Jules Verne Rekord 2003 www.kingfisherchallenges.com - zur Übersicht KINGFISHER2 headING FOR PLYMOUTH PITSTOP... Absender: "Team Kingfisher" Datum: 28. Jan 2003 15:41 * KINGFISHER2 is already well on her way towards Plymouth, where she will find shelter tonight to effect the necessary repairs to her mast track. A new estimated departure will become more evident once that work begins tomorrow morning (Wednesday morning). ETA Plymouth is 2000 – 0100 tonight. Currently she is sailing comfortably under headsail alone, but in quite rough English Channel conditions. * "It's not easy to sit here writing the news that KINGFISHER2 has been unable to start the Jules Verne this morning..." Email in from Ellen late this morning (in full below). * THE PROBLEM DISCOVERED does not actually stop the boat sailing - and has not. However, it is important to ensure before leaving for 26,000 tough miles that the boat is in A1 condition. Mark Turner, Project Director, added: "These boats are complex racing machines, we are, of course, disappointed to find this kind of problem right on the start line - however, to discover it in 2 weeks time would have been far worse. Right now we are focused on making the fastest turnaround time as possible - that includes the shore team travelling to Plymouth, and getting the necessary materials in place. With the assistance of the Maiden II project, who are providing the short length of replacement track, we hope to be ready to go in days rather than weeks. Our sincerest thanks to Maiden II for their vital support at this stage." * THE IMMEDIATE REPAIR INVOLVES replacing a short length of mast track (between 1 and 4 metres). This track is custom, and potentially hard to find. In a demonstration of the spirit that the sport of ocean racing still indextains, Tracy Edwards and her catamaran Maiden II (a sistership to KINGFISHER2, and possibly the only boat that has this same gauge track) have offered to provide the small length of track required to make a fast repair. Tracy Edwards, Project Director of Maiden II, commented: "We received a call from Team Kingfisher this morning after they developed a technical problem with their mast track. The weather window they are hoping to set sail in will close in 48 hours and we are the only boat with the same mast track, so their only option to start the Jules Verne this week would be for us to lend them ours. Although Ellen and I are obviously rivals on the water, it would be great for British sailing if she was able to capture the Jules Verne record and, as a result, we were more than happy to provide whatever assistance we could to set them back on-course." "There are not many sports that you would see one rival helping another, and I know some people will find it surprising that we are happy to come to the rescue of a rival team, but I think this is proof of the great respect ocean sailors have for one another. We will not be racing again until May 2003 so it will not affect our future schedule. "I hope the guys from Kingfisher can now get our mast track fitted as quickly as possible. We broke four world records with it in 2002 so I hope that it brings them the same good fortune in their Jules Verne attempt!" * KINGFISHER2 is likely to moor in Plymouth Sound rather than actually come alongside, at least initially. The crew will come ashore , but will otherwise reindex ready to depart as soon as the technical solution is put in place - in other words, status AMBER. EMAIL FROM ELLEN RECEIVED LATE MORNING: It's not easy to sit here writing the news that KINGFISHER2 has been unable to start the Jules Verne this morning. We sailed past the start line at sunrise this morning - with just an hour to go before our expected departure time. As a matter course we were undergoing final checks, and we spotted some black marks on the mast - which with further examination proved to be a problem unsolvable at sea. With a 3 to 4 metre swell any examinations were difficult, but Hendo and Ronny made an external and internal examination (NB it is actually possible to go up the inside of the enormous 38 metre carbon wing mast). The verdict was a like a kick in the guts for the Kingfisher team, but our only option was clear. We have to make a pit stop now, for which we have chosen Plymouth as it gives us a better chance of leaving in this weather window. This changes the emphasis of our next few hours - but not our next few months. The crew are disappointed, a little frustrated - as we have sailed in the same conditions before and had no sign of any issues. But there is still humour on board. It's important too, time to get on with things once again - albeit with a slightly shifted objective of getting us back out on the track. So, here's to being out here at Ushant again - asap! Ellen and the crew of KINGFISHER2 20 miles North East of Ushant, nw France. TECHNICAL PROBLEMS DELAY START TIME FOR MACARTHUR... Absender: "Team Kingfisher" Datum: 28. Jan 2003 11:09 KINGFISHER2 and her 14 strong crew did not pass the line as intended this morning after discovering a technical problem on the mast track at first light this morning. KINGFISHER2 was just miles from the start line off of Ushant primed to go, when the crew noticed a problem with the indexsail track – a metal runner that goes the full length of the mast, on which the indexsail runs up and down. A critical element that must be at 100% to race the boat to her full potential. Ellen explained by satellite phone the reasons for the delay - "To start a 26,000 mile race around the world without being in 100% form would not be a good move, and we made the decision just after 0900gmt to head for calmer waters for a fuller inspection and eventual repair. We have done some good hard miles in the current configuration, and the conditions we have experienced since we left Lorient have been difficult but nothing out of the ordinary. Further investigation will no doubt provide the answer." The current plan is to sail under headsail towards the shelter of Plymouth, south west England where the shore team will meet the giant catamaran and work on getting the team back to sea as soon as possible. The choice of Plymouth will assist an easier possible departure later in the week with the strong northerly winds forecast to continue (northerly winds being in the direction of the start line from Plymouth). Whilst of course disappointed, Ellen, the crew and the shore team are already fully focused on the solution, and a restart as soon as possible in 100% condition. "Obviously the guys are very disappointed, but everyone has actually taken this setback well...we are already very much on to the detail of resolving the problem and getting on with the job of sailing around the world," commented MacArthur by satellite phone this morning. Meeno Schrader the weather router has confirmed that this weather window may well stay open until the weekend. Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE