Lifted out of the water just hours after her arrival in Auckland, Groupama 4 has been the subject of everyone's attentions since Sunday. Protected by tarpaulins from the rain, which has been falling over Auckland for the past two days, the shore team are repairing the broken `nose' of the green and orange boat.
However, the repair is not the only task for the shore team, which is more numerous than usual given the short duration of the stopover. Indeed a total of 36 people are taking care of getting the boat and the gear `match-fit' once more.
Once Groupama 4's interior was thoroughly cleared out and cleaned, the first step was to inspect the bow so as to get an understanding of where the source of the damage was. Ben Wright: "we found a point of impact which caused a hole to open up level with the crash box". The crash box is like a protective layer around the boat's structure, an outer shell which can usually be pierced without causing a leak. "The crash box and the boat's interior are isolated via a kind of plug. The repeated onslaught from the waves during the boisterous conditions encountered to the North of New Zealand caused the safety device to fail and the water then engulfed the boat".
As such the impact on the crash box hasn't caused any structural damage and the repairs will be complete in time for Groupama 4's relaunch on Wednesday morning (Auckland time). "It would have been a lot easier for the team if we'd been able to shelter in a shed. However, the configuration of the technical zone, where five teams are working - CAMPER, benefiting from her usual infrastructure as she's at home - doesn't allow for this. As a result, we've had to work under tarpaulins", explains Ben Wright.
Indeed, with the rain falling over the city of Auckland since Sunday, it's not been easy to get the resins to go off or dry out the foulies, boot or mattresses. All the safety gear is being reviewed, each lifejacket checked and each of the foulies inspected. Even though the procedure is the same at each of the stopovers, everyone has in mind that the next leg will take the crew across the Southern Ocean and around Cape Horn.
From : Groupama
However, the repair is not the only task for the shore team, which is more numerous than usual given the short duration of the stopover. Indeed a total of 36 people are taking care of getting the boat and the gear `match-fit' once more.
Once Groupama 4's interior was thoroughly cleared out and cleaned, the first step was to inspect the bow so as to get an understanding of where the source of the damage was. Ben Wright: "we found a point of impact which caused a hole to open up level with the crash box". The crash box is like a protective layer around the boat's structure, an outer shell which can usually be pierced without causing a leak. "The crash box and the boat's interior are isolated via a kind of plug. The repeated onslaught from the waves during the boisterous conditions encountered to the North of New Zealand caused the safety device to fail and the water then engulfed the boat".
As such the impact on the crash box hasn't caused any structural damage and the repairs will be complete in time for Groupama 4's relaunch on Wednesday morning (Auckland time). "It would have been a lot easier for the team if we'd been able to shelter in a shed. However, the configuration of the technical zone, where five teams are working - CAMPER, benefiting from her usual infrastructure as she's at home - doesn't allow for this. As a result, we've had to work under tarpaulins", explains Ben Wright.
Indeed, with the rain falling over the city of Auckland since Sunday, it's not been easy to get the resins to go off or dry out the foulies, boot or mattresses. All the safety gear is being reviewed, each lifejacket checked and each of the foulies inspected. Even though the procedure is the same at each of the stopovers, everyone has in mind that the next leg will take the crew across the Southern Ocean and around Cape Horn.
From : Groupama
