Maserati Multi 70, which started the 50th edition of the Transpacific Yacht Race on Saturday 13 July, has reported a collition with a big floating object – the left side hull’s bow and rudder’s wing are damaged.
Giovanni Soldini and Maserati Multi 70, hit the object at 4.30 UTC on Monday 15 July 1, while sailing at 23-24 knots.
All crew are reported unhurt and safe.
Soldini explained: “We couldn’t understand what it was, but it was very big, at least one meter high out of the water. It hit the left side hull with great force, severely damaging it, then it glided along the hull and hit the rudder”
“The fuse system worked, but the object was so big that we lost the outer half of the wing. We had to stop for one hour: we took off the wing completely so we could use the rudder’s blade.”
“Now we’re sailing with the bow out of the water using the foil: we’re waiting for the light to arrive to do a thorough inspection of the side hull – which has 7 watertight bulkheads – to check if there are any holes”.
Aboard Maserati Multi 70, alongside skipper Giovanni Soldini, there will be the Italians Alberto Bona, Guido Broggi and Matteo Soldini; the Spanish Carol Hernandez Robayna and Oliver Herrera Perez; the French François Robert.
According to the Transpacific positions updated at 4.00 UTC, Argo was sailing in first place at 26 knots, 1,680 miles from the finish line in Honolulu, followed 100 miles behind by PowerPlay, sailing at 27 knots. Maserati Multi 70 was following at 27 knots, with 1,822 miles to go.
Earlier Race officials reported that the nine-man crew of John Sangmeister’s OEX, a Santa Cruz 70 had been rescued by Roy Disney’s Pyewacket, an Andrews 70, and that all were safe.
They also had reported damaging their rudder which caused the boat to flood and sink, it’s not known how the rudder post was damaged.
Pyewacket, which has a crew of 10, was heading back to Los Angeles and due in early Tuesday.
This edition of the Transpac attracted 91 entrants, among which there are six multihulls. Six boats have retired since the race left Los Angeles last week in three staggered starts.
In addition to beating the multihull record set in 2017 by American ORMA 60 Mighty Merloe (4 days, 6 hours, 32 minutes and 30 seconds), the multihulls compete for the Rudy Choi Perpetual Trophy, awarded for the fastest multihull elapsed time.
