While there are many stories about disabled persons doing heroic tasks, I
have a very real question I'd like thoughtful opinion on.  I'm curious what
kind of physical limitations would pose a significant risk to captain and
crew during a long distance voyage?  If you were diagnosed with a condition
that limited your physical stamina or precluded you from being able to carry
out some critical survival activities, at what point would that deter you
from undertaking a significant passage?

To be specific I've recently learned I may have a disability that would
prevent me from going under the boat to clear a fouled prop.  One could
argue that having a wing engine might be an effective remedy for this, but
I'd be concerned that what ever fouled the main could easily foul the wing
as well.  My wife isn't the type of personality I'd ask to do that, so this
leaves me with few options.  One option is to have crew that is capable of
performing this task on my behalf.  That obviously comes with a different
set of positives and negatives.  Spurs are obvious, but not foolproof.  The
root issue is, would many of you allow something like this to significantly
change your plans?  Feedback is welcome, thanks, scott

Scott Bulger
Knot@Work, 31' Camano

Email:  scottebulger@comcast.net

Scott,

Funny you should bring up that particular disability right now, as we
have been worrying about the something similar (who knows maybe the same
thing).  As a consequence of my cancer operations my right ear is full
of fluid.  So, I can't dive or fly, but I can go down about 6 feet or so
to fix the boat, with only moderate ear pain.  But, that ear is now
nearly deaf.

If they install a grommet in my ear drum I will be able to fly and my
hearing will come back.  But, not only would I not be able to dive, I
wouldn't even be able to go down the few feet to fix the prop.

So, I have elected to stay deaf in one ear, rather than risk going to
sea without the ability to dive on the hull.  I have twice had to dive
on the prop in remote areas to check it and once found a rope that I had
to take off.  Also, the prop often fouls with barnacles and once removed
the boat runs MUCH better.  I once had a stick become lodged between my
stabilizer fin and the hull, which again required going in the water,
albeit only a food down.  We were once wrapped totally in a drift net
that I had to cut away.

I note that you have a Camano.  Forgive me for being presumptuous, but I
think this means that much of your boating, maybe all of it, is in range
of help.  You can call on other yachts and on the coasties if you get
into trouble, or even BoatUS or SeaTow.  We are travelling around the
world on our Whaleback; often we don't see another boat or land for
days, a week or more.  I think if I had your boat and presumed use I
would opt for the ear operation, not be able to go in the water, and
still feel relatively safe.  I would inform crew and anyone I was
buddy-boating with of this situation in advance.

Good luck, whatever your decision.

Maurice

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Bulger [mailto:scottebulger@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, 30 November 2005 18:42
To: Passagemaking Under Power List
Subject: [PUP] Disabilities and passage making

While there are many stories about disabled persons doing heroic tasks,
I
have a very real question I'd like thoughtful opinion on.  I'm curious
what
kind of physical limitations would pose a significant risk to captain
and
crew during a long distance voyage?  If you were diagnosed with a
condition
that limited your physical stamina or precluded you from being able to
carry
out some critical survival activities, at what point would that deter
you
from undertaking a significant passage?

To be specific I've recently learned I may have a disability that would
prevent me from going under the boat to clear a fouled prop.  One could
argue that having a wing engine might be an effective remedy for this,
but
I'd be concerned that what ever fouled the main could easily foul the
wing
as well.  My wife isn't the type of personality I'd ask to do that, so
this
leaves me with few options.  One option is to have crew that is capable
of
performing this task on my behalf.  That obviously comes with a
different
set of positives and negatives.  Spurs are obvious, but not foolproof.
The
root issue is, would many of you allow something like this to
significantly
change your plans?  Feedback is welcome, thanks, scott

Scott Bulger
Knot@Work, 31' Camano

Email:  scottebulger@comcast.net

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