Britain’s Sam Davies on Initiatives Coeur is now heading slowly towards Cape Town, following the strike with an unidentified floating object (UFO) Wednesday night.
Sam and her boat are both safe, and she has been speaking with her shore team on what action they can take.
In a 09:00 call Thursday morning with the Vendee Globe daily show Sam updated her situation . . .
She had just gybed Initiatives Coeur in 30 to 35 knots of wind at around 19:00 hrs UTC Wednesday evening when the keel hit something hard.
She described it as ‘like running aground’.
Sam was below at the time, making a meal. She hurt some ribs, and described it as painful, but OK.
After lowering all sails, she checked the keel bearings, which seemed OK, and the main bearing bulkhead was intact, but the longditudaul structure around the keel box is cracked on both sides.
The keel-ram water-tight seal is damaged, with water coming in from the keel ram position. She has the pumps running to reduce the water level and it is stable.
Sam Davies is continuing to head north towards Cape Town as the nearest safe place to reach for repair.
Another seeking shelter to assess his next move is Sebastien Simon on the foil damaged ARKEA PAPREC. “I want to be able to continue my Vendée Globe” said Simon, close to tears. His boat also has constant water ingress from around his foil box.
Also heading to Cape Town is Alex Thomson on the damaged Hugo Boss.
Vendée Globe Leaders – Day 26 – Thu 3 Dec – Updated at 21:00 hrs UK
1st FRA Charlie Dalin – APIVIA – 16,587 nm to finish – sailing at 17.8 knots
2nd FRA Louis Burton – BUREAU VALLEE 2 – 146 nm
3rd FRA Thomas Ruyant – LinkedOut – 197 nm
4th FRA Damien Seguin – GROUPE APICIL – 371 nm
5th FRA Yannick Bestaven – Maître CoQ IV – 384 nm
6th FRA Jean Le Cam – Yes we Cam! – 396 nm
7th FRA Boris Herrmann – SEAEXPLORER – 410 nm
8th FRA Benjamin DUTREUX – OMIA – WATER FAMILY – 441 nm
9th FRA Isabelle JOSCHKE – MACSF – 511 nm
10th FRA Giancarlo Pedote – PRYSMIAN GROUP – 528 nm
11th FRA Maxime SOREL – V and B-MAYENNE – 679 nm
12th FRA Sebastien Simon – ARKEA PAPREC – 861 nm – Foil Damaged – sailing at 8 knots
13th FRA Romain Attanasio – PURE – Best Western – 887 nm
14th GBR Sam Davies – INITIATIVES-COEUR – 942 nm – Damaged – sailing at 7 knots
Other GBR:
16th GBR Alex Thomson – HUGO BOSS – 1152 nm – Retired to Cape Town
23rd GBR Pip Hare – Medallia – 2224 nm
27th GBR Miranda Merron – Campagne de France – 3010 nm
Retired: Nicolas Troussel, Alex Thomson, Kevin Escoffier
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