Cowes Week video report

The loss of a spinnaker on Aviva yesterday forced Dee Caffari and Nigel King to apply the brakes. After hearing the news that Artemis is out of the Transat Jacques Vabre having dismasted, the pair are counting their blessings.

Their Open 60 was tearing along in 35 knots of wind late yesterday afternoon when the bucket, which is part of the squeezer system that sits at the top of the mast ready to be pulled down over the spinnaker when it is dropped, collapsed leaving the sail half squeezed.

"We couldn't get it up or down and we were stuck in 35 knots of wind," explained Nigel.

"We had to try and do a conventional drop which is pretty hard with only two people onboard and by the time we got it down, which took more than two hours, it had been torn apart and was in three pieces.

"We are hoping we'll not need it again in the race but there's not much we can do about it. We have to make the best of what we have left.

"It's a big sail to lose because it has such a big wind range so we are pretty disappointed but it is certainly not a reason for not pushing hard and trying to get a good result" he said as Aviva dropped back into 11th place, 154 miles behind leader Marc Guillemot in Safran.

"It happened at the end of the day and by the time we got it down and got the boat sailing again it was dark so we didn't realise how much damage was done. When we got going again, there was so much wind we couldn't get on the foredeck. We tried to go forward to mend the block and the tack line which were also damaged but we were underwater all the time and it was too dangerous."

Dealing with situations like this will only add to Caffari's learning and knowledge of offshore Open 60 yacht racing.

The pairs disappointment turned to concern when the news came through that British crew Jonny Malbon and Graham Tourell were waiting to be rescued after their boat Artemis dismasted. Dee reported she was devastated for Jonny and Gringo (Graham).

"It could easily happen to anybody out here but you don't like to hear it happening to anyone," Nigel added.

"They'll be extremely disappointed to be out of the race but at least they're safe.

"The seascape yesterday was pretty special - a short sharp sea. On Aviva, we were fully powered up and the boat was taking a lot of water on the deck so I'm sure that would have been a factor in the dismasting.

"It is something Dee and I talked about before we left. We have the tools on board to manage a similar situation but you just hope you never have to use them.

"Thankfully the guys are not injured. They'll get another mast and will get sailing again as soon as possible. It is one of those things that happen when you go racing offshore."

Caffari and King are currently in 11th place, with only one of the older generation boats ahead of them (Britain's Sam Davies onboard Roxy).

4:28pm Wednesday 7th November 2007

Print

Email this