Aviva suffers mast splinter in TJV

by Caroline Ayling on 24 Nov 2007
Dee Caffari and Nigel King were hit by a cruel setback with just 180 miles to go to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. Aviva was within 20 miles of Cervin EnR, Dee and Nigel’s race-rivals, when the top section of the mast splintered due to the Gennaker halyard block exploding.

At 21.36 (UTC) Dee reported:

'Nigel and I had just finished putting a reef in the main sail when we heard a loud bang. I looked forward to see the Gennaker hanging off to leeward but still full of wind. Nigel instinctively looked aloft and gave a cry to bear away from the wind. The Gennaker halyard had snapped but the concern on Nigel’s face was for the shattered carbon splinters that lay by his feet at the base of the mast.

'The lashing for the block on the halyard had blown and this meant the halyard cut through the carbon of the mast and made a long slice through the top section. We collected all the bits from the sail and the mast. Harry and the shore team will need most of this to make a repair and enable me to sail home in the return race.'

Dee and Nigel assessed the situation and are able to complete the remaining miles to the finish line but have had to swallow the bitter disappointment that they may not be able to clinch 13th place from Cervin EnR.

Dee added, 'We have to have at least one reef as we’re not confident about hoisting to a full mainsail. The limited options available to us with the sail plan have left us hoping that the weather will allows us to make good progress. We may have to settle for Cervin EnR arriving before us and that would be a shame after all the effort we have made to sail fast and recover the mileage deficit.'

Dee and Nigel’s estimated time of arrival into Salvador de Bahia is now mid-afternoon UTC. Upon arrival the shore team will establish the extent of the damage and the repairs required to get Dee to the start line of the Transat B to B, Dee’s first solo sail since completing the Aviva Challenge in 2006.

www.avivaoceanracing.com.