Stranded 200 miles offshore in big seas without a rudder is every sailor’s nightmare, as the crew of the Grand Soleil 43 Trustmarque Quokka discovered this autumn.
Readers of Practical Boat Owner were enthralled by Louay Habib’s account of how the crew, including boatbuilder Graham Moody, coped.
However, a similar experience occurred somewhat closer to home just a year ago when Galway-based adventurer and restaurateur Jamie Peaker was one of the crew on board a yacht bound from Pisa in Italy to Antigua.
Peaker has driven across Africa from Spain to Capetown, has travelled extensively in South America, he has participated on a Trans-Mongolia expedition, and he and his wife Nina have raced by rickshaw from Nepal to southern India.
His sailing experience was limited to a Sunday cruise in Galway Bay before he left for the Atlantic trip with Second Star sailing.
Keeping spirits up with his focaccia bread proved to be crucial to the crew’s survival when disaster struck.
Peaker will recount the full sequence of events in an illustrated talk, entitled “Atlantic crossing 2024. No rudder - No worries”, hosted by Cumann Seoltóíreachta an Spidéil in An Spidéil this coming Friday, December 12th.
A bucket for RNLI donations will be at the door, and admission is 5 euro for adults and free for students/children under 18.
The talk starts at 7.45 pm in Comhlacht Forbartha an Spidéil, Eircode H91 XFE8, and doors are open from 7.30pm.
