Oceanracing 2007 - Rekordfahrt von Francis Joyon mit Trimaran IDEC

Rekordversuch von Francis Joyon mit Trimaran IDEC
www.trimaran-idec.com - Übersicht

11.01.2008
SERIOUS DAMAGE ON BOARD IDEC, FRANCIS JOYON S TRIMARAN RISKS LOSING HER MAST!

The index news:
- Francis Joyon had to climb his mast during the night after his indexsail halyard broke. - At the head of the mast, Francis noticed some damage to the starboard shroud attachment, which was in danger of snapping off, leading to the possibility of the boat dismasting, - The skipper from La Trinité injured his ankle during his second climb up to the top of the mast during the night.

With more than 22,800 miles on the clock, covered at high speed and relentlessly, IDEC is beginning to look rather tired. Following a hellish night struggling in squalls in the Doldrums, Francis Joyon today has to cope with two pieces of equipment damage, which are slowing down his progress on the route back towards Brest.

Firstly, there is the damage to the indexsail halyard, which forced the skipper of IDEC to risk a dangerous night-time climb up the mast. Then, it was at the top of the mast that Francis discovered a much more serious problem concerning the starboard shroud attachment. This heavy, thick cable, which holds the mast in place sideways is fixed to the mast on a shaft. It was in fact this shaft that began to unscrew and come out of its housing. Francis was thus obliged to go back up again to the top of the mast, to try to secure the shroud and screw back up this vital shaft. Meanwhile, he was forced to slow down the trimaran’s speed, sailing simply under staysail and three reefs. The danger is of course that he will lose his mast.

Francis injures his ankle
Following the tricky climb up the mast in extreme and dangerous conditions, which caused him to suffer several blows to his body, Francis noticed his ankle was injured and initially decided to take a rest and wait for the steady NE’ly wind to calm down the seas: "I injured my ankle during my second climb, as the boat was all over the place," he added. “I’m taking some time to get some rest and work on a solution." Under staysail and three reefs, IDEC was making slow headway at lunchtime, as she moved away from the Doldrums. "I’m trying to make the best headway possible on the route for the moment," explained Francis Joyon, who was clearly exhausted. "I’m still sailing upwind in 18 knots of wind, but I can’t go any faster, because of the sail configuration I have chosen to ensure the mast stays in place."

A difficult repair job
Sailing in cross seas and having to make do without the required tools, Francis only managed to slide the gennaker halyard to give support to the shroud, in the eventuality of this breaking away from the mast, so as to stop or at least slow down the collapse of the trimaran’s carbon mast. The sea conditions do not allow him to take this repair work any further.

The skipper of IDEC is in contact with his shore team as well as with the mast designers trying to work out ways to stop the shaft from unscrewing again and to try to come to terms with the risks.