Couple sells all, buys boat, sinks

Broadwell and Walsh left Colorado last year after selling off all their belongings, including a car, to buy Lagniappe for $5,000. It took a year and another $5,000 to get the boat ready to sail...
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Now that they have to go back to work, they should be able to save another $10K in a couple of years to try again?
 
Seen this too many times. Boating on a shoestring seldom ends well.
 
travelover said:
I have a sinking feeling that you are right.
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Let's see: $5,000 for a 28 foot sailboat should have been the first red flag.

In another article it said that they took sailing lessons from some uncle. Strike two.

They were down to their last $94 and were planning to sail the world.

Ok: Who didn't think this would happen? They're just damn lucky that they crashed in shallow water as opposed to some catastrophic snag out in deep water far from land.

Idiots!
 
No sailor here, but I read that one needs some kind of proficiency certificate in order to obtain insurance for his boat.
 
NW-Bound said:
No sailor here, but I read that one needs some kind of proficiency certificate in order to obtain insurance for his boat.
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I think all you need is a check for $500.

I'm a life-long sailor (and have taught sailing/seamanship) but was never asked about my experience when getting insurance.
 
NW-Bound said:
No sailor here, but I read that one needs some kind of proficiency certificate in order to obtain insurance for his boat.
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bigger boat maybe. Smaller boats not so much.

To charter larger boat you do need some documentation of your skills and classes.
 
marko said:
Let's see: $5,000 for a 28 foot sailboat should have been the first red flag.

In another article it said that they took sailing lessons from some uncle. Strike two.

They were down to their last $94 and were planning to sail the world.

Ok: Who didn't think this would happen? They're just damn lucky that they crashed in shallow water as opposed to some catastrophic snag out in deep water far from land.

Idiots!
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+1


It could have been much worse of an outcome if they had actually sailed in the middle of the ocean....
 
NW-Bound said:
No sailor here, but I read that one needs some kind of proficiency certificate in order to obtain insurance for his boat.
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Not necessarily for a 28-footer in US coastal waters. Some sort of demonstrable experience or an 8-hour safety course maybe. But I doubt anyone would have insured them for any sort of long-range cruising.

I suspect is was more a case of when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.

This story is not uncommon, except perhaps for the fact that they survived.
 
I've heard people like them.

Don't worry, nothing's gonna happen! Oh man, you worry too much! You're always thinking about money. Live a little! It'll be FUN! Nothing's gonna happen!!
 
$5000 for a boat to sail the world? The bucket list here involves those you are going to need for bailing. Sounds like a good plan to get on the TV.
 
From how obviously unprepared and under financed they were for their "dream," this accident may have saved their lives.
 
Think they will be more prepared next time? They already said they would try again.

Compared to them, I am a real worrywart. Before buying my benign class C, I spent hours reading about the scary black tank as I never had an RV before.
 
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Sounds like a hold my beer story.
 
They already have $9,284 pledged on their gofund page. It certainly seems that some disaster was likely with their plan and preparation or rather lack of.
 
People are paid to be careless. Is it not a wonderful society we have?

Do people who lost everything on inverse VIX have a GoFundMe page yet?
 
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Every lesson costs money. If this story has been accurately reported (a BIG "if"), then these two young people are very fortunate that money is all it cost them.

And, powerplay, cynic that I am, one thing I thought of was that this was a ploy for internet charity. I may be wrong, but I have to admit, I thought it.
 
marko said:
I think all you need is a check for $500.

I'm a life-long sailor (and have taught sailing/seamanship) but was never asked about my experience when getting insurance.
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Life-long sailor here too. I think every boat insurance app I've ever filled out asked how many years experience and what courses have I taken (Coast Guard, Power Squadron, Colgate Sailing School, etc.) - but I agree there's no licensing and no verification whatsoever. It appears you can say whatever you want on an application.

I feel bad for the young couple, though I can't imagine selling everything at 24 & 26 yo with little experience, moving on a small boat planning to sail the world. Could be wonderful, could be a disaster. Most experienced sailors try to avoid going into unfamiliar harbors at night, guess the young couple learned that lesson the hard way. Passagemakers will routinely time when they leave so as to arrive at their destination in daylight, and I've seen people slow their boats down or add miles to their course to avoid entering an unfamiliar harbor/anchorage at night.
 
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