Gerry Roufs
Encyclopedia
Gerry Roufs was a competitive sailor
.
class World Championships held in Marstrand, Sweden. http://sports123.com/sai/ow-470.html.
, while taking part in the 1996–1997 edition of the Vendée Globe
, the round-the-world
, single-handed
, non-stop yacht race
. Roufs was in second place in the race when his Argos
position-indicating beacon ceased to transmit. His boat, Groupe LG 2, was found on the coast of Chile
in July 1997. His last known position was 55°S 124°W
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
.
Sailing Career
In 1978, Jerry Roufs, along with crew Charles Robitaille placed second at the 470470 (dinghy)
The 470 is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centreboard, Bermuda rig, and centre sheeting. The name is the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with integral buoyancy tanks. The 470 is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, making teamwork necessary to...
class World Championships held in Marstrand, Sweden. http://sports123.com/sai/ow-470.html.
Death
He disappeared at sea in his boat, Groupe LG 2 in January 1997, in the South Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, while taking part in the 1996–1997 edition of the Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
, the round-the-world
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
, single-handed
Single-handed sailing
The sport of single-handed sailing or solo sailing is sailing with only one crewmember . The term is usually used with reference to ocean and long-distance sailing, and particularly competitive sailing....
, non-stop yacht race
Yacht racing
Yacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...
. Roufs was in second place in the race when his Argos
Argos System
Argos is a satellite-based system which collects, processes and disseminates environmental data from fixed and mobile platforms worldwide. What makes Argos unique is the ability to geographically locate the source of the data anywhere on the Earth utilizing the Doppler effect...
position-indicating beacon ceased to transmit. His boat, Groupe LG 2, was found on the coast of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in July 1997. His last known position was 55°S 124°W