Canadian Solo sailor Glenn Wakefield has abandoned his attempt to become the first North American to sail 'the wrong way' around the world after his boat was rolled in the Southern Ocean.

Wakefield was seven months into his trip when his 40ft sloop Kim Chow rolled. Wakefield suffered concussion, and the boat lost its dodger and hatch cover, sustained heavy damage to its self steering gear and lost its liferaft and solar panels.

The wind was blowing 50 knots at the time of the rollover, but it took Wakefield several days to decide to abandon his trip, with water pouring through the open hatch.

The Argentinian Naval Vessel Puerto Deseado stood by for 48 hours until weather and sea conditions allowed them to transfer the sailor to their ship. In a message from the vessel, its commander said "Glenn will be transferred to a Coast Guard vessel and taken to a port in Argentina and from there to Buenos Aires and home. The fate of Kim Chow is uncertain at this point. The Navy are considering the options."

The trip took four years of planning. Wakefield's intention was to make his way through Drake Passage and round Cape Horn at a distance of about 100 nautical miles. Once around Cape Horn, he was to head out about 1000 miles into the Pacific and then up the coast of Chile recrossing the equator at about 135 degrees. From there he was to sail north to Hawaii and then east to the west coast of British Columbia returning to the Straits of Juan de Fuca and his home port of Victoria in July of 2008.

More information at Sail-world.com
Yachting Monthly, 28 April 2008