Ard Matthews forced to retire from Cape to Rio Race

South African rock singer and wannabe trans Atlantic sailor Ard Matthews has retired from the Cape to Rio Yacht Race due to a damaged rig.

A post on Matthews’ Facebook page confirmed the retirement a week into the gruelling race between Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, a distance of about 3,500 nautical miles.

Matthews and his crew were attempting to “cross the pond” in their 56-year-old yacht The Impossible Machine, which took part in the inaugural Cape to Rio Race more than half a century ago. Matthews had hoped to use the voyage to escalate his sailing pedigree and record music at sea. The unrelenting South Atlantic forced the crew to divert to St Helena island where they will assess the rigging damage.

“For our Grand Old Dame, this race is over,” Matthews said in a Facebook post.

“I am almost tempted to say sadly, but my heart is filled only with extreme pride at how well she performed under the stresses imposed on her 56-year-old frame in this ambitious attempt to complete the 2023 Cape to Rio Race.”

“We drove her hard and she responded magnificently. We may have, in our eagerness and sheer joy under sail, not listened close enough when she creaked and groaned, until finally her rig parted. We have no choice despite our best efforts at repair under way to retire from the race, and make for St Helena, where I will reassess our situation,” Matthews said.

Matthews, an award-winning musician and frontman of rock group Just Jinjer, has in recent years added boating to his achievements. In 2020 he acquired The Impossible Machine (TIM), formerly known as The Howard Davis, a classic 66-foot wooden sailing vessel commissioned by the South African navy in 1966. The vessel has completed several Atlantic crossings in addition to the inaugural 1971 Cape to Rio Race.  

The musician completed his skipper’s ticket in April last year.

In his Facebook post Matthews said he had no regrets about entering the race: “If life’s races are measured by trophies or journeys by distance travelled, TIM’s cabinet would be full and her log immeasurable,” he said.

Two vessels have retired from this year’s race, with the remaining 13 expected to cross the finishing line from later this month.

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