Aussie Rescued After Being Adrift Three Weeks On His Yacht

[george]

Australian man rescued after being adrift three weeks on his yacht

PHUKET: -- Marine police has rescued an Australian man who was adrift for three weeks on his yacht after its engine broke down on his way from Australia to Phuket.

Rocky Donald, 52, was rescued Saturday evening abut 5.5 kilometres off Patong Beach.

A marine police boat pulled the yacht to Chalong Bay pier to have the engine fixed.

Donald said his yacht' engine broke down three weeks ago while he was sailing to Phuket. He said he could not earlier send out SOS messages due to storms in the sea.

He had to live o rain waters and instant noodle after his foods and drinks had run out.

He managed to contact a fishing boat on Saturday and the fishing boat alerted the marine police to launch the rescue operation.

-- The Nation 2006-11-26

[taxexile]

yacht'

engine broke down

what are the sails for then ?

[aussimike]

yacht'

engine broke down

what are the sails for then ?

Another nautical expert --!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yacht ---- ya well believe it or not - yacht's do have sails as well as a motor infact some yachts dont have sails - called a motor yacht --- you landlubber!!!!!!

[taxexile]

i see no mention of the words "motor yacht" in the press report.

yo ho ho and pieces of eight.

[LaoPo]

Strange story indeed...

Sailing all the way from Australia to Phuket and ending up 5,5 Kms from Patong Beach...with engine problems...............................Huh ?

Have to admit his compass was probably working....

And: for the previous poster 'landlubber'-aussiemike.

Now don't tell me that a single guy is doing the tour Australia - Phuket on a motor-yacht all by himself....whatever the size.

That would be an extremely dangerous trip to do by yourself.

LaoPo

[pattayapip]

Lucky Man !!!!

[SM7WGP]

Strange story indeed...

Sailing all the way from Australia to Phuket and ending up 5,5 Kms from Patong Beach...with engine problems...............................Huh ?

Have to admit his compass was probably working....

And: for the previous poster 'landlubber'-aussiemike.

Now don't tell me that a single guy is doing the tour Australia - Phuket on a motor-yacht all by himself....whatever the size.

That would be an extremely dangerous trip to do by yourself.

LaoPo

He could not send out SOS because of storms the most stupid answer I ever heard A Yacht with out a radio that works in storms.

Have you ever heard of radio that does not work because there is a storm, I haven't

[NBT TV Phuket]

From Andaman News for Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, Sunday 26 November November 2006 & www.Thaisnews.com { Our news text can be freely copied, but please give credit to Andaman News TV11 Phuket - our TV program in English is currently off air}

An Australian yachtsman was rescued by Phuket Marine Police.

After about three weeks floating in the open sea, a 52 year old Australian yachtsman, Rocky Donald, was rescued and brought safely ashore in Phuket by the Phuket Marine Police. Mr Donald was saved after a yachtsman moored in Patong Bay of Phuket detected a distress signal from his yacht ‘Moonstar’ which experienced engine failure near Indonesia’s Sumatra Islands. The Australian yachtsman, who is very fatigued, told police that he left the Australian Cocos or Keeling Islands on October 17th en route to Phuket, but had to drift with only one sail in the open sea for just over three weeks. After his main food ran out, he survived on instant noodles and rainwater. He was found three nautical miles from Patong and was then towed to Chalong Pier in Phuket. Mr Donald is very delighted to be safe and was brought shore and will now go through Phuket’s immigration procedures.

[dantilley]

He had to live o rain waters and instant noodle after his foods and drinks had run out.

Well, at least they recognise that instant noodles don't count as real food...

[taxexile]

will now go through Phuket’s immigration procedures

lets hope he survives those too.

[aussimike]

He had to live o rain waters and instant noodle after his foods and drinks had run out.

Well, at least they recognise that instant noodles don't count as real food...

Hey everyone knows that instant noodles are not real food -- just survival rations ---- who want to die of salt overdose -- but better than nothing in this sort of situation --

seems his distress beacon was working as another boat picked up his distress calls and for those posters who said this was a dangerous trip -- many people have sailed this trip before - lots of places to stop off on the way to Thai from the land down under --- bet he did not bring his wife as it would be more peaceful for him alone -- hehe ---

[LaoPo]

The story gets funnier and funnier and more mysterious as well.

Let's wait and see....

LaoPo

[aussimike]

i see no mention of the words "motor yacht" in the press report.

yo ho ho and pieces of eight.

A yacht (From Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt") was originally defined as a light, fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries. After its selection by Charles II of England as the vessel of choice to return to Britain from Holland for his restoration, it came to be used to convey important persons (see under History below).

In later parlance, the definition came to cover a wider range of vessels, propelled by sail, power, or both and used for pleasure cruising and/or yacht racing. Often, non-sailing yachts are also referred to as motor yachts, to differentiate them from yachts designed for use with sail power.

JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION -----

[aussimike]

Strange story indeed...

Sailing all the way from Australia to Phuket and ending up 5,5 Kms from Patong Beach...with engine problems...............................Huh ?

Have to admit his compass was probably working....

And: for the previous poster 'landlubber'-aussiemike.

Now don't tell me that a single guy is doing the tour Australia - Phuket on a motor-yacht all by himself....whatever the size.

That would be an extremely dangerous trip to do by yourself.

A yacht (From Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt") was originally defined as a light, fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries. After its selection by Charles II of England as the vessel of choice to return to Britain from Holland for his restoration, it came to be used to convey important persons (see under History below).

In later parlance, the definition came to cover a wider range of vessels, propelled by sail, power, or both and used for pleasure cruising and/or yacht racing. Often, non-sailing yachts are also referred to as motor yachts, to differentiate them from yachts designed for use with sail power.

LaoPo

He could not send out SOS because of storms the most stupid answer I ever heard A Yacht with out a radio that works in storms.

Have you ever heard of radio that does not work because there is a storm, I haven't

[aussimike]

Strange story indeed...

Sailing all the way from Australia to Phuket and ending up 5,5 Kms from Patong Beach...with engine problems...............................Huh ?

Have to admit his compass was probably working....

And: for the previous poster 'landlubber'-aussiemike.

Now don't tell me that a single guy is doing the tour Australia - Phuket on a motor-yacht all by himself....whatever the size.

That would be an extremely dangerous trip to do by yourself.

LaoPo

He could not send out SOS because of storms the most stupid answer I ever heard A Yacht with out a radio that works in storms.

Have you ever heard of radio that does not work because there is a storm, I haven't

Motor yachts, on the other hand, still retain more of the original sense of power and luxury. Much larger and generally far more expensive than the average sailing yacht, the motor yacht contains sufficient living space for at least several days at sea. Overall length generally starts at over 30 feet (9 m) and goes up to well over a hundred feet (30 m). Luxury yachts, such as the one owned by Larry Ellison, can reach over 450 feet (135m), the size of a small cruise ship. The 412 ft (125 m) Royal Yacht Britannia (a steam yacht) has been retired from service and is now on permanent exhibit at Leith.

[bkkmadness]

Australian man rescued after being adrift three weeks on his yacht

Donald said his yacht' engine broke down three weeks ago while he was sailing to Phuket. He said he could not earlier send out SOS messages due to storms in the sea.

-- The Nation 2006-11-26

In a whole 3 weeks he couldn't get a message out because of storms? Were they constant?

Disposing of the Aussies wife's body before getting into Patong is my guess.

[coldcrush]

Typical Aussie, think they know everything about the outdoors then gets bit in the ass by the elements!

[bradthai]

lopburiguy.

at least we have an outdoors. that's why we can play cricket.

if you are a pom, remember toni(no typo there) bullshittymore??

left his 2 square metre backyard, and rescued by aussies.

[peterjohn]

with a name like Rocky Donald doesnt sound like a Aussie

It was a boat that should have had sails if it was true to its title. where was his epurb you must carry one by law and no food just one more yaghty living on nothing and looking for hand outs he should have gone to Bali.

[Happy Jack]

Seems very strange that he was 'rescued' so close to his destination - almost within swimming distance going by one of the reports. Considering the distance the report says he has travelled it doesn't seem like he was very 'adrift' at all. Very odd story indeed!

Maybe he was just an overstayer who set himself adrift in a neglected yacht figuring it was a good way to legitimise his passport? (OK - pure conjecture but something seems weird here!)

[khunstuart]

with a name like Rocky Donald doesnt sound like a Aussie

It was a boat that should have had sails if it was true to its title. where was his epurb you must carry one by law and no food just one more yaghty living on nothing and looking for hand outs he should have gone to Bali.

I agrre sounds like a made up story to raise some pitty money to get home

[Happy Jack]

bradthai-

When it comes to cricket everyone knows Aussies cheat - so why bring it up?

[westcoastnative]

Wouldn't you think a guy with an expensive yacht like this one would have a satellite phone?

[keekwai]

with a name like Rocky Donald doesnt sound like a Aussie

It was a boat that should have had sails if it was true to its title. where was his epurb you must carry one by law and no food just one more yaghty living on nothing and looking for hand outs he should have gone to Bali.

Translation please? What the hel_l is an "epurb" .. and whose law says you have to carry one?

EDIT ... Never mind .. just Googled it .. "Electronic Positioning Beacon" .. The length of that sentence left me breathless and my brain suffered oxygen deprivation.

Edited November 26, 2006 by keekwai

[dunque]

lopburiguy.

at least we have an outdoors. that's why we can play cricket.

if you are a pom, remember toni(no typo there) bullshittymore??

left his 2 square metre backyard, and rescued by aussies.

I won't go into the innumerable firsts in the sailing world performed by Brits (oh alright first solo non-stop circumnavigation - Robin Knox-Johson - still going stroing at 67 in the current RTW single-handed race). However to counter ullimore - who I ust admit is an idiot, in that same race

Pete Goss sailed 24 hours into a storm - having turned around - to save a Frenchman; an act above and beyond the call of duty - if not possible treasonous !

[keekwai]

lopburiguy.

at least we have an outdoors. that's why we can play cricket.

if you are a pom, remember toni(no typo there) bullshittymore??

left his 2 square metre backyard, and rescued by aussies.

I won't go into the innumerable firsts in the sailing world performed by Brits (oh alright first solo non-stop circumnavigation - Robin Knox-Johson - still going stroing at 67 in the current RTW single-handed race). However to counter ullimore - who I ust admit is an idiot, in that same race

Pete Goss sailed 24 hours into a storm - having turned around - to save a Frenchman; an act above and beyond the call of duty - if not possible treasonous !

My dicks bigger than you're dick .. nah nah nah ... Grow up.

[davidjtayler]

I thought it was meant to be 6 weeks in a leaky boat ....

[Rhys]

Let's just be happy the the intrepid sailor made land...

[Francis Maube]

lopburiguy.

at least we have an outdoors. that's why we can play cricket.

if you are a pom, remember toni(no typo there) bullshittymore??

left his 2 square metre backyard, and rescued by aussies.

I won't go into the innumerable firsts in the sailing world performed by Brits (oh alright first solo non-stop circumnavigation - Robin Knox-Johson - still going stroing at 67 in the current RTW single-handed race). However to counter ullimore - who I ust admit is an idiot, in that same race

Pete Goss sailed 24 hours into a storm - having turned around - to save a Frenchman; an act above and beyond the call of duty - if not possible treasonous !

Sorry, Knox-Johnson wasn't the first. He was racing with other people, who were also alone. He did however win the race (the first of it's kind 1968-1969), because the actual winner had decided to continue sailing toward Good hope instead of sailing back to Plymouth, that was Bernard Moitessier.

[coldcrush]

lopburiguy.

at least we have an outdoors. that's why we can play cricket.

if you are a pom, remember toni(no typo there) bullshittymore??

left his 2 square metre backyard, and rescued by aussies.

Your great outdoors? Did you not steal it off the Australian Aborigine, I remember we just gave it back to you? Maybe it is time to pass your "great outdoors" on to the people who have rights to it?

Great outdoors

As for cricket we are to involved with colonising people to talk balls.

Bye Cousin

Edited November 26, 2006 by lopburiguy