Arcus archives

In 2017, Lisa Blair set out to become the first woman to sail solo and unassisted around Antarctica with only one stop. Her yacht, Climate Action Now, was rigged in preparation for some of the world’s harshest sailing conditions. Seventy-two days into the voyage and over 1,000 nautical miles from land, her mast catastrophically failed during a severe storm.

Lisa had prepared thoroughly, re-rigging the yacht with premium stainless steel supplied by Arcus Wire Group. Despite the use of high-quality components, the mast collapsed. The cause? Stray current.

After reaching Cape Town under jury rig, Lisa conducted a full investigation with input from electrolysis expert Brian Gatt and rigging support from David Sheedy and the Arcus technical team. The failure was ultimately attributed to galvanic corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement triggered by an undetected stray current. The corrosion wasn’t visible until the system failed.

In her book Facing Fear, Lisa details how stray current—likely introduced via the yacht’s electrical system—compromised the integrity of the wire and terminals over time. She describes the diagnosis and resolution process in the technical appendix, acknowledging the key roles that Arcus Wire Group, David Sheedy, and Brian Gatt played in identifying the issue and assisting in the re-rigging process.

This incident remains one of the clearest, real-world examples of stray current’s destructive potential—even when using industry-leading products. Lisa’s transparency offers valuable lessons for the global sailing community, reinforcing the importance of routine electrical checks and awareness of electrochemical threats in marine environments.