Aussie Rescued After Being Adrift Three Weeks On His Yacht

[toptuan]

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.

By the sounds of this, he went from champagne and caviar directly to an instant noodle diet. Culture shock, indeed.

[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.

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

According to Aboriginal culture .. they do not own the land .. they are a part of the land .. in effect .. the land owns them. (Something that present day Aboriginals have either forgotten .. or ignore .. they learnt the concept of ownership from Western Civilisation) So really .. no theft was involved. Besides .. if there was a theft .. it was the British who performed it. Present day 3rd / 4th generation caucasion Aussies are descended from persecuted Irish (arrested for petty crimes such as stealing an apple or whatever) to do all the hard work for the fat British "colonisers". (But thanks anyway cuz! .. 200 years later and we're laughing)

PS .. I'm a little confused (or you are) .. You "gave it back" to us? This means you (The British) were in possesion .. yet you accuse present day Aussies of stealing the country. Make up you're mind. Why did'nt you "give it back" to the Aboriginals?

Ah .. disgruntled jealous Pommies .. gotta love em!

Edited November 26, 2006 by keekwai

[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

According to Aboriginal culture .. they do not own the land .. they are a part of the land .. in effect .. the land owns them. So really .. no theft was involved. Besides .. if there was a theft .. it was the British who performed it. Present day 3rd / 4th generation caucasion Aussies are descended from persecuted Irish (arrested for petty crimes such as stealing an apple or whatever) to do all the hard work for the fat British "colonisers". (But thanks anyway cuz! .. 200 years later and we're laughing)

Glad tobe of service building you a safe and working infrastructure and economy.. St George blesses ya!

[aussiecollin]

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

According to Aboriginal culture .. they do not own the land .. they are a part of the land .. in effect .. the land owns them. So really .. no theft was involved. Besides .. if there was a theft .. it was the British who performed it. Present day 3rd / 4th generation caucasion Aussies are descended from persecuted Irish (arrested for petty crimes such as stealing an apple or whatever) to do all the hard work for the fat British "colonisers". (But thanks anyway cuz! .. 200 years later and we're laughing)

Glad tobe of service building you a safe and working infrastructure and economy.. St George blesses ya!

Thanks for teaching us cricket.

Poor ol' Freddy.

Ashes to ashes.

[GreatMaleOne]

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 -----

thank ee cap'n

[khunopie]

It has been said that the second happiest day of a man's life is when he buys a boat. The happiest day is when he sells it.

[Pond Life]

Rocky & his boat are well known in Phuket.

This isnt his first visit.

His sails were probably so rotten the wind went right thru them & I doubt he had enough money to put fuel in the tank at the start of his trip.

Im dumbfounded that he would try to sail it on the open ocean.

Last I heard he was living on some island thats an Australian dependant territory & claiming social security.

I hope he stays in Chalong this time.

[LaoPo]

Rocky & his boat are well known in Phuket.

This isnt his first visit.

His sails were probably so rotten the wind went right thru them & I doubt he had enough money to put fuel in the tank at the start of his trip.

Im dumbfounded that he would try to sail it on the open ocean.

Last I heard he was living on some island thats an Australian dependant territory & claiming social security.

I hope he stays in Chalong this time.

Living of what ?

LaoPo

[sriracha john]

Australian man rescued after being adrift three weeks on his yacht

He had to live on rain waters and instant noodle

There's some serious marketing/advertising potential here.....

The Power of Mama....

The Preserver of Life Itself

Buy Some Today!

Edited November 26, 2006 by sriracha john

[Virgil]

Lets get things into perspective here. He's an Aussie who's been adrift at sea for 3 weeks. The Poms are in Australia playing the Ashes Series. The poor man has suffered enough - he needs a Cricket update... Will someone please tell him we are giving the Poms a thrashing? After all, that is all that matters!!!

Virgil, Out!

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

[aussimike]

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

Ya very Aussi and proud of it Lopburiguy --- but i guess your not one of the $50 immigrants to the land down under --- escaping the mother country for many reasons so you end up living up country in LOS ---- Let he who throw the first stone -----

[aussimike]

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

According to Aboriginal culture .. they do not own the land .. they are a part of the land .. in effect .. the land owns them. (Something that present day Aboriginals have either forgotten .. or ignore .. they learnt the concept of ownership from Western Civilisation) So really .. no theft was involved. Besides .. if there was a theft .. it was the British who performed it. Present day 3rd / 4th generation caucasion Aussies are descended from persecuted Irish (arrested for petty crimes such as stealing an apple or whatever) to do all the hard work for the fat British "colonisers". (But thanks anyway cuz! .. 200 years later and we're laughing)

PS .. I'm a little confused (or you are) .. You "gave it back" to us? This means you (The British) were in possesion .. yet you accuse present day Aussies of stealing the country. Make up you're mind. Why did'nt you "give it back" to the Aboriginals?

