10.06.2004
BERNARD STAMM TO ATTEMPT SALVAGE OF BOAT...
Twenty-six mono and multihulls are still racing west in The Transat 2004 after 10 days of hard racing in arduous, demanding and, occasionally, savage weather conditions. The fleet have faced both natural and man-made phenomena; deep low pressure systems, impenetrable fog banks, ice alerts, commercial shipping, offshore oil platforms, surface debris and the sporadic encounter with an unfortunate whale or manta ray. The emotional and physical cost for all thirty-seven skippers has been heavy, but three competitors have paid a high price - Jean Pierre Dick (Virbac), Vincent Riou (PRB) and Bernard Stamm (Cheminees Poujoulat-Armor Lux).
Six days ago (04/06/04), Virbac rolled 360° in a violent storm that left the 60ft monohull dismasted though the French skipper, Jean Pierre Dick, reindexed uninjured. Three days later, PRB dismasted while racing south at fullthrottle and within hours - 60 miles to the northwest - Bernard Stamm capsized as Cheminees Poujoulat-Armor Lux suffered total keel failure.
In many respects, Virbac and PRB are far from danger and the IMOCA Open 60 safety regulations have, again, proved effective. The two French skippers are now waiting for their rescue vessels to arrive while making every effort to head east. Vincent Riou (PRB) has erected a jury rig using his retracted daggerboard as a 1.5 metre mast and is making 4 knots in the direction of Europe. Riou hopes to rendezvous with the motorised trimaran, Ocean Alchimiste, late tomorrow and will spend an estimated six days under tow on the return trip to Brittany where a spare mast is awaiting PRB.
Jean Pierre Dick has been unable to fashion a jury rig and any plans of using the boat's tiny engine are valueless in the tall seas and long swells currently facing Virbac. The French skipper's only option is to continue his drift eastwards and wait for his shore crew to arrive on the converted fishing vessel, Hatherleigh; currently SW of Fastnet Rock with an ETA of early Saturday evening.
After a dramatic and expertly coordinated rescue from the up-turned hull of his boat, Bernard Stamm's team have lost no time organising a salvage operation. Last night the Swiss skipper arrived at the port of St. Johns on Newfoundland's southern extremity, The Avalon Peninsular. He has now boarded the offshore tug, Alex Gordon, and is planning to set out and locate Cheminees Poujoulat-Armor Lux. Finding the 60ft monohull will demand extremes of skill and judgement as the yacht's distress beacon has ceased transmitting a satellite fix - a knowledge of drift patterns and an accurate assessment of wave and wind conditions will now become crucial. Should the Alex Gordon discover Stamm's yacht, it is likely that a diver will be sent to cut away the mast, sails and rigging. The task facing the salvage team is truly daunting.
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