental. We see people for whom $100 is like found riches, for whom a warm shelter is a god send. We see women and children just thankful they aren't going to be beaten tonight. Then we have people wanting us to buy them a boat and then wanting us to pay them to go boating.

I don't care if some fools who don't know what they're doing decide to buy a boat and go to sea. I do care that others have to rescue them and clean up after them. But I really care that they're publicity seekers depending on others to support their follies. Maybe they'll put on a porn show and not just t & a like the other sailboat you tubes. Doesn't cross their minds to go get jobs and work some to get money to play.

The people I see every day in need are willing to do anything to improve their situation, just need a little help. $12,000 may seem like very little, but to people really in need, it can help so many so much.

The best thing that happened to them was to sink so close to shore. That SHOULD have been their wake up call. Unfortunately they will see their problem as a random mechanical failure, not a lack of experience or preparation. They are going to start the same journey again, and I predict this one will end the same way.

They should join Cruisers Forum.
That should be fun.

HeadMistress said:

"Broadwell and Walsh, who had zero sailing experience before embarking on their last short adventure, hope to start their trip on the Odyssey by next week." .

...on a 33 yr old boat that's just sitting behind the doctor's house deteriorating. Is no one giving these kids any advice??? Or maybe they're just refusing to accept any....

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They are in their 20s and know everything. In 10 years, they will be amazed at how much we have learned.

It really doesnt take much to get to the Bahamas on any given day..... 50 miles over there is hardly death defying for all but a wreck...

But doesn't it require enough nav skills to know how far south of them you need to aim to be able to hit 'em instead being being carried north of them by the current? And enough sailing skills to stay on course? Both skills it's highly unlikely they have! In light air or even motoring they could easily make more leeeway than headway, missing the Bahamas altogether...next landfall, Ireland! And in 10-15k winds with even 3' seas, they'd really be in deep doodoo!

They are in their 20s and know everything. In 10 years, they will be amazed at how much we have learned.

It'll take a miracle for 'em to have 10 more years!

If their dream is to sail the Carib , simply purchasing a boat that is already there would solve most of their problems.

The question then remains who will give them the cash for their next adventure?

FF said:

If their dream is to sail the Carib , simply purchasing a boat that is already there would solve most of their problems.

The question then remains who will give them the cash for their next adventure?

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As I understand it, they have, from their GoFundMe page, $15K plus a boat for a dollar. Now that's a tidy day's work.
I do hope the current owner, upon transfer of ownership, have them sign a 'hold harmless' clause ...... So many things can go wrong on and non-surveyed boat. The famous "you didn't tell us, that needed repair."

Damn that’s a nice boat...

1985 Cheoy Lee Pedrick 36 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Not defending these folks; I think they’re reckless and have milked the sympathies of generous, well-meaning people. They’re also very young and obviously see nothing wrong with begging for money—something that most of us find repulsive. However, I don’t think they’re necessarily doomed.

In the 1980s, Tania Aebi started a circumnavigation in a 26-foot sailboat with no GPS, no crew and next to no sailing experience or nav skills. At the time she was the youngest to complete a solo circumnavigation. Her father encouraged her which to me—despite her being 18 when she started—was borderline child abuse. But against all odds, she did it.

So, sometimes grit, determination and a willingness to learn can overcome a lack of experience. I don’t know these two but, from what I read, I’m not sure any of those apply.

angus99 said:

Not defending these folks; I think they’re reckless and have milked the sympathies of generous, well-meaning people. They’re also very young and obviously see nothing wrong with begging for money—something that most of us find repulsive. However, I don’t think they’re necessarily doomed.

In the 1980s, Tania Aebi started a circumnavigation in a 26-foot sailboat with no GPS, no crew and next to no sailing experience or nav skills. .... But against all odds, she did it.

So, sometimes grit, determination and a willingness to learn can overcome a lack of experience. I don’t know these two but, from what I read, I’m not sure any of those apply.

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BUT, no public funding or begging was involved in Ms Aebi's voyage. There lies the difference.
MAYBE she had some "sponsors" I do not know. At least there wasn't any overt begging as in GoFundMe.

OldDan1943 said:

BUT, no public funding or begging was involved in Ms Aebi's voyage. There lies the difference.
MAYBE she had some "sponsors" I do not know. At least there wasn't any overt begging as in GoFundMe.

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Wifey B: And every deal like this one hurts the perception of GoFundMe while there are many worthwhile causes there.

BandB said:

Wifey B: And every deal like this one hurts the perception of GoFundMe while there are many worthwhile causes there.

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AND there is no accountable associated with the GoFundMe pages either.

OldDan1943 said:

AND there is no accountable associated with the GoFundMe pages either.

