We have connected with the new wind coming from the side and MAPFRE is sailing really well.
We’re going from Taiwan to the Solomon Islands non stop and this wind helps us to sail fast. In approx 10 days we should cover 2400 nm; the crew is in really good spirits, motivated thanks to the good wind, and the speed we have. Our faces are covered as to avoid the spray, but it doesn’t really bother us; the guys on deck are happy.
After dinner and some coffee the night watches started. Then as the sun was coming out we heard a creek and then something hit the side of the boat, it didn’t really scare us, we are used to the loud noises of the boat, but this one was different and we could tell. Even if you are sleeping, it’ll wake you up.
I stood up and went to check what it was, and yes we had a breakage.
23:22 UTC:
Ñeti was standing on the leeward side and goes “check this out Fran we have a new little window”. F*****G HELL – a hole as big as a tennis ball. We had three problems to solve:
1) There’s a hole and we really need to cover it asap.
2) We are sailing slower and have to fix the outrigger.
3) We lost the base of the outrigger through the breakage so we need to build a new structure that copes with the weight the outrigger is going to put on it.
Ñeti starts doing phone calls and Xabi starts covering the little window. After an hour and covered in sicaflex we solve it and we start to repair the base of the outrigger.
We follow the instructions of our shore manager and after 3 hours of work with guys working in and outside the boat we make it.
The we have to make a decision: shall we wait 24 hours till it dries, or trust the screws to cope with the pressure of the outrigger?
The problem is that for the next 24 hours we’ll have to sail 2 knots slower than the rest, which is a big disadvantage, and then if it breaks again we will have to sail like that 10 days, worst case scenario.
We decided not to wait and trust the reparation.
On the other hand, Willy Altadill hurt his hand bad and it’s swollen. They got in touch with the race doctor who told us how to treat it. Willy was working again this morning and after that the hand looked worse, but he can still move it so lets hope it’s nothing serious.
Ñeti’s really worked hard repairing the outrigger, treating willy and driving, non stop 12 hours!
#VamosMAPFRE
Fran Vignale