OUCH!! What NOT TO DO with a sailboat near a REEF... in St Maarten / St Martin, SXM, CARIBBEAN

Thanks so much to all our new supporters on Patreon!
If you'd like to support our SSL Videos on Patreon, find us here!
/ ambientreallife
To view our new extended version SSL episodes AD-FREE with previously deleted scenes, full length interviews, dive scenes, drone aerials and more, visit our new Vimeo On Demand channel at:
www.vimeo.com/...
View all the new 'Sophisticated Lady' travel logs in one location here:
www.youtube.co....
Now you can view 'Sophisticated Lady' BoatCam - updates live photo to website every 5 minutes during dayling hours at:
www.AmbientReal...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To follow updates with "Project Ppalu" visit www.Ppalu.com
In early 2013, a true Caribbean character, D Randy West, known fondly as the 'Commodore' of the Caribbean finally realized a 30 year old dream... to own what is now a classic sailing yacht which he helped launch in 1977. He and 200 other people all gathered to physically lift by hand the brand new 75' sailing catamaran 'Ppalu' into the water from the beach where she was built in St Martin, Caribbean. She immediately became the fastest and most well known sailing yacht in the world, and also the biggest sailing catamaran at the time.
Able to achieve speeds in excess of 25knots, Ppalu's pedigree was true from the start, and she turned heads everywhere she went and bore the covers of many a magazine.
Tragically she had been very much neglected in her life as a day-charter boat in the British Virgin Islands over the past 20+ years, and was in dire need of tender love and care when Randy assumed command. He initiated "Project Ppalu" and immediately set to work on rebuilding her piece by piece over the course of the entire year. All the efforts were rewarded when she was finally re-launched in December 2013 and he and Joanne started out on their voyage of a lifetime.
Unfortunately, 3 months into their sailing, tragedy struck and 'Ppalu' was holed on a reef in St Martin and promptly sank. The video outlines the subsequent salvage operation and shows clearly what is now needed to re-restore this classic sailing vessel and let her heritage live on for future generations to see.
Video Sponsored in part by:
www.CaribbeanWe...
www.SintMaarten...
www.ParadiseFou...
Looking to buy or sell a yacht? Call our friend Reg!
www.yachtworld....
Jimbo's Rock & Blues Cafe, St Martin
www.JimbosCafe.com
Budget Marine Caribbean Chandleries
www.BudgetMarin...
IGY International Marinas
www.IGYMarinas.com
Video Produced by www.LandAndSeaV...
ARL Logo Animation Produced by www.SomethingGa...
More Videos at www.AmbientReal...
AmbientRealLife video channel focuses on Caribbean, Sailing, and Travel in general. Our main destinations so far include British Virgin Islands and St Maarten, but next we will be branching out to South and Central America, and on from there! We hope you enjoy exploring the channel, and look forward to hearing from you!
Cheers,
Rick Moore
AmbientRealLife

[@bluelighting7457]

Your wife's a real trooper.....your a lucky guy. Boat can be repaired but standing by you through thick and thin is priceless.

[@ethiesm1]

True Love

[@bryannonya9769]

if she were smart she would find a guy who can drive a boat. standing by a moron who cant read a chart is just dumb. not a trooper.

[@joeschmoe6492]

yeah I mean most girls totally would not stay with some dude with a giant yacht who doesn't even get stressed when he smashes and sinks half of it because he definitely doesn't have any money at all and there life is so difficult lol

[@chippychin]

Oh my gosh, I adore these people. All of them. What awesome people - the owners, the folks that all helped - such amazing sweet souls. Such great personalities. Thank you for posting this, it really warmed my soul.

[@jquest43]

its sparkly puffy poo beautiful innit? why let a sinking ruin the party..whoo hoo,like the captain of the concordia said" put the drinks on our gymbal"..

[@shft2246]

Thank you for sharing this great story. Your ability to face what happened strait on, take responsibility for it and develop a solution with the help of great people is the real story here. Again Thank You, and may the future bring favorable winds and full sails.

[@joncathcart1118]

I was the 1st mate/divemaster back in '81 when she was the undisputed Queen of the Caribbean. I moved up from Bantu, a 50' CSK cat, out of St. Thomas. Getting that job offer was one of the best days of my life. Great memories. I'm happy to see she is being well looked after. The best of luck to you both.

[@deplorabledave1048]

I knew Randy from the mid 1980's when he had his own Marine Store across the street from Bobby's Marina. Randy ALWAYS had bright eyes and a huge smile like life was a joy every day to him. I remember that about him over anything else. I think he had some ties to Hawaiian Tropic too. Didn't he? He had a small 30' light, fast cat at the time. God bless him.

[@captainsensible298]

I lived aboard a Crowther 53 for 13 years, I don't think most people will comprehend the amount of time, work, effort, money, love, sweat and tears goes into maintaining a boat of that size, particularly ply/epoxy. It is a beautiful piece of floating art and history. Totally get your will to rebuild. Maybe a go fund me to help restore a piece of multihull history, Spronk's boats like Wormwood's are such rare and beautiful things, maybe a Patreon youtube channel to help fund the rebuild ?

[@MichaelKallelisOn2Wheels]

Great video and felt some of your pain seeing the boat submerged. You have a real passion for the boat. I hope you save it again and sail her for years to come. Please post a video on the repair process so we can follow your story. Fair Winds !

[@lloydhillis2126]

I am guessing they gave up..just a lot of work with that a lot of money.

