When Christian Sauer stood in his workshop over the last few years, he kept thinking about one thing: the vastness of the Pacific. "I always had the image of the globe from the perspective of the Pacific in my head. This blue ball with only a small part of the land masses of America, Australia or Asia visible at the edge," says Sauer in an interview with YACHT.
"A really great feeling"
At the time, he was still working on his "Argo", a 5.80 metre long mini-cruiser made of plywood. Last week, he reached Vuda Marina in Fiji with this boat. He now has 6,800 nautical miles behind him across the Pacific Ocean that he once dreamed of. "It's a really great feeling," said Sauer after his arrival.
At the end of March, Sauer took off from Panama from Fiji for the second leg of the Mini Globe Race. It took a total of 85 days to reach Fiji. However, the route was not travelled in one piece, as the fleet, consisting of a total of 15 sailors, made stops lasting several days in the Marquesas, Tahiti and Tonga.
Swiss continues to lead the Mini Globe Race
Switzerland's Renaud Stitelmann was the first to cross the finish line in Fiji, some five days and six hours ahead of Christian Sauer. Stitelmann had already successfully defended and extended his lead in the previous stages. Christian Sauer has established himself in a solid sixth place, directly behind the Canadian Dan Turk.
Sauer reports that he was largely spared, while some of the other boats had to contend with storms, knock-downs in gusts and unpleasant leeward waves at times. Despite a few nights with strong winds and numerous sail changes, he encountered quite good conditions overall.
More about Christian Sauer's adventure in the Mini Globe Race:
Does the broken shoulder mean the end?
What continues to worry him is his shoulder, says Sauer. He has been carrying the discomfort with him since the Atlantic crossing. At first, he suspected it was a muscular problem. However, an examination of the joint during one of the stopovers revealed that one of the ligaments was torn.
The doctors agree that an operation is unavoidable. However, they disagree on whether this should be done immediately or after the end of the Mini Globe Race. If a delay would have long-term consequences, Sauer plans to have the shoulder operated on quickly. However, this would mean the end of his participation in the Mini Globe Race, as six months of rehabilitation would be required.
Decision still open
After his arrival in Fiji, Sauer left it open as to what would happen next for him. He plans to visit a hospital soon to seek further medical advice. Only then will he make a decision, says Sauer.
Before that, however, his boat should be put back in the water. He had it lifted out of the water shortly after his arrival to repair damage to the keel and antifouling. Shortly after leaving Panama, he collided with an object in the water on the first night. "It must have been a tree trunk or something similar. I was really lucky that my rudder didn't break off as well."
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In addition to the work on the keel, there is also work to be done on the electrics and, if necessary, on the standing rigging. Above all the Electrics keep causing him problems. He hopes to solve this soon.
Next Mini Globe Race start at the end of July
However, he still has some time before the race continues. The start of the third leg of the Mini Globe Race is scheduled for 26 July. The remaining sailors can then expect another long route. With just a few stopovers, the route leads along the north coast of Australia through the Indian Ocean to Cape Town, where the fleet is expected to arrive around Christmas time.
- More information about the start of the Mini Globe Race: minigloberace.com/race-start/
- More about Christian Sauer there is also on his Instagram channel
