During the race a boat’s location must be determined by traditional star, sun, planet or moon sights. Navigators of boats competing using celestial navigation must at a minimum maintain, and have ready for inspection in Bermuda, the paper-based plotting sheets for the entire race which demonstrate the method of obtaining the vessel’s position at any time during the race. All fixes resulting from Lines of Position shall have recorded the GMT, altitude, azimuth and intercept of the body or bodies of each LOP. Any Local Apparent Noon fixes shall have GMT and altitude data recorded and available for inspection.

It was an easy but painful decision to abandon SOLUTION. She was clearly sinking. I estimated  that the water was rising an inch every ten minutes and it was now completely covering the  floorboards, with 8 inches to go before it covered the main batteries located beneath the lower  bunks in the main cabin.

A yacht may elect to race using celestial navigation. If a yacht elects to be celestially navigated, she shall have her elapsed time reduced by 3%.

The adventure was beginning and it was nothing like what I anticipated. Years, months, and days of prep work were forgotten. We just wanted to make it through the evening of squalls and then the Gulf Stream safely reminding ourselves that this trip was our vacation time.