Race leader damage in Melbourne to Hobart
by Al Constable on 29 Dec 2005
Helsall II -2005 Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart race start Teri Dodds
http://www.teridodds.com
The Race leader, Bill Rawson’s Adam’s Radford Helsal II, on target for a record in the 38th Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart race, has sustained damage on the west coast of Tasmania.
As yet details are sketchy; it is believed that she has damage to her mainsail system with breakages to pulleys on her boom. She has dropped her spinnaker and is progressing under much reduced sail whilst effecting repairs.
In 1999, while 60 nms ahead of the fleet, Helsal II tore her mainsail and had to withdraw. And this year, with the race record clearly in her sights, it may be that she has been cruelly denied that opportunity again.
With the three to four metre swell and strong winds, coming onto dark she has not been sighted by the Open 60 Gusto or Angus Fletcher’s Radford 13.7 Tevake II. However, race control believe that both Gusto and Tevake II have in fact passed Helsal II at this time.
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