Hong Kong sailor Tiger Mok made history at sea – after his autopilot failed
Mok has been sailing since he was 7, and repped Hong Kong at the 1994 Asian Games before his history-making finish at the Rolex China Sea Race
The 565-nautical-mile journey from Victoria Harbour to the Philippines’ Subic Bay is the kind of challenge usually shared by a team of eight experienced sailors. For Mok, who had chosen to take it on solo, the autopilot was indispensable for rest, navigation and sanity. Without it, he’d have to steer by hand, meaning little to no sleep for the next three to four days.
Even for Mok, a seasoned sailor who represented Hong Kong at the 1994 Asian Games, things were looking dire. The autopilot had worked flawlessly through months of training, only to give out mid-race. Frustration and anxiety quickly set in. “Of course it had to happen on the first day,” says Mok as he recalls the incident.
When he checked below deck, Mok found a blown fuse. Fortunately, years of experience at sea had taught him that anything that could go wrong usually would. He had packed a spare.
Mok has sailed this route many times since his first race in 1998, but this crossing was different. This win belonged entirely to him.