4:04pm Tuesday 25th August 2009
Seventeen-year-old British sailor Mike Perham is now within two days of becoming the youngest person to sail single-handed around the world.
He now expects his 50ft yacht Totallymoney.com to reach The Lizard line marking the start and finish point of his 30,000 mile record-setting odyssey on Thursday morning - two months inside the current record.
Overnight, the teenager from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire has had to cope with the initial effects of Hurricane Bill, now racing up behind him as it traverses the North Atlantic.
Mike Broughton, Perham’s weather router, said: “Hurricane Bill is generating winds of more than 70knots and is tracking across the Atlantic at almost 40knots. We are expecting it to split into two low-pressure systems today but the winds will still remain gale force through Wednesday.”
Mike Perham said from his boat: “Well, there was some fun surfing last night, that’s for sure! This ‘Bad Boy Low’, as it’s now been christened, is certainly doing what it said on the tin. Totallymoney.com was really zipping along at times, surfing down some huge swells, the biggest of which were over 45 feet.
“This morning I did something I've never done this trip yet. I actually put on the 'brakes'. I reduced sail considerably and slowed from 11knots to nine. We’ve decided that it would be better if I’m not too close to the shore when Hurricane Bill hits. I'm much happier out here with lots of sea room, so I can just let Bill pass overhead tonight.
“Despite the reduced sail, Totallymoney.com is still surfing along quite merrily with only a handkerchief up. The downside is that with so little sail set, I’m rocking and rolling about a lot more.
“As I’ve drawn closer to the finish, much of my day has been taken up with radio interviews. The funniest point was being told over the phone that the BBC had done their own special forecast on TV, telling everyone how the rapidly approaching Hurricane Bill is going to affect me.
“Seems like things are hotting up for crossing the finish line off The Lizard on Thursday.”
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