Barcelona World Race: Delta Dore becomes second boat to be dismasted

[Source: Barcelona World Race] Sylvie Viant, Race Director of the Barcelona World Race, has been notified by skipper Jérémie Beyou onboard the fourth-placed IMOCA 60 Delta Dore that his boat has been dismasted. Both he and co-skipper Sidney Gavignet are unhurt and safe onboard and the boat itself is structurally intact.

Jérémie contacted the Race Direction team by Iridium satellite phone at 0120 GMT (11 December) just minutes after the incident: “We have just been dismasted, we have wind from 300°, 25 knots increasing to 35 knots sometimes, and waves not too bad at about 4 metres. We were sailing with one reef in the mainsail and staysail (small headsail). The mast seems to have fallen backwards.”

Delta Dore makes its way towards South Africa sailing under jury rig. Southern Atlantic Ocean, 11 December 2007. Photo copyright Delta Dore

Just under an hour later Jérémie reported: “We had to quickly cut the mast and boom away in to the water because it they were becoming dangerous and was going to start damaging the hull. The boat is okay, the deck is okay, only there are no more lifelines. And we have nothing big to use to make a jury rig for now.”

The boat’s position at the time of dismasting was 47°00 S 033° 25 E, nearly a thousand miles south east from South Africa, drifting slowly at between 1 and 2 knots east. The reason for the dismasting is unknown at this time.

The Race Direction Team is in regular contact with the two French sailors Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet and their shore team headed up by Gilles Chiorri. The skippers have 188 litres of diesel onboard, which will provide approximately 60 hours of motoring, the equivalent of approximately 240 miles. The team are also already studying the options of a jury rig using spare mainsail battens onboard.

Nearest land to their current position:
Edward Islands 175 nautical miles to the east (uninhabited)
Crozet Island 685 miles to the east (uninhabited)
Port Elisabeth (South Africa) 850 miles to the north west
Perth (Australia) 3700 miles to the east

The Maritime safety organisation, MRCC Cape Town, has been informed, however the skippers have not requested any outside assistance at this time.

Delta Dore makes its way towards South Africa sailing under jury rig. Southern Atlantic Ocean, 11 December 2007. Photo copyright Delta Dore