I feel this adventure deserves a thread of its own. Peter Lawless' attempt to sail solo, unassisted around the world via the five great capes. His progress can be tracked at the link below.
Looks like this bid is over. Reporidly he had steering problems and according to the tracker he appears to be in port. A shame, but if something had to go wrong, then better something in calm waters and not a knockdown in high latitudes.
Only started following him yesterday and then saw on afloat he had problems. Went on to youtube 1st thing this morning and hed a new video up of his departure and then see on marine traffic hes in port. hope he cant get it sorted and get on his way
Anchored up in a harbour in Portugal. The non-stop aspect is dashed, but the rest can stand.
New video
There was a nice interview with him on Seascapes last night.
If he did not go ashore or receive help, I believe that non-stop is still on.
I would defer to the regulations on that:
"The word "underway" means that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground."
I have not seen the rules for a non stop circumnavigation. Is the word underway quoted in these rules. Over the years, I have read many circumnavigation stories and some of the sailors have anchored in sheltered bays without going ashore to carry out repairs. Robin Knox Johnston, (the first solo non stop sailor) even went aground without being disqualified. Peter said just before he headed out again that he must go ashore sometime in the future because it looked like a lovely place. Indicating that he could not go ashore this time without breaking the rules.
Looks like he didnt get off the boat and got his steering gear repaired and a few other jobs done and is on his way again. His facebook page is saying hes going to head south/southwest to pick up wind and continue. His marine traffic page has his journey now as Portimao-Dingle so Im taking it that its Dingle via Cape horn
The Vendée Globe website says:
"The solo sailors have the right to stop - for example to anchor in a cove - but not to dismount beyond the limit of the foreshore, that is to say what separates them from the level of the most great high tide."
That would be good enough for me.
could he count this as his start point, and add on a bit at the end, he mightn't even have to do that, just return to where he was anchored ...
Is anyone else a bit concerned that something already broke on the boat that required him to drop anchor?
Either he was unlucky or the boat isn't up to a round the world trip, especially the Southern Ocean.
Today's Afloat article explains the rules.
Latest vlog
And another one
Looking at the tracker, it looks like he has pulled right in this time.
saw that earlier and it looks like hes on a marina or wall aswell
He's alongside, so the non-stop circumnavigation title goes back up for grabs. Any takers?
Afloat article
it is still possible for him to achieve an Irish “first” with start and finish in Tenerife,
My mistake, turns out the rules on this are very flexible.
Maybe someone should just start off and finish in Cape Town, with a quick spin around the world in the southern ocean and cut out all those unnecessary miles.
if he sails north west of New Zealand, kinda level with Brisbane, he could do it...
I see this boat is still being repaired. Without sounding bad, you would have to wonder how seaworthy this was for the trip.
He was very lucky the damage didn't happen in the southern ocean
Seems he hit, or something hit him. Hard to plan for something like that.
It's not called an adventure for nothing.
Quite a few of the sailing YouTubers I watch have hit things at sea or spring a leak in heavy seas. Rudders getting damaged seems especially common. Losing anchors which damage the boat further. These things can escalate.
Tbh I think he's was unlucky but lucky in where and how it happened in decent weather.
I know he says he didn't hit a whale but there's been a few attacks over the last while and some serious rudderdamage done to boats. If anyone's on the sailing anarchy forums theres a thread in the cruising forum on whale attacks where the 1st poster had their boat attacked and rudder damaged
"I also need to decide if I have time to continue this year or go back and start again next year? Huge decision but safety and reality must come first , I will know more on that over the next few days ."
Might be the end of the road for Peter and Waxwing. It's not cheap to undertake an eight month voyage like this and sponsors will difficult to tap up a second time. A tough call for him to make.
Who were his sponsors this time?
I think he is still looking for a lead sponsor and currently is on gofundme. With the record to date he'll find it difficult to get a big name. According to AIS left Tenerife and has arrived back in Portimao. Is he the guy who had a mobile fuel polishing business based in Dingle?
A list of them about 3/4 the way down this page
Don't know - I never heard of him before this attempt.
Is he a relative of Pat Lawless who's doing the GGR?
