Abandoned yacht 'my heart and soul' - sailor

RESCUE: The keel on the Bernt Luchtenborg's 52-foot yacht Horizons was badly damaged in rough seas on Sunday, crippling the vessel on the man's solo around-the-world attempt.

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Lone sailor Bernt Luchtenborg was unable to hold back the tears when he talked about his decision to abandon his beloved boat Horizons during a rescue off the New Zealand coast early this week.

"It's my heart and my soul. It's a piece of me," he said, safe in the captain's cabin on the luxury cruise liner Seven Seas Mariner - the ship which rescued him from stormy seas on Tuesday.

The 56-year-old German-born Swiss man was forced to abandon his 15.84m yacht, on which he was attempting a double circumnavigation of the globe, after he crashed into what he thought was a whale.

"It was like hitting a wall. I went from 8 knots to zero," Luchtenborg said.

The vessel's rudder was damaged, and the yacht drifted directionless in 8m swells for two days before Luchtenbourg reluctantly abandoned ship.

He had been in constant communication with Maritime NZ, had plenty of provisions on board, and had planned to improvise a rudder using a cabin door and a line of rope.

"I felt it was not a dangerous situation for me. But my insurance company told me this was my last chance to be picked up by a boat. And then my wife said 'please, do it for me'.''

Luchtenborg said he now felt like he has had a second birthday, having spent the past three nights in a $1000-a-night luxury cabin on the cruise liner.

The crew and passengers aboard the Seven Seas Mariner were like a family, and shipping company ISS Mackay had also done its utmost to accommodate him, Luchtenborg said.

The Seven Seas Mariner berthed in Dunedin yesterday.

For the ship's captain, Stan de Lacombe, it was his first day in charge of the Seven Seas Mariner and he was suddenly thrown in at the deep end, having to detour the plush five-storeyed liner through stormy waters to hunt for and rescue Luchtenborg.

De Lacombe said he received the mayday call at 6am Tuesday and located Horizons 30 minutes later. A small crew headed by staff captain Alain Mistre were lowered into the sea in the liner's rescue craft at 7.45am, and were all back on the liner 13 minutes later.

De Lacombe said he had worked as a staff captain on the ship for almost 10 years but only took over as captain the day of the rescue.

The decisions he had to make were ''very hard''.

''This was very dangerous - like you could kill somebody.''

His first thoughts were focused on the potential dangers of the mission, especially in the stormy weather conditions. To stop the ship meant the vessel's stabilisers would not be working - not a nice prospect in heavy seas, he said.

The lowering of the rescue boat and crew into the sea as well as the recovery of the rescue vessel back on board were also risky maneovres in the rough seas, he said.

He had to weigh up the risk to the lives of his crew as well as Luchtenborg's. ''I mean you could end up with four people in distress''  but it was sea  etiquette to assist vessels in trouble, de Lacombe said.

''You have to think one day this can be you.''

All 660 American, European, Kiwi, and Japanese passengers and 440 crew poured onto the ship's decks to witness the rescue.

Many on board today said they were proud to have been part of the rescue and pleased to have had the adventure added to their cruise experience.

Mistre said when the rescuers reached the damaged yacht he had concerns about getting close enough in the sea conditions  to get Luchtenborg on board, but to his amazement the sailor just jumped across from one boat to the other.

''The boats were rolling in and out. There was a good metre between them. But he just grabbed the cross bar [on the rescue boat] and jumped over. It was spectacular.''

Mistre said he was also amazed at the way Luchtenborg had packed bags in preparation for his departure.

De Lacombe said he empathised with Luchtenborg's emotions over leaving his boat.

''Your boat is like your second wife. In some cases it's your first wife. But when you're left alone in this sea with this weather, you don't really know how it will end.''

Luchtenborg is organising to salvage Horizons which remains afloat, sea anchored around 200km out to sea.

The sailor arrives in Bluff today to await her arrival.

He then intends to continue his voyage, heading for Cape Horn next, unfazed by his unscheduled stop.

''This is my pleasure, I love it,'' he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News