A minute of glory and eternity of oblivion of a yachtsman-adventurer (10 photos)

What people do not go for the sake of the family. And wealth. And fame. But sometimes complex multi-moves turn a person into a greedy caterpillar, who gets tangled up in an apple and starts eating herself instead of the fruit pulp.





Donald Crowhurst is not a brave sailor or pioneer. But the man managed to go down in history. Pre clinging to her.



He was born in 1932 in India, when it was still British colony. Apparently, the propensity for adventure was inherited from father. After the return of India's independence, the family returned, hoping to lead a comfortable life on the profits of a small factory that Don's father purchased in India. But the company was set on fire. And with him burned dreams of a better future. Crowhurst Sr. did not survive the blow of fate and died from a heart attack.

Donald had to say goodbye to his university dream and go to the army. He showed himself with dignity, rose to the rank of officer and received a pilot's license. But got involved in the conflict, and at the age of only 21 year was forced to leave the service.





After a little pushing around, the guy got a job in a firm in Bridgewater. electronics engineer. Settled down, started a family. And created a direction finder for yachtsmen, which prompted Donald to develop his own business. Things went well, but by a fatal coincidence, the man got into accident. The firm, while he was being treated, was gradually bent. And from the hospital Crowhurst came out a depressed man with no means or prospects.

money and fame



With a family

Meanwhile, he and his wife Claire were already growing heirs, four children. And something had to be done. Just at this time the public buzzed: Francis Chichester completed the circumnavigation journey. Out of desperation, Don's mind worked feverishly. And he went to the editorial office of the newspaper with a proposal to announce another competition. But with the condition that yachtsmen will not enter the ports.

The man was laughed at. But after a couple of months, the editors of Sandy The Times announced such a competition, passing off the idea as its own. The winners in the nominations - the leader and the one who exactly passed the entire route should were to get two cash awards of 5 thousand pounds. For 1968 this is there was a lot of money.

Crowhurst had his own tiny yacht. But it couldn't be talking about how to go on it around the world. But don't be so desperate needed money: the company was falling apart, loans had to be paid. He tried to persuade a professional yachtsman, but he refused. WITH with difficulty, Don begged a loan from an acquaintance, businessman Stanley Best, and started building his own yacht, which will be able to go around Earth.

But Best, being a business man, made the future seafarer to sign an agreement, according to which, in case of non-fulfillment obligations, all the property of Crowhurst, including the house and the firm, passed to him.



The trimaran was built. But the design was far from ideal. Although there were a lot of practical ideas, up to the on-board computer, there is almost no time left before the start - on October 31.

And many shortcomings became unpleasant surprises already in race time. Crowhurst started last (in accordance with the conditions it was possible to do this from June 1 to October 31), and the first prize can be was to forget. It was received by officer Robin Knox-Johnston.



But there was still a chance to get a prize for the exact passage route. If only there weren’t so many imperfections ... So he wrote in the ship’s magazine Donald. In the present, since there was also a second, unofficial one. The idea to lead it came to the yachtsman after reports of a large number of participants who dropped out of the race. Someone got sick, someone changed their mind. Remained only one rival - Nigel Tetley.



In a fake journal, the yachtsman noted the necessary points and coordinates. In rare radio sessions, he confirmed the data. IN in fact, he had been hanging around the Falkland Islands for a long time, expecting Tetley to overtake him and finish. Donald decided that finishes second and will receive not a cash prize, but fame. She can also use wisely. In addition, the ship's log, in which a man ontycoons of affairs, will not check especially carefully.

But the forces of nature intervened: Tetley got into a storm and miraculously survived. He was picked up on a raft from the sea. Don received a message that his waiting at the finish line, hanging flags and getting ready to be honored as a hero.



But there were so many lies in the ship's log. How will he look in the eyes of people? Instead of fame and rewards, exposure awaits him, contempt and punishment. And he decided to cut the knot of lies with one blow.

Death or scam?



The last entry in the log was made on July 1, 1969. “The truth has been revealed, and everything will be done as my family requires ... I don’t must continue the game ... I will leave it at exactly 11:20. No point in torment... It's all over."

Then the alleged picture was restored piece by piece, using log entries as puzzle pieces. After discovery a trimaran with a raised sail suggested that the sailor was killed. Winner - Knox-Johnston donated his prize to the Donald family. But when everything was studied more carefully, it became clear that he had passed away - jumped into the sea to avoid shame.

Tetley received a consolation prize of £1,000. I tried to build a new yacht, but when I realized that this amount was not Enough, committed suicide.



"Race of the Century" (2018) - a film based on the story

People said it was part of a gamble. And in reality Donald escaped and is alive. Claire did not believe in the death of her husband for many years and waited his. It is unlikely that a person with such brilliant background survived. But in history he remained as an adventurer, who has almost managed to deceive the ocean, society and himself.