https://globalsolochallenge.com/louis-robeins-argentina-en/
The hero of the Global Solo Challenge, Frenchman Louis Robein, went aground in a sandy bay on the southern Argentinian coast, having rounded Cape Horn. He was given a ride to a navy base and his boat was towed to safety with him, after 50kt winds had him pinned to a sandbar but kept him off the shore.
Hopefully he will get his autopilot fixed and head back to sea pronto. Sea is safer than shore. Marco’s purple prose (link above) clearly wants Louis to surrender, the guy being obsessed with safety. I mean, everyone who sails solo around Cape Horn is thinking safety first, aren’t they?
Takeaways for when I eventually do my own solo rtw:
- Autopilot: have spares
- Make sure windvane works and has spares
- Follow the winning track
- Minimize advice (it dilutes energy)
- Replace Iridium satcom with Star link
- One rudder, heavy displacement and double skin is preferable to twin rudders light surfing hull.
- Stay away from land.
- Don’t let images like this get published:
Courage, Louis!