Pic update - The Latest on the dismasting of Etihad Stadium
by Rolex Sydney Hobart Media on 12 Dec 2009
Etihad Stadium following its dismasting in Bass Strait en route to Sydney for the Boxing Day start of the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Etihad Stadium
http://wildthingyachting.com.au
Grant Wharington's 98 foot Victorian maxi Etihad Stadium (Wild Thing) is still motoring to Eden and is due to arrive at the coastal port at approximately 5.30pm this afternoon. Here some some pictures taken by the crew of the yacht.
Its going to be a big battle to get this boat to the Sydney to Hobart start line on December 26th.
In circumstances that have baffled the skipper and his crew, the 98 footer dismasted late yesterday 10 miles off Deal Island* on the boat’s delivery from Melbourne to Sydney.
In relatively benign conditions, they were sailing downwind at around 25 knots (just over 45 km/hour) when the incident occurred.
The mast and the sails attached, quickly floated away with the tide, but fortunately, none of the 20 crew on board was hurt.
Wharington, determined to be on the start line for Boxing Day, has been on and off the phone all day – trying to piece together a solution that could result in a replacement mast being flown in from Europe in the next 4 to 5 days.
The replacement mast would come from fellow supermaxi competitor, Alfa Romeo owner, Neville Crichton, and the mast is currently located in the South of France.
The challenge in the next 24 to 48 hours is to find a cargo plane, preferably a 747 with nose loading capabilities, that can take a 900 kilo 45 metre long tube that is what will get the newly branded Etihad Stadium Supermaxi back in the race for the Rolex Sydney Hobart.
Evidently freighting something of this size and weight doesn’t come cheap...nor easy, but anything is possible !
The boat will refuel in Eden, with the half of the crew who are Victorian based getting off and connecting a car convoy that has made its way up from Melbourne today.
The remaining Sydney based crew will continue on as soon as they re-fuel, aiming to be in Sydney inside 24 hours and tied up at Noakes Boatyard at North Sydney by late Sunday afternoon/evening.
More details to follow soon.
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