Great Circle Leaves Azores

MARBLEHEAD, MA, JULY 23--There was no lack of wind as the Class 2 Around 
Alone Open 50 Great Circle left Horta in the Azores on her 2,000 mile 
qualifying voyage to Bermuda on Tuesday, July 21. However electric power was 
at a premium after the ship's generator quit 24 hours after leaving port. 

"The generator is not working," Hancock reported by satellite email on 
Wednesday, July 22. "While I'm working on the problem I've turned off all my 
non-essential systems."

A day earlier, on Tuesday, Hancock reported that he departed Horta at 0800 
local time after four days of intense work to repair sails, running rigging 
and a mast track damaged in a knockdown just before he arrived in the Azores. 
Four local volunteers assisted Hancock as he applied his sailmaking skills to 
the mainsail which was badly torn when he forcibly stripped the sail from the 
mast following the knockdown. 

"All's well and I'm heading south at seven knots," Hancock wrote, as he began 
his voyage to Bermuda.

On Wednesday morning, Hancock was at 35 24 N latitude and 29 52 W longitude 
and was on the wind, heading south west at 6.9 knots. He had covered 182 
miles in the previous 24 hours. The day was bright and sunny with an 18-knot 
breeze from the west-south-west and five foot swells. 

"It's a beautiful hot day and although the generator is not working, I'm 
happy to be at sea alone again," he added.

On Thursday morning Hancock had not succeeded in mending the generator.
He reported his position as 33 deg 38 min North, 30 deg 57 min West. Great 
Circle's speed was 6.5 knots as she continued southwest but she had only 
covered 130 miles in the previous 24 hours, after light winds overnight.

The wind had gone north at 12 knots. "I've got my spinnaker up after a slow 
night and I'm making good speed again," Hancock messaged. "The sea is almost 
flat -- just a one foot swell. There are no ships, no fish, no birds, just an 
empty ocean. But it's still fun."

Hancock is planning on a 12 to 14 day solo voyage to Bermuda where he will 
continue work on his search for sponsorship before three campaign donors join 
him for the 600-mile leg home to Marblehead. Hanock announced two weeks ago 
that his crew will be the three top donor bidders. He will announce his crew 
after reaching Bermuda. 

Great Circle is expected back in the US mid-August where Hancock will 
continue to seek sponsorship for the Around Alone race which starts on 
September 26 from Charleston, SC.

If you are interested in a full account of Hancock's voyage to Horta 
including the knockdown, please point your browser to 

http://www.greatcircle.org/stories/bh_story1.htm for details on downloading.

These updates are composed on Hewlett Packard's OMNIBOOK 5700 and transmitted 
via satellite to campaign headquarters.  Great Circle relies pm the OMNIBOOK 
to perform under the most adverse conditions.