“Unfortunately we hit something at 20 knots of speed and e lost the rudder under the right hull. Luckily we have got one spare with us and it seems there are not too much collateral damage,” explains Giovanni Soldini, skipper of Maserati Multi 70. The incident occurred today in the morning, at the beginning of the tenth day of navigation. Maserati Multi 70 is located in the Indian Ocean about 3,000 miles from the Cape of Good Hope. Giovanni Soldini and the trimaran's crew are waiting for better conditions to change the missing piece.
Credit Soldini Maserati
“This morning we heard a great blow and we immediately realized that the rudder had broken. We got organized to remove the carbon axis that broke just at the exit of the hull, but the remaining piece came out dangerously and went sideways. Fortunately it seems that it did not cause any serious damage. Once the axis was removed, we resumed on our route, without a rudder, heading to 230°, towards the center of the high pressure in front of us that will slow us down in the next 24, 36 hours. We will take advantage of these favourable weather conditions to install the new rudder. Then we will head full speed towards Cape Town”.
Despite the damage, Giovanni Soldini and his crew (Guido Broggi, Sébastien Audigane, Oliver Herrera Perez and Alex Pella) continue to sail fast in the trade winds (around 25 knots average speed), 587 miles ahead of the record to beat.
From NEGRI FIRMAN