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Wifey B: Actually they do have a guarantee. If questioned, they'll check the legitimacy of the recipient and that the funds go to who they're collected for. They have shut funds and returned donations. However, this one slides through in the middle as the funds are going to the intended recipient who is as represented. How they use the funds is another question. But at least they've cut down on false tornado, fire and hurricane victims and people raising for someone else but the someone else never getting the funds. They're trying to keep things clean. It's not their role to determine if the cause is worthwhile.

https://pages.gofundme.com/guarantee-faq/

OldDan1943 said:

BUT, no public funding or begging was involved in Ms Aebi's voyage. There lies the difference.
MAYBE she had some "sponsors" I do not know. At least there wasn't any overt begging as in GoFundMe.

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Her main “sponsor” was her father. He challenged her to undertake the voyage because he was worried that—at 18—she was closing down bars at 4 a.m. He spent $40K to buy her the boat and set her up. She may have acquired additional sponsors along the way—I can’t recall.

Actually because these two fraudulently changed their goals after having received $5k, GFM has been refunding any donors to this campaign who request it.

I'm sure there is a deadline though

Who am I to say these folks are wrong in their quest for adventure. An adventure is great, knock yourself out, but pay your own way. I too, find it repulsive that they are publicly begging strangers to fund their lark. More repulsed am I that there are those who would donate to such idiocy when there are so many truly worthwhile causes that could benefit from the funds they selfishly took. They should be spanked, sent to bed without supper, and forced to give every penny they grifted to a worthy cause.

Dimes to donuts they fail again, you just don't fix stupid with more stupid.

Maerin said:

Who am I to say these folks are wrong in their quest for adventure. An adventure is great, knock yourself out, but pay your own way. I too, find it repulsive that they are publicly begging strangers to fund their lark. More repulsed am I that there are those who would donate to such idiocy when there are so many truly worthwhile causes that could benefit from the funds they selfishly took. They should be spanked, sent to bed without supper, and forced to give every penny they grifted to a worthy cause.

Dimes to donuts they fail again, you just don't fix stupid with more stupid.

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I don't see that we have room to complain and call those who donate names. Yes, there are more worthwhile causes, just as there are more worthwhile causes than boating. They might be people who give generously to worthwhile causes and choose this time to give to one they know might not be the same. If it's their entertainment funds then fine. I still am repulsed by them begging people to do so. Most young people with a desire for adventure, earn some money so they can do it.

john61ct said:

Actually because these two fraudulently changed their goals after having received $5k, GFM has been refunding any donors to this campaign who request it.

I'm sure there is a deadline though

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GFM is working very hard to build their credibility. Dropping the platform fee was a huge move.

Even the best sailboats have been known to lose their keels.
Alas, it can be attributed to a hard hit against the keel and perhaps over straining the bolts either because of lack of inspection and replacement as necessary or an undiscovered flaw. Of course this could have been discovered via NDT. I have no idea how much this would cost. Might be less expensive just to replace them.
Either way, I cannot figure out why I should contribute.

Better to have interior ballast with the keel an integral part of the hull and not an add-on.

"In the 1980s, Tania Aebi started a circumnavigation in a 26-foot sailboat with no GPS, no crew and next to no sailing experience or nav skills."

Saw here at an SSCA gam, she had crewed with her family but really started from Zero.

After dragging behind Sandy Hook her first night out she called her father to find out why.

"The anchor was touching the bottom , why did it not hold?"

Not to come to the defense of these people, but a few things are worth noting/remembering.

First, none of us or born knowing everything about boats. In fact, we aren't born knowing anything about boats. Every one of us started knowing nothing, and learned along the way. In the beginning, we all looked like idiots. The big different, I think, is attitude. Some people are more aware of what they don't know, or look harder to figure out what they don't know, where others bumble along until it hits them in the head.

Second, on the go-fund-me account, it was originally set up to raise money to remove and clean up the wreck. That's VERY, VERY different from funding them to go do it again. Actually, they set out to raise $10k for the clean up, but it only cost $5k, so presumably that's why funds in excess of $5k are being refunded.

The Tampa Bay Time article had actual information in it, unlike the typical shrieking girl two line article from Fox.

Again, I don't mean to defend these people. Just encourage viewers to look objectively and try to find out what's really going on rather than letting your world-view tell the story the way you want to hear it.

Well said TT.

Great post!

I still give money to homeless people when I know that I just paid for booze or crack, so I really can't say anything.

twistedtree said:

they set out to raise $10k for the clean up, but it only cost $5k, so presumably that's why funds in excess of $5k are being refunded.

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Not the case afaik, only those donors requesting refunds are getting them.

A very tiny number, likely under 1%, just like most warranties.

GFM is not just for "charity" cases, just like Patreon and Kickstarter, many people donate for inspirational reasons, because it makes them feel good, vicarious adventure, becoming part of something.

Many politicians are getting huge windfalls when the media shows them taking a strong stand against what people see as evil trends.

It's dishonesty that I find repellent, but openly asking people to fund your dreams, more power to you why not?

I should have said "available for refund" or something like that.

Again, I think they are really lame people behaving as they are, but just trying to keep it in context.