Viking's progress
STEPHEN PULLINGER Coastguards were yesterday anxiously monitoring the progress of Viking sailor Erik Ramgren. The 66-year-old Swede, who left Yarmouth on Monday without stabilising rudders on his homemade catamaran, is still hoping to complete his dream voyage to the Caribbean via the Canaries.
STEPHEN PULLINGER
Coastguards were yesterday anxiously monitoring the progress of Viking sailor Erik Ramgren (pictured).
The 66-year-old Swede, who left Yarmouth on Monday without stabilising rudders on his homemade catamaran, is still hoping to complete his dream voyage to the Caribbean via the Canaries.
But the retired papermill worker - dubbed the new Captain Calamity after first being washed up with no radio or echo sounder on Scroby Sands, and then damaging his hull a second time after a benefactor paid for repairs - was not making swift progress yesterday.
At first light, 18 hours after he was towed out of Yarmouth under Haven Bridge, his 38ft craft Turbolaans Absolut could still be seen bobbing up and down anchored off Gorleston beach.
On Monday he had confessed to the EDP that without the stability of rudders, the journey would be "a big chance" and could be a catastrophe.
Most Read
- 1 Norfolk zoo keeper abandoned as a baby reunited with mother in ITV show
- 2 Breakup and burglary! Couple's chaos after £101m win on Euromillions
- 3 Lane of A47 remains shut after serious crash yesterday afternoon
- 4 Queen's Platinum Jubilee flypast rehearses over Norfolk
- 5 Boat users given fines over £16k for breaking rules on Norfolk Broads
- 6 Two Norfolk seaside hotels named among the best in Britain
- 7 Hero boxer rescues man who plunged into river to save dog
- 8 Norfolk couple: 'We’ve lost £30k in cryptocurrency scam'
- 9 Café completely sells out on first week of launching Sunday roasts
- 10 Woman freed from vehicle after car overturns near to shops
But yesterday, Erik was not answering his phone to anyone, including the coastguards.
Despite concerns for Erik's safety, coastguard watch manager Mario Siano said they could not stop a private individual putting to sea "even in a bathtub".
