Phuket man spends 77 hours in dinghy, breaks record

[webfact]

Phuket man spends 77 hours in dinghy, breaks record
Claire Connell


Yassine Darkaoui arrived back in Phuket on Saturday.

PHUKET: -- A local expat has completed a gruelling sailing trip alone in a Laser dinghy, spending 77 hours on board the tiny boat and battling storms and severe pain.

Yassine Darkaoui, originally from Morocco, has been planning for around two years to beat the Guinness world record for the longest distance sailed in a Laser dinghy.

However, unable to organise a support boat (a requirement for a Guinness record), he had to settle for unofficially breaking the records for longest time spent in a Laser dinghy, and the Asia record for the longest distance sailed in a Laser dinghy in Asia.

Mr Darkaoui said the previous record for Asia was 50 nautical miles, and he managed to do 211. The current world record is around 300 nautical miles (555 km) and was set by Mexican sailor and Olympian Tania Calles.

Mr Darkaoui also says he broke the current record of 65 hours spend in a Laser dinghy – he spent 77 hours on his tiny boat.

He set off from Ao Yon at 12.20am on Wednesday (May 28), and headed to Phi Phi and Racha Islands. He returned to Phuket at various times, not touching land but collecting more food and water from a boat near Ao Yon, and checking in with his support team on the shore.

“I had no support boat, and I was avoiding storms. Every time I saw a storm coming I had to change my route.”

Although the records are not being officially confirmed, Mr Darkaoui said he will put all the GPS data on his blog site, for anyone who wishes to get more details or check his route.

“For the first maybe six hours I was scared, because I had a bad experience sailing around Racha before, and I was thinking I should stop. But after that six hours, I started getting more comfortable and I decided I should stay and enjoy it.

“It is part of the game, to feel scared and cold. It was scary because a lot of fishing boats don’t have lights. When there were storms and lightning, it was a bit scary because the dinghy is a very small boat. Many times I didn’t have cellphone reception, and it was impossible for me to call [for help].”

Mr Darkaoui ended up having to return to Ao Yon (he arrived around 5.20pm on Saturday) after suffering severe pain and bleeding buttocks, caused by the humidity, the salt water and the rain. He says he also suffered hallucinations.

“I had to wait a lot because there wasn’t much wind, and it was very difficult to sail. I had to sit in very uncomfortable conditions. Physically I was okay, it was more about the pain – it was just too much. I was bleeding.

“The last 15 or 20 kilometres I had to kneel, because I couldn’t sit anymore. I knew I already had the Asian record and the time record, so I decided to stop.”

Despite the discomfort and the lack of any official record, Mr Darkaoui is pleased with his efforts.

“It was a new experience, and it was a very good experience. If I could do it again I would, but now with more confidence.”

A celebration party will be held on Thursday (June 5) in Chalong. For more details, contact Mr Darkaoui on [email protected].

For more details and a full account of Mr Darkaoui’s journey, visit the Facebook page and blog.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-man-spends-77-hours-in-dinghy-breaks-record-46599.php


-- Phuket News 2014-06-02

[JoePai]

Good practice for when he sails from Morocco to Europe

[Local Drunk]

Impressive for a man with such a tiny little dingy...

[Lupatria]

Great! The world was waiting for this.

[blacksuitdandruff]

I had a bleeding buttocks after being out in the sea on a boat for more than 77 hours...

but it wasn't due to humidity, the salt water, nor the rain ...

sadly :*(

[KarenBravo]

If it isn't official, then, what was the point?

[Old Croc]

If it isn't official, then, what was the point?

Free steaks at the restaurant advertised on the sail?

[Suradit69]

Yassine Darkaoui, originally from Morocco

Isn't it standard TV protocol for some resident genealogist or racial purist to chime in with a comment that he doesn't look Moroccan or that his name doesn't sound like he's a real Moroccan?

Edited June 2, 2014 by Suradit69

[Maggusoil]

Whatever, whatever, a laser is not a dinghy. A dinghy has seats. A laser is built more like a large surfboard with sails.

Most uncomfortable and you have to duck every time you jibe.

That's a major feat, but why would you? and why would you want to do it again?

funny us humans

[tingtongfarang]

Whatever, whatever, a laser is not a dinghy. A dinghy has seats. A laser is built more like a large surfboard with sails.

Most uncomfortable and you have to duck every time you jibe.

That's a major feat, but why would you? and why would you want to do it again?

funny us humans

+1 i still sail laser and it is,nt comfortable over long distance..also very tippy, solo over that distance takes bottle without a support boat,

i did greece to turkey with an 18ft sport cat and fully appreciate his achievement.

[jaapfries]

Laser Dinghy, now called "Kirby-Torch" are the most brilliant little sailing craft ever conceived (by Bruce Kirby) and I have owned a few of them, over the years; sailed them in Holland, Canada, New Zealand and Thailand.

One of the Posters here was wondering "why" someone would want to undertake such a grueling endeavor; - and I believe the answer is "because its there to be undertaken". Why did Sir Edmund Hillary climb the famed Mt. Everest ? ? ? he said "because it was there" ! - Same principle applies here.

Yassine: in my book you are a hero and admire & applaud your big success ! ! ! ! ! !

A Sailer with much less guts !