http://www.spindrift-racing.com/2014/08/spindrift-racing-series-40-metres-solo-special-episode-part-1/
An unscheduled episode of 40 metres en solo, as the Route du Rhum adventure continues…
On Friday August 22nd, as night fell over the mid-Atlantic, midway between Newport and La Trinité-sur-Mer, Spindrift 2’s starboard float rudder broke in two under the hull. The maxi-trimaran hit what appears to have been a container drifting in the middle of the ocean.
Despite the significant impact, nobody on board was hurt and there does not seem to be any further damage to the boat. Yann Guichard left the USA on August 18th and had planned to drop off his crew members in the Azores, before sailing back to Brittany single-handed to prepare for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. Due to the damage, the trimaran has been forced to reduce its speed as it heads for the port of Horta. Spindrift 2 is expected to arrive at the Azorean capital, on Faial island, on Sunday morning.
Spindrift racing’s technical team was immediately called into action, and is pulling out all the stops to allow the boat to return to open waters as soon as possible. The replacement rudder will be flown out to the Azores, along with several of the team’s technicians.
Hitting a whale, dolphin, iceberg or any other drifting objects while on board a carbon-fibre multihull travelling at 25 knots is a frightening scenario, with potentially devastating consequences. Striking a container out at sea is most unfortunate, but happens more and more often, and is a sad reflection of the state of today’s oceans. Yann Guichard and his men realise that the damage could have been much worse, and are focusing now on the future.
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