June 7 - Europe 1 New Man Star
Bruce Burgess of the Honolulu-based Open 60 Hawaii Express - and
the only West Coast entry in the singlehanded transatlantic -
has dropped out for unspecified reasons.
But the action continues as the multihull and monohull fleets
are experiencing more challenging weather and the debilitating
effects of fatigue. Alex Thomson, leading Class 2 of the monohulls
with 'sailthatdream.com', explains: "About 3:00 AM on Monday
the wind shifted sharply and I tacked. I headed west and eased
the sheets a little. Bang - down came the staysail. On inspection
the head ring that attaches to the halyard was gone as was the
webbing that attached it to the sail. I was reluctant to unfurl
the genoa as I was sure it would be reduced to tatters. I was
heart broken. Without the staysail I would not be competitive
and I couldn't even hoist the storm staysail as the halyard was
up the mast. I climbed the mast using my step-ladder made of webbing
and was about 17 meters up in 30 knots and a huge sea - just too
unstable. After three hours the wind seemed to have died. I say
'seemed to have died' as both my anemometers were now upside down,
still attached, just pointing the wrong way! I decided to risk
a little headsail and got the boat sailing as best I could and
passed out on the cockpit floor for what seemed like hours. When
I woke up 45 minutes later, the wind had dropped further, so I
unrolled all the headsail and kept two reefs in the main sail.
At least we were going well again.
"I went below and shoved as much chocolate, sugar, etc.,
down my throat, strapped on my climbing harness and two one-way
cleat things. I then attached them to the gennaker halyard that
I had winched really tight and started to climb inch by inch.
Although it was harder the higher I got because of the increased
motion aloft, it was made a little easier in that I could see
the waves that were trying to rip me from the mast. It took me
about half an hour to get to the top spreader. I felt on top of
the world and then I realized that I was 18 meters in the air
and how was I going to get down! Talk about crashing to reality.
I was shattered, all I could do was to unclip the jammy things,
clip on a carabina and let go! I tried to slow myself by gripping
hard with my hands, but it didn't make much difference, apart
from my hands getting very hot!
"I was there, bottom of the
mast with the halyard - I did it! What a stupid idiot! The next
job was to sew the head back on. I knew I didn't have much time
before the wind increased and I needed the sail again. I cut one
of the lazy jacks and started sewing. A large needle, some whipping
twine and the gentle persuader, my hammer. Each stitch took ten
minutes and God knows how many swear words! I finished stitching
at 2230, ate, tidied and kipped at 0100. Awake at 0130 to hoist
the staysail and there it is still. A wreck I most certainly would
be if she came down again!
"So why am I doing this?"
More at the great website at: http://www.europe1newmanstar.com/uk/.
Alex Thomson in 'sailthatdream.com' is leading Class 2
Monohull.
Gilles Martin-Raget Photo www.martin-raget.com.
June 7 - Hoya Round The Island
Race
The 64th running of the 50-mile Hoya Around the Isle of Wight
Race starts on June 10 and will feature approximately 12,000 competitors
aboard 1,587 yachts of all shapes and sizes.
The favorite for line honors will be Steve Fossett's maxi catamaran
Playstation, the holder of the fastest 24-hour run in history.
Fossett already holds the course record of 3 hours and 35 minutes
set in 1994 with his trimaran Lakota. The record for the Hoya
Race itself, however, is held by the trimaran Paragon. The start
is off Cowes.
In another other major event featuring multihulls, between 15 and 20 multihulls - mostly catamarans - are expected for the June 10-11 First Annual Catnip Cup from the Golden Gate Bridge to Vallejo. The host Vallejo Marina has bought a red carpet they will literally roll out for the fleet.
Profligate to lead the Catnip Cup fleet.
June 7 - Club Med
Despite being launched less than a month ago, Grant Dalton's maxi
catamaran Club Med has left Cadiz, Spain, on a transa tlantic
record attempt. The initial weather conditions looked good for
a fast start.
For details see www.clubmed.com
Club Med/G. Plisson Photo
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