
Guy Waites Golden Globe Round World Race 21st May 2021
SCARBOROUGH YACHT CLUB — 21 st May 2021 – Guy Waites 2022 Golden
Globe sailing preparation challenged by near dismasting South West of
Azores.
Repairs and Corona Virus problems extend Panama to UK shakedown from 4 to 7
months.
Story:
Guy Waites and yacht Sagarmatha arrived at Scarborough from the Azores around
lunchtime today, 21st May 2021, on the last leg of his qualifying passage as an entrant in
the Golden Globe Race 2022. The voyage was from Panama to Scarborough but damage
sustained during an Atlantic storm caused the journey to take 3 months longer than
anticipated.
Approaching the Azores, the freak storm knocked the boat down and bent the mast as it
hit the water, delayed him getting onto a mooring in a designated port in the Azores for
10 days, leaving a longer than planned journey time of 59 days and Guy running out of
food and water. The Azores authorities were fantastic, and found a small port to moor
Sagarmatha in for repairs.
Julie ordered and sent carbon fibre materials to repair the mast from the UK, which
went by air to Lisbon, then by sea to the Azores, as flights to the region were affected by
the Corona virus. Guy took down the damaged mast, wrapping the damaged mast
section with carbon fibre to effect a get-me-home repair, returning Sagarmatha to some
sort of seaworthy order though there was still a question mark over its robustness.
Sailing weather conditions from the Azores to the UK were not ideal, with concerns
mainly about a prevailing head wind straining the repaired mast, so Guy needed to wait
for a new weather window and a friendlier wind pattern for his passage from the Azores
back to the UK. Earlier in May, he arriving firstly at Falmouth, then made his way via
Plymouth, Gosport and a short stop at Ramsgate, where he again had to wait for a weather
window, before sailing to Lowestoft, making the final run overnight to
Scarborough.
The Azores/UK leg did have its own set of challenges, as along with the challenging
weather, Sagarmatha was experiencing electrical problems that still haven't been
diagnosed, affecting the AIS, which meant Guy had to stay awake when navigating busy
shipping lanes, and particularly during the longer overnight passages.
Reflecting on the whole journey from Panama, Guy and Julie consider the knockdown,
and the complications to repairs caused by the virus, were the two outstanding
challenges.
Having been married not so long ago, Julie commented on the extended 7 months
absence, that it was good practice for times they will spend apart whilst Guy is sailing in
the 2022 Golden Globe Race. However, they both felt they had managed the time alone
better than expected. But Julie's not a sit-at-home wife and has plenty of interests as
well as being spokesperson and designated shore manager for Guy's voyages. "The
longer he's at sea, the busier he keeps me" Julie noted.
Welcome home Guy and Sagarmatha.
The Waites will be showing Members and Press around the boat and giving talks on the
journey one-to-one and at meetings over the next few days. Contact Julie Waites on
shesailsfurther@gmail.com, mobile 07973 671036 for more information.
Chris Clark
Press Officer
Scarborough Yacht Club
honsec@syc.org
07952 291 327
Images:
Guy_Waites_boat_profile_2022 – Pic credit Guy Waites 2020
Guy Waites credit Guy Waites Sailing
Guy Waites passes The Lighthouse – Pic courtesy of Kay Jackson
Related News
70’s Night Disco 2022
A great night with 70’s music, and The Price Is Right game, plus of course 70’s food with chicken and scampi in the basket.
HUNTER 707 ‘Bruce T’
AS BRUCE TEMPLE’S SHINDIG COMES TO AN END, HUNTER 707 BRUCE T WILL NOW ROAM THE NORTH SEAS IN MEMORY Prior to a ceremony…
707/Sonata Northern Championships
By Rear Commodore Rudi Barman 707/Sonata Northern Championships Hosted by Scarborough Yacht Club over the weekend of the 4th and 5th of September. Boats…