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Throwback Thursday. "Frank Dye Crosses The Norwegian Sea In Wayfarer Dinghy"

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ9Qh9hv8eQ]

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Frank dye

The film above documents Frank Dye's second major sea passage, a Norwegian Sea crossing from Scotland to Aalesund, Norway, Dye and his crew, Bill Brockbank, narrowly survived four capsizes and a broken mast during a Force 9 storm. In Ocean–Crossing Wayfarer (1977), written with his wife Margaret, Dye recalled the scene: "It was impossible to look into the wind. It was screaming and the tops of the waves were blown completely away, feeling like hail. Within our limited vision the whole sea seemed to be smoking. Just to see such seas break away on the beam was frightening – 25ft of solid water, with another 12ft of overhanging crest above it. It was only a matter of time before we got one aboard."

When the inevitable happened, both men hauled on the warps, frantically trying to pull Wanderer through the crest: "She rose gallantly, but it was an impossible position: she seemed to be rising at 60 degrees and there was still a 15ft crest curling above us. Down it came and we were driven bodily under. With ears roaring under immense pressure, and swallowing water, I fought back to the surface, only to find Wanderer was lying bottom up."

After three more capsizes, Dye reflected: "Possibly we were the only people alive to have taken an open dinghy through a Force 9 gale, but we felt no elation, just a reaction of wetness, coldness and extreme tiredness." The pair recovered the mast from the sea, made a jury rig and went on to make landfall in Norway without further incident.

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Man Overboard! (Moving Pictures)

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPmNo-jo4tg]

How politically incorrect of you, Joe. Shouldn't it be Crew Overboard?
F that! I'm sick of walking on eggshells.

Sorry for the ride around the lake. Now back to our story.
Andrew Taylor was flung overboard while changing a sail on the foredeck of Derry~Londonderry~Doire' during Race 10 of the Clipper Round the World Race. His swim occurred midway between Qingdao, China, and San Francisco. Luckily for Andrew, he was wearing a drysuit and PFD. His recovery from the messy waters of the North Pacific was no mean feat. Poor Andrew spent about an hour and a half in the water. He was quite happy to be pulled back aboard to the safety of the boat. His skipper said, "...whilst clearly shocked, he is quite happy to be alive I think!" Ya think!

Yes boys and girls, the sea is not for the faint of heart. To quote the Swiss Boy Scout handbook, "Allzeit bereit!"

Sources: Lectronic Latitude Lasso | Derry~Londonderry~Doire Clipper's Facebook Page

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Breaking News: Famed Circumnavigator of Oahu To Sail Across The Pacific In A Laser.

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Mark denzer 01

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For the first time ever, a hybridized Laser sailboat has been admitted to the 2014 Pacific Cup. In a move intended to broaden the financial base of the famous race to Hawaii, the Pac Cup qualifying committee has agreed to admit the famous circumnavigator of Oahu, Mark Denzer and his adapted Laser Sailboat to the San Francisco to Hawaii Yacht Race.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxb6BRe7Weo]

Also from Hawai'i: In an effort to make the America's Cup a more accessible race, Larry Ellison has decided to ditch multihulls in favor of foiling Lasers. "I want to move away from the image that sailing is for rich guys with tons of money. From this day forward, the America's Cup will now be known as the People's Cup. In keeping with that sentinment we will switch from boats that cost more than the GDP of Togo to Lasers."

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Mommy Monday, Also Known As "Holy Shit, We're In Some Heavy Seas." (Moving Pictures)

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//player.vimeo.com/video/90296618

Extreme weather (Indian ocean) from Bulls Equities on Vimeo.

Yes, boys and girls, I've said it before and I'll say it again, the ocean is not a place for the faint of heart. So, before you decide to sail across the Pacific after taking classes at your local "commercial sailing school" (Will I really learn how to sail in a weekend on a large keelboat, Joe?), get some time out on the water (practice, practice, practice), learn a thing or two about the weather, and maybe, just maybe crew on a boat with experienced ocean sailors. We don't want to launch the "Ready Alert" and look for your sorry a%s.

Via gCaptain.

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Another Light Passes From The World. RIP Hobie Alter! (Moving Pictures)

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU3fickcDAI]

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Surfer!

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Inventor!

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Hobie cat

Sailor!

Hobie-alter

The Grand Master of Water, Wind and Waves, has passed away. Aloha `oe, aloha `oe!

Hobart "Hobie" Alter, born October 31, 1933, was a surfer, sailor and inventor. He was the man behind the development of the foam-and-fiberglass surfboard, creator of the Hobie Cat, and founder of the Hobie company. The company that he founded remains one of the top-selling surfboard brands of all time. Hobie was also the creator of the Hobie 33 ultralight-displacement sailboat and a mass-produced radio-controlled glider, the Hobie Hawk.

Ha`aheo ka ua i nâ pali
Ke nihi a`ela i ka nahele
E hahai (uhai) ana paha i ka liko
Pua `âhihi lehua o uka

Hui: 
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again

`O ka hali`a aloha i hiki mai
Ke hone a`e nei i
Ku`u manawa
`O `oe nô ka`u ipo aloha
A loko e hana nei

Maopopo ku`u `ike i ka nani
Nâ pua rose o Maunawili
I laila hia`ia nâ manu
Miki`ala i ka nani o ka lipok

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wP-4ZV8sv0]

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The WaterTribe. Expedition-Style Adventure Racing In Small Boats. (Moving Pictures)

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6tLgJX9niM]

“The purpose of WaterTribe is to encourage the development of boats, equipment, skills and human athletic performance for safe and efficient coastal cruising using minimal impact human and wind powered watercraft based on sea kayaks, canoes, and small sailboats.” ~ Chief, February 2000