06.12.2004
Complementary News
Damaged keel for Norbert Sedlacek on Brother
At 1620 GMT the race management of the Vendée Globe received a call from the boat Brother skippered by Austrian sailor Norbert Sedlacek. The boat was then 920 miles from Cape Town, South Africa. In the communication Norbert stated that the keel of his monohull is damaged and may become dislocated from the hull. Brother has a canting keel which allows him to swing the keel to keep it more upright. To do this the keel is mounted on a longitudinal axis which rests on two pivots one on the fore part of the keel and the other on the aft part of the keel.
It is the rear part of the keel which is broken. For the moment the keel is mechanically linked to the hull. Norbert thinks that this damage is due to the very bad weather that the competitors have been having over the past 48 hours. Brother is in a high pressure zone making little speed, 4/5 knots boat speed on a heading of 55/60 degrees.
Norbert is still racing and has not talked of abandoning the Vendée Globe 2004 race. He therefore continues to race and we will contact him tomorrow morning during the live Radio Chat session for further news.
Source: Vendée Globe 2004
www.vendeeglobe.org
Vendée Globe Press Office - Tel. +33 1 55 56 66 50 – e-mail : press@vendeeglobe.fr
Presse Francophone Media: Caroline Concetti – Anne Millet – Soazig Guého
International Media: Sabina Mollart-Rogerson – Ophélie Théron
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