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This post details a serious offshore emergency aboard a Gunboat 68, where a collision with an unknown object destroyed a rudder. It covers the immediate response, damage control, and the challenging sail to the Azores, showcasing professional-grade seamanship and problem-solving.
Author: Shayne
The second leg of our Gunboat 68 transatlantic delivery from Antigua to France presented the crew with every offshore sailor’s nightmare: a catastrophic gear failure in the middle of the ocean.
What began as a brisk passage into classic North Atlantic conditions—gray skies, building winds, and a washing machine sea state—quickly escalated into a full-blown test of seamanship and emergency response.
The Impact: A Violent Halt at 12 Knots
“Day six, seven… I can’t remember. What an eventful morning this was—one I hope I never have to see again or repeat.”
The incident occurred approximately 1,000 nautical miles from the Azores. While sailing at 12 knots, the Gunboat 68 hit an unknown object in the water with tremendous force. The result was immediate and severe: the starboard rudder and its surrounding rudder box were “completely destroyed.”
The boat shuddered to a grinding halt, presenting the crew with a critical situation far from any assistance.
Left picture: rudder damage
Damage Control: Ocean-Side Rudder Surgery
Drawing on previous experience with with loss of our own rudder on Paikea durig our Atlantic crossing, Shayne and the crew faced the arduous task of dealing with the damaged component.
“We spent a couple of hours trying to remove the rudder blade from the box… that was fun in the middle of the ocean,” Shayne notes with characteristic understatement.
Successfully removing the damaged rudder blade was the first critical step. This prevented further damage to the hull and allowed the boat to continue sailing, albeit with a significant handicap.
The New Reality: Sailing a 68-Foot Catamaran on One Rudder
With one rudder out of commission, the crew’s priorities shifted from speed to safety. They adopted a conservative sail plan—”second reef, big jib”—and began “plodding along” toward the Azores, the nearest safe haven. If you are interested in seeing our sail configuration on our 42ft catamaran Paikea with one rudder see this video We Sailed Paikea With One Rudder
The journey continued for another four days, with the crew managing building winds that peaked at 27-29 knots and a challenging, confused sea state. Despite the self-imposed 12-knot speed limit, the boat still surfed waves at over 20 knots, a nerve-wracking experience with compromised steering.
A Clever System: Slave Rings Explained
Before the emergency unfolded, the video showcases a clever piece of deck hardware: Harken winch “slave rings.” These rings at the base of the winches allow lines to be led around one winch to another, preventing the cockpit from being “locked out” when a winch is occupied by a furler line or other loaded sheet. It’s a small but brilliant feature that demonstrates the thoughtful design of these performance vessels.
Luckily or (unluckily!) Shayne has been in this situation once before on a Transatlantic and while it is not something that is enjoyable to experience (even the once) the problems it produces are not unsurmountable and he is able to remove the rudder and continue sailing. The plan now is to head to the Azores where they will be able to source materials to repair the rudder box and find a replacement rudder blade.
Toulon will have to wait for now…