Ah .. disgruntled jealous Pommies .. gotta love em!

hahaha the never ending story of the winging Pom --- no matter what country they live in they are all the same ----- who managed to kill 1000's upon 1000's of Aussies iand Kiwi's n WW1 - 2 to support the mother country -- the sooner that Australia become a republic the better and then we can wash our hands of the lost kingdom of the UK = i wont comment on our rugby and cricket -- nuff said ---

[Scott]

Now, lets hope his 90 days immigration isn't used up, or he'll be put back out to drift some more!

[pumpuiman]

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.

It's "EPIRB" emergency position indicating radio beacon......and I doubt he had one. From another posters description of the vessel, one could assume his radio was sub-par as well. The ships I work aboard have radio range of about 60-80 miles normally, but certain conditions can increase or decrease that range. I have seen many yacht owners foolishly purchase handheld radio units....which only have a 5-10 mile working range. I would wager he had a handheld radio.

[Darkling]

bradthai-

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

[sriracha john]

Aussie yachtie survives on rainwater, noodles

THAILAND'S marine police have rescued a 52-years-old Australian yachtsman who spent three weeks adrift at sea on a voyage from Australia to Phuket.

Rocky Donald's yacht, Moonstar, had drifted aimlessly after losing its engine on the last leg of his journey from the Cocos Islands, which he left on October 17.

He was picked up off the coast of Phuket on Saturday evening, and a Thai official said yesterday he had apparently survived severe storms at sea by living off rainwater and instant noodles when his provisions ran out.

His engine broke down while he was passing the island of Sumatra in Indonesia on a voyage Donald said he made every year to Phuket, the popular tourist resort in Southern Thailand.

Mr Donald said he had been unable to transmit any distress signals for three weeks and was saved by a fishing boat three nautical miles off Patong Beach, Phuket, after a ship flying a Russian flag apparently ignored his SOS.

The Thai trawler singalled the marine police, who arranged for Moonstar and her solo sailor to be towed into port at Chalong Bay.

Police said early today the Australian yachtsman was in good spirits after his ordeal, and was being looked after by friends in Phuket.

- Townsville Bulletin

[BigSnake]

One lucky Mate!! Cheers Mate

[Macx]

It has been said that the second happiest day of a man's life is when he buys a boat. The happiest day is when he sells it.

Been there, done that

[cobra]

bum ba ba bum ba bum bum bum .. on a three day tour, a three day tour,

Essential equipment, working radio, back-up radio with separate power supply,

[moskito]

Australian man rescued after being adrift three weeks on his yacht

He had to live on rain waters and instant noodle

There's some serious marketing/advertising potential here.....

The Power of Mama....

The Preserver of Life Itself

Buy Some Today!

funny story all in all, hopefully the MAMA noodles company will give him a comercial contract on

400 TV spots, should solve his foodproblem first.

never realized that between Australia and Phuket Patong Beach live no people at all......see u guys soon, now i know why Phuket is so f....g busy...they all moved to here...I will move out....nobody from here to aussicountry sounds pretty good to me

[jaapfries]

Hey AUSSIEMIKE, you sure are a bit of an enigma:

You start of with stating the obvious:

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!!!!!!

Then you come-up with a brilliant definition and heritage piece on "Yacht":

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)

Then you begin to lose confidence and change into a questioning party:

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

Followed by the most bizarre explanation of "Motor-Yachts" - I mean: what's up with this fabrication of nonsense ? ? "the motor yacht contains sufficient living space for at least several days at sea." ? ? ? ?

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.

---- Let he who throw the first stone -----

Okay; I'll cast one for you; how about "AUSSIEMIKE's a Moron of Epic Proportions . . . . . ?!?

Frisian Sailor

[LaoPo]

I can't hear you....

And I'm even from the same country

LaoPo

[sibeymai]

Sounds like a bum floating around in a piece of driftwood. Sailors like this give real cruising sailors a bad reputation. Hope the Thai authorities charge him for the cost of his "rescue", or confiscate his boat for being unseaworthy. Give it to the Thai Navy to use as target practice.

Edited November 29, 2006 by sibeymai

[sbk]

Hey AUSSIEMIKE, you sure are a bit of an enigma:

You start of with stating the obvious:

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!!!!!!

