Glenn Wakefield, Canadian sailing adventurer who was attempting to be the first American to sail 'the wrong way' solo around the world, has rolled his boat and - after several days - made the decision to abandon his attempt in the Southern Ocean on the approach to Cape Horn. Wakefield started his sailing journey in September 2007, and was seven months into his trip, due to finish in July this year. The project had taken four years in the planning. When his Offshore 40ft sloop built by Cheoy Lee in Hong Kong rolled, it sustained major damage, and Glenn suffered concussion in the incident. Glenn recovered, but the boat's damage was severe. While still watertight and the mast still standing, the yacht had lost the dodger and a hatch cover. The boat also has discharged batteries, severely damaged self steering equipment and an inoperable engine. It had also lost its life raft and solar panels. The boat is extremely wet below from the roll, and water is now entering the boat through the missing hatch cover and down the companionway. At the time of the rollover the wind speed was 50 knots, in a 6 meter swell. It took Glenn several days to make the decision, at first maintaining that he could continue.
His intention was to make his way through Drake Passage and round Cape Horn at a distance of about 100 nautical miles. Once around Cape Horn, Glenn was to head out about 1000 miles into the Pacific and then up the coast of Chile recrossing the equator at about 135 degrees. From there he was to sail north to Hawaii and then east to the west coast of British Columbia returning to the Straits of Juan de Fuca and his home port of Victoria in July of 2008
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