This week Elaine Bunting talks to Dee Caffari as she admits that an electrical problem plaguing her vital autopilot system (shown in the picture, left) could have caused her to give up in frustration. But she and her team persevered, and they’ve finally fixed it. Dee is elated. The whole complexion of her voyage has changed and this week she’s in a hugely more positive frame of mind, with renewed determination to see this voyage through to the finish.

Elaine also talked to Allie Smith about the traditional Christmas dinner Dee has to cheer her up, and coach Harry Spedding looks forward to darker clouds on the horizon as Aviva charges south to the stronger winds and colder waters that lie on the runway south to the dreaded Cape Horn.

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