Non-Stop circumnavigation of the Americas

Matt Rutherford just completed this epic voyage in his 27 footer. He had all kinds of trouble but never quit.......Welcome home, Matt!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...the-americas/2012/04/21/gIQAVacZYT_story.html

photo gallery: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...ey/2012/04/21/gIQAm9bSYT_gallery.html#photo=1

"The incongruity of it all was not lost on him. For 10 months, as he completed a solo, nonstop circumnavigation of the Americas aboard a 27-foot sailboat — a feat certified as unprecedented by the U.S. Sailing Hall of Fame — Rutherford had scarcely had any human contact."

 

The northwest passage? Thats impressive in itself.
Kudos to him!

 

Interesting, Anyone have a posting of his actual course sailed. Couldn't locate it on the site posted--Update located it-- Good for him--Great feat--

 

I also followed his journey.
Great stuff.

 

Great story! Great Accomplishment. It appears he did it without an engine on the boat either. I can not wait to get the book of the journey. It never occurred to me no one has ever circumnavigated the Americas. It should have been done a long time ago, but a new sailing first in our day!

From the blog site:

 

Guys something that really struck me was how dirty the boat is.
Would you consider this normal for those waters and time period?
Would more or different antifoul helped?

He did basically travel in summer right round - mid year north - end year south, did that make a big difference?
I mean if that is what is visible what would the underside look like?
Surely this has affected his speed a lot for the "second" half of the journey?

I would love to hear what the "old salts" think about this one

 

here is the website

http://www.solotheamericas.org/

 

the bow

 

Looks like one week anchored in Florida's Indian River.

Two things surprise me in that photo- The jammer still works and he still has a hat.

 

Enormous task, perhaps cold water prevented him from dusting the bottom... Other people like Donna Lange http://www.donnalange.com/ had a similair problem?

Perhaps I'm a freak, but in my opinion, I'd have employed even a broom or mop off the side...

 

I do not know the details of what it means, but he set a goal of "unassisted". Does that mean he never put into port anywhere, and only had food resupplies? He had several important equipment failures where replacement were delivered. So what does "unassisted" really mean?

But that might be a reason the hull was not cleaned, too dangerous while on a solo voyage without dry docks available?

 

If as you say he had food re supplies and equiptment replacement parts delivered it was not an unassested voyage. This does not take away from the fact that it was an amazing feat and he was the first to do it, however it does open the door for someone else to do it unassested thereby possibly claiming some of the greater glory. Such is competitiveness and glory seeking amoung humans. Nothing prevents him from re tracing his voyage totally unassested before someone else beats him to it. Re-call Slokem was the first to sail around the world alone assisted by stops, supplys and equiptment along the way, a lesser feat than the solo non stop voyage of Robert Knox Johnson. However even at that Slokem seems to have held on to the Holy Grail and likewise the same should occur here. Regardless if assisted by stops -supplies-equiptment or not Matt like Slokem was the first.

 

He should do it again without the jib rolled up on its stay as well - it would make for a faster trip.