British man, 70, rescued by Thai navy after three days adrift off Phuket

[snoop1130]

British man, 70, rescued by Thai navy after three days adrift off Phuket

By The Phuket News

 

The stricken yacht Pollen Path under tow back to Phuket. Photo: Royal Thai Navy

 

PHUKET:-- A 70-year-old British man adrift on his yacht for three days was rescued by the Royal Thai Navy last night and brought safely back to Phuket, making landfall at the navy base at Cape Panwa, on Phuket’s east coast, this morning (Feb 25).

 

Vice Admiral Cherngchai Chomcherngpat, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command based in Phuket, told The Phuket News that the British man, Michael Turner, was alone on his sailboat “Pollen Path” when the engine failed.

 

Mr Turner was making his way from the west coast of Phuket to Chalong Pier when the boat suffered the mechanical failure, V/Adm Cherngchai explained.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/british-man-70-rescued-by-thai-navy-after-three-days-adrift-off-phuket-74998.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-02-25

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[LivinginKata]

Wonder if Thai Navy claims salvage rights ????

 

[sanemax]

He really should have taken a couple of oars out with him 

At least he would have had something to do until the navy arrived 

[BoonToong]

Sailboat 'breaking down' ??????

[madmen]

Errrm it has sails! 

[Yinn]

9 minutes ago, BoonToong said:

Sailboat 'breaking down' ??????

He said “the wind to strong”. 55555555 Really.

 

He need find the new hobby!

 

[Somtamnication]

I am not a navy person. But if the engine fails, the sails don't work? Am I missing something?

[RJRS1301]

11 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

am not a navy person. But if the engine fails, the sails don't work? Am I missing something?

My thoughts, even in a strong wind use less sail, 3 days, something missing there, did he use radio for assistance from other yatchies?

 

[Captain Monday]

Perhaps the Navy would asses his seamanship prior to allowing him to set sail again from Thai ports.

[xtrnuno41]

very wise, go sailing, alone, 70, no knowledge of sailboat (but to start an engine).

Taking 3 days to find out how radio works?

[rtco]

10 hours ago, sanemax said:

He really should have taken a couple of oars out with him 

At least he would have had something to do until the navy arrived 

I would have taken a couple of wh"oars" myself because that would have definitely given me something to do!!! 

[hottrader77]

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

I am not a navy person. But if the engine fails, the sails don't work? Am I missing something?

amnesia sets in after engine fails , doh whats them sheets stuck up there they cant be sails can they 

[milesinnz]

He's been at it for a while.. good luck to him... http://www.sypollenpath.com/

[spiekerjozef]

He was so scared by the virus that he sailed away.

[AhFarangJa]

Three days adrift. He appears to be an experienced yachtsman, so, as such why did he not employ one of the first rules of solo navigation which is to inform someone your departure time, from where you are leaving, your intended route, and destination, and estimated arrival time. That way, if he did not turn up then the alarm is raised.

[SupermarineS6B]

Oooh, "The Thai Navy (Including nice shot of flag) saves British man".......... If the silly pratt couldn't hoist sail and get back to land then they should of left him out there until he learned........  "The sea and sky don't tolerate fools"..........  Me thinks there's more to the story though, most sailors have plenty of nouse, unless he'd just wondered out of a bar and "Set sail"........or his case, "Started motor".......... This article seems to be in a similar vein as "Honest Thai taxi driver hands back millions to farang tourist"........ What would Francis Chichester say ? 

[9653]

Can a sail be partially hoisted in stormy weather to get going again?

I ask you, because I don't know

Are 2 people required to set sail in stormy weather?

For a single operator, that may be quite a daunting task in rough weather

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, 9653 said:

Can a sail be partially hoisted in stormy weather to get going again?

I ask you, because I don't know

 

Yup, it's called reefing. 

[Happy Grumpy]

He lucky he wasn't Rohingya .

[Tony125]

This man is not a sailor and has no business being on a sailboat alone only able to change direction using a motor. The wind was too strong ? Makes for faster sailing. I am not a qualified sailor but have been out with my brother and friends who have sailboats. You don't need an engine to use a sail boat. The sailboat does not have to go in the direction of the wind. You can tack and jibe, angle the sails to the winds direction and sail in whatever direction you want. Since he doesn't know  how to do this he should not be operating a sailboat.

[digger70]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Michael Turner, was alone on his sailboat “Pollen Path” when the engine failed.

Isn't a Sailboat? The do have Sails .Don't need much Wind to move . Maybe he isn't Sailer just a motorboat captain. ????

[Docno]

14 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

This man is not a sailor and has no business being on a sailboat alone only able to change direction using a motor. The wind was too strong ? Makes for faster sailing. I am not a qualified sailor but have been out with my brother and friends who have sailboats. You don't need an engine to use a sail boat. The sailboat does not have to go in the direction of the wind. You can tack and jibe, angle the sails to the winds direction and sail in whatever direction you want. Since he doesn't know  how to do this he should not be operating a sailboat.

Poster on p1 has a link to the fellow's website. Seems that he's been sailing that particular boat around SE Asia since 2011. Presumably his sailing experience goes back further than that. Must be something we're missing...

[SupermarineS6B]

1 minute ago, Docno said:

Poster on p1 has a link to the fellow's website. Seems that he's been sailing that particular boat around SE Asia since 2011. Presumably his sailing experience goes back further than that. Must be something we're missing...

I would probably think either an injury or maybe at his age a stroke or something......   Mind you i'm surprised the Thai Navy went out that far......  Brave sea dogs...... 

[oyster]

 http://www.sypollenpath.com/  He would not appear to be a novice, so one wonders what the problem was other than engine failure, he had sails, so why not? unless he was otherwise incapacitated.

[Tony125]

25 minutes ago, Docno said:

Poster on p1 has a link to the fellow's website. Seems that he's been sailing that particular boat around SE Asia since 2011. Presumably his sailing experience goes back further than that. Must be something we're missing...

I will have to agree as it seems he has had expereince sailing so would have to be more than just engine failure.  Injury , alzhimers ( forget how to navigate ) damage to compass/rudder/sails ?  Think sailing alone not a good idea at his age IMHO

[Antiparovian]

2 hours ago, rtco said:

I would have taken a couple of wh"oars" myself because that would have definitely given me something to do!!! 

Would certainly have tested his semenship......

[Gene1960]

I know that by the age of 70 I will sell my sailboat or employ a capable crew. 
 

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, sanemax said:

He really should have taken a couple of oars out with him 

At least he would have had something to do until the navy arrived 

Or learnt how to "sail" a sail boat, like mariners did before engines were invented!

[Gene1960]

25 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

I will have to agree as it seems he has had expereince sailing so would have to be more than just engine failure.  Injury , alzhimers ( forget how to navigate ) damage to compass/rudder/sails ?  Think sailing alone not a good idea at his age IMHO

I think you are right. There shall be something else other than the engine failure. 

[RJRS1301]

3 hours ago, rtco said:

I would have taken a couple of wh"oars" myself because that would have definitely given me something to do!!!