For those interested in modern-day jury rig voyages, I recommend a look at the book "Against All Odds" by Alan Nebauer. This is the story of his '94-'95 sailing of the BOC singlehanded RTW
race. His was a poorly funded effort, and he overcame a lot of obstacles to even reach the starting line in "Newcastle Australia". In the first leg, he rescued Josh Hall, a competitor whose boat sank after colliding with some object. Then on the leg from
Sydney to Uruguay, he was dismasted around 600 miles west of Cape Horn, loosing the entire rig but retaining two spinnaker poles. From those he constructed an A-frame mast and continued on around the Horn and up to the Falklands where a mast had been shipped from
England. Having installed the not-quite-right mast, he set out again, only to hit something and rip off the
rudder. Once again setting up a jury rigged spare
rudder, he continued on to Punta Del Este, arriving just before the start of the last leg of the
race. Somehow he managed to get a suitable rudder mounted and made the start and then finished the race in Charleston. Was awarded not one, but two outstanding seamanship awards for his accomplishments... an unequaled achievement to this day.
We are privileged to have Alan and his wife Cindy as friends!
Cheers,
Jim