[@calrope]

i have watched this with fascination at the passion this man has for this boat . . its amazing . .

[@7863348]

I'm really not a boat person but I watched this video from beginning to end with complete interest and I actually love the style and looks of that boat. It's sleek and looks fast even when it's stopped. The owners obviously love the thing and I don't blame them. I'm looking forward to seeing it sail again. Good luck to all involved. Yes it's a very worth while project.

[@FartisticFlatulence]

Paul Short Maybe you ARE a boat person and just don't know it yet.

[@m.nelskamp1482]

@@FartisticFlatulence That's right 😉

[@EdwardBondellio]

Boats float, boats sink! It's the incredible community you have that makes a difference...Your very lucky!

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

this is true... thanks for watching Edward! :)

[@evantee9091]

Gee, my heart went out to this couple. I hope and pray that they are back sailing and the boat is back to its former glory. Love and determination will overcome any difficult situation...

[@jimbotheassclown]

Love and determination will overcome any difficult situation. Must be nice to be that stupid kinda like being high all the time hu? lol

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

Paint fumes... lol

[@davidbeckenbaugh9598]

I am seeing a lot of comments about how trashy wooden boats are. Ok, I am not much on sailing (I do own a Sunfish, but hardly comparable!). I live in Seattle and whenever a Chris-Craft Connie goes by… All eyes turn. Beautifully proportioned and graceful boats. Yes, huge difference between a power boat and sail, but do not tell me wooden boats are classic pieces of junk. Grace NEVER goes out of style.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

david beckenbaugh True! Thanks for posting! :)

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Chris Edwards outrage? what outrage would that be? One is a guy who has sailed his entire life and simply made a bad judgement call when the wind reversed unexpectedly in the night... the other was a complete fuckup with no more credentials than a credit card and never should have been left in charge of a boat under any circumstance... and you can actually draw a comparison between the two?.. and then call me a POS??? Wow, I would normally delete a comment like this, but I think I'll leave this one up just so everyone else can see what idiots there actually are out there, LOL.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Chris Edwards A Bad Day??? There were 4 of them onboard and NONE of them had a clue what they were doing.. they were lost in space mate, as you can clearly see in the video... and that is the purpose of the video, to illustrate that taking command of a 50 foot sailboat is something that clearly should take more credentials than simply having a credit card... Ultimately it is the charter yacht companies that are responsible because they put these people at the helm of a vessel just to make the charter sale.. and people that are clearly not qualified to be there... and as you can see in the video, it is always the private boats that are affected and damaged when someone inexperienced blows down on them. My opinion stands, have a nice day. :)

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

knut761 This guy Chris is just a dumbass mate... crediting him as a 12 year old would be insulting to most 12 year olds... in fact, one more 'dumbass' comment from him, and I'll just ban him... that's the advantage of having your own channel.. don't have to tolerate no 'dumbass' shit!! :)

[@davidbeckenbaugh9598]

Rick Moore Well, Rick, as someone who has admitted that most of his sailing is on a sunfish, I think Chris has serious emotional issues. He seems to have to prove he is manly enough to take on all the pirates in the carrib. Seems to me you would rather have myself on the boat with you (when I say "Hey! I have no idea how to help here. Tell me…") than some one that says they know everything about everything.

[@natem9288]

I doubt I've ever seen a man as cool, collected, and gracious as that owner was.

[@kosovir]

do you think he cares? He's loaded with $$, what does he care bro. How do you feel when your paperclip breaks? LOL ! Spare us your awe for the 1%ers.

[@bryannonya9769]

the guy who sunk his boat was chill, your a moron

[@StephenZ827]

@@kosovir Spare us your disdain for those that have and work hard to keep it.

[@dabprod]

He's got it together no doubt. And a hot lookin smart woman by his side. And livin his dream.....very lucky dude.

[@captjeffinshaw3648]

We used to own PPalu in the early 90's. We met Randy when he was on Shadowfax, his comment was that we had his boat. I said no this is our boat. We met on St Kitts while he and HQ were putting to final touches on PPaul. When we pulled up in the car, I said hey you got my boat. His comment back to me was that no this B my Boat!! Too funny..... PPalu will be on the Hi seas again, with lots of help from friends.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Wow, great story Jeff! I'm sure Randy and Joanne will enjoy seeing your post.. thanks for watching!

[@bryannonya9769]

you love talking about yourself dont you.

[@davidrebma9595]

i may have been on your catamaran . My family and I took a pleasure cruise out of St. Marteen in the early nineties. Was told it was the largest Catamaran in the world.. Had the time of my live. One of the mates, a young women had major rope scars on her one leg I think. Any of this ring a bell? Thanks

[@s.paulbooth9398]

I was involved in the salvage of another Spronk multihull (The Maltese Cross) on the island of Mayaguana in the late 80's. Dick and Suzanne Tomb were running from a storm and took a coral head in the starboard hull. They rode out the storm with one hull completely submerged. At that time here was no electricity or phones on the island so they were on their own for quite a while. They kedged the yacht over a period of a week or so at high tide to get it into shallow water so she wouldn't completely sink. They finally caught a ride in a small plane to Florida and then returned to the island of St. Croix where they were based and contacted me and a boat builder. I flew everyone back to Mayaguana so a temporary repair could be made and re-float her. They then sailed her to Florida and had the damage properly fixed. Peter Spronk was a design genius and his yachts are understandably loved by those who have the privilege of sailing them.

