Atlantic crossing with a donkey engine !

matiboy · 29 January 2003, 22:51

The guys a nutter ???

http://www.tohatsu.com/news/seiko.html','','status=yes,scrollbars=yes,width=400'); void('');

Keith Hart · 30 January 2003, 06:50

Makes the Orkney expedition look a bit tame!

Keith (today Orkney, tomorrow the Atlantic) Hart

Dirk Diggler · 30 January 2003, 09:45

What an amazing little chap, He obviously didn't realise how much easier the task would have been if he had fitted a tube to the boat!

matiboy · 30 January 2003, 13:18

the engine was running 21 hours a day for months on end, thats some test !

what's peoples opinions of tohatsu as outboards as I have seen these mated to a few ribs ?

Alex Brown · 30 January 2003, 18:35

I had a 70hp Tohatsu on the back of my old Narwhal 5m rib..... it went like a rocket.

In the year, with about 35hrs of use (from brand new).... I didn't even use a full plastic carton of 2 stroke oil.

The thing started 1st time every time, and the build quality was good too.

From 1000 upto 3500rpm wasn't greatly spectacular, but from 3500 upto 5200rpm (I think that's what the max was), it was like a turbo had kicked in, and if you weren't holding on tight, it would be an over the transom job

If Tohatsu did a 140hp 4-Stroke engine, I would have seriously considered them on my recent rib purchase.

-Alex

Richard B · 30 January 2003, 20:50

Quote:

Originally posted by matiboy
what's peoples opinions of tohatsu as...

No complaints about mine.
They should be good as they make all the smaller engines <10hp for Mercury and Mariner. Only a couple of theit 2-stroke models are HPDI/Optimax technology though - the 90tldi and 50tldi. All others have carbs. Ask Andy Clark about them - he reckons they're as tough as old boot.

Andre · 01 February 2003, 09:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Dirk Diggler
What an amazing little chap, He obviously didn't realise how much easier the task would have been if he had fitted a tube to the boat!

Well Dirk a friend of mine from Poland Arek Pawelek did this route in a rib no outboard mind you but a sail. The rib was a Sportis 455 and was modified to include a keel. If you have any old RI magazines see the June 2000 issue. Its all there

Andre

TIM · 01 February 2003, 20:10

My Friend did it in around 1986 in a 5M Rib By sail.. The also had a 55 Susiki on the back, but that was just for land fall..

As far I am aware he was the first in no. 1 a RIB and no.2 the smallest boat, but that was betten the following year....

Now, when he comes out in the Hysucat he shits himself!! haha

crazyhorse · 01 February 2003, 20:50

I would buy anybody who tried to cross the Atlantic in a boat less than 10mtrs long a pint Anytime they wanted,if they would let me.

matiboy · 01 February 2003, 21:21

any more details of this rib sail crossing ?

website ?

TIM · 02 February 2003, 04:10

Yeah it all started from a bet!, as he had no money to fly back to Ireland..... He first attemted it in a 5M SIB and got within 300 miles of the Irish coast, when he got caught in a bad storm and the SIB flipped over... 2 days lashed to the upturned hull.. then the British Navy found him, winched him on, SIB and all, he took a couple of hours to get his act together again, and then asked to be droped back in to the water, to finish what he had started... but the wouldnt as they were on NATO mission or something ( and they got the shrink to check him out!!!) ...... SO he came back to ireland, was branded a Idiot and careless/wreckless sailor and 18 months Later did it in a RIB... Just to prove it could be done, and ended up in the setting some record for a few years........

Enda O'Coineen is the name of the guy, and he wrote a book about it called 'The Unsinkable Killcullen' I am sure you will find it on the internet somewhere second hand, as its out of print now, Also its in Irish and English version so make sure you get the right one.... There is an excract From the Irish version on the school sylibous, for the Leaving cert (A levels)

He now runs various very profitable business in the Czech Rep and Ireland.......... The stuff this Guy has done would fill 3 books...

He is a good friend of mine and got me big boat sailing...

PS My Grammer and spelling are Sh1t, Thats because I amn't the sharpest tool in the shed!!!!!!!

JK please include a spell check if you can?

matiboy · 02 February 2003, 10:17

mentioned Tim

sounds like a usefull friend to have !

http://www.onbusiness.ie/2001/1004/moneymakers.html

seems a few people have had the call of the sea over the years , cant see why myself ?

http://www.cruising.org.uk/libraryli...ngj4.3_4.8.htm

OK so what records are actually left ? Crossing it in a bath tub , snorkeling across ? What would I have to do to make myself rich & famous these days ?

I believe someone has windsurfed across ?

Anybody interested in finding older books out of stock for example try :

http://www.abe.com

Just ordered the mad Irishmans book for 7 quid, sounds an interesting read

crazyhorse · 02 February 2003, 12:04

Yes Tim and Matiboy sounds like a great friend to have.

