Yachting Monthly 0shares Roger Taylor navigates his engineless 24ft Mingming II on a 4,000 mile nonstop voyage around the usually icebound waters of the Arctic A single unstayed mast and panelled junk-rig sail give Mingming II a flexible sailplan, all controlled from inside the main hatch. Credit: Bertie Milne Credit: Bertie Milne Small boat cruiser Roger Taylor shares his solo voyage into the uncharted Arctic The breeze was by now fresh, the sea a dark indigo, and there we were, almost at the top of world, little more than 500 miles from the North Pole, sailing gaily east along 81°N. It was a crazy concept to be running down our easting along such a line of latitude. I kept a good watch, but saw no hint of ice.