[@miamitreasurehunter]

As a fellow Sailboat restore gut, my heart and prayers are with you! Keep the faith we have to keep these amazing craft alive for others to remember their amazing history!

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Randy and Joanne have done a great job, and Ppalu was just re-launched today! You can follow progress at their website at www.Ppalu.com

[@kylelajoie1053]

I worked on a 65' Sprok Cat "Jolly Mon" in St. Croix for 2+ years. The most amazing sailing vessel I have ever been on! They are Caribbean treasures!

[@williamcullis7168]

Well I am watching this 4 years later. By now you have either made it or given up. I sincerely hope you made it. All of the best , I hope you go from strength to strength. Happy sailing, from South Africa.

[@mikeday5658]

Well done guys I admire your resolve to get her back on the water AGAIN.....Happy sailing

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Thanks for watching, and for your comment! :)

[@richardthomas9263]

My heart went out to you viewing this, but at least it happened in a place where help was readily available. May you have smooth sailing from here forward.

[@GhettoRanger01]

It looks to me like it was a blessing in disguise. All those old wooden planks looked rotten as hell, I wouldn't want to be crossing the ocean with a hull in that condition, that's for damned sure.

[@helenlay7287]

That's what I call a wife , a real woman that supports her husband. Beautiful couple! Far greater than their boat. You are so in tune keep up the great work!!

[@jquest43]

She. just left him for johnny who owns a bullnose 55 ft fully restored Chriscraft. hi seas hypergamy

[@emotionaladolf9969]

Helen Lay that's because his name is Randy West, like the famous adult film actor!

[@mikeperth8027]

Great documentary/interview. I loved the history of the vessel being included.

[@samashton9956]

I need to sail again. Sailed from Gibraltar to Alicante stopping at Almeria and Cartagena last summer with my great uncle who sadly passed away at Christmas. His boat is up for sale in Almerimar. I got a taste of sailing and I loved it. Gonna head back to Gibraltar and do my Competent Crew and Day Skipper Certificates.

[@cwalke32477]

Beautiful ship, and glad it's afloat again. But shouldn't have failed inspection the last time the boat was refurbished? The wood rot is far too involved for just an overnight drink. That wood looks like it should've been replaced years ago. Fresh wood may have saved it from this debacle. --I will admit I know nothing of sailing or boats, in general

[@debrasalt3598]

I met Randy in 1983 in St. Martin where I spent the next 25 years of my Life-he was "The greatest Guy" ever.Rest in Peace you Salty Sailor!

[@deere3321]

You both have great attitudes about the whole thing. You'll be back before you know it...if you aren't already...

[@clarisd]

If RIck had not been there, the fact is many would not know anything about The Ppalu. Great work and also the fight back will be EPIC.

[@garychap4344]

Wish I was there. In 2015 I'm making my first major voyage, a solo transatlantic both ways in a 1966 Jeremy Rogers Contessa 26'. I'd love to see Ppalu sailing again, we all do - such a wonderful boat. You can count on a modest donation from me.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Thanks for your comment Gary, and for watching! You can find out progress updates on their website at www.Ppalu.com

[@theymakeitlookeasy]

What a sad story, always horrible to see a much loved boat damaged. I met Randy many years ago in Antigua, instantly struck by his wonderful warm charm, a real gentleman. Met him many times after. I know he sadly died a year or so ago, I assume he got Ppalu all sorted long before his illness. I still have Randy's hurricane book in the bookcase. What a life he had!

[@Beachnative42]

All good my friend, it is the hard times and how well we get through them is what defines us. You two are defining yourselves and in my book are tops!!!

[@flyingtigre1]

thanks Rick Moore you are a true gentlemen at the helm. cheers

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed! :)

[@jamielancaster01]

Randy West (the owner) passed away back in Aug of 2017 from melanoma brain tumors. RIP brother.

[@marksmith8732]

Awww really ,it seems like he lived a good life which is all any of us can ask for.im sure his wife was devastated

[@hatetoregister]

Oh Wow! I was actually going to look him up to see what he was up to and then I saw your comment! So incredibly sad! However, at least he got to live his dream!

[@collywobbles1163]

So sad, I was looking for www.ppalu.com project website and it's gone. Then I saw Ppalu is up for sale and wonder what had happened. I also read his article in cruising world. They were an amazing couple and it would make sense why his wife HQ would have sold the cat, too hard to keep :-( RIP and sincere condolances to his family, loved ones and friends. www.unitedyacht.com/used-yachts-for-sale/custom-custom-ketch-1977-ppalu-2715969

[@jpstiehl]

Thank you for including the boats history in this, I enjoyed learning it's roots and of the people involved.

[@jamesclausen6239]

This is a 1977 racing cat, converted to a live aboard. The boat was built for speed, built light, built with the west system. This boat was never meant to live for 30+ years. Its a shame because much of the boat looks to be in fine shape, but the amount of time and money required to properly rebuild her is excessive, and do the job PROPERLY, not just patch her again and again. Now, is it worth it? A personal question, this seams to be answered by the fact that they are searching for money. It is most likely time to strip her and cut her up. Its important to note there is no insurance, what company would insure her? They should be thankful that this did not occur at sea, they might both be dead. Posted by a 40+ year boat owner who traveled 15,000 mile by they own boat. Pull the plug.

[@christinestange4813]

Used to race on Lake Erie. Always devastating to see something like this happen. So glad they are committed to her restoration. Beautiful boat. Wishing them the very best.

