Here I go Again - 4th and Final Attempt - Solo non-stop Circumnavigation – Nov. 29th

We are in the advanced planning and preparation and all systems are go to depart the St. Augustine City dock at 12:30 pm Thursday, November 29th.

Readers may recall that my first attempt in 2014 ended when the deck fittings supporting the mast began to fail and I retired into Cape Town, South Africa. A year later it was a complete tear of the high Tec mainsail and once again to South. Africa. Then last year a bizarre set of electronic malfunctions and I headed into Bermuda and planned a restart from there only to be told by WSSR (World Sailing Speed Record Council) that under the new rules Bermuda around the world and back to Bermuda is too short a distance to qualify by some 346 nautical miles to be considered for an around the world feat. By the new standards set by WSSR, a solo voyage from St. Augustine around Bermuda and then south to the Southern Ocean passing under South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and South America before heading north to again round Bermuda does qualify for a solo non-stop circumnavigation. So, we start and finish in St. Augustine, no stops in between, no assistance, no re-provisioning, etc. The estimated time is 160-170 days at sea.

I am planning for a low-key departure as with three failed attempts how can I expect anyone to have confidence in me. My own confidence has been shaken and the odds remain against success.