Steve Shapiro, who was dubbed ‘Captain Calamity’ by the British media because he had been rescued so many times, has now sold his yacht, Nora.
Shapiro and his crew mate Bob Weise, both aged 71, set sail from Scandinavia in the 40-foot sailboat in July. They planned to cruise across the Atlantic to America, but faced a series of mishaps along the way.
Initially they were rescued by the emergency services in Norway and Denmark, the first time because of damage to the Nora’s propeller shaft.
Further propeller problems resulted in the pair being rescued twice in Scotland, before they ran aground in Northern Ireland and again in the Republic of Ireland. Both incidents required further rescue efforts.
Shapiro and Weise had to be rescued three times in Cornwall – twice by the St Ives RNLI.
In the final incident, the pair’s boat tipped over in Hayle Harbour and caught fire due to a candle not having been blown out properly.
“I wanted a playboy boat that I could invite people out in and have a good time. This boat is more of a workman’s vessel, a serious explorer’s boat — and I’m not a serious explorer, I’m more of a playboy,” Shapiro explained to the media.
