Rick Deppe/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race
Wednesday 19 November 2008 08:15
PUMA have sustained serious structural damage for the second time in 24 hours and are considering whether to re-route away from the rest of the fleet to Cochin.
The night before last, they crashed off a wave which caused several cracks in the longitudinal frames of the bow section. They bent the bow pulpit and shredded an asymmetric spinnaker in the process. The fix took seven hours but cost PUMA little in time to their rivals at the head of the fleet.
Then at 04:30 GMT this morning, as the fleet blasted along in 25 knots of squally southern ocean, they suffered a further blow when the boat was launched off another wave.
This time the main section of the boat took the brunt of the impact - just behind the keel frame. "This time it's a bit more serious," skipper Ken Read said. "This one may be a bit tougher to work around. Not only is this break in the central structure for the entire boat, but it will take quite a bit longer to put a fix on - maybe as long as 24 hours."
Read says that if that is the case they will have to re-route north to Cochin. "Capey (navigator Andrew Cape) and I are trying to see if there is a tactical solution around this in order to stay remotely in the race."
Fortunately, the crew members have escaped unhurt from both incidents though there is considerable bruising to morale.
"Not only is this a bummer for the team, but a let down for all who have worked on the programme so far," Read added. "Please understand, though, that we have not given up hope on board. Stranger things have happened. We have thousands of miles to go."
PUMA, who will surrender their overall race lead, are limping along at 11 knots, while close rivals - the Ericsson duo and Telefonica Blue - were powering up at 18-22 knots of boat speed.
The north-south split of the past few days has shrunk as the fleet positions for the scoring gate - and the northwards dash to Cochin.