Final challenges for solo sailor Ken Gourlay

by Julian Burgess/Ken Gourlay on 27 Apr 2007 Light winds and big low in the Australian Bight are hopefully the final challenges for Tasmanian round-the-world sailor Ken Gourlay as he enters the final 1000 nautical miles of his circumnavigation.

The 51-year-old is trying to become the first Tasmanian and fastest Australian to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world.

With malfunctioning auto-pilots and a boat showing the strain of 23,000 miles and 170 days of ocean sailing, Gourlay is hoping to finish his epic voyage on Sunday, May 6, to equal the record of Newcastle sailor Tony Mowbray in 2001.
Gourlay has been able to average around 130nm a day for his voyage and if he keeps this up he will meet his finish deadline. This week he passed Cape Leeuwin, off Western Australia's south-west corner.

Cape Leeuwin is the last of five 'great capes' he must pass on his voyage.

The voyage is a fund-raising project for the Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust aiming to raise $100,000 for the research into eyesight disease in children. So far he has raised $52,000. Gourlay's web site www.spiritsoloquest.com provides daily reports, photos and a map showing his progress.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: Ken Gourlay is a Launceston businessman who with his family, wife Wendy and grown-up children Adam, Tristan and Carly, owns and operates Modern Living Carpet Court and is Immediate Past Commodore of the Tamar Yacht Club.

He has more than 65,000 nautical miles of sailing to his credit, starting with sabots at the Tamar Yacht Club in the early 1960s. He has since sailed several Sydney to Hobart races, crossed the Indian Ocean, the Tasman Sea and twice sailed the South Pacific.

He is a line honours winner of the Melbourne to Launceston yacht race and a winner of the Australian Three Peaks race.

If Ken is successful in his Round The World Solo Quest he will become one of a handful of Australians to have achieved the feat, including Jon Sanders in 1982, Kay Cottee in 1988, Jesse Martin in 1999 and Tony Mowbray in 2001.

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]
Extracts from Ken's Diary:

Hi Everyone,

Worst days distance covered for months, that about sums it allup. Lovely weather, another good drying day. This southerly came in about 0200 this morning and the good news is that we are enjoying pleasant sailing, all beit slow and frustrating. At least we are not rolling from side to side or banging the sails about like we did for most of the day yesterday. We are just riding the big swells and enjoying the sun and the ambience.

It is good to have bread again and lunch will be ham, cheese and chutney on fresh bread. I betyou are all jealous. There is still no early end in sight to the light winds yetbut there appears to be plenty of wind following. Plenty of birds to watch andbooks are still lasting so I am just staying sane.

My course is about 20deg. north of east to try and get up in line with Bass Strait and get away fromthe strongest winds of this next weather pattern. This also has the effect ofslowing my progress east down even more. 'You are never given a dream withoutalso being given the power to make it happen.'

-----------------

Hi Everyone,

After yesterday's report I only managed 13nm in 4 hours and nowprogress is desperately slow again. There is a big swell mixed in from the lowfurther south. I have bread just about to go into the oven as I had to run themotor this morning to charge the batteries. I use the heat in the engine room toprove the dough.

The quiet spell is due to continue for two to three days.Very frustrating but nothing can be done about it so we just hang on and wait.It's basically a sunny day here so that is the up side and I have things outairing and drying. I will try and listen to the Bombers this arvo on RadioAustralia. Not much else to report really, I'll just sit here and wait for thewind and you guys have a good Anzac day holiday.

---------------

Day: 170 -- Date: 24/04/2007 Time: 12:00

Hi Everyone,

I had some very strong NNE winds last night with top gustsrecorded to 47 knots with the general strength 35-45 knots. Now that has passedand light NW winds have come in which are from the low behind me. I don't thinkthis low will reach me as it's heading south east now.

I think I'm in for aspell of light winds as the low building over Adelaide will create this andleave me without much wind. Let's hope I get some to keep moving. The sky isfilled with cloud and it has been raining since 0400 this am. I've put a coupleof towels out to rinse as I just can't seem to get them dry. I would send somerain on if I could.

I guess that my big news is that I have passed the lastof the five great capes; Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia. What a milestone forme and Spirit; 22,800nm. My poor boat got such a thumping last night into theNNE winds. She really didn't deserve it and she should have been celebratingwoth me. Of course I shared my bit of bubbly with Neptune for the safe but bumpypassage.

The photo of Neptune that I sent back was of Neptune. I think thatthere appears to be some misunderstanding that people think that it's me dressedup. I can assure you not. Would any self respecting sailor dress like that, Iask you?

Cheers for now,
Happy sailing,
Ken Gourlay

www.spiritsoloquest.com