Dee Caffari's mainsail problems on Aviva have gone from bad to worse over the past 24 hours and could have a serious impact on the future of her participation in the Vendée Globe race.
Dee Caffari's mainsail problems on Aviva have gone from bad to worse over the past 24 hours and could have a serious impact on the future of her participation in the Vendée Globe race.
The conditions in the South Pacific Ocean are not helping as the fleet of the Vendee Globe continues to battle against wretched conditions with winds up to 47 knots and seas that Dee described as "bloody big".
"But now it is dark, thankfully I can't see them coming," she said before explaining why the conditions were threatening the structure of her mainsail and causing such anxiety. "Until I had to put the third reef in on a starboard gybe, things were ok but this is possibly the worst sort of situation for it right now. The whole damaged area is against a lazy jack and rubbing against it is probably doing more damage but I will find out more in daylight tomorrow," said Dee, lying in ninth place but losing miles to fellow Brit Brian Thompson who is a little over 200 miles ahead.
"It is annoying because everything else on the boat is fine but I am so anxious about my mainsail all the time and it is stopping me pushing the boat a bit and affecting how I sail. I am hugely worried about it."
Every few days, Dee has to drop the mainsail and carry out repairs to areas where it has laminated. From the moment she entered the Southern Ocean, she has been patching up the sail.
"I have half way around the world to go to keep it together. It is something in the lamination process and just one of those things. I have to keep on doing what I'm doing until I get back. It won't look pretty but I have to work at keeping it together. My latest plan is to paint it with epoxy resin from the boat building kit which seems to be working but I can only do it in patches because it makes the sail very stiff. And when you bend it, it breaks. I have to do this either until the end of the race or until everything runs out. I am running out of sail repair kit and I will be running out of resin after a while. But I can only do what I can do but it makes me cautious so now I am avoiding the wind and not enjoying the wind. It is annoying because it is beyond my control. If the mainsail blows up it is a very long race just with headsails."
In an e-mail to the race office at 9.52am GMT this morning, Caffari reported:
"The port side of the mainsail has the outer layer of the sail peeling away. It is worst at the top and in the section between the second and third reef. This is exposing the fibres and they are now coming unstuck from the taffeta. My mission is to protect the fibres and try and keep as much of the sail stuck together as possible. The worst gybe for me is a starboard gybe which is what I am on now.
"I am running low on sail repair kit as many of the patches I have already used have blown off the sail as more outer layer has been lost. I am now using a mixture of resin from the boat building kit and sika flex. This is close to impossible to do but I have to so I shall find a way.
"I am in contact with Bruno Dubois from North sails France and Laurent Mahy who is responsible for Aviva's sail wardrobe at North sails France. No matter what I shall find stuff to help fix the sail to get me round the other half of the planet.
"It is really annoying as the rest of the boat is great and desperately wants to be on fire and show everyone what she can do, but I am so worried about the mainsail it is hard to enjoy any strong breeze."
Dee and Aviva
Aviva Ocean Racing summary
Record-breaking British yachtswoman Dee Caffari, who sailed into the record books in May 2006 by becoming the first woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world against the prevailing winds and currents, is attempt her next "world first" by competing in the Vendée Globe yacht race. Caffari is attempting to become the first woman to sail solo and non-stop both ways around the world.
Further information on Dee Caffari and her Aviva Ocean Racing campaign can be found at www.avivaoceanracing.com.
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For further information and interview requests contact:
Caroline Ayling
Mobile: +44 (0) 7801 351950
E-mail: caroline.ayling@synergy-sponsorship.com
Kelly Russell
Mobile: +44 (0)7786 516570
E-mail: kelly.russell@synergy-sponsorship.com
Website: www.avivaoceanracing.com
Images: www.avivaoceanracing.com/images
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