Golden Globe skipper activates EPIRB in South Atlantic

At 1540UTC April 10, Ian Herbert Jones SKIPPER PUFFIN rang the GGR Race Office on Iridium phone to advise that he was in extreme weather and confused sea, 50 knots, gusting over 70 knots, running under bare poles, trying to hand steer downwind. The yacht was laid over often by the force of wind and waves. There was a small amount of water down below. The line was bad and contact was lost.
10 minutes later Ian called again. He could not launch his drogue to keep Puffin stern to the waves. Conditions were extreme and he had been washed out of the cockpit twice. He had activated his EPIRB. Don McIntyre advised Ian that the extreme weather would last for at least another 5 hours, and that he should launch his drogue if possible, to assist down wind control on Puffin. Keeping the stern facing the wave is critical to avoid being rolled.
See full release: https://goldengloberace.com/day-218-epirb-activation-in-extreme-storm-puffin-golden-globe-race/
Photo: Ian Herbert Jones / GGR2022