Vestas Wind wrecked Boat cleared from tropical reef.

Would love to see Vestas Wind sailing again in the VolvoOceanRace, not in Leg 3 but with some good efforts maybe in Leg 4. 

A major step towards that is made by salvaging the Boat from the reef it got grounded on, some 200 Nm North_East of Mauritius. 

The Boat is now on a container ship heading to Malaysia and no doubt it will help to prepare a VO65 boat by re-use of suitable parts and lets hope they will be able to join in Sanya. 

The complete story can be found in the VOR website or you may use following link. 
http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/news/8188_Off-the-rocks.html 

Note: I am always sad, when I see people taking too many risks by standing on a boat while lifted. My safety rule is: no persons on or below a lift!. To many people have lost their live or got seriously injured by falling objects, breaking slings, cables or tilting cranes. 

VolvoOceanRace Leg 2 finishes in ABU DHABI

Team Brunel has taken the Victory in VolvoOceanRace Leg 2 from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi, ahead of Dongfeng and AbuDhbai teams. They were the first to leave the Start circuit in Cape Town, and the first to finish but not in the lead for the whole Leg. However Brunel were always amongst the leaders all the race, but it was far from easy to win.

Team Brunel takes Victory in AbuDhabi

This VOR version is the first to completely sail this Leg2, as last time the boats sailed to the secret harbour on the Maldives and got shipped to AbuDhabi. So it is as many said unknown territory concerning the best sailing strategy. 

First there was the Cape of Good Hope to pass and area with changing and sometimes calm winds. This time a depression gave them good winds to speed to the East, keeping clear from the Ice-gate. The Africa exclusion zone kept the boats East of Madagascar and Mauritius but on track with a cyclone. Strong winds beat the leaders but it was all not to serious.

That was the grounding of the Vestas Wind Boat. Luckily the crew is all safe and un-hurt , but the Boat is lost. They hit an shallow/reef and got stuck some 200Nm north of Mauritus. I learned that it was human error by not zooming in sufficiently on the electronic cards, that apparently did show these shallows. Now the team is trying to construct a new VO65, but that will not be in time to start Leg 3.

The Results in AbuDhabi
1. Team Brunel                     23d 16h 25m 20s
2. Dongfeng Race Team       23d 16h 41m 40s
3. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing  23d 19h 8m 15s
4. MAPFRE                            24d 11h 18m 18s
5. Team Alvimedica              24d 21h 29m 23s
6. Team SCA                         25d 06h 23m 34s
Team Vestas Wind - did not finish 

The Overall classification has now 3 teams leading all with equal 4 points. 

The Start for Leg 3 from AbuDhabi to Sanya, China, will be on Saturday 3rd January 2015. The In-Port race in AbuDhabi will be on the Friday before, on 2nd January 2015. 

Wishing all my readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The Edges of the Water is the worst danger for a skipper.

The worst nightmare for a skipper is to ground his Boat, not to talk of the Navigator. It happened to Vestas Wind sailing in the VolvoOceanRace after properly validating the Mauritius Mark. 

Vestas wind grounded 

Sailing just ahead of Alvimedica, they sailed East of the Cargados Carajos Shoals , where the first 3 boats, Abu Dhabi, Brunel and Dongfeng due to their advance and the changing windconditions sailed West of these Shoals. Vestas Wind was sailing east close along Ile de Sud, too close apparently as they grounded with a 19Nm Boatspeed. The Boat turned 180 degree and got stuck with the stern. The dagger-boards and rudders were all broken in the accident. 
Alvimedica, suspended temporary the racing to assist Vestas Wind when required. After the crew were in safety, Alvimedica resumed the Leg 2 race to AbuDhabi; a recalculation of the time lost in the rescue assistance will be made by the R.C. 

Luckily none of the crew were injured. Later in the Night the crew could wade through knee deep water unto a dry part of the reef and later picked of by a RIB of the rescue services and brought to the Isle de Sud, which has limited accomodation. 
Today, I read that all crew has arrived safely at Mauritius, with the fishing vessel "The Eliza", (reason I published the accident in my blog). They have secured their boat, removed pollutants as oil and fuel and taken valuable parts of the Boat with them. 
The Crew is said to travel to AbuDhabi, where a detailed briefing will be done. 

Further trials will be made to salvage the Boat and if possible to repair it. This might however not be fast enough to allow Vestas Wind to start on Leg 3 of this VolvoOceanRace.