Ruddy Rudder Goes Again
( Last Updated: 23-01-2008 )
On Sunday evening Oyster Shack was going great guns and all set for a record 24 hour passage. The crew was enjoying a strong following wind and a supportive swell with waves up to 20 ft. Sadly at this point the rudder chose to break for the second time. The sun had already set and it was getting dark fast. Mike went over the side and tried to ease the rudder off the pintles but the swell and the dark proved too difficult. There was nothing for it but to put out the sea anchor and wait for daylight. Come dawn the rudder was soon fixed but fourteen valuable hours had been lost.
They are now underway again and on Tuesday afternoon George reported that they were making best speed but that this was not as fast as they would wish for while they were enjoying a following breeze the wave pattern was proving complex and rowing was proving both interesting and challenging.
The crew are aware that Orca's time has been corrected to 36 days and 55 minutes thus setting the fastest time for a four and a sculling boat. Given just a slight change in the wave pattern, the Atlantic Six are still determined to beat the old record, which they think is just possible and also beat Orca!!