The Sea Tow driver was failing in his single-handed attempt to haul the boat back onto the trailer from whence it had slid onto the road when he accelerated the tow truck (south) down our street... possibly in search of a boat ramp.
I pointed out to him that one of the 'midship rollers was missing from the trailer and its axle was hanging up the boat while gouging the hull and suggested he remove a forward roller to replace the missing one – meanwhile, our neighbor loaned the jack (in pic. 5).

With our help man-handling it onto the trailer (where should we send the bill?), the driver took off without, in my opinion, securing the boat (again ?).

He was given clear and concise directions to the nearest boat ramp – i.e. turn round 180º to head north then, 1st left [west] and left [south] at the 3rd street into the park... and was seen again about an hour later towing the (same) boat south down our dead-end street... that has no boat ramp.

Rescue is what he does for a living?

I sent the photos, taken in front of our next door neighbor's house, to Boat U.S., Sea Tow and Mad Mariner ... the latter added it to their, 'Wreck Of The Day'.

Not the same sort of situation as I wasn’t single handing but we have made it policy when someone puts a line on one of our boats to tow it, for one of use to go on board the tow boat, to give them directions on how to tow our boat. Had a couple times we ran aground and needed to pull the mast over with the spinnaker line to bring the keel up off the bottom and learned quick that most people have no clue at all up to and including people making a living as a towboat operator. Luckily no damage just a good scare. Once we started putting someone on the towing boat to give directions it got a lot less exciting. If the towing boat had issues with us doing that we kindly untied from them and thanked them for being willing to help and found someone else to help us.

Scott

2 experienced sailors and I had inspected, prepped, fuelled, watered and provisioned my Eclipse, a '78 Down Easter 38' cutter, prior to leaving Fort Lauderdale for Bermuda and ... the very day before we were due to sail, I received an e-mail from each of them informing me their respective wives had told them not to go.
Despite my better judgement … we all know sailing solo is dangerous and no fun, I did not change my plans, informed my retired sea captain next-door neighbor I was going, he wished me luck and I cast off.  9 days later, with 1-hour naps on deck at night and several pods of dolphins later, I was happily anchored in St. George’s.



FYI ~ I am documented as, 'The World’s Worst Fisherman' ...  I can fish, I just can’t catch.  My best is: 28 days at sea, 2 lines, trolling 24/7 = 3 fish – 1 mahi-mahi, 1 tuna and 1 mackerel.  Flying fish discovered on deck at dawn don’t count.  Once again, I proceeded to uphold my title as, despite towing a line and regularly changing lures for over a week, not a single fishy specimen was brought on board.

On another trip, I warned the crew of a sailboat delivery from Marathon, FL to Halifax, Nova Scotia of my 'title' but they insisted on fishing as it would be fine so long as I was at the wheel.  40 minutes later, we heard the whine of the line as it left the reel.  "Told you so" one of them shouted at me, at the helm and not holding my breath, as the 2 of them hurried aft to reel in.  Honestly, I tried not to laugh but what else can you do when someone goes deep-sea, blue-water fishing and catches a seagull.  The gull was released unhurt and the fishing gear stowed ... never to be seen again.

3 weeks later, I departed Bermuda (solo) and, despite filling up with diesel before departure, including 6 extra 5-gallon cans lashed on deck under the dinghy, I ran out of fuel around midnight in the Gulf Stream approx. 15 miles off the coast of Florida.  
I had motored most of the way as, no matter what direction I headed, the wind was continually switching against me or, there was no wind whatsoever … and the gauge (no longer trusted) showed I still had fuel.
  Eclipse was then being carried north by the Gulf Stream at approx. 5 miles an hour and my mobile phone had no signal as it was out of range.

I radioed the Coast Guard in Miami, told them the situation and that I was OK and, as a member, asked them to please contact BoatUS Towing Services.
  The Coast Guard kindly did as requested and continually called me on the VHF to monitor and update my position.
  By 3:00 AM, the Stream had become very ‘lumpy’ and Eclipse was rocking 'n' rolling from side to side.  
I left the main hoisted to combat the roll and switched on the spreader lights and a flashing strobe on the mast-head in order better to be seen.

BoatUS Towing Services sent out a boat from Fort Pierce and the operator radioed me to ask if mine was the boat lit up like a Christmas tree.  As no other boats were visible in the vicinity, I’d say that was a pretty good guess on his part.
  He arrived, not wearing a buoyancy flotation device (there were none on board), with 2 cans of diesel which were floated across to me attached to a line but, as bad luck would have it, the starter on the 13-year old Volvo Penta MD40 decided this was the perfect moment to quit and did so.  As I could not start the engine, my 'rescuer' offered to tow me in.

A hefty tow rope was heaved across and made fast.  I asked him not to start towing 'til I had taken down the mainsail and dowsed the lights but, as I was about to do so, he pulled away at an incredible rate of knots that literally flipped me backwards overboard ~ snapping my lifeline in the process and also ripping the towing harness contraption out of the bottom of his boat.
  I found myself floating, treading water in shorts and a T-shirt, drifting north in the swells … without a light, radio or life-jacket and Eclipse was fast disappearing over the horizon while the towboat operator was figuring what (damage ?) he could do next.  
Knowing he had no clue what he had accomplished, couldn't see me in the dark and would never hear me once he re-started his engine.  I shouted as loud as I could and after about 10 minutes was able to attract his attention, swim over and clamber into his semi-self-destroyed vessel … the engine of which was literally dead in the water.

