Volvo Ocean Race- No Easter Break for GAC Pindar and Southern Spars

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com NZL on 8 Apr 2015 Southern Spars received an urgent call on the Thursday before Easter, from Volvo Ocean Race HQ in Alicante, Spain, to get a spare mast on a ship that weekend.

Richard Thorpe of TNL GAC Pindar was immediately on the case, leading a logistical mission for the team at TNL GAC Pindar Ltd.

The spare Volvo Ocean 65 mast that has been stored in Auckland for the past few months, is now on the way to meet the boats in Newport. The spar has been loaded on the Maersk Brani and will be freighted to Philadelphia

The other spare mast is currently getting loaded onto a plane in the Middle East to meet Dongfeng Race Team in Itajai.

The spreaders for that mast left the factory in Auckland yesterday bound for Itajai

All going well, Dongfeng should be back on the startline at Itajai for the start of the In Port Race on April 18, and the start of Leg 6 the following day.

“Southern Spars are sending our Volvo Ocean Race Service Manager Lance Manson to Itajai for arrival over the weekend,' says Mark Hauser Director of Southern Spars.

'Lance will prepare the spare mast for Dongfeng with the Volvo Ocean Race Boatyard crew and ensure that the team re-joins the race in time for the start of Leg 6. With the spare mast already on the way, it will be the boats arrival in Itajai that could delay their progress.'

'It is still unknown what caused the breakage of the top mast, however together with Dongfeng, the Boatyard and Lance we will endeavor to find the problem and find a solution for the future.”

The same team has also sent a third, newly constructed rig from Auckland, ready for the rebuilt Team Vestas Wind when she rejoins the Race in Lisbon, Portugal.