TeamVodafoneSailing faceplants Vodafone32 on first test sail

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com NZL on 13 Nov 2015 TeamVodafoneSailing have confirmed the rumours circulating around the Auckland waterfront, that they had pitchpoled their new GC32 on her first test sail on the Waitemata on Wednesday afternoon.

Wind conditions were said to be 15-18kts at the time.

In a brief statement the team says: 'Investigating today we have found a small but crucial build error. A rudder gudgeon was slightly out making a difference in elevator angle side to side. In a bear away the windward rudder had too much lift and stuck our bow in. '

'The problem is now been addressed and we will be out testing again in the next day or so.'

Flipping of foiling and non-foiling catamarans early in the sailing program is not unusual, in fact it is unusual for it not to happen, and TeamVodafoneSailing joins several America's Cup teams in this high-powered club.

However flipping a GC32 is understood to be less common as the boat is designed for foiling.

The rudder was said to be 3 degrees out in its fore and aft alignment which created the imbalance. It has since been corrected and sailing is expected to resume later this week, with a possible first race on Wednesday.