I was safely aboard and shivering uncontrollably (no warm clothes available on board) when he radioed home base to advise of the situation and request 2 more towboats be sent … 1 for my Eclipse and 1 for his now ‘lame duck’.
  He was informed, “You’re on your own, there are no more boats here.”  
However, a second BoatUS Towing Services vessel was later dispatched from Vero Beach to search for Eclipse and,
 with more luck than judgement, my 'rescuer' was finally able to restart his engine but, as we limped to shore, he stopped along the way every so often to throw up (nerves / seasick ?).  Meanwhile, I discovered and informed my 'rescuer' the BoatUS Towing Services rescue boat 'towing harness contraption' had been installed with non-stainless steel lag screws.

Once on terra firma, neither dry clothes nor hot meal were offered – but, I was checked into a motel (which I later paid for) where I spent 2 or more hours soaking in a very hot bath to thaw out as, despite the Gulf Stream being warm, I was frozen ... (delayed shock ?).  
The next day I had yet another ordeal to surmount ... dealing with local boat mechanics who knew nothing about starter motors!  The local mechanic I opted for sent the motor out of state for repair and, in addition to that bill, kindly charged me his hourly rate for doing so.

Thanks to the still-set mainsail and all the lights left on, the 2nd BoatUS Towing Services rescue crew finally found Eclipse approx. 25 miles offshore and towed her (slowly) in to port where we were reunited.  
Again, due to an 'on-the-nose' wind, I had to motor ... 110 miles or more home, navigating by knot meter as I skirted along the eddies at the western edge of the Stream and, to once more prove (if not nail down) a point, no fish were apprehended along the way.

Upon my reporting the incident to BoatUS, they magnanimously and, possibly as a peace offering (or proof I was never a member and they were therefore neither liable nor responsible for damages, physical or mental, done), generously refunded the $24.00 annual cost of my membership for that year.

 Eclipse at anchor.

I have thought about a yuloh but with the high freeboard on the DE boats think it would have to be huge/long... what do you think?

Biggest hurdle was time.  I got real, real good at ghosting along at under a knot but quite often I would get becalmed or get in a wind shadow that would keep me, sometimes within a mile of my goal, for hours and even sometimes DAYS out at sea, waiting for the wind.  My office got used to getting that "This is the Marine Operator calling..." phone call when I would be stuck at the islands due to lack of wind.  It also kept me from getting into favorite or even safer anchorages due to wind shadows and currents.  

I filled the space with Four 8D batteries, as this was when solar panels where very expensive, that would provide two weeks of having everything on 24/7.  Of course I did not have much in the way current usage back in those days of Pre GPS.

I got a hold of an eighteen foot oar from a local boatyard and tried a variety of ways to use it.  Lucky for me the old girl had a low freeboard which helped keep the oar in the water and found that by using the main winches as a oarlock, most often the leeward side, I could get some power to the water and steer with the tiller between my legs.  I tried doing the sculling like the Pardeys but I believe the oar was not long enough to get any real speed of A knot.  By the way, they had displacement and a long full keel on their boats and still got around pretty good.  They knew their boat very well and are great sailors.  I met them a few times and was always amazed on how calm they seem to handle things.

I have to say the best part of owning a pure sailboat is how much better of a sailor it made me and I got real good at reading the weather, all things I use today.  I was proud of doing it "old school" but overall an engine, as much as I hate them, Oh... and I do hate them so, is the thing to have.  Just like the old saying; You don't know what you have till it's gone.

If I could afford it I would love to go with some of these Green Motors and go all battery power but the cost at this point is beyond my dreams.

I would be giddy if I had that and the space the fuel tank is in to re-purpose. LOL.. if the engine ever died and I couldn't afford to replace it we could try the engineless sailing thing with a more powerful dingy motor to tow the boat around if needed or to push it. 🙂 Then we could go crazy ripping engine out, fuel tank etc.. lots of extra space and lots of extra capacity to carry more 🙂 or would she sail that much better with 500 lbs of engine and 600 lbs of fuel missing. 🙂

That and while it makes me feel good to be able to sail everywhere, only using the engine for bridges or breathless days, the next guy to buy my boat when that inevitable day comes, will be a rare one who wants to sail everywhere. 

I too want to be just like Joshua Slocum

And then there's reality.

I also think there's a strong argument for a large engine that will punch through the big stuff when you need it to.

I do like the idea of using that space for living, however.

Now I know.   (This sailboat looks like a Pacific Seacraft I believe)

 88proof.com/sail/img/P7274571s.jpg

Can you spot the two prettiest boats in the raft-up?

88proof.com/sail/oasis/img2013/P7274556s.jpg

 88proof.com/sail/oasis/img2013/P7274567s.jpg

and a pretty sunset pic

88proof.com/sail/oasis/img2013/P7264541s.jpg

(please ignore the sloppy fast flaking above.. singlehanded sailing)

That s&s design looks nice though..

overall I will most likely spend the rest of my life in a used boat 🙂 I definitely don't have the money to build a new one. its a nice dream though

scott

The other one I forgot was the one chosen by several short-handed circumnavigators.  S&S 34

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%26S_34 

Based on the old wooden boat hull form. Fast and livable.