[@appraised7090]

I saw a commercial on late night TV. This guy made a boat out of screen doors and sprayed painted the screens with this black tar looking stuff and, voila, his dinghy floated! So, I'm just saying a couple cans of that stuff and you should be good to go.

[@cojack5941]

appraised 😂😂😂😂😂

[@cojack5941]

While the sharks swim around the boat!! Gotta love that guy and his enthusiasm with his products that surely have to work just like he says 🧐

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

Ha ha ha...

[@nysledge4669]

There are far worse things that can happen in life. I can see the passion that you both have for each other as well as for the boat. Consider your adventure simply delayed, but not over. Keep the positive attitude that you both tried to show!! (even though you are both heartbroken) Look at the positive side, you get to christen her again and drink more champagne. Best of luck, I look forward to seeing her back in the water.

I've never sailed in my life but I find this story very touching and the dedication of the owners is very inspiring. Best of luck to you both.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Thanks Walter, I'm sure they appreciate your best wishes.. and thanks for watching! :)

[@joelibby7739]

I feel fortunate to have stumbled upon this video. That's a great piece of history I probably would never have come across otherwise. Thank you!

[@joelibby7739]

I was happy to see that the owners were able to get Ppalu repaired and have been sailing around - and avoiding reefs - for the last year or so. Good for them! I swear, for every broken down truck in a field there are at least 10 broken down "project" boats in a marina. Glad to see this one was an exception.

[@GrumpyOldMan9]

LOL, that diver has a serious BMI problem getting through the (big) hatch!

[@homefront3162]

LOL, BMI

[@Jimbob-gs5kl]

Just watched this, liked them as a very human very connected couple. Sad, upon searching, that Randy West passed away in 2017. Fair winds and thanks for this brief window into the lives of those who inspire you

[@radeaver]

Great story Rick but unfortunately a very sad experience for PPalu. The boat has a wonderful history and this will definitely add to it. I wish them well.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Yes, a sad turn of events, but I have a feeling she's going to come back stronger than ever and sail for many years ahead! :)

[@FightinAggieFarmer]

Just saw the video and glad to know she is sailing again. What a beautiful vessel, and what great owners.

[@mowcacky]

Hey guys, just saw your video. Really bad luck, hope it restores well. I have owned several ply boats and built one from scratch of ply. Sadly the ply doesn't last- limited life- and by the look of your hull its delaminated and full of rot. A decent head butt from an inquisitive hammer head shark wouldv'e holed it- from its appearance. But fortunately ply and timber boats are easily repaired and if done properly can go on to provide many years of useful life. For me I won't touch another ply boat at all after heart wrenching dry rot and wet rot appearing all over the place- the rot spores seem to spread like cancer. Hope you are going to glass over all your new work and hopefully using Epoxy -NOT polyester f/glass resin. All the best. BTW, she's a beamy old girl hey? Wow. Our 36' Crowther f/glass Cat is 7 metres beam and I thought it was wide. She's got about 1/3 of the hulls (from bow back) foam filled so hopefully if we meet rocks in the bow end she'll stay afloat. I'll just have to watch out for icebergs!!! LOL (I'm in Australia East Coast and we have some beautiful cruising ground over here, if you're up for the Pacific Ocean some time)

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Ppalu is back in the water! Can check out progress reports at www.Ppalu.com

[@bensteel3944]

So sad to see this after all the hard work you have done on her and can see the hurt in your hearts .... truly hope she sails again and good luck with making her sea worthy again ...

[@Defender-Guy]

How much of the damage was the original strike (rocks?) vs. when she was sitting with her hull on the sea bed? I admire your dedication to keeping her alive & well!

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

the original strike punched a small hole in the starboard hull... but sitting there all night rocking in the swell is what ground the hull away so badly. The damage would have been negligible if they had've been able to haul it off earlier but it was too dangerous to have divers under the boat at night so had to wait till next morning

[@tomjeffersonwasright2288]

This video is a great argument for diving your anchor and mooring area when you anchor. A hassle, yes, but not so bad as putting on a new bottom. Here in Florida, a summer storm can kick up 4 foot waves even on the bays, with their troughs. I try to leave my 3 foot draft boat in at least 7 or 8 feet of water, allowing for tides, waves, and wakes. But in the hustle of working the big race and all, one oversight proved expensive. It looks like the owners are biting the bullet, and got her back afloat.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Might even be a good idea for 2nd anchor in such circumstance, just to make sure if wind does reverse, you don't end up with the boat in a bad position. And yes, the owners have put a lot of work in again, and the boat is back in the water and on track to full recovery! Thanks for watching, and for your comment! :)

[@melee401]

Gorgeous vessel, very :) she is being so well loved.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

yes, and she should be back in the water soon better than ever! :)

[@ronlister4033]

What a beautiful boat, hats off to you both for saving this functional piece of art. Highly refined Art that actually does something. Thank you. Ron

[@dennisrichards2540]

I'm not into my wooden boats (but I wouldn't say no to a Riva though =P) this one is definitely worth saving. Good job.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Dennis Richards Glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching! :)

[@commonelements9327]

Glad you were able to restore her. We lost our girl in Hurricane Michael. She got a hole in her heart too. Block Island 40. Nobody understands the grief of a sailor when their boat dies. You’d have to be a sailor to know a boat gets its life from the sea...just as we do. To lose a boat is to lose ...a life.

