Left to rot on a Cayman Brac beach is a 40-foot trimaran that passers-by could easily dismiss.

But, this vessel holds a fascinating past and is the subject of debate, documentaries, articles, books, artwork and even the 2006 film, Deep Water.

The Trimaran is none other than the infamous Teignmouth Electron, the ill-fated yacht built by Donald Crowhurst, an amateur yachtsman from the UK who entered the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race in the late 1960s.

History

The challenge was to sail single-handedly, non-stop, around the world. The winner was to return to a hero's welcome, fame and fortune. However, the race ended in tragedy, earning a place in history books.

Early on it became clear Crowhurst's boat wasn't up to the task. It was barely finished in time, leaving numerous details incomplete and no time for testing.

If Crowhurst pulled out he would have to pay his sponsors back and face financial ruin. Go ahead and there was little chance he would survive - let alone win - in a boat that was clearly not up for the challenge.

He came up with an elaborate plan and decided to sail round the Atlantic while the other competitors went ahead. He planned to join them on the way back and sail in last. He wouldn't win, but at least he would save face, and financial ruin.

Crowhurst started keeping two log books. One fictitious, which he used to chart his 'progress', sending back ever increasingly elaborate claims. The other detailing his true course, his entries increasingly more and more erratic as his mental state deteriorated.

As he circled the Atlantic for eight-months, his plan unfolded as all the other competitors dropped out of the race. It was too much to bear for an already unhinged Crowhurst. Knowing his log books would be scrutinized as the 'winner' he saw only one way out.

His body was never discovered, and the Teignmouth Electron was found drifting in the Atlantic. It was sold various times, operating as a tour and dive boat, before coming to rest on Cayman Brac.

Today

Battered by the unforgiving elements and bleached by the sun, the 40-year-old yacht is rotted beyond repair.

It is currently owned by Michael Jones McKean, an American artist, who bought the yacht from Bracker Winston McDermott in 2007.

Teignmouth Electron sits on private land; however it is in clear view from the roadside or from the shoreline.

Even if they don't know the story behind the yacht, many Brackers will be able to point you in the right direction. Sat decaying on the south west shore for nearly 30 years, it has become as much a part of the Brac's stunning landscape, as it is a part of seafaring history.