NEWS
AGX - Mission Accomplished
Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:05:30 +0000

The final Broadly Boats Special in the Alpha Global Expedition series is now available as a free download from: tinyurl.com/59vkxp The book “Over The Top” by Adrian Flanagan will be launched by Orion in October 2008. bb.firetrench.com ftnews.firetrench.com agx.firetrench.com nighthawk.firetrench.com ftd.firetrench.com

The Tall Ships’ Races 2008 got off to a flying start
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:56:11 +0000

HMS Mersey will be following the fleet. Above, earlier this year when HMS Mersey welcomed first vertical (bi-polar) cirumnavigator Adrian Flanagan back to British waters after his transit of the Russian Northern Sea Route The Tall Ships’ Races 2008 got off to a flying start yesterday as the race got under way just off the northern [...]

Alpha Global meets Exercise Midnight Sun
Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:36:54 +0000

pictured left to right: Mark Giles, Andy Whitmore, Adrian, Paul Molyneux and Warren Beresford On Wednesday Adrian & Louise met with four members of the Territorial Army who are taking part in Exercise Midnight Sun which is the Royal Signals TA expedition to Greenland, one of the planets last great unspoilt wildernesses, in August 2008. The [...]

FAVOURITE PICTURES
Sat, 31 May 2008 14:18:40 +0000

We’ve finally made it home after 2 weeks on the Hamble. And what an incredibly memorable 2 weeks they have been. Of the many hundreds of pictures taken on the 21st May, these are two we particularly like. The family portrait is taken by our good friend Tina Hadley, the other by Sara Coombes [...]

AGX - PHOTOS
Mon, 26 May 2008 12:01:06 +0000

Below are a selection of family photos taken over the past couple of days - please feel free to use them. For publication purposes, a photo credit will suffice (Louise Flanagan) Reading The Times at breakfast on Thursday morning!

AGX - PHOTOS
Mon, 26 May 2008 11:55:02 +0000

Below are a selection of family photos taken over the past couple of days - please feel free to use them. For publication purposes, a photo credit will suffice (Louise Flanagan)    

THE DREAM CAME TRUE
Mon, 26 May 2008 11:35:57 +0000

  The smile that said it all - (photo - Louise Flanagan) The Alpha Global Expedition ended at 11.00am on Wednesday 21st May when Barrabas crossed the start / finish line between Calshot Spit and Hillhead in the Solent. Adrian Flanagan became the first single-handed sailor to achieve a ‘vertical’ circumnavigation of the earth. Below, in [...]

Thanks for a wonderful welcome home
Wed, 21 May 2008 15:13:37 +0000

Adrian and Louise wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who have helped to make this voyage of circumnavigation possible, to those who sent messages of support as Adrian prepared to sail away, to those who wrote and emailed during the trip, to all of those who came to make the conclusion such [...]

AGX Homecoming
Wed, 21 May 2008 10:08:15 +0000

Anyone wishing to rendezvous with Adrian at sea made their way to the EAST BRAMBLE MARK (50 47.2 N, 1 13.7 E) between 9:30am and 10:00am today. Spectators Spectators were able to watch Adrian as he proceeded up the River Hamble between 10:00am and 11:00am. Viewing from either the Hamble or Warsash side of the [...]

Full Day Ahead
Wed, 21 May 2008 08:30:57 +0000

Today will be a very full day for Adrian Flanagan as he ends a unique voyage - an outstanding achievement. Perhaps the final course chosen was a gentle build up to today. Originally, Adrian considered leaving Norway and heading South and West around the Shetlands and the Scottish islands, along the West coast of Ireland and [...]


Over The Top
News Archive

4 May 2006
Mast damage forces Adrian to stop in Hawaii

Adrian is now forced to stop for several days in Oahu so that essential work can be carried out to fix his mast. Disappointing as this is,  It will also provide an opportunity for him to have other maintenance work carried out as well as leaving enough time for some very cold beers, a haircut and a trip to the laundrette.

Only days away from Hawaii and what will be his first sight of land in weeks, Adrian Flanagan has suffered a serious blow to his Alpha Global Expedition. In the early hours of this morning he contacted his shore team to report "a strange twanging sound from the mast." Upon inspection he noticed that "the shrouds that support the mast had become looser and the mast top was very off centre...". Adrian proceeded to climb the mast to take a closer look and discovered two critical damage points. The spreaders are coming away from the mast and need rewelding but most importantly the through bolt that supports the shrouds has ripped through the stainless steel mast tube.

There is no way this can be fixed at sea properly, especially with so many thousands of miles still ahead. What was already set up as a swift supply drop in Hawaii has now become a race against time to lift out the mast and effect repairs. As such Adrian will be stepping ashore for the first time in over 6 months. Research has shown that Adrian is very likely to be the first person to ever sail from UK to Hawaii alone, non-stop and westabout via Cape Horn. Adrian's yacht, Barrabas, has endured remarkably well so far. Although such damage is potentially catastrophic it is not enough to stop Adrian from fulfilling his ultimate goal.

Presently sailing in calm conditions, he has been forced to reduce sail and relieve the mast of as many stresses as possible. This will delay his arrival in Honolulu to at least the 10th of May. Local sailors and Waikiki Yacht Club members are already rallying to sort out all the necessary logistics so that the turn around is done quickly as possible.

Adrian still has to sail to his antipodal point on the globe, south east of Japan, before heading north to the Bering Straits. Global weather patterns do not wait for sailors and so the less time Adrian spends in Hawaii the better.