# Story behind the failboat. **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [February 29, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218 "2008-02-29T14:48:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![amspimpwagon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/amspimpwagon/32/7339_2.png) [@amspimpwagon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/amspimpwagon)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/1 "2008-02-29T14:48:32Z")
> **[High Tech Cowboys of the Deep Seas: The Race to Save the Cougar Ace](https://www.wired.com/2008/02/ff-seacowboys/)** > > Latitude 48° 14 North. Longitude 174° 26 West. Interesting read. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/2 "2008-02-29T15:53:13Z")
> A phone rings. Rich Habib opens his eyes and blinks in the darkness. He reaches for the phone…the sound of his phone means that somewhere, somehow, a ship is going down, and he’s going to have to get out of bed and go save it…He holds an unlimited master’s license, which means he’s one of the select few who are qualified to pilot ships of any size, anywhere in the world. Fucking badass. :tup: ---
**Author:** ![Karter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e480ec/32.png) [@Karter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Karter)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/3 "2008-02-29T15:57:39Z")
long , but good read:) ---
**Author:** ![See4Ways](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@See4Ways](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/See4Ways)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/4 "2008-02-29T16:01:03Z")
lol ---
**Author:** ![RLB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rlb/32/5196_2.png) [@RLB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RLB)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/5 "2008-02-29T16:02:28Z")
> He’s been at sea since he was 18, and now, at 51, his tanned face, square jaw, and don’t-even-try-bullshitting-me stare convey a world-weary air of command. Fucking badass as well. ---
**Author:** ![97\_B18b1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/cdc98d/32.png) [@97\_B18b1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97_B18b1)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/6 "2008-02-29T16:07:23Z")
unlimited masters license huh, i wonder if that qualification will make you millions a year ---
**Author:** ![johns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@johns](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/johns)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/7 "2008-02-29T16:30:02Z")
Awesome story. I was wondering what was going to happen to that ship and its contents. ---
**Author:** ![RuBiCaNT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rubicant/32/7622_2.png) [@RuBiCaNT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RuBiCaNT)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/8 "2008-02-29T16:37:34Z")
> [@RLB](#): > > Fucking badass as well. He looks like what the real Chuck Norris should be rather than just an actor who knows kung-fu. ---
**Author:** ![greenbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@greenbull](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/greenbull)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/9 "2008-02-29T16:56:18Z")
i though this was hilarious Mayani is assigned to play pump monkey. Stender ties one rope around his buddy, a second rope around a pump, and then, using a rock-climbing belay device, lowers both down the face of deck nine. Mayani hugs the pump so that it doesn’t get banged up on the way down. What happens to Mayani is another matter. “I’m no fucking pinball, motherfucker!” Mayani shouts as he slams against walls and cars. Stender likes the pinball reference and starts calling himself the pinball wizard. The shouting brings Habib rappelling down. He shines his headlamp on Mayani, who — still hugging the pump — is swinging back and forth in an attempt to build up enough momentum to hop over a column of cars. “What are you two doing?” he asks. Yuri Mayani, Salvage Diver Photo: Andrew Hetherington “What the fuck it look like we’re doing?” Mayani shouts. “Stealing cars?” “Listen, I don’t want any damage,” Habib says. “Not even a fingerprint.” Mayani swings away from the cars with the pump and then back, picking up more speed than he expected. He smashes into the windshield of a CX-7 and clobbers the sideview mirror of another. “You’re coming with me, bitch!” Mayani screams at the mirror and rips it clean off. Habib shakes his head. “Sorry!” Mayani shouts. “It was either me or the fucking mirror.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Russian](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/the_russian/32/7414_2.png) [@The\_Russian](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/The_Russian)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/10 "2008-02-29T17:28:35Z")
That was the best long read about anything in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Matt\_Danger](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/matt_danger/32/4981_2.png) [@Matt\_Danger](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Matt_Danger)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/11 "2008-02-29T17:54:52Z")
This is as far as I’ve gotten so far. > Kyin escapes through a door into the damp night air. He’s barefoot and dripping wet, and the deck is now a slick metal ramp. In an instant, he’s skidding down the slope toward the Pacific. He slams into the railings and his left leg snaps, bone puncturing skin. **He’s now draped naked and bleeding on the railing, which has dipped to within feet of the frigid ocean.** That had to suck… ---
**Author:** ![SoraNezumi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/soranezumi/32/5057_2.png) [@SoraNezumi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SoraNezumi)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/12 "2008-02-29T20:54:04Z")
I am going to read this when I get home from work. Good find! ---
**Author:** ![dmoffitt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dmoffitt/32/7455_2.png) [@dmoffitt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dmoffitt)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/13 "2008-02-29T21:38:14Z")
awesome story (read it the other day) ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/14 "2008-02-29T22:16:41Z")
Great find. That’s probably one of the most insane careers I’ve ever read about. ---
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/15 "2008-02-29T23:13:05Z")
Aw yeah, great read. Sad about all the cars though. I suppose I can see their point however. I would have bought one for fifty dolla =[ ---
**Author:** ![cky89](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cky89/32/4945_2.png) [@cky89](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/cky89)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/16 "2008-02-29T23:44:23Z")
> [@Hass](#): > > Aw yeah, great read. > Sad about all the cars though. > I suppose I can see their point however. > > I would have bought one for fifty dolla =[ I’m convinced you’re gay. Cool story though. ---
**Author:** ![TORQDSS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/torqdss/32/5125_2.png) [@TORQDSS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TORQDSS)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 10:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/17 "2008-03-01T10:39:42Z")
a Texas Shredder, a 50-foot-tall, hulking blue-and-yellow machine that sits on a 2.5-acre concrete pad. Inside the machine, 26 hammers — weighing 1,000 pounds each — smash each car into fist-sized pieces in two seconds. now that’s something i’d like to watch ---
**Author:** ![HotRodKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/hotrodkid/32/7609_2.png) [@HotRodKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HotRodKid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/18 "2008-03-01T13:37:29Z")
> [@greenbull](#): > > i though this was hilarious > > “What the fuck it look like we’re doing?” Mayani shouts. “Stealing cars?” > > “You’re coming with me, bitch!” Mayani screams at the mirror and rips it clean off. > > Habib shakes his head. > > “Sorry!” Mayani shouts. “It was either me or the fucking mirror.” lol, i was just coming to see if someone else posted that, im laughing my ass off at that still ---
**Author:** ![Clean\_Baldy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/clean_baldy/32/7308_2.png) [@Clean\_Baldy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Clean_Baldy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/19 "2008-03-01T16:08:17Z")
4,703 mazdas, most of which looked OK… all destroyed ☹ Putting a car at a 60° angle for two weeks… what do you guys think? I wouldnt imagine anything would be wrong with em, as long as the fluids stayed where they were supposed to and didnt leak out of the caps under the hood… That is a LOT of cars to just say "oh well… " ---
**Author:** ![Violator](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/violator/32/7278_2.png) [@Violator](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Violator)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218/20 "2008-03-01T16:17:52Z")
> [@Clean Baldy](#): > > 4,703 mazdas, most of which looked OK… all destroyed ☹ > > Putting a car at a 60° angle for two weeks… what do you guys think? I wouldnt imagine anything would be wrong with em, as long as the fluids stayed where they were supposed to and didnt leak out of the caps under the hood… > > That is a LOT of cars to just say "oh well… " I cant think of anything being affected other then fluids…which is still trivial. You can thank the “litigation happy” people of the US and the **IDIOT** legal system that allows it for the loss of all those cars. Couple of good lawsuits would have cost Mazda more then the load. [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/story-behind-the-failboat/44218.md?page=2)