Zac Sunderland's British sailing rival fires shot across his bow
*Updated with L.A. Times video
While Zac Sunderland plods slowly north off Baja California, less than 300 miles from home after a 13-month around-the-world odyssey, Mike Perham, his British counterpart, has entered the Panama Canal.
Tale of the tape: Both sailors are 17. Zac is a few months older, though, so not long after he becomes the youngest person to sail alone around the world, Mike is expected to complete his journey and claim that distinction.
Zac's trip is not well-funded. He's on a smaller (36-foot), older, much slower boat. Mike's journey is fully sponsored. He's aboard a 50-foot racing yacht whose sails might be worth as much as Zac's entire vessel. Mike left England months after Zac left Marina del Rey and were it not for a series of boat issues he'd have easily beaten his Yankee rival to the record. Mike is due home in early August.
Fighting words: Zac and Mike are not friends and Mike recently issued a statement on his blog that could be perceived as being directed at Zac:
"Usually cruising boats making this trip up from New Zealand or Australia would use their engine during these light conditions to make good progress -- but due to the nature of my trip, which is to sail around the world, I haven't and I won't use the engine to push me even one nautical mile around the planet.... Using my engine wouldn't be right or fair!"
Zac has used his motor, sparingly, he says. He used it while trying to escape the path of a presumed pirate vessel bearing down on him in the Indian Ocean. He used it while backtracking to a Mexican port to beat the predicted arrival of an advancing hurricane. In a March 8 blog post, he wrote about motoring during a long windless period, which clearly was picked up by Mike's camp.
When Zac entered port recently in Puerto Vallarta, his motor had 400 hours of use, which seems insignificant considering the duration and length of his excursion. Said harbormaster Dick Markie, whose port is used to prep sailors for circumnavigations: "You get into positions where you have no choice; that's the reason there's a motor on the boat."
Charlie Nobles, executive director of the American Sailing Assn., added: "At the end of the day, the challenges are not whether you sit for an extra day or two [in no wind] and don't use your motor, it's all the other stuff you've been through, so I don't think you can really say that diminishes it."
Zac assured in an interview that Mike has used his motor too, "while sailing through storms and stuff." Beyond that, though, Zac refused to comment critically.
-- Pete Thomas
Top photo of Mike Perham courtesy of Totallymoney.com.
Video by Al Seib/Los Angeles Times
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Who cares if he used his motor for a little while when not using it would have damaged or delayed his trip? The kid is 17 and he's sailing AROUND THE WORLD! Congrats Zac, it's an awesome accomplishment. You deserve all the praise you get.
Posted by: Bryan | July 10, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Too bad American Companies cant see the potential of sponsoring such a feat as those in Europe do. The story is so uplifting yet the commercial world in the USA doesnt get it.
Posted by: CW | July 10, 2009 at 12:52 PM
Nice scoop Pete, thanks for reporting. Next post I'm hoping you can find out about the rules that solo circumnavigators must abide to have their feat recognized officially.
For instance, both Sunderland and Perham had long stays at port for repairs. How long are you allow to hang out at port before your attempt is deemed cancelled? Also, as for using the engine - are there any rules about too much motoring vs sailing? Seems to me that to get in the record books there has to be some verification that is performed by a governing body. Or not ?
Posted by: Doug Moore | July 10, 2009 at 02:04 PM
Interesting statement "I haven't and I won't use the engine to push me even one nautical mile around the planet.... Using my engine wouldn't be right or fair!"
Especially considering this from his own blog of 8/7-2009 "In situations like these, I don't even think about motor gives way to sail. "
Posted by: Dgmelton | July 10, 2009 at 04:17 PM
Perham will be using his engine in the locks in the Panama Canal.
More than 1 nautical mile combined.
Silly to shoot one's mouth of constantly like that.
Besides who wants a record for sailing around the world in a racing yacht with the most breakdowns ever and taking nearly 12 months and only visiting 3 places to boot.
Rather like driving across Europe in a Lamborgini at 3 miles per hour and only stopping for repairs and seeing nothing and meeting no one :-)
Posted by: Ziggy | July 11, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Zac had better have something to back up his accusation, if it was indeed properly attributed to him: Zac assured in an interview that Mike has used his motor too, "while sailing through storms and stuff." Beyond that, though, he refused to comment.
Posted by: Sven in Cabrillo | July 11, 2009 at 12:46 PM
In my view Mike Perham hasn't really done anything. That is to say his boat is 99% of the time steered by a computer while all he does is attend to the sails. That along with seeming to have a very easy run of it. No storms encountered, breakdowns at sea etc. etc. It appears with their corporate support they're running away or around from any normal course, be it through storms or the doldrums etc. Whereas Zac with his slow boat has no option but to tackle everything head on. Broken booms, doldrums, zero electronics etc. etc. all the while, while hand steering using a tiller. That to me is sailing and is more impressive. Versus sitting on a bean bag eating chocolate watching the world go by.
