Amateur sailor quits race around the world after tech issues

Dafydd Hughes had hoped to circumnavigate the globe

An amateur sailor has retired from an around the world race because of technical problems.

Dafydd Hughes was competing in the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) but pulled out when his boat's auto-pilot system broke.

Now in Hobart, Australia, he flies back to the UK on 1 January.

The GSC sees sailors travel from Spain in a bid to circumnavigate the globe south of the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn.

Dafydd, from Tal-y-Bont, Ceredigion, began in August and spent more than 100 days at sea getting halfway around the world.

But he ran into difficulties about 700 miles (1126km) off Australia's south coast.

His boat, named "Bendigedig", which is Welsh for "fantastic", was diverted to Tasmania when the electrical fault could not be fixed.

Despite failing to complete the trip, Dafydd said he was proud to have sailed solo halfway around the world.

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"I feel good and contented inside because of the achievement of the whole adventure," he said.

"It's been three years nearly since I signed up and started work on Bendigedig.

"Not the fairy tale ending I wanted, but still a happy ending."

Bendigedig's auto-pilot has now been fixed and the boat will go on sale in Hobart next year.

Dafydd has no immediate plans for another odyssey.

"That box is ticked for now," he said.