Toyota Aurion V6 loads up with water ballast

by Sail-World.com on 28 Dec 2007 Last night in the middle of Bass Strait on Toyota Aurion V6, which was the former race winner Brindabella when owned by George Snow, no-one noticed down in the galley when a packed sailbag quietly slipped down from the high side of the boat. In doing so, it dislodged some of the furniture in the galley, which, in turn, ruptured an outlet pipe from the sink.

That drainpipe passes through the hull of the boat to the outside. When it is severed, water pours into the boat.

'When we gybed, we noticed there was a foot of water in the boat,' crewman Geoff Cropley said, 'and we had to find the source of the leak.'

On best estimates, Toyota Aurion V6 would have shipped about 10 tonnes of water.

The crew traced the source of the water, closed a seacock to prevent any more seawater coming in and then bailed it out, using buckets and the pumps.

'But we kept sailing throughout,' Cropley said.

Today, Toyota rounded up when she was carrying a small spinnaker called a chicken chute and a full main in 40 knots of wind.

‘We decided to batten down,' Cropley said, several hours later as they sailed under a small jib and full main, but still in 35 knots of wind.

Now owned by Andrew Short, Australia's most famous maxi Brindabella now Toyota Aurion V6, has been modified with a bow sprit. This is her 13th trip south. She is the holder of the Sydney to Hobart record for a conventionally ballasted boat, as well as many other Australian east coast race records.

Records held include:
1999 Sydney to Hobart - (Conventionally Ballasted)
1994 Sydney Mooloolaba Yacht Race
1999 Sydney Southport Yacht Race
2004 Newcastle Race
1996 Bird Island Race
2000 Sydney Wollongong Race
2004 Cabbage Tree Island Race

She is now 19nm SE of Cape Sonnerat at blasting towards Tasman Island. At last polling she was doing 22 knots.