[@johnabuick]

I'm no real expert but I would say that the wood was pretty rotten. Lucky they didn't take that thing into the open ocean.

[@Jester123ish]

I wonder if it wouldn't be wise to fiberglass over the hulls?

[@jquest43]

not rotton at all!! they did a complete resto! what you saw was reef stain!

[@erikmaki8642]

Exactly what I was thinking. That boat was rotten bought. He might know sailing and tanning his skin, but he should never own a boat.

[@neffk]

@@jquest43 Looks pretty bad to me. I don't know boats but I have done some woodworking and handy-man type work.

[@keegan773]

johnabuick I have to agree with you...you are no real expert.

[@johnnielsen7413]

Very touching video - it's obvious how much you both care about that great boat. Even with this setback, you are living the life I wish I had! Hang in there, and please give us an update.

[@ArizonaCowboys]

great interview!

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Peter Schmidt Thanks Peter, glad you enjoyed! :)

[@hatetoregister]

As a woman, I didn't even notice until someone pointed it out, but HIS WIFE DOES have nice legs and she is looking like she wished HE talked about her the way he is talking about that cat! She is AWESOME to stand by him and be so supportive! ABSOLUTELY one of the golden girls! He is lucky to have her! I hope HE realizes that and treats her BETTER than he treats that cat!

[@fredeb67]

She has a beautiful body shape and looks great.

[@jeffreysearle2996]

He passed away two years ago

[@markdiephouse]

All the parts must not have been sealed b4 assembly. Thats important. Especially at or below the water line. Should have at least 3 coats of epoxy on every part prior to assembly. Never let the water get near any wood, seal everything, and the boat will outlive you I built West System boats. They are a strong, solid ,unbreakable boat, when built properly. This boat was clearly poorly maintained. It looks like it had a pretty thin layer of glass over wood that was never sealed. Rotted from inside out is my prognosis. Wet bilge.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

the boat had just undergone a major rebuild of other sections of the hull that were definitely saturated, but yes, it had been left in a daysail charter business in the BVI for almost 30 years and was in a very serious state of neglect. Current owners are doing everything they can to get her back in top shape.. and she's back in the water now, so good progress is being made! Thanks for watching, and for your comment! :)

[@markdiephouse]

Rick Moore Happy sailing brothers and seesters !

[@juststeve7665]

"current owners"?

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

Yep...

[@Ks-zz9lh]

These people are incredibly strong for keeping it together so well at min 21:10 i can see some real hardship. I wish these people all the good luck in the world and i hope this boat has recovered. Boy.. a wooden catamaran. Kinda legendary.

[@SeQuBu]

Classic case of "Damn the bay is completely packed but over there is a spot! Lets go and put the boat there before checking why no one else is staying there!" Well, If you have been to St Maarten you would know that there is a considerable reef at that place that even Dinghie avoid! And yes, that reef is on the on both the charts and chart plotter

[@forge20]

Classic cat hubris ... "we only draw 3 feet we can anchor anywhere!"

[@RandysFiftySevenChevy]

Love your passion for the boat, In this day and age of instant throwaway everything its refreshing to still see someone with passion in what they are doing. It is truly a labor of love. Classics are Classics forever and a Classic with that patina cant be bought. You cant believe how many people would jump at the chance to live your life rather our life in this complicated rat race I wish you the best of luck in getting back on board and following your passion for sailing a Classic.

[@newstart49]

There's a lot of unfortunate people who would love to have this problem.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

true, but we all have varying degrees of problems in our lives no matter who we are or where we're from..

[@mikeeaves2730]

so true..

[@lianatobias3741]

I use to work with NO FEAR and CAT PALU in BVI, they are the best sailing vessel ever. Mr. Randy is so right.

[@DangerClose13E]

Pretty obvious, they had been painting over rot. They were really lucky it failed where it did.

[@redbeardedt3437]

I believe they had just replaced all the wooden planking before this happened, they did a full refit.

[@DangerClose13E]

Skip the video to 20:35 and tell me if that was new wood!

[@dylanpurington2548]

It did look rotten where the damage was.

[@matts.8342]

That's what I was thinking when I saw it come up out of the water. It looks almost totally rotten out. I wonder what the other hull looks like?

[@twokharacters]

I'm no boat builder but I've taken a keen interest in the last couple years, and nothing about the way that boat looked seemed consistent with anything I've seen so far. I don't know what I'm lookin' at with that hole.

[@mtpurkey]

I just happened upon this video as I was watching a sundry of sailing videos. Was glad to see the boat successfully salvaged but then truly saddened to see that D Randy West has passed.

[@vivitar45]

its a nice boat but the wood look to be all rotten if its worth it and the other pontoon might be the same thing

[@deckape0620]

Here's a blast from my past. This video has a lot of sentimental value for me. First off, Randy West is an old racing sailing bud of mine. One of many very good racing sailing buds I still have in St Marteen. Second, I know Ppalu well. She was chartering in the USVI and BVI throughout my entire 20 years living and chartering out of St Thomas. Third I am well familiar with Simpson Bay Lagoon. Fourth I know Bobby's Boat yard intimately. And lastly, I have raced in many Heineken Regattas. The Heineken Regatta, like it's sisters, the Rolex Regatta/St Thomas, and Antigua Race Week, draw the best sailors in the world. I could land in St Marteen tomorrow, find my old friends, and be working the next day ( not so easy to get a work permit, but I wouldn't have much of a problem.). I could easily live in St Marteen. And love every minute of it. Plus I have always had a thing for the Afrikaner girls from South Africa, many of whom live in St Marteen. Blond hair. Blue eyes. Wholesome, Sweet. Honest. And a great accent. Argh!!!

