Volvo Ocean Race - Camper slows to assess bow damage

by Volvo Ocean Race on 24 Mar 2012 Furious fifty knot wind and a big swell took a toll on Camper, who lost their Volvo Ocean Race leg 5 lead to Groupama overnight.

'Camper has in the last few hours had to slow down to assess and repair bow damage sustained after falling heavily off a wave and delaminating a forward structural beam,' the team said.

Skipper Chris Nicholson said from the yacht: 'The boat is in no immediate danger and the crew is fine, but with the bow now flexing and the weight of wind we cannot push on as fast as we would like. We are starting on repairs that will allow us to get going as fast as is practical.'

Earlier, Camper navigator Will Oxley said the boat had suffered from the full fury of the Southern Ocean. He said it had felt like the boat was 'being dropped from a two-storey building'.

The repetitive hammering took a toll on a forward bulkhead that required repairs and cost her tens of miles on their rivals.

'We've been backed off for 12 or 13 hours doing some significant repair work up forward,’’ Oxley said in a radio interview. 'We've just completed those repairs and we've got some heat up forward trying to cook off the bulkhead so we're good to go and can get up to speed again.'

The repair crew of helmsman/trimmer Rob Salthouse and bowman Mike Pammenter had risked life and limb in the delicate operation and deserved a massive pat on the back, Oxley said.

'It’s pretty full on, trying to not to drop off a wave in the middle of them using a jigsaw or grinder and chop off their hand instead,’’ he said. 'Salty and Mike have been dong a fantastic job under difficult conditions, working flat out.'

While Camper were heads down with their repairs, France’s Groupama sailing team slipped into poll position, Team Telefónica claimed second place and Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg moved into third.

At 1000 UTC Groupama held a 14-nautical mile lead over Telefónica with Puma a further 27 nm behind. Camper were fourth, 50 nm behind the leaders and doing an average speed of 13 knots.

Puma navigator Tom Addis said his team were not overly concerned by their position as they trekked towards Cape Horn.

'Positions are easily hyped but everyone’s just looking after themselves,’’ he said. 'There’s very little boat-to-boat strategy while the focus remains going fast at a heading that’s generally east and trying not to break anything.'

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing remain in the fleet’s wake in fifth position while Team Sanya continue to head for New Zealand to repair damage to their starboard rudder.

Volvo Ocean Race website