+39 Challenge test mast but no wind for racing

by +39 Challenge on 22 Apr 2007 The wind is still what everyone is waiting for on the Spanish Mediterranean waters of Valencia and while waiting the crew of +39 Challenge had the opportunity to mount and test the generation 5 mast, that over the last ten days has been completely rebuilt after the collision during Act 13.

'The mast was stepped' explains +39 Project Manager Sebastiano Morassutti - 'everything went fine last night when we finished with the last details. Now the mast weighs 750 kilos, as the rules state.

'We added some 15 kilos in carbon skin layers, laminated and then cured to 'weld' the three pieces. Also the sailmakers did a fantastic job, adapting the sails to the Alinghi mast and then to the new one back again. Even the official Measurers expressed their appreciation to all the members of the team who worked so hard until the first lights of the day.'

To celebrate and ease the tension of the last week a funny sticker representing a Band-Aid has been glued to the mast.

'We had the chance to sail, there was not enough wind to race, but we profited of the light air to check on the fine tuning of the rig and we put the mainsail and the other sails to a test' said helmsman Iain Walker, once he stepped down from ITA 85.

'Let’s hope that tomorrow things turn out right, that some more wind will come. I wish it will happen both for us as a team but also for the event.'

http://www.piu39challenge.it