Dee Caffari took advantage of favourable conditions yesterday to spend some time giving her mainsail some more care and attention. Having to drop the sail completely to make sound repairs meant a considerable drop in boat speed allowing her close rival Arnaud Boissières, onboard Akena Vèrandas, to overtake and assume a lead of 28 miles overnight.
Dee Caffari took advantage of favourable conditions yesterday to spend some time giving her mainsail some more care and attention. Having to drop the sail completely to make sound repairs meant a considerable drop in boat speed allowing her close rival Arnaud Boissières, onboard Akena Vèrandas, to overtake and assume a lead of 28 miles overnight. With the repairs finished, Caffari hauled the mainsail back up the mast and set about catching up some of the lost miles. The latest polling showed Caffari is now only 19.4 miles behind the Frenchman.
Despite focusing on the close racing, Caffari and her team's thoughts are with Vincent Riou who, after his emotional rescue of friend and competitor Jean Le Cam, was dismasted last night. It appears that the repair to the damage sustained in the rescue may have given way and led to the dismasting. The two French sailors are expected to arrive under tow in Port Williams this morning.
Andrew Roberts, campaign director, said: "It has been an emotional time over the last few days following the rescue of Jean Le Cam and it must be heart breaking for Vincent to now lose his mast. The good news is that both skippers are in good health and should be safely on dry land this morning. Dee has spent some time repairing her main and she sounds determined to get back in front of Arnaud."
Dee's latest diary received on Thursday 8 January at 7.46am GMT:
"Thought I would share my day with you:
- During the afternoon the sun was warm, so boiled kettle and poured water in bucket with sika tube in
- Ran generator with resin in space
- Cut some patches and got my stuff together
- Dropped main just past third reef
- Dabbed some resin
- Placed a patch
- I was down wind in twenty knots so top section will have to wait. It is new so should last until Atlantic
- Slowly hoisted using a combination of dabbing resin and applying sika and some patches to third reef
- Now eased third reef so sail lay flat. Fibres against cloth and started again
- When finished sika and not wanting to use any more resin I began the hoist
- Port gybe is good for working on the mainsail but it meant that I had to top handle the main hoist all the way on the runner winch. That worked my biceps, thought I was back on a Challenge boat again!
- Two hours later I had to gybe. Have now got it down to 45 minutes rather than the hour it used to take, I guess less food to stack or maybe I have the routine now
- One hour later I had to put the first reef in
- An hour after that I had to put the second reef in.
"So apart from expending energy, I did the repair just in time before this wind filled in. Thank God. Now I have to get Cali back where he belongs, behind me!"
Dee
Dee Caffari is currently in ninth position 19 miles behind Frenchman Arnaud Boissières.
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:
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E-mail: caroline.ayling@synergy-sponsorship.com
Kelly Russell
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E-mail: Kelly.russell@synergy-sponsorship.com
Website: www.avivaoceanracing.com
Images: www.avivaoceanracing.com/images
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