Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-10-04
Crosses Atlantic Ocean
In 3O-FoOt Sail Boat
HUNGER THIRST AND ILLNESS IN
142 DAY TRIP FROM GIBRAL-
TAR TO NEW YORK

Some place beneath the name of
Columbus in the marine hall of fame
must be recorded the name Of Alain
j. Gerbault, Laval, France, 1r23. The
29-year old Frenchman sailed into
New York Harbor this week in
thirty-foot sail boat-the first man
ever to cross the Atlantic alone in
such small wind-driven craft.
For 142 days, battling storm, hunger
thirst and illness Gerbault kept a
spark of confidence burning. He sail
ed from Gibraltar April and arrived
in New York September IT, With the
cup of victory still at his lips, he paus
ed to say, and now to cross the
Pacific"
lAain ]. Gerbault is soldier OF
fortune. When two friends at Paris
doubted his assertion that the Allan
tic could be sailed by one man in a
30-foot boat, he decided to show them
Gerbault is the fifth ranking tennis
player of France and has contested in
international matches. During the war
as French aviator, he is credited
with bringing down ten German planes
Only Alain and a brother remain of
the Gerbault family. They own g. lime
factory at Laval, France. The brother
is the business man.
Just call me sailor, said Gerbault
here this morning. The sea is my
hOme-and I'll soon be heading out
across the Pacific. Hazardous? l don't
think so. You always pull through
somehow if you handle your boat like
sailor should.
Veteran mariners declare Gerbault's
feat one Of the most daring and unique
in the annals of the sea. Ninety seven
days he was out of sight of land toss
ed about on mountainous waves in
boat whose deck dipped water in
when four men crowded onto her af-
ter he locked here Monday.
5ATTLED GREAT STORM
Forty-eight hours he lay sprawled
in the bunk of his tiny cabin, uncon-
scious from fever which struck him
down during a gale which battered
the little craft, sweeping her deck
clean of rigging and flooding the doz-
en- or so feet of cabin space.
Twenty-four days he battled the
fury of the Atlantic which broke his
bowsprit, loosened his mast and rip.
ped his sails-a torn which reached
cyclonic heights and was reported
some weeks ago at the time by incom
ing transatlantic liners.
Provisions he'd stocked for a 100
day trip ran low two weeks from New
York because of delay by terrific
gales while beating his way across the
southern portion of the Atlantic Two
thirds of his water spoiled and was
cast overheard, poisoned by the wood
in the newly made kegs.
Two weeks ago, when crazed by
thirst and lack of food he was hailed
by a great ocean liner bound for
New York, which wanted to pick him
up-or at least tow him in. He thank
ed the captain but refused Victory
was in sight. He was given provis-
ions and left to his fate.
NEVER THOUGHT OF FAILURE
Lose hope? Not this sailorman Ger
bault!
During the height of that twenty
four day storm my mast was battered
loose, my bowsprit broken and | was
drenched to the skin, which brought
about the fever, but always figured
that if the worst should happen-the
mast toppling-Td rig up something
with sail and put in for nearest
land, Bermuda. The twenty fifth day,
about the middle Of July, however, the
storm subsidized and l continued for
New York. l rebuilt the bowsprit, tight
ened the mast, mended the rigging
and sailed on knew I'd reach New
York somehow.
Coming over he wore only heavy
wooden trousers, slipover sweater;
no socks or shoes. Since April 5, when
he tarted his trip from Gibraltar, he
had been barefooted. Doesn't like
any kind of footwea while handling
his boat
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