Pat Lawless, the oldest skipper in the race at 70, has retired from the 2026 McIntyre Golden Globe Race after suffering a serious failure of his Solent rig. At the time of the incident, he was approximately 100 nautical miles behind race leader Damien Guillou.
On 17 October, Pat sent a message to GGR Race Control stating, “Pat here. Solent rig broken. Rig okay. Now sailing north. Out of the game.” This message indicates a significant failure involving the Solent stay, which is critical for the reefing headsail system aboard SILVERMINES HYDRO. He encountered a 20–25 kt headwind and 3–4 m seas, approximately 2,000 miles west of Cape Town in the Roaring Forties of the South Atlantic.
Previously, Pat had reported damage to the Solent forestay and had successfully completed repairs at sea. However, it appears that further damage has occurred. GGR has yet to confirm if this damage is related to the earlier repair or if a new issue has arisen in the rigging.
Importantly, Pat confirmed that the main rig remains intact, and there is currently no indication that the mast is in danger. The main genoa forestay and staysail forestay are still secure, and Pat reported no injuries or requests for assistance. Consequently, GGR has not declared a CODE ORANGE.
Pat’s last message was received at approximately 01:51 local French time on 18 October, shortly after Race Control had completed their nightly monitoring. It was discovered during the 04:00 UTC tracker update, which showed a drastic change in Pat’s course as SILVERMINES HYDRO began moving slowly in a north-westerly direction.
Pat’s shore manager has been notified about the situation. While he has not yet made further contact with Race Control since his retirement, he is now free to use his satellite phone without competition restrictions.
Regarding his immediate plans, it is unclear what Pat intends to do next. His current course suggests he may be hove-to or ensuring SILVERMINES HYDRO is stable while assessing the damage. His priorities will likely include inspecting the damaged rig and securing or removing any loose components to prevent further issues.
This retirement is particularly disappointing for Pat, as he viewed the 2026 race as his final opportunity to achieve a lifelong ambition of becoming the first Irish sailor to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation in the Golden Globe Race. His exceptional performance had seen him close the gap to race leader Damien Guillou, setting the stage for a thrilling contest before this unfortunate rig failure.
Pat Lawless has once again showcased his determination and seamanship. At this time, there is no CODE ORANGE, and GGR Race Control continues to monitor the situation. Further updates will be provided once Pat has evaluated the damage and outlined his next steps.
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