Where is Tony Bullimore?

by Rob Kothe on 15 Nov 2006 Graphic images from 1997 of British yachtsman rescued from his capsized yacht in the south ocean by the Australian Navy have been recalled today as Tony Bullimore has again gone missing.

British ocean racer Tony Bullimore and his delivery crew are currently aboard the 102ft catamaran Doha 2006 on the way to Hobart from Qatar, via the Maldives.

This boat is the old ENZA New Zealand, which raced as Daedalus in last year's Oryx Quest round the world race.

Bullimore had predicted a November 13 arrival in Hobart, to prepare for Bullimore’s attempt to break Dame Ellen MacArthur’s 71 day round the word solo record.

However the British veteran has been out of contact since November 7, four days after leaving the Maldives. At that time Bullimore reported top speeds in the mid 20’s and good progress.

It’s believed the 102 foot catamaran has experienced electrical problems preventing use of their HF radio or satellite telephone. The yacht is carrying at least three EPIRBS (emergency beacons) but none has been activated. The satellite tracking system to be used for the round the work attempt has not yet been fitted to the boat..

Barry Pickthall, running Team Bullimore’s control centre in the UK, told Sail-World this morning; ‘There is no concern for the crew at this stage. We know that their satellite communications system has gone down, I was talking to Tony when the line cut out, he kept calling back, I'd just head the first syllable then it would cut out. '

‘We expect the crew to make a stop at Fremantle or another port to get the system repaired, and since the catamaran should be close to the shipping lanes by now, have asked the Coastguard to alert All Ships in the area to report any sightings.'

Bullimore should be able to communicate with other vessels with a hand held VHF, if overall power issues are preventing use of HF and VHF fixed radios.

30 knot head winds and sharp four - five metre seas running off Western Australia are likely to delay the boat's approach towards Cape Leeuwin. Lee Bruce, Tony’s weather router, had expected the crew to be off Western Australia today at the latest, but now believes they could be delayed by a further day or two.

Bruce explains: ‘Two primary weather systems are affecting the region from Madagascar to Australia. A frontal boundary is moving eastward, and a centre of low pressure is drifting westward off southwest Australia. The front is expected to slow, and one or more low centres may develop on it over the next few days.

‘Of more immediate concern is the Australia low. By 14 Nov 1200UTC, the low is expected to be offshore and drifting southward, followed by a turn to the southeast. If Tony and crew are making an approach off southwest Australia (Cape Leeuwin), they will be met with headwinds in excess of 30 knots.

‘By late on the 15th their time, the low should be far enough to the southeast to allow a more favourable run over the north side of the low.’