02.11.2006
The Orange project trimaran has hit a container
It was around 9h GMT this morning (Thursday) that Stève Ravussin’s Orange Project trimaran had a violent collision with a container. The yacht was sailing at more than 20 knots under full indexsail and gennaker in a fresh northerly flow, as the Swiss yachtsman was on a course a long way west of the direct route.
The index daggerboard suffered first, although was fortunately raised at the time. The central rudder was totally destroyed. Located 140 miles north west of Florès Island in the Azores, the orange trimaran can no longer be steered. Stève is however going to attempt to reach the islands, where his support team are going to try as rapidly as possible to reach him with a new rudder. Stève has not yet had the time to dive to take a look at the condition of the index hull. For the moment, he has not seen any sign of a leak. There is therefore no need to retire. Containers are huge metal boxes, which can measure up to 12 metres and are used to transport goods. Accidentally (or not) falling off container shops or cargo vessels in storms, and although weighing several tonnes, can take several months to sink and sometimes float around just under the surface, invisible from a trimaran speeding along at more than 20 knots...
2.Bericht
Press Release N°10
Thursday 2nd November 2006
In the end, it is not Florès, unsuited to multihulls, but Horta on the island of Faial in the Western Azores, that Stève Ravussin and his support team led by Franck David, have chosen to head for to enable repairs to be carried out on the Orange project trimaran, so she may continue in the Route du Rhum.
Stève talked this lunchtime about the horrible accident that happened: «I was zooming along at full speed in a 30 to 35-knot northerly. I had taken in two reefs and was sailing with the staysail, when I hit a container floating just under the surface. I went right up on it and with the violent impact, I lost a metre off my central daggerboard and smashed the index rudder. The boat is solid, but can’t stand up to a container. I don’t think water is getting in anywhere. The boat is difficult to steer. I’m heading for Faial at around 15 or 16 knots, with three reefs taken in and nothing hoisted in front. I’d like to get moving again as soon as possible. Sopra is lending us a rudder, which should be suitable. As for the daggerboard, I shouldn’t really need it downwind to Guadeloupe.
Regrets….
It’s infuriating! The sea is a rubbish dump on which it is growing increasingly difficult to sail.» Stève had tried during the night the bold plan of heading due west or even north west, to pick up some fresher winds that would allow him to get back to the front of the race. With 30-35 knot northerlies forecast, it looks like he was on the right track… He will be benefiting from the assistance of two members of Team Sodebo’s support crew that were on the spot in case Thomas Coville’s trimaran had to stop. By tomorrow lunchtime they will be joined by Pierre-Yves Moreau, Stève’s right hand man. Meanwhile, a rudder on loan from Sopra (Orange Project’s Lombard designed sistership) will be arriving by plane, along with other pieces of equipment. Solidarity is strong between the competitors in this race to try to enable Orange to get back in the race quickly and in the best shape possible.
«We think it will take around 24 hours to carry out the work
there after tomorrow (Friday) lunchtime,» explained Franck David, the Orange trimaran project leader. Stève Ravussin, under staysail and three reefs, and although deprived of his index rudder, is speeding along at more than 15 knots towards Faial; «There’s not a minute to lose. I want to get going as quickly as possible to finish this Route du Rhum as best I can,» he declared. There is still the central hull to inspect. Stève said this lunchtime that he had literally gone right up on to the container. Only a close examination of the hull by a diver will reassure the Swiss skipper about the condition of his central hull.
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