Technology at the helm in the Volvo Ocean Race

It was during the brutal seventh leg of the around-the-world Volvo Ocean Race in March 2018 when the unthinkable happened.

The 65-foot ocean yacht Scallywag, Hong Kong’s first-ever entry into the grueling race held every three years, was 1,400 nautical miles west of Cape Horn and slicing through rough seas, high winds, and driving rain when the boat was came down the crest of a large wave. The mainsail suddenly swung across the deck and hit crew member John Fisher, who had left the cockpit to secure one of the sheets. The blow knocked him unconscious, sweeping him off the deck and into the angrily churning waters

Although Fisher was wearing a survival suit and lifejacket, and the crew made a valiant effort to turn the boat around and rescue him, he could not be found and is presumed lost at sea. His legacy lives on with others who have lost their lives in previous races over the years.

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