Portimao GOR- Budel experiencing gale force winds in crippled yacht

by Brian Hancock on 30 Dec 2008
In the last 12 hours Nico Budel aboard his Open 40 Hayai in the Portimao Globak Ocean Race has experienced gale force winds with gusts topping out at 62 knots. Sailing with minimal sail and on a course that presented the least amount of load on his keel, Budel has been able to survive with the keel bulb still attached to the keel fin.

This is critical as the bulb is loose from the fin and is at a 25 degree angle to it. The bulb is being held in place by two 12mm stainless steel rods that are bedded in the lead bulb and fastened at the top of the keel. One of these fastenings has come off and the other is loose. It is only a matter of time before the bulb separates from the fin and when that happens there is a strong possibility that the boat will capsize.

Both former owners of the boat, Russian circumnavigator and the boat’s builder Viktor Yazekov, and Jan Moeller, who successfully sailed the boat around the world non-stop in 2004, have been in touch with Nico via his family. Both sailors agree that should the bulb come off, the boat will capsize. 'The boat is quite narrow on the waterline,' Yazekov said. 'With the mast still in place the boat will go over very quickly. There is little Nico can do to prevent this from happening.'

Nico confirms that there are air bags in the mast so that the boat will only go over to 90 degrees. This will be better than a complete capsize if Nico is able to keep water from pouring down the companionway and flooding the interior. 'The wind is subsiding and will continue to drop overnight tonight as the low pressure system moves off to the east,' confirmed Race Director Josh Hall. 'By the time Radiance and Hayai rendezvous the wind should be at a more moderate 15 to 20 knots. We are currently discussing rescue options with Radiance and Nico and will have a better idea of how to carry out the rescue once Radiance is on station. A lot depends on the wind and sea state.'

It is expected that Radiance, a 17,000 tonne bulk carrier, will reach Hayai in the early hours of Tuesday morning, local time. Ironically Radiance is bound for Rotterdam, the Netherlands's largest port and not far from Nico’s home in Holland. The same ship was involved in a rescue of a Japanese solo sailor in Australian waters in 2004. 'Hall, along with Alan Green who is assisting the Race Committee has been coordinating the rescue with MRCC Reunion, the station in charge of the rescue.

Hall is very experienced in this kind of operation having been rescued from his own sinking boat in 1998. He was also involved in coordinating the rescue of fellow Brit Alex Thomson in 2006. 'Providing the bulb remains attached to the keel and we get a break with the weather, transferring Nico from Hayai to Radiance should be a fairly routine operation,' Hall said. 'Of course there are numerous factors in play and we will not rest until Nico is safely off Hayai and on his way to a safe port.'

In the meantime Michel Kleinjans on board Roaring Forty has resumed racing. He has turned his bows once more for the Kerguelen Gate and expects that he will pass through the gate during the night tonight.

Portimao GOR - Leaderboard at 15:20 UTC DTF in nautical miles

Double-handed
Beluga Racer - 4107
Cabo de Hornos - 4138
Team Mowgli - 4249
Kazimir Partners - ret

Single-handed
Roaring Forty - 4577
Hayai - 5086

http://www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com/