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On Sunday afternoon, Lucy TeMoananui set sail from New Plymouth to Southport on the 2023 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge - one of nine entries in the four-yearly 1240nm race across a notoriously rough stretch of water between New Zealand and Australia. TeMoananui was the only first-timer and the only female in this year’s fleet.
By Monday night, the 39-year-old Kaikoura-based schoolteacher was back in port following a series of mishaps aboard her Contessa 32, one of three boats to abandon the race in the first few days. Here, TeMoananui talks about the disappointment of having to quit the race and the reasons for the decision that has left her “devastated”.
Thank you to each and everyone who has sent me messages of support. It’s been a hugely disappointing time having to pull out of my race and return to port.
We started at the beginning of a big weather system settling in to last about three days, 30-40kn on the nose, but nothing I haven’t experienced before, alone in the Tasman in the last few weeks.
However, a series of issues came up one after the other which put myself and my boat in a situation where it would have been dangerous to continue.
I am in good company, though – with one boat pulling out the morning of the race [Apriori], one turning back to port within a couple of hours of starting [Allegresse has since rejoined the race] and since I returned, another friend [Melting Pot] has just pulled out also…
This is an incredibly difficult race.
Before we left, all the skippers had a day with a guy who talked to us about making the right decision before a bad situation turns into a serious one. Often, it’s a series of smaller problems that cause an emergency situation.
However, in the last month since I left Nelson, I have racked up approximately 900nm of offshore solo sailing in the Tasman Sea, including two big weather systems – 45kn+ winds and 5-6m swell.
[This time] I had some ongoing electrical issues which saw my autopilot compromised - the critical piece of equipment for offshore solo sailing. I really cannot sail without it. I did four days of hand steering in my qualifier and it’s incredibly difficult to continue that for any longer.
I lost my No 4 when I was lashing it down on the bow after I hoisted my storm jib. As my bow went completely underwater, a wave swept it overboard - my silly fault for not keeping it clipped on before lashing. (I spent a lot of time underwater also at this time but clipped on inside of the lifelines).
Lucy TeMoananui retired from her first Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge following a series of mishaps. Photos / Supplied
As I dropped my main from 2nd reef to 3rd, somehow the main halyard shackle banged against the mast in the most imperfect way, that it opened and I lost the main halyard as it flew to the top of the mast and wrapped itself around the furled genoa and spare halyard.
I was left with only my storm jib (and spinnaker). Climbing the mast to retrieve in 35kn and 4m seas was far too dangerous - I did attempt and quickly abandoned it. The weather was due to deteriorate for a while yet and more settled weather was two days away. With only my storm jib, I could not keep my direction and I had very little sea room.
I was about six hours away from being pushed onto the first offshore oil rig. So, the decision was made.
I have got so much more from this experience than I ever thought I would. I thought completing the race was the only goal, the only takeaway. That’s not the case, it’s the people.
The friends I have made, the people around me who have helped me every step and taught me so much. Spending time in the company of these great skippers is a dream in itself, the new friends I have made in New Plymouth – I have no words.
I am quite devastated not to be able to continue this time, but I made the start line of this one and I’m ready for the next one with a heap of experience under my belt.
This story was first published on Facebook and is republished here with permission.
For live tracking and more information about the 2023 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge, click here.
