Around Alone for November 25
    Sailing South Carolina to South Africa in
Leg 1 of Around Alone Robin Davie had some problems. 
For instance, his alternator (first night),
auto pilot (first week) and water ballast pump
(third day) all malfunctioned. Later he broke his
rudder and his forestay. 
    Davie said upon finishing, "We were pretty
unprepared" and unfortunately for him it showed
throughout the 6800 miles of Leg 1. Davie sailed
Leg 1 in 58 days 22 hours 11 minutes and 39 seconds
an average speed of 4.81.  However Davie carried a
272 hour penalty for completing his qualifying sail
after the deadline, making his official leg time
70 days 6 hours 26 minutes and 9 seconds.
    Davie's leg will be remembered for the
loss of his rudder. Davie remember the night this
way: "It was a dark, squally night. The boat rounded
up and I tried to get it back on course. After
an hour old dumbo here thought, 'maybe there's
no rudder." 
    Finally Davie got the MRUD emergency rudder
working via his autopilot's hydraulic ram.  Race
Director Mark Schrader called MRUD/Autopilot
hook up "the most amazing lash up, a cat's cradle
of lines, sticks, Spanish windlasses, counterweights
...it's just amazing."
    Still on the way to Cape Town is Paladin 2.
She is 203 miles from Cape Town. This equates to
a early morning Friday arrival, one day before the
deadline. 
    Also still racing is Modern University for the
Humanities 408 miles from Cape Town.  Her latest ETA
shows 0209 29 November.  This is a mere 2 hours 9 minutes
after the deadline.  Surely Fedor Konioukhov is at
the helm trying to sail 2 hours faster!
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