British Yachtswoman Dee Caffari, onboard Aviva, has endured further damage to her mainsail following a battering by a 65 knot storm in the southern ocean. The solo skipper had already repaired a number of tears to her mainsail, but knew as she approached the notorious Cape Horn in a vicious storm it may lead to more damage.
British Yachtswoman Dee Caffari, onboard Aviva, has endured further damage to her mainsail following a battering by a 65 knot storm in the southern ocean. The solo skipper had already repaired a number of tears to her mainsail, but knew as she approached the notorious Cape Horn in a vicious storm it may lead to more damage.
A temporary decrease in wind strength will help Dee Caffari round the Cape in the next 36 hours and prepare for the next storm looming on the weather forecast. She will continue to conserve the mainsail as much as possible before attempting the repairs around the Falkland Islands. These challenges are an expected part of competing in the Vendée Globe and the solo skippers consistently look for solutions to overcome problems.
Whilst the performance of the boat will be affected before she can attend to the latest problems, the Aviva Ocean Racing shore team are confident that Caffari has enough sail repair material onboard to make the repairs. At present the damage is just below the fourth reef and between the second and third reef of the mainsail.
Joff Brown, Aviva Ocean Racing project manager, said: "Dee's mainsail continues to deteriorate, as predicted, but once Dee is through this bad weather system she will be in a better position to effect some repairs. We hope for a better breeze in the South Atlantic which will impede the rate of further deterioration."
Dee Caffari's latest diary entry received on Tuesday 13 December at 6.30pm GMT:
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"A nightmare twenty four hours where I spent most of it in 50 to 65 knots of wind. Aviva survived, I survived, but the mainsail didn't. No great surprise as the wind was vicious but it was the sea state that was the scariest thing. I have never seen sea so huge before. The wind has eased but has left a messy and still big sea state which is making progress difficult with a mainsail that can go no higher than 4 reefs. I am stuck with this until I can get conditions where I can assess the damage and decide a repair to get me going again.
"My biggest concern now is the fact that slow boat speed may mean I will be hit by the next storm too and I do not think I can do it all again!"
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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Website: www.avivaoceanracing.com
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