Sir Robin suffers pilot problems

Saga Insurance returns to Freo

Image courtesy of Expedition Navigation Systems

Less than 24 hours into the second leg of the Velux 5 Oceans, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has turned his Open 60 Saga Insurance back towards Fremantle. After tussling yesterday with defending champion and race leader Bernard Stamm to be first across the start line at 15:00 local time in Western Australia (06:00 GMT), Sir Robin headed west with the fleet to line up for the passage around Cape Leewin but during the night both the autopilot systems on Saga Insurance failed and refused to re-start.

After many hours assessing the problem on board throughout the night, Sir Robin took the difficult decision to head back to Fremantle and meet his shore team back on land. He will therefore have to comply with the minimum 48 hour time penalty for receiving outside assistance, putting him well behind the fleet from the off. The experienced yachtsman was forced to helm Saga Insurance throughout the night and is tired and stressed as a result.

On arriving back at Fremantle Sailing Club, Sir Robin commented, "At around a quarter to three in the morning when both my pilots failed for the fourth or fifth time and I thought this is crazy, I can’t go on like that. I had tried to carry on but they started going every hour. The first time it went I was down below getting the storm jib out and she just tacked. So I had to head back. When my team met me the expert said straight away, ‘it’s a power problem’. I asked if he could fix it and he said ‘yup’. It’s a tiny wire that’s causing all the problems and it needs to be changed. It’s a terrible shame particularly as we worked so hard on the boat."

Knox-Johnston was met by his shore team and technical staff after rounding Rottnest Island, ten miles off Fremantle. He officially suspended racing at 08:00 local time on Monday January 15 (23:00 GMT Sunday) as he motored around the Island, and will therefore be able to re-start from the same point at 08:00 local time on Wednesday January 17, assuming he has been able to make all the repairs necessary onboard Saga Insurance.

Back on the race track, Bernard Stamm has charged ahead and holds a 30 mile lead over Japanese hero Kojiro Shiraishi on Spirit of Yukoh. Graham Dalton on the Open 50 A Southern Man - AGD, is only 1 mile further behind in third place, with the Basque skipper Unai Basurko on Pakea in fourth, 76 miles behind the leader, having chosen to head further west than the other competitors. The fleet are heading west off Western Australia in order to make a pass south of Cape Leewin.