[@lisaheisler8523]

Oh. This is a tragedy. Let me get my checkbook out.

[@fiddlesticksbessette398]

Do Say Ol Chap..

[@themntornado]

This reminds me of when my dad and I worked on repairing the bottom and transom of our 14 foot Speed-Liner Run-a-bout. Because of storing the boat right side up in the Winters with a canvas tarp over the boat, age had allowed the tarp to developer holes and let water get in the boat. Years of this rotted out the bottom and transom. My dad hired a marine carpenter to rebuild the bottom and transom and we did the finishing work. Instead of coating the wood with Shellac, my dad came up with the idea of fiber glassing the out side of the boat and coating the inside of the boat with fiber glass resin. We also put ripples in the bottom surface. My dad's idea to make the boat a little faster. I'm not sure if that worked or if it was because my dad put a bigger motor on the boat, but it was faster. With a 15 inch 3 blade propeller on the 60 HP Mercury Outboard Motor, we could travel up to 40mph on normal water and up to 45mph on water as smooth as glass. That motor, as my older brother found out, had the power to lift the Mahogany 14 foot boat out of the water on sharp turns. When the board came back down on its side, I felt turn the boat was going under, but because of the marvelous hull design of the Speed-Liner boat, it righted itself even though it did take on some water. The only outboard board design I've seen that could do that.

[@biker-dog-poppy]

ouch!! ,good luck with that, im sure it wont take to long before she's sailing again .. all the best and fair well

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Ppalu was re-launched today so she's finally back on the right side of the water again... Thanks for your comment, and for watching!

[@johnrutherford9262]

What a great supportive couple

[@altar7885]

Nice story. These guys are living a great life. Just wondering: why would you eat salmon in St Martin??

[@TheNecrocoil]

St. Maarten..... aaand, why not?

[@fiddlesticksbessette398]

Cause they Can,And why not.?

[@Meantime5]

They may have tired of the Mahi Mahi, Tuna, sea Bass, Wahoo, King Fish and other tropical delights.

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

The market was all out of brussel sprouts... lol

[@blogengeezer4507]

What an amazing attitude while dealing with such a tragic situation. You are both extremely rare in the natural humanity realm of crisis panic. May you be blessed with lasting craftsmanship applied lavishly to Ppalu so that you both can enjoy sailing the seas. Fair sailing my friends.

[@twokharacters]

Can you imagine how much money this dude has to have been able to do all of this.

[@flyman451]

Exactly. I'm happy for him as it appears he doesn't do much other than go sailing to lovely destinations.

[@charonstyxferryman]

Do you know what an insurance is?

[@MrRickinVirginia]

I COMPLETELY understand the primal NEED to save a boat such as PPALU. To me boats are like a musical instrument, not a "thing" that can be mistreated, ignored or forgotten, they are living creations that want and need to be loved, respected and pampered. But I think if I had just finished a complete restoration like Randy and his wife just did, to have this tragedy occur would have sunk my spirits as well as the boat. An amazing story the of resiliency of the human spirit.

[@Raine-Cat]

I suppose that's the benefit of having two hulls. It won't sink easily.

[@Mookie0328]

I just finished watching the salvage of Ppalu and was galvanized. My hats off to Randy & Joanne for their efforts. They appear to be a great duo! I'm thrilled that yesterday was the day for launch. Ahoy guys! Best of luck. Lisa "Cap'n of the batteau "Clifton Lee", Goochland, VA

[@ralfsxm851]

I live on Sint Maarten, Sorry, but do they do not look at the maps when they go by boat. That rock is well known.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

it's well known by locals, but what about visitors? In all fairness, being that it is in a popular anchorage, it really should be marked by yellow markers.

[@dedeexpeerde6178]

Rick Moore Rick, you find it in every map, paper maps as well electronic maps.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

De DeExpeerde sure, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be properly marked with visual markers. I know countless people that have mentioned even hitting it with dinghy's because they weren't aware it was there... no excuse on this size of an island to not put a few bucks into some yellow markers to properly identify it for those that don't have a chart in their hand.

[@dedeexpeerde6178]

Rick Moore Rick, of course it should be marked. I do not want to excuse that. My point is the skipper's carefullness. They usually navigate with clients / tourists on board. Caribbean is difficult and dangerous to navigate. Everybody ought to know, that marks are often missing or are not up to date, as f.e. they have been gone with the last hurricane and never been replaced, or corrected. They ought to navigate very carefully, especially when they have people on the vessel. That is a question of responsibility. However, that is my point of view.

[@henroshipping]

Rick Moore sry, that man who call's homself skipper should be jailed, there's no excuse to the situation he put himself in.his luck was that there was no paying guest's on board...think of what this idiot can do to the lives of others..

[@iceman5866]

Rick another well put together video was like a mini documentary good job

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

yes, that was my intention.. glad you enjoyed! :)

[@ppser818]

…"The legs are the Last thing to go .." Charles Bukowski

[@lekkki1]

She is a beautiful boat. Classic and very clean lines.

[@LudicFallacies]

I agree and it would be amazing to see a modern design like the Gunboats have such lines.

[@MrJoe1129uscg]

Looks like it was pretty rotten anyways, it's a good thing it happened in the harbor.

