Tim Troy Withdraws from VELUX 5 Oceans

by Tim Kelly on 10 Nov 2006
Tim Troy, the solo yachtsman from the United States who was fighting tenaciously to make the start line of the VELUX 5 OCEANS race, officially withdrew his entry today. Troy was determined for over two years to take part in the classic round the world single-handed yacht race.

Plagued by problems and setbacks from the outset, Tim had hoped to fulfill his life long ambition to take on the world’s toughest oceans in his 60 ft boat MARGARET ANNA (ex-Petit Navire) and circumnavigate the globe. Today he confirmed this was not to be.

Commenting on the disappointment, Tim Troy added, 'I am both emotionally and financially exhausted. You cannot imagine the disappointment I am feeling after working so long and so hard at becoming a member of the elite group of people who have sailed around the world alone.'

'With one week to go before the start, I was told that the boat did not conform, and that I would need to make some changes to get the boat to the correct AVS. Although this would not be easy, it could be done, knowing I would need to start the race about a week late. With three days before the start I was informed by IMOCA that I needed to do the rollover test as well. It was impossible for me to do this with the short amount of time, and the limited amount of funds available. I could not just add lead to the keel, and then go out into the Southern Oceans without proper testing. And to do a 180 test would just completely destroy the boat.'

'I want to thank the many people who helped me try and pull this all off. Without their help I would never gotten as far as I did. I also want to make a special thanks to all of the wonderful people I met in Bilbao. It only makes it harder, as I feel as though I have let so many people down. I can only say that when I come back, and I will, I will take all of the lessons I have learned, and all of the support I have gotten, and work even harder than ever to get this job done.'

Troy, 48, has dreamt of sailing around the world since he was a young man and the Velux 5 Oceans offered the perfect platform to achieve his ultimate goal. The Maryland-based skipper effectively financed himself to take on the Ultimate Solo Challenge, taking out two mortgages on his family home and sacrificing long evenings and many weekends to work on his 60 ft yacht (named after his daughters). He has battled for many months to prepare his boat and get his team to Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain) for the start of the race. He was even boosted by a last minute sponsorship deal with Solveras Payment Systems.

Troy began his qualification process for the Velux 5 Oceans with a solo transatlantic delivery in September. The race organisers recommended that all the participating boats complete their IMOCA Certification (the Open 60 Class Association rules) prior to arriving in Bilbao on October 1. All boats must have IMOCA certification in order to take part in the Velux 5 Oceans. Once in Bilbao, all competitors were equally subject to further intensive scrutineering by the race organisers to meet race safety standards.

Unfortunately, MARGARET ANNA failed a fundamental IMOCA safety test governing the stability of the boat (how readily the boat will recover from a capsize). Troy’s yacht failed the AVS test (Angle of Vanishing Stability) by a mere three degrees. However small the margin, the tests are fundamental to the safety of the Open 60 Class, and meant Tim did not qualify for the race. The result ultimately meant that Troy was not able to start with the rest of the fleet.

Troy quickly got in contact with the boat's French designer Bernard Nivelt to establish the best way to solve the problems. Nivelt suggested 300kg of lead needed to be added to the keel around the foil (the aerofoil profile metal strut connecting the lead keel bulb to the hull). Normally extra lead, if it must be added, is put on to the keel bulb, but Nivelt believed that adding it to the foil would relieve some of the added loads at the crucial spot where the keel enters the hull. Troy, unable to make the essential changes in Bilbao, took MARGARET ANNA to La Rochelle, France.

After many tests and an agonizing time, Troy made the difficult decision not to make the changes necessary to try to pass the IMOCA stability test. Tim had no assurances that even after all the costly work, MARGARET ANNA would definitely pass the test and receive a formal IMOCA certification. The necessary work also meant that he could not start before November 15.

Speaking from race HQ, Race Director David Adams commented 'We are all disappointed that Tim has had to make this difficult decision to retire from the Velux 5 Oceans , but understand the reasons. Safety is a priority for the race organisers and the skippers. Tim has been a fantastic competitor and a real character. Everyone rallied round Tim after he failed the stability test and we have done everything we possibly can to try to resolve this situation. The race and our sponsors have worked closely with Tim for over a year to try to allow him to complete his ultimate ambition.'

'It is a disappointing day for us all but we wish him well in his future endeavors and I am sure this is not the last we will see of Tim Troy amongst the class or the circuit. Today’s announcement serves to highlight the enormity of the endeavour required to make it onto the start line of a solo circumnavigation. Simply getting there is a remarkable achievement in itself.'

MARGARET ANNA will remain in La Rochelle while Tim plans to spend time with his family back in America. The race visits Norfolk (Virginia, USA) at the entrance to the Chesapeake in March and April 2007.