Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - Fleet en route to Panama

by Clipper Round the World on 9 May 2014 In the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, as the fleet continues to make steady progress, Great Britain was the first boat to refuel in Golfito Bay, Costa Rica before continuing onto Panama.

Several teams have calculated that they do not have enough fuel to motor-sail to Panama and therefore need to stop in Costa Rica to refuel. Jamaica Get All Right, PSP Logistics and Team Garmin are proceeding on without stopping as they have sufficient supplies.

Meanwhile, Derry~Londonderry~Doire and Henri Lloyd are transferring fuel from other yachts which means they will not have to stop either. The remaining seven yachts will stop to refuel.

Once completed the whole fleet will then rendezvous at Flamenco Island on the Pacific side of the Canal before transiting in groups.

While the teams prepare to enter one of the most significant and iconic waterways on the planet, the crew are taking full advantage of their time off watch to complete essential maintenance work. Skipper of Switzerland Vicky Ellis explains:

'The team today have been busy on the jobs list, patching up the staysail, servicing winches and cleaning the galley. Young Leg 7 crew member Henry Macpherson has been doing all the above in his tutu which he seems very attached to and it makes his watch smile but I have banned him from doing engine checks in it - too much paperwork!'

Meanwhile, skipper of Mission Performance, Matt Mitchell demonstrated good sportsmanship lending a helping hand to rivals Invest Africa. Matt Mitchell explained in his skipper report today:

'My good friend Rich Gould, skipper of Invest Africa, and his team haven't enough diesel to make it to our fuel stop in Golfito Bay, Costa Rica so we had a rendezvous with them an hour or so ago and now have them under tow.'

The fleet is expected to start to the transit of the Canal from Saturday 10 May. You can follow the fleet’s progress as it prepares to transit the Panama Canal here.

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