AT SEA– Zac Sunderland is no longer stranded on the isolated island of St. Helena, as the teen solo-circumnavigator and a local mechanic fixed his vessel’s engine problems March 29. Sunderland is now on a four-week passage to Grenada.

Photo by: Zacsunderland.com Taking a Break— Teen solo-circumnavigator Zac Sunderland unwinds aboard Intrepid after a long day of boat maintenance during his stopover in St. Helena. He is currently on his way to Grenada.

Engine problems had left Sunderland’s departure date in the hands of his mechanic, as they worked on a fuel injector malfunction for a week. Together they discovered that faulty springs in his vessel’s injector pump were stopping the engine from getting fuel.

“It really does things to your head — stuck in the second most remote place in the world where that next ship that could have brought spare parts won’t be here for four weeks,” he wrote on his blog.

With the problem fixed, Sunderland provisioned Intrepid for his sail, left his mooring and headed out, in 15 knots of wind.

The Thousand Oaks native set out to complete his record-setting solo circumnavigation from the Marina del Rey Boat Show docks last June 14. He intends to become the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the world alone.

Sunderland’s itinerary includes a stop in Panama before he returns to Marina del Rey.