[@TheYah00netstar]

Must be the Angels...

[@markcharleswashington233]

A collision mat is usually a strong fabric triangular mat with straps 2-position it over the affected area and tied it up like that to come along strap on a truckload. That aluminum side rail that standard on many sailboats make good attachment points for the collision mat. I'd use that rubberized fire and ice roofing that's black on one side white on the other if I had that catamaran, assuming the holes are similar shaped one could just invert the collision Matt's inner and outer, so you'll only need to carry two halves.

[@dooberdave219]

the condition of that hull pre- rock was disturbing at best. a good storm on the open seas and she would have sunk.

[@tedmulthauf3867]

Neglect.

[@ElohimElite]

I feel like shit when people looks sad. glad you guys are safe.

[@grahambird1570]

It was Rotten anyway >>> Lucky it happened there in that Harbor !!!

[@ismathem]

wow this sucks. I hope we get an update on the condition of the boat today as this video was shot over 2 years ago. great interviews Rick

[@djbis]

Seems like a silly mistake, no? Leaving the boat afloat and unattended on such low waters?

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

It's a designated anchorage area, but unfortunately the wind died and a small gust came from a reverse direction around the big resort building and pushed the boat towards the reef that the anchorage is behind.

[@CaptainArt777]

Rick Moore Sorry Rick, we feel it was poor planning. The four of us, all long time sailors, feel with better planning, this could have been avoided. We have been there many times, and understand what you're talking about. Have a nice day.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

CaptainArt777 Yes, of course many accidents are avoidable and could have been averted if we had've known one small detail prior to the accident... but like they say, hindsight is 20-20. We all make mistakes and something bad happens sooner or later.. all part of life.. most of us are just lucky that the accidents don't cost us our house. Appreciate your comment though, and thanks for watching! :)

[@jquest43]

+Red Rider7 not when it comes to accidents and the sea.where have you been besides your bathtub.?

[@mikewilliams4499]

Oh my..what a moving story.I guess the only upside was that you were near help when it happened. Such a beautiful boat. Some friends who sail in the Caribbean put their Cat on a reef in the middle of nowhere and remained incredibly calm (Sailing into Freedom) as they lost engines, rudder, electrics. I guess it takes a special kind of person to love life on the water. Best of luck to you both

[@xXIzzyBizzy]

Tragic! No loss of life and its in 1M of water….. Cmon..

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

And if it happened to be your house under that 1M of water...? Cmon....

[@tmhudg]

Rick, very well done video. I really liked how you intermixed the back story with the now and made us feel for these people and what they've been through. Very nice.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Thanks Tom, glad you enjoyed! Have you been following the progress of the boat toward re-launch?

[@tmhudg]

Rick Moore Just from the comments here. Sounds like they are back afloat. Great news.

[@Lehmann108]

That was painful to look at!

[@Only1English]

I have to say these are two amazing people right here. I have never met them however I fell as tho they would be great friends. Randys story is so awesome. Such a lucky guy to have sailed all the tropics and has raced and been sponsored.. It must be such a beautiful sight to see all the beautiful places you see. You know I stumbled across all of this by accident by watching rc racing boat videos because I have a few racing boats and liked o watch.. I am a successful motorcycle shop owner of 28 years experience with any mechanical thing you can imagine if it runs and breaks I can and will fix it above it's means to be better. I was kind of blessed in a way to be able to fix anything mechanical and electrical and even robotic it seems the more technical it is the better I do and respond to the repair of it. Weird huh? .lol.. You know I am in the process of spending upwards to 100k on a nice European sports car until I seen some of your videos and I sit here and think why. I am missing something I really am the tranquil life that you life could exceed any amount of money and cars basically materialistic things in general.. After all if you can become peace with yourself and enjoy the beauty that natural earth can give you then I feel as you need nothing because no matter what you get or have you will not enjoy it unless you discover that peace you need but often neglect.. I was born in jersey shore pa. and reside in fairhaven ma. a well known town for sailing and the fishing industry. I love the ocean there is something about the mystery and the oura that catches me and keeps me near considering all my family has moved back to pa. I stay here. I used to love to go for walks into the woods and get away and explore with nature and now I have done none and feel as tho I am slipping away into the industrial revolution and allowing it to take me away from who I am.. I watched some of your videos and it gets me thinkinh on something I would love to do. Sail away and go to St maarten or the Caribbean because at this rate I feel as tho I will someday die and never have the pleasure to live and find that inner love of the beauty mother nature has there.. I would love to buy a cat and sail and then it gets me on how would I afford to keep it away. Hell maybe go and sail and find a job from here n there to help at boat yards or any other mechanical or job that needs someone that is super smart and technical and can fix anything as it comes so naturally to me.. It really is a gift from God I don't ever have to have even see it but can go to it and repair and make good again. I do thank God for this and allowing my mind to be able to have that expansion or do I thank myself for just loving it and learning it this I have not yet to figure out. I would love to get there someday and see what you all see but not from the same footsteps as the corporate tourist would see. I always loved boats and the ocean and the people you meet I have seen in your videos I love so much at peace with themselves truly amazing. I'm going to go however this will not be the last you hear from me.. Happy sailing you are truly blessed further than I think you may even realize.. Wish I was there Friend Rick English Full Throttle Performance Cycles Fairhaven Ma. 02719

[@Flipperwi715]

Great video. I feel bad because my thought process doesn't agree, because among all the bragging... You still hit ground in your boat which you love. I don't understand that nose in the air smug "I'm amazing and know sooo much" talk. I find it kinda sad that I don't feel bad about the situation. I do feel bad for the humble wife for putting up with the yammering mouth.