I will also purchase his book,the interseting thing is Dr Beufort did the similar thing I believe,to try and prove you could sustain yourself on sea water.

He was also succsesful in the end,but at the time was regarded as a complete Nutter.

It shows there is hope for us all.

How would we treat a Nutter of today? if we happend to be lucky enough to meet one,who didnt introduce himself as a Hero?

Would we dismiss him?

Would we ridicule him as others have done in the past?

Could we spot him in a Crowd?

Are we strong enough to support our beliefs against the overriding consensus of oppinions?

Those are my questions.

Unfortunatly the answers are a little bit difficult to deal with in reality.

Andre · 03 February 2003, 17:56

Quote:

Originally posted by Andre

Well Dirk a friend of mine from Poland Arek Pawelek did this route in a rib no outboard mind you but a sail. The rib was a Sportis 455 and was modified to include a keel. If you have any old RI magazines see the June 2000 issue. Its all there

Andre

I see that as of today Arek Pawelek is our new member.

Arek, welcome to the Forum (Witaj przyjacielu!)

Andre

Arek Pawelek · 03 February 2003, 18:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Andre

I see that as of today Arek Pawelek is our new member.

Arek, welcome to the Forum (Witaj przyjacielu!)

Andre

Hallo Andrew, my Friend! Hallo to everybody!

It's been some time since we didn't seen each other!
I just read your email and straight went to the forum mentioned by You!

It seems, that i had been the third on inflatable and second on RIB, but still on the smallest inflatable boat and the fastest

But that is not important! For me, I could be even a 100 who made the route through "american channel"

I'll send You an email with my plans (which are at least going to move in good direction).

One more question: have You got any email address to that crazy Irishman Enda O'Coineen? Or maybe Tim?

crazyhorse · 03 February 2003, 22:26

Welcome Arek,

Im two pints down already,I hope you enjoy yourself.

Can you tell us all about the trip.Where from ,what happened,any moments when you cried for mummy.

That sort of stuff.?

Arek Pawelek · 03 February 2003, 23:06

Oh man! You are happy! I can't drink even a pint!;( I have to drive to home! I'm using an internet caffe connection

I just wrote an email to Mat about that, so I'll copy it to You (and I'll go with the story on public

)

In short: I made the crossing in 1998, from Cadiz via Canary Islands to Barbados. I'st leg 13 days, second - 41 days. On the second leg I had been capsized in the storm (force 11), and spent 2 days (just like the Irishman!) on the bottom of the RIB. I managed to turn the boat to correct position, but I lost all charts, logbooks, sekstant. One of the air compartments had been punctured, mast broken, and sails were broken(?). I lost my vhf. Half of the fresh water I lost, and had to drink only 1 liter per day to the end of my voyage. The EPIRB failed (Kannad 406). That happened 900 miles from Barbados. I managed to put a jury rig on my boat, and thanks for handheld gps (garmin 12) I sailed to my original destination - Barbados. That takes me 2 weeks, since capsizing. I landed on Barbados 22.12.1998. My boat, "Cena Strachu" ("Price of Fear"), had been 4,40 m long, and 1,80 beam. Sail area approx 5 sq. m.
Now the RIB is in Maritime Museum in Gdansk, Poland.
During my voyage I met very friendly Dutchman, Kees van der Staaij, on Canary Islands, who helped me a lot in rebuilding my RIB even went to England by plane, to buy some stuff, which I can't find on Lanzarote(in fact, He saved my life!).

One Thing, which I didn't wrote there: I really thought, that I'm going to die, when by RIB capsized, and EPIRB failed. That's the moment, when I started to pray and I almost gave up.

Sorry Boyz!
Have to say good night!
See You next time

All the best!!!

crazyhorse · 03 February 2003, 23:14

Thanks Arek,

I will look forward to your mail,and I look forward to speaking again Soon.

All the Best. Crazy

Keith Hart · 04 February 2003, 07:49

Quote:

That happened 900 miles from Barbados. I managed to put a jury rig on my boat, and thanks for handheld gps (garmin 12) I sailed to my original destination - Barbados.

So folks if you are looking for a reliable gps.....

Keith (I've got one) Hart

Alan Priddy · 04 February 2003, 09:30

There must be a lot of very young people on this forum!

If you go back into the dark days of 1953 you will find that Dr Alain Bombard was the first person to cross the Atlantic in a SIB.
It took him some 6 months and drifted across drinking only sea water and living off planckton. It was a scientific study that he put his life on the line to prove he was right, and he was.
Enda drifted across in 1986, We powered across the top in 1997 and the middle in 2001. Matts Lindrum (Sweden) powered across the bottom in 1997. Arek drifted across a similar route in 1998 and "Bear Grylls" says he is going to be the first to cross the Atlantic in an open boat, what do you all think ?I think not!!!

Alan P