RUDDERLESS YACHT UNDER TOW BY OTHER COMPETITOR IN LORD

by Peter Campbell on 31 Oct 2000 A fellow competitor in the Leasecorp Gosford to Lord Howe
Island ocean race
has taken in tow the Sydney boat Impeccable, which broke
her rudder in heavy
seas some 30 nautical miles south-west of the island
earlier this afternoon.

However, Impeccable and the towing yacht, Komatsu Blue
Lady, are tonight
battling 35 knot east to north-easterly headwinds and
rough seas and are not
likely reach Lord Howe Island until tomorrow morning.

Impeccable advised Penta Comstat radio station at 3.30
this afternoon that
she had broken her rudder and was retiring from the 408
nautical mile race.

Skippered by veteran ocean racing yachtsman John Walker
from Middle Harbour
Yacht Club, Impeccable, a Peterson 34, is being sailed
by a most
experienced crew.

Later this afternoon, Shane Kearns, the skipper of the
39-footer Komatsu
Blue Lady, advised Penta Comstat that he was going to
assist Impeccable with
a tow to Lord Howe Island and was able to pass a line
shortly after 5pm.

The two yachts are in regular radio communication with
Lord Howe Maritime's
Clive Wilson who this evening said the boats were
encountering east to
north-easterly headwinds of up 35 knots and lumpy seas.
"It will be very
uncomfortable out there tonight," Wilson said.

Apart from Impeccable and Komatsu Blue Lady, only two
other yachts remain
at sea - the 33-footer Berrimilla (Alex Whitworth) and
the 31-footer
Grasshopper (Graham Jackson).


Further information: Peter Campbell - 0419 385 028 or
email -
peter_campbell@bigpond.com