Yesterday the boat building team working on Cork finished all the required grinding to remove the damaged areas of fibre glass on the bow, allowing them this morning to begin building up the layers of hard foam and fibre glass from which the hull is constructed.
The work on Cork is likely to take three or four days to complete and the team will leave and continue racing to Geraldton in Western Australia as soon as the boat is ready.
The damage to Hull & Humber is more extensive and requires a more work. A number of boat builders and marine surveyors spent yesterday assessing the extent of the damage and looking at the options to repair the hole in the hull. With around 25,000 miles still to race in Clipper 09-10 and the rigours of the Southern and Pacific Oceans to come, safety is the number one priority and the surveyors must be satisfied with the strength and structural integrity of the repair. In the evening the Race Director gave the go ahead to Action Yachting, based in Royal Cape Yacht Club's yard, to begin work.
They will have two teams working around the clock, one inside the boat and one out, to ensure the work is done as speedily as possible and allow Hull & Humber to continue racing. This morning the crew moved all their bags off the boat and cleared everything aft of the mast into the forward crew accommodation, where they can shut the watertight bulkhead door to prevent it getting covered in dust and glass fibres. Large oil drums full of water have been placed on the starboard side to make the boat heel over slightly to prevent any water getting in through the hole.
Hull & Humber’s skipper, Piers Dudin, says. “The crew are off for the week as we can't work on the boat due to the cutting, grinding, fairing, epoxying, glassing, filling, sanding, drilling and bolting which is about to start. Christmas in Geraldton is still a probability. Cork will hopefully be out of here a few days sooner; their fix started yesterday. We're glad we're not the only ones here and they're some of the best company in the fleet! We're thinking of the other guys out there, bashin’ it up. At least we know if we have it bad when we leave it'll be just as the others have had it.”
When night falls this evening, arc lights will be installed to allow the boat builders to continue working. The repairs are likely to take up to seven days and it is anticipated that Hull & Humber will be ready to resume racing on Tuesday 1 December.
The only thing that could cause a delay is the weather. The forecast in Cape Town is generally good, although some rain is expected later this week. Temperatures are also good – an important requirement for the epoxy resin to cure properly.
A team from Clipper will be staying in Cape Town until both boats have departed. With a three week race ahead, it is still possible for both boats to arrive in Geraldton in time for Christmas. It is important to note that both boats are still racing until the finish line is crossed. The Race Committee will meet before that time to discuss the technical issues. Hull & Humber is likely to receive redress, while Cork will not. The Race Committee's decision will be announced in due course.