Then you come-up with a brilliant definition and heritage piece on "Yacht":

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)

Then you begin to lose confidence and change into a questioning party:

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

Followed by the most bizarre explanation of "Motor-Yachts" - I mean: what's up with this fabrication of nonsense ? ? "the motor yacht contains sufficient living space for at least several days at sea." ? ? ? ?

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.

---- Let he who throw the first stone -----

Okay; I'll cast one for you; how about "AUSSIEMIKE's a Moron of Epic Proportions . . . . . ?!?

Frisian Sailor

Its always amazing to me how the most innocuous of topics can turn ugly.

Lets all calm down now, please. This topic is hardly worth such energy and venom!

And yes, thats me, speaking as a moderator. Abuse and flaming are against forum rules so lets all calm down

[keekwai]

The Lightbulb's just flicked On ! .. It's a Scam!

Apparently the guy has made the trip several times and so therefore is an experienced seaman. Isn't it just possible that he FAKED the whole thing? .. That he really was'nt in any distress at all? ... and WHY?

TV interview paychecks!, Book Sales !, Celebrity status!. .... I think I'll paddle out in a rubber dinghy right now !

Maybe "MAMA NOODLES" set it all up? .... a conspiracy? .... time to bring in Mulder and Scully!

It wouldn't be difficult to fake engine trouble .. swap the sparkplugs for damaged ones for example.. unless it was a diesel engine... no matter .. must be ways to "bugger" a diesel engine too (Or did he run out of fuel? .. Hmmm .. can't remember .. nevermind .. thats even easier to fake .. just dump it!)

Points to consider....

1. He was in good health .. (thanks Mama Noodles .. and the secret stash of frozen TV Dinners!)

2. Was only 3 KM from Phuket when "found" .. (Right! .. I can just barely see the lights of Patong through the binoculars .. time to switch the spark plugs)

3. No "storm" would last 3 weeks and affect a radio's transmission for 3 weeks! (can someone check the weather conditions at the alleged time and area?)

Mods .. please move this thread to the "X Files" section ... thanks.

Edited November 30, 2006 by keekwai

[keekwai]

One more point to consider .. his engine apparently died off the coast of Sumatra .. and he "drifted" all the way to 3km off the coast of Phuket! (his planned destination AND yearly destination! .. why wasn't it 10km off the coast of Borneo or some other place?)

That was a pretty convenient (and accurate) current and/or currents he found himself drifting on!

The plot thickens!

Edited November 30, 2006 by keekwai

[Guest RealEstateBroker]

Love this stuff....is it just me ?

[Spenthouse]

Australian man rescued after being adrift three weeks on his yacht

why?

[keekwai]

Australian man rescued after being adrift three weeks on his yacht

why?

Is'nt it amazing how Poms, Yanks, Kiwis and Aussies (Not Canucks .. they're too nice) can verbally bash the crap out of each other .. yet if any of us makes the slightest disparaging remark about Jews, Blacks, Gays, Moslems or Dykes on Bikes .. we're instantly jumped on and labeled, racists, bigots or homophobes.

Just my thought for the day.

[Old Croc]

Anyone remember this guy and his boating troubles off Sumartra?

Well, he's in the news again!

Missing sailor found, rescue vessel on its way

30th June 2008, 11:00 WST

A missing yachtsman, floundering off the Western Australian coast for the past two days, has been located about 60km west of Two Rocks.

An RAAF Adelaide aircraft, which joined the search this morning, spotted the yacht, Moonstar just before 10am.

A Sea Search and Rescue boat is on its way to tow the boat and the sailor to Two Rocks Marina.

Rescue expect to reach the man at about 11.30am.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Should we foot the bill for saving the lone yachtsman? Click here.

The yachtsman, believed to be Fremantle man Rocky Donald, had been stranded about 140kmh off Fremantle since Saturday, after Friday night's storms badly damaged his 13.5m vessel.

Police would not confirm the man's identity and said his name would not be released until family had been notified

Fisheries and Water Police combined efforts on Saturday to rescue him, but he refused to leave his boat, which has a damaged mast, rudder, steering and engine failure.

The sailor was uninjured in the storm.

Rescuers lost contact with the man last night and a police aircraft and sea rescue plane failed to locate him with poor weather conditions hindering the search.

Mr Donald, then 52, was rescued from the same yacht in November 2006 after drifting for three weeks.

He made headlines when Thai marine police rescued him off Sumatra in Indonesia.

His main motor had died and he claimed he survived on rainwater and instant noodles.