Vendee Globe - Conrad Colman sets sail again under Jury rig

by Sail-World.com NZ on 14 Feb 2017 Round the world sailor Conrad Colman (NZL/USA/FRA) is underway again in his attempt to become the first sailor to complete the Vendee Globe using only renewable energy.

Sailing Foresight Natural Energy, Colman was dismasted 700nm from the finish at Les Sables d'Olonne on the west coast of France. He was 300nm off Portugal at the time of the dismasting sailing in 35kt headwinds.

He was able to cutaway his mast before it damaged the boat, but saved the main boom and sails. The carbon boom was also fractured in the incident.

His plan was to repair the fracture in the carbon boom, and then erect that spar, setting some sails recut from the original rig.

Around 2000hrs UTC on Tuesday night his shore team posted on social media:

'We just got a call from a very happy skipper. Even though his computer is down at the moment and he can't send pictures or emails (working on it later) the boom is up with a sail on it. Conrad will put up the jib during the night. Long long day but determination and patience pays off and he's got a 'mast'!!'

In a previous report Colman's shore team reported:

'Fresh news from Foresight Natural Energy: Conrad has made some reinforcements in the boom to make sure the repair holds. He's happy with his work. He's finished working on the rigging (cables and lines that will hold the boom up) and is starting to cut the bottom of his mainsail that he saved after the dismasting so that it can be used as 'a mainsail' on the boom with his storm jib. He'll work during the night to try to make the most of the favourable weather that should push him in the right direction until Friday at least.'

And in the report 12 hours earlier:

'News is good this morning, Conrad is still working on his mainsail to get a piece of sail to attach to the boom, his sailmaker training is proving to be quite useful. Conditions have improved a lot, the seas are calm, sun is shinning and it helps with doing the repairs. Hopefully he will be able to put up the jury rig this afternoon. Time on board goes a lot faster than on land ;-) Stay tuned for more infos!

And 48 hours ago he completed repairs on the main boom and was just waiting for the repair to 'cook' under temperature controlled conditions, as much as that term can be used rolling on a 60ft singlehanded yacht in the Atlantic Ocean

'Conrad finished the reparations on the boom during the night. The composite is cooking with heating pads and a survival blanket. He'll put it up this morning if he thinks that it is dry and strong enough. The break being 3m away from the base of the boom, if it holds he will be able to put in place his jury rig but if it doesn't that will be the end of the adventure. Thanks for all your positive vibes '

So far Colman has only lost two places through the dismasting and is now in 12th place overall and 400nm ahead of his nearest competitor. His speed is registering on the tracker at 3.5kts however that should increase as more sail is set and winds remain favourable.

He is shown as being 700nm from the finish line.