03.11.2006
Orange project has a stopover in the Azores
The Orange project trimaran skippered by the Swiss yachtsman Stève Ravussin arrived in the little port of Horta on the island of Faial in the Western Azores this afternoon at around 14h30 GMT. Pierre-Yves Moreau and three assistants, including two men belonging to the Sodebo trimaran’s support team, were already working hard with all the necessary equipment to get the damaged boat back in shape.
A diver has already been able to inspect the central hull and apparently has not found any weakness or delamination there. The propeller blades are certainly damaged, but this should not stop the trimaran from heading back out to sea. Stève Ravussin has stepped up communications with Marc Lombard, the boat’s designer, in order to check that they have not forgotten any details. Pierre-Yves Moreau, Ravussin’s right-hand man, has arrived with the all-important rudder on loan from Sopra in his luggage. He has also brought along a spare solent. The whole team will be working this evening and throughout the night to ensure the multihull has the means to reach Pointe à Pitre. Meanwhile, Stève is going to force himself to get some rest for a few hours. The goal for him and all his team is to set sail again as quickly as possible tomorrow morning (Saturday).
The Orange project trimaran collided at full speed with a container yesterday morning to the north west of the Azores. With the violence of the collision, the central daggerboard broke, and the index rudder was smashed. Stève headed for Horta under reduced sail.
In the Azores this afternoon
At 7 this morning, located 58 miles from Horta, a port on the island of Faial in the Western Azores, the damaged Orange project trimaran is making slow headway at between 7 and 8 knots and should reach the support team early this afternoon. Since the collision yesterday morning with a container floating just under the surface, Stève Ravussin has been able to give the boat a thorough check-up.
As far as the good news is concerned, no ingress of water has been found, in spite of the violence of the collision. However, with her steering lost following the accident, the solent was torn and Stève had to report the loss of this essential sail this morning. Disappointed and a little bit angry because of this unpredictable accident, Stève still wants to do the job well and set off again as soon as possible to finish the Route du Rhum in the best time possible.
In Horta to work
«No, I shan’t be getting any rest in Horta». Ravussin is trying to reach Faial, as quickly as possible, as his support team with his right-hand man Pierre-Yves Moreau is waiting there with two members of the Sodebo team. Out of the question for him to spend the time resting or in a hotel. The Swiss sailor intends not to lose a second of time doing the work necessary to get the damaged trimaran back in shape. The first phase will involve sending down a diver to examine the central hull. Stève has not found any sign of a crack in the daggerboard casing. He hopes that this terrible collision with a container has not weakened the structure of the boat. Only an examination by a diver will reassure him about this.
The second phase involves the daggerboard itself. It has lost at least a metre and will need to be sanded down to offer a minimum level of efficiency. «Downwind in the trade winds,» explained Stève, «I shouldn’t really need it.» The daggerboard is completely raised
with the wind astern to avoid any drag. The third phase will concern the rudder. It broke up under the shock. There is also some damage to the rudder stock casing. Stève and his team hope to replace the parts individually and the index appendage by a rudder lent by Sopra, Orange project’s sistership.
The rudder stock will have to be refitted perfectly for Stève to speed away again. The solent will have to be replaced and the stay rechecked. In all, the Orange Sailing Team is expecting to spend 24 hours on the Azores, and plan to start again on Saturday.
Finishing the adventure
«It’s the least I can do,» said a very disappointed Stève. «For my team, my partners and for myself, I have to finish this Route du Rhum. I haven’t really studied the weather over the last few hours, but I m going to fight to the end to achieve a time, even if I am not well placed.» This Route du Rhum, which looks like being historic could have been kinder to Stève. His tack westwards looked like paying off. The Orange trimaran was able to sail at 90° to the great circle route and pick up the fresh northerly flow to reach the trade winds at high speed. «The wind was up to 30 to 35 knots, when the accident happened,» explained Ravussin. «When I see how much Alain Gautier and Franck Cammas were slowed down through the Azores, I tell myself I could have made it back up there with the leaders… »
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