Ronnie Simpson Planning Pit Stop for Repairs in Hobart, Australia
Ronnie Simpson sent Christmas greetings to all his fans just after passing Cape Leeuwin, the most southwesterly point in mainland Australia, while racing in the inaugural Global Solo Challenge. Currently, he’s running in third place, with fellow US sailor Cole Brauer holding second, but due to a series of equipment failures he’ll be making a stop in Hobart, Tasmania.
After the early failure of his primary autopilot, Ronnie’s been running on his backup for more than 10,000 miles. He’s had a series of significant tears in the mainsail requiring repair, which, combined with other challenges on board, have had him nursing his boat Shipyard Brewing through the Southern Ocean.
And while he’s been maintaining a very solid race, his blog alludes to his mood. “So you can understand my mounting frustration when I’m being handicapped in this race in many ways, due to somewhat under-tested systems and suboptimal aspects of the boat that could have been greatly improved with more time, resources and development.”
Ronnie is expecting to pull into Hobart in the first week of the new year, not long after the finish of the Sydney Hobart Race. There he’s planning to rejoin the race after losing many miles to his competitors. Despite the difficulties, Ronnie is still grateful for everyone who has been supporting him in the lead-up to and during the race.
“As always, I want to extend a huge thanks to all of my sponsors, friends and supporters who have been especially encouraging through some difficult times onboard. There have been a lot of messages of encouragement and ‘you got this’ that I’ve received in the past couple of weeks, and they have truly lifted my spirits and been encouraging. Thank you.”
We wish Ronnie luck in making it a quick stop and return to the course. You can read more about Ronnie Simpson at his website, Ronnie Simpson Racing, and keep up with his race on his Instagram page: @captainron_official.
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