Posted by: Robert Smith | July 11, 2009 at 01:12 PM
Pretty lame quotes from Perham. Obviously oblivious to how his entire campaign looks to the outside world. He's taken a high tech million dollar race yacht, even with internet access mind you, on a cruiser yacht circumnavigation course and sailing it like a cruiser.
Totally overkill.
And then crowing about it.
In fact I would be embarrased.
Posted by: Julia | July 11, 2009 at 01:32 PM
That's an appalling piece of journalism with a conclusion based on conjecture.
I can only hope that your reders see past this piece of rubbish and give it the distain it deserves and ignore your "hook".
KitG
Posted by: Kit Griffin | July 12, 2009 at 11:07 PM
Based on the venom and ill will projected by Ziggy, Robert Smith and Julia, one can only assume they are part of the Zac Pack. They certainly don't waste any good will on the younger competitor and his truly astonishing accomplishments.
Posted by: Sven in Cabrillo | July 13, 2009 at 07:13 AM
Ah yes, if it isn't "sven from mdr" whining about zac again. Anywhere and everywhere there's an article about zac who should spring up, "sven from mdr". A rather peculiar fetish one must assume. Truly astonishing.
What's even more astonishing is taking a mission purposed Open 50 through the Panama Canal. I do not believe that has ever been done before unless on a delivery basis. If even that. Truly astonishing indeed.
Posted by: Tea 'n Crumpet Gang | July 13, 2009 at 08:50 AM
Yes and the latest claim that Zac was beset my a boat full of pirates. Funny since the reason why he got spooked originally was that he never saw anyone on board the fishing boat.
Why ruin a perfectly good accomplishment by making credibility-ruining-statements to the press ?
Posted by: Sven in Cabrillo | July 13, 2009 at 07:43 PM
Because usually in the pirate-infested waterways of Indonesia, the fishermen are on deck while the pirates remain under. Clearly if the pirates were to remain on deck with weapons in hand as they approached their targets, they wouldn't have much success and the region wouldn’t be the pirate-infested waterways of Indonesia.
It would be the jack-in-a-box-fishermen-who popup-at-the-least-minute-not-really-fishing-rather-following-you-around-endlessly-region.
Just a wild guess.
Posted by: Home At Last | July 13, 2009 at 08:48 PM
@ Robert Smith
you should really read Mikes blog if you think all he has done is eat chocolate
http://www.totallymoney.com/sailmike/?p=1345 Is a good example.
going 28 knots in 50 foot waves is not something I would like to do.
Posted by: George | July 14, 2009 at 09:34 AM
From Perham's blog today.
"I always knew that some people would try to pit us against each other and it bugs me when that happens. Was it Zac vs Mike? No. I tell you what it is. It's two teenagers going out there, living their dream and having the adventure of a lifetime! Once again, well done Zac"
Maybe all us should take a lesson from these young men, stop arguing about it, and offer our congradulations to both.
Posted by: Rob | July 16, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Hey Zac ..Way to go Congrats..Mike Perham ,aka ...Richie Rich is obviously a pompass ass lol.. What an immature copycat ,lame and unoriginal.
Kudos to you Bro from Venice , California
Posted by: Armando Peralta | July 16, 2009 at 01:34 PM
To hell with the use of the engine - the kid has done something most of us only dream of doing. Congrats
Posted by: paul | July 16, 2009 at 02:42 PM
@Armando Peralta
"lame and unoriginal" - Try to educate yourself a bit. Just because they are both sailing around the world does not make either one lame or unoriginal. There are in fact two other attempts either underway or in the late planning stages - are they lame and unoriginal? Zac wasn't the first to do this, only the most recent, - is he equally lame and unoriginal?
Perham has a list of other sailing firsts - ie, youngest to cross the Atlantic solo I believe.
Your lack of sportsmanship, and lack of appreciation, for the efforts of others only detracts from the accomplishments of Zac by your association with him.
Posted by: Rob | July 16, 2009 at 02:54 PM
LOve your Dad and Mom! You went with the grace of God. Your parents sent you off with a blessing. You did not need a fancy boat and fancy sails. You will be rewarded for your effort and your family too. You are a testimony to Faith! PTL!!! Will you marry my daughter? JK.
Sharon Aanstoos
Posted by: SHARON AANSTOOS | July 16, 2009 at 05:25 PM
Zac is already yesterday's news. What he should do is go around the world north to south and never use a motor, then he can brag........for now, he should just be quiet.........
Posted by: Frog Prince | July 16, 2009 at 05:56 PM
I'm curious if using the Panama Canal counts as 'sailing around the world'? Yes, both these teens are doing it, going around the world, but they are not using only natural waterways. I know it can be very tough going around the tip of South America, but it just seems not a true 'around the world' record if they use the Panama Canal!!
Posted by: SeattleGuy | July 17, 2009 at 08:51 PM