[@johncrill8957]

I remember Ppalu when she was still a young boat in 1979 and belonged to Paul Herberman. She was very fast and rated about the same as Phil Weld's Rogue Wave in the Trade Winds race. I spoke to a Frenchman called Marc Pajot who was on his own boat in English Harbour about Ppalu. About a month later I saw Ppalu in Nevis and rowed over to see Paul - but I found Marc Pajot aboard. He had chartered it and took it to Europe to do the Route de Rhum. Peter Spronk was horrified. "I didn't build this boat to race", he said. Marc had a lead of about 24 hours on the next boat when he hit a treetrunk and had to retire.

[@Ivanator-21]

One would think with all the sailing experience this guy has, that he would know better than to pull in such short waters. Should've checked his depth finder. You gotta feel bad for them because they just finished restoring her.

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

Not to be confused with a smart mistake... lol

[@larrykrawczyk4917]

Best wishes to them Rick. So sad but they seem strong. She'll sail again im sure and I hope your there to let us all see

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Do our best Larry.. thanks for watching! :)

[@Jkur2009]

soooooooo......... No insurance??? I think we are overlooking the obvious here. I am sorry you had a mishap that cost you a boat that you are very emotionally attached to but you are letting your emotions cloud your sense of reason man. If you could afford to repair it, great! Go for it! But you, evidently, can't and while I am sure that you are both great people you have to be mature about the situation and accept that these things happen and we deal with them. If she is as important as you say she is then sell her for somebody that can afford to restore her correctly. There are many people in this country who are struggling for the basics in life and you have the audacity to beg for money on the internet to fix your toy?? While she might mean a lot to you, it's not as if she is a true historical vessel. She is a boat that was by a guy that you admire as a great designer/craftsman. I have built scratch built custom sportfishing yachts for a company that has only 6 or 8 people on staff, everything built by hand, no molds used... ever. I know understand the sweat equity you have invested in the refit but you are trying to rationalize the irrational here by trying to tell us that she has significant historical value so people will give you money so you can have your toy back. Are you going to allow people who donate to come and enjoy your boat whenever they want for free? I recently saw on the news where a poor old guy (and a WWII) vet had just finished restoring a model T ford to pristine condition. It took him forever to get it finished. While out on his first drive with it he stopped in at his church to show off his hard work to some friends. When he came back outside it was gone, later it was found destroyed in a pond. It looked like somebody rolled it or something. If anybody deserves donations it is that guy, but even he wasn't asking for anybody to help him. sorry for your loss man but I work hard for a living and I am offended that you are panhandling to support your Jimmy Buffett lifestyle. I think you should do like the rest of us when we suffer a set back, work hard, save your pennies, and live within your means. Life is a bitch.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

it was the sailing community they were appealing to, it was only coincidence that youtube picked up on the popularity of the video and started showing it everywhere. The sailing community is very tight and looks after their own, they know that if similar happens to them, they can also count on reciprocal support.. pretty cool. The boat is already fixed and back in the water, and likely be around for many years to come! Thanks for watching, and for your comment, I appreciate your opinion, was just explaining the situation around this particular event.

[@robertenglebright8257]

Sometimes people need to follow their passions beyond what may seem reasonable to others. Great things have come out of such endeavors. I admire their tenacity and their respect for history. From the interviews it seems to me that they are not only doing this for their own satisfaction but for a larger purpose. The dollar is not the yardstick by which everybody lives.

[@bill739123]

You are right

[@zerofox7347]

your "offended"? what a painful existence you must experience to take offense so easily I feel for you.

[@129jaystreet]

I would rather give my money to the owners of the sailboat then to some charity whose CEO makes a huge giant wage or to some worthless ass drug addict who's not deserving. We live in a society that bets too much on losers and ignores potential winners. You're probably a Bernie Sanders supporter. Take your class envy and hide it because it's very ugly.

[@davegibson3517]

What a sad story about a great cat. You guys seem to be a great strong couple supporting each other. Would love to know the out come with your boat and story. All my best. Dave

[@NightSailor]

Foolish to have bought this boat. Not surprising what happened. Not at all surprised they have no money to fix it, and of course it's not worth repairing. Time to scrap it.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

she's already been repaired and back in the water.. this boat will likely be around for many more years to come! Thanks for watching! :)

[@SailorDon01]

Rick Moore I guess they don't need money to repair the boat anymore. That's good news!

[@nigellbutlerrr2638]

i would not buy it for 1 dollar If the hull is suspect, you are risking your life, wood??? better is GRP anyway...

[@MikeBarnett1776]

This boat IS history... and well worth saving, if you can't appreciate that, well, that's your issue. Ppalu was, is, and will continue to be awesome.

[@MikeBarnett1776]

***** I guess you didn't take the time to find out she's already been professionally repaired. Ppalu is a serious bit of maritime history, and she is being taken care of properly.

[@Kyleinasailing]

I think you guys are brave. I firstly don't trust the stability of cats in heavy weather and secondly that plywood just doesn't look all that strong. But I have respect for you and no doubt you have much more experience than I do. Good luck.

[@SailingSophisticatedLady]

Ppalu was just re-launched today, and I think they put some fiberglass over the wood this time.. so hopefully she's good for another 40 years! Thanks for watching, and for your comment! :)