02.01.2008
Please find the latest on Temenos (good news : )) and Groupama (less good news)
below.
Kind regards, Kate
Decision time for Michèle and Dominique
Since yesterday evening (UTC) Temenos II has been on a technical pit-stop in
Wellington. With gusts of 38 knots, the approach to the New Zealand port proved
to be rather tricky for Michèle and Dominique, who hadn’t bargained on such
treatment.
“It caught hold of us in the narrow part of the channel. We were under code 5
and full indexsail, and the wind rose sharply, going from 15 knots, to 25, 30,
35. We ended up sailing under 4 reefs with just the indexsail aloft. Everything
was quiet after a day spent in the calms yesterday so the transition was pretty
brutal. We really wondered what on earth was happening to us. With the current
running against us, there were some massive breakers, to the extent that you'd
have thought we were at the Raz de Sein (area off Brittany renowned for its big,
messy seas)! We worked right through the night manoeuvring and we arrived here
totally soaked to the skin.
Making around just ten miles, we found part of our shore crew, who had come out
to meet us, but we called off the tow as it would have been pretty dicey in that
wind.
We made it to the marina around sunrise at about 0600 hours, which enabled us to
perform our port manoeuvres in daylight.”
With Temenos II moored in the Wellington marina, the crew on zone didn’t delay
in setting to work. There was time for an express breakfast, a final technical
briefing and then everyone set about their tasks. The boat was quickly lifted
onto the hard and the keel was meticulously scrutinised.
“The zone was sanded and then examined with magnetic resonance imaging and
ultrasound by the keel constructor. This examination didn't reveal any damage or
any serious cracks. The metal is rusted but the corrosion reindexs superficial.
As a result there is no deep attack on the metal. They have already begun the
repair and are redoing the keel ‘cover’. Given the time we have to respect for
the drying cycles of the epoxy resin and paint, if all goes to plan, we should
be fit to relaunch Temenos II at the end of the day.” (Morning of Thursday 3rd
UTC)
As regards the cause of the damage, it would seem that the impact with a
floating object which dates back to 7th December was the source of the problem.
“We suppose that during this impact a small shard got up into the keel casing
and damaged the coating, but without damaging the structure.”
As the two co-skippers thought, this unfortunate encounter caused other damage
to the hull as well as the port rudder, but nothing that can’t be quickly
repaired by the workforce at the Southern Ocean Marine yard, which travelled
there from Auckland.
Even though the duo was prepared for the eventuality of having to retire,
Michèle’s words yesterday left no doubt as to their motivation and desire to
head back out into the race. “It's a very great relief for us. We are really
very happy to be able to continue the race.”
Prior to that though, Michèle and Dominique will have to wait for all the work
to be finished and that the 48 hour time penalty for making a pit-stop is up.
Temenos II is likely to be laid up in Wellington until the end of the day UTC on
3rd January.
P.O. Box 26,
Dartmouth,
DEVON.
TQ6 0YG
United Kingdom
+44 (0)7795 116699
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