It almost seems like a sailor's yarn, but it seems to be true: American Matt Rutherfort sails non-stop around the American continent on his eight-metre Albin Vega. At the age of 32, he already has several long voyages in his wake, most recently sailing single-handed to Europe and back in his Pearson 32 between 2008 and 2010. The boat, a Swedish Albin Vega long keeler, has also proven its seaworthiness on many impressive voyages. However, the current adventure eclipses everything that has gone before.
On 13 June, Rutherfort set sail from Annapolis in the US and headed north. He reached the Arctic Ocean in July and sailed through the Northwest Passage into the Pacific. From Alaska, he was able to set a southerly course and yesterday rounded the infamous Cape Horn after a total of 18,341 nautical miles. "208 days is a long time to be cooped up on such a small, 27-foot-long boat. I can't even stand upright in here without hitting my head," he wrote in his blog yesterday. "When I left Annapolis, I expected to arrive at Cape Horn around the 16th of January," he continues, "which puts me eleven days ahead of schedule."
After around 2,000 miles in the Southern Ocean, Rutherford even experienced the Cape in pleasant weather: "I couldn't have wished for better conditions," he writes. "The wind was blowing at 20 knots from the south-west, the sky was overcast, but every now and then little patches of blue and even the sun came through the clouds." In order to leave the dangerous sea area as quickly as possible, he demands everything from his boat: "I don't normally chase the boat like this, but this is not an area to hang around in. I've travelled 135 nautical miles in the last 24 hours."
It is truly amazing what the young man from Baltimore has achieved with his more than 40-year-old boat. In addition to the personal achievement and the experience, of course, he would like to use the trip to draw attention to the CRAB Association ("Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating") and raise money for it. Rutherford himself is a volunteer member of this organisation, which goes sailing with people with disabilities. CRAB also provided him with the boat for the adventure and helped with the preparations.
The biggest problem in this cold region is the lack of a sprayhood. It had already been damaged in the Bering Sea and can no longer be repaired. "It's funny to think that I'm rounding Cape Horn without a sprayhood," he continues, "But it doesn't matter, I've got a paintball mask and a survival suit. It makes me look like a heavy weather ninja."
From the Cape, his course will take him north past the Falkland Islands, then shortly after the hurricane season along the Caribbean and back to Annapolis, where he will probably arrive in March or April.
The trip can be booked on his website www.solotheamericas.org be pursued.
