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Ireland's Golden Globe Racer Pat Lawless Has Self Steering Problems

8th November 2022
A file photo of Pat Lawless in his round-the-world yacht Green Rebel. The solo Irish sailor has reported self steering problems in the Golden Globe Race
A file photo of Pat Lawless in his round-the-world yacht Green Rebel. The solo Irish sailor has reported self steering problems in the Golden Globe Race

Ireland’s Pat Lawless is reported to be having problems with the self-steering system on his 36-foot Green Rebel.

Two messages received at Golden Globe Race headquarters indicated the difficulties encountered on the way to Cape Town, the next point for handing over of video shot on their boats by the 13 remaining competitors in the non-stop race around the world.

The first from Pat Lawless said: “My Aries Self Steering is broken. I am on sheet to tiller since last night,"

A second message, near midday today said: “Pure fed up that a simple bearing on the self-steering would finish my Golden Globe Race.”

GGR has given an estimated time of arrival off Cape Town for Pat Lawless: as tomorrow (Tuesday) evening.

No further indication has so far been received from Green Rebel.

Simon Curwen (UK) was the first to arrive off Cape Town yesterday afternoon.

Sailors' anchoring will probably be just off the foreshore at Granger Bay and visible from the foreshore. They are not allowed assistance. Anchoring enables an equipment and preparation check by the sailors on their boats before heading into the Southern Ocean.

A GGR Cape Town film gate line is located between Granger Bay Marina and Cape Town Channel which all entrants must cross this line with at least one reef in the mainsail and drop all headsails for 20 minutes.

Race Chairman Don McIntyre is on the water with the GGR and Royal Cape Yacht Club Team to greet the skippers, collect the photo, video and written material, and interview them should the weather conditions allow. Nothing is given to the entrants.

ETAs will be regularly updated on the GGR Facebook page and on the Royal Cape Yacht Club notice board, host of the Golden Globe Race in Cape Town.

Latest from GGR: “Pat has a Broken Aries!!”

Published in Golden Globe Race

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Tom MacSweeney

About The Author

Tom MacSweeney

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Tom MacSweeney writes a column for Afloat.ie. He is former RTE Marine Correspondent/Presenter of Seascapes and now has a monthly Podcast on the Community Radio Network and Podcast services

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil