e. In the Transpac last month the 72 foot LUCKY, representing the New York Yacht Club, lost steering entering the Molokai Channel, 30 miles upwind of the finish at Diamond Head.
Attachment 6788
What did LUCKY's crew do? Rig their race required emergency steering? No such enterprise. Instead, LUCKY abandoned the race, called the Coast Guard who then came out and towed them into Honolulu. What is this about? A dozen pros couldn't get LUCKY downwind to finish? Finishing without a rudder, mast, and blown sails is in the finest tradition of Transpac.
Miles and Beryl Smeeton, and John Guzzwell would be appalled. TZU HANG was not 30 miles upwind of Oahu with a boatload of pros when they pitch poled. They persevered where ordinary people would have perished.
Leaves me speechless, which is not unusual.