Dr. Stanley Paris & Kiwi Spirit II

On the first attempt last year the challenges I had to continuing were mainly mechanical: loss of battens from the sail, damaged staysail furling, extensive damage to the end of the boom. These I repaired and felt comfortable they would not be show stoppers. However it was the failure of the fixtures that hold the shrouds that support the mast that caused the alarm. Farr Yacht Design said they were unsafe and that I had to quit - soon all team members agreed and so I put in

North of Brazil ten days since after sailing for six days from St. Augustine, I rounded Bermuda to begin the challenge on Dodge Morgan's 150 day solo circumnavigation from Bermuda to Bermuda. On my first attempt last year, I was dogged with weak winds so that at the 5th day I was already two days behind him. This time there has been plenty of wind but unfortunately most of it on the nose. A sailing boat cannot go straight into the wind. The best they can do is around 30-50 de

From St. Augustine to round Bermuda took six days. Alarm rang every hour and my first job was to clean the two hydro generators from masses of sargassum that was clogging then up. No sooner would I lower the first and start on the second it would often clog again. I just could not generate the power I needed. The batteries steadily declined from 100% when leaving St. Augustine to 20% rounding Bermuda. This meant no hot water, no refrigeration, freezer sealed shut but still

After six and a half days I crossed the 900+ miles to Bermuda and at 1:46 pm EST I crossed the start line with a strong breeze. Bermuda radio which directs all shipping traffic were most cooperative logging start time etc. I am also being monitored by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) which has a transmitter on board. I also hit the yellow brick messenger sending up a location point as I crossed the line and before bearing off onto my new course - southeast to th

The wind is down to 9 knots (10 mph) blowing just east of north while I struggle to the northeast to round Bermuda placing it on my starboard (right) side. I move at 7 knots and at this speed I will not make the start line in Bermuda until 9:00 pm or later Friday night. This is not good. Rounding a reef enclosed island and having to within a mile of the shore and half a mile from reefs with uncertain winds behind the island is not something I shall attempt at night. I will no

Departure from City Dock is confirmed for 10:00 am Sunday. It's a go and all is ready. Kiwi Spirit is chomping at the bit almost ripping out her dock lines! Tomorrow morning she will move to the city dock where she will stay till 10:00 am Sunday. Tow Boat US will tow her out as engines are sealed and the bow-thruster has been removed. We are to go green again and no extra weight. My son Alan, a circumnavigator in his own right, has flown in from New Zealand for the occasion

With respect to Willie Nelson I am to be "on the road again." Three international offshore yacht races, two of which I gained line honors (first to finish) and a third in which I was the first two handed home, left me feeling confident personally and about the boat's ability. But it was not to be. Fifty days into the solo circumnavigation and the boat had developed too many breakages - some of my responsibility but the most major being a under specking of the pins that attach