Heineken Cape to Bahia Race - Finish

DAMAGED YACHT LIMPS INTO SALVADOR TO FINISH HEINEKEN RACE

The crew of the Lavranos-designed Auto Atlantic Thunderchild is celebrating their completion of the Heineken Cape to Bahia yacht race after supporters and race spent anxious hours awaiting their arrival. In a communication off the boat on Monday, the crew reported that they have been sailing with severe keel damage for the past two weeks.

According to the crew, they did not want to alarm friends and family unnecessarily, but felt that with Salvador in sight an explanation for their frustratingly slow progress should be forthcoming. “We discovered the crack in the boat’s aluminium space frame during a routine inspection of the bilges about four days after the start. Basically the port side of the keel root became disconnected from the structural aluminium reinforcing inside and any further failure of the weld could be sudden and catastrophic, ripping out the glass fibre bottom of the boat. This crack is panting open and shut as the boat heels over waves. We can only presume this damage occurred while pushing the boat during the first 72 hours of the race, as pre-start examinations of the hull, keel and space frame were carried out by three qualified experts.”

Fears that the rough, bumpy seas and strong winds would add stress to the keel and endanger the lives of crew members should they turn back for Cape Town urged the crew to continue for Salvador. This decision caused the boat to search for low wind and flat seas to minimise stress on the keel. “Obviously the safety of the crew was my primary concern and we had the boat’s inflatable life raft and emergency survival supplies stashed on board in case an emergency evacuation became necessary. We are all relieved to know that Salvador is just over the horizon and that we are sure to arrive within the next 24 hours,” wrote Rhett Goldswain yesterday.

Auto Atlantic Thunderchild received a tumultuous welcome when she finished the race shortly after 15h00 SA time. This setback has obviously ruined Thunderchild’s chances on a good handicap placing, but the handicap rankings are constantly shuffled as more yachts finish the epic ocean crossing.

It is starting to look as if Windsong will maintain her first place on handicap and that skipper Rob Meek and his crew will be the recipients of the magnificent South Atlantic trophy. Nicholas Mace on Polo Sport Gumption remains in second place, while John Martin on MTU Fascination of Power is currently third after they finished on Monday afternoon. Double-handed sailors JJ Provoyeur and Anthony Spillebeen celebrated their arrival in Salvador and overall fourth place on handicap on Monday night.

Both Gillie B (Mike Bartholomew) and the German entry (Mamelie) finished in the early hours of the morning (08h12 and 09h19 SA time respectively) to move into fifth and sixth places on handicap. Gawie Fagan and his 3-man crew on board Suidoos 2 are still being plagued by the lightening winds and are averaging just over 5 knots with over 300 nautical miles still to go to the finish line. 80-year old Fagan led the handicap race for the first ten days after the start, but the light conditions has seen them slip down to seventh spot on the rankings with hopes of making good times diminishing quickly.

For race updates and daily positions, visit www.heinekencapetobahia.co.za