On February 12th, the Vestas 11th Hour Racing yacht was offloaded from the transport ship in Tauranga, New Zealand, by our shore crew with the help of GAC Pindar. The boat was then transported on Monday evening by truck 200 kilometers to a shipyard in Auckland where repairs will now begin.
“We are glad to hear the boat has arrived in New Zealand and is beginning the repair process,” said Charlie Enright from his home in Rhode Island. “The crew is looking forward to re-joining the race shortly.”
Due to the strict one-design nature of the Volvo Ocean 65, a bow section was fabricated from existing molds at Persico Marine in Italy and transported to Auckland. The plan is to remove the damaged parts of the hull and attach the new section under the supervision of an independent surveyor to adhere to the class rules. The goal is to re-launch in time for Leg 7 to Itajaí, Brazil, on March 18th.
“We are grateful to have hard working shore and logistics crews helping us get back on the water,” added Mark Towill, also at home in Hawaii. “The team is thankful for everyone’s continued support.”
Vestas 11th Hour Racing will continue to provide updates on the boat repairs and the ongoing investigation as they become available.
Vestas was damaged when they collided with a fishing boat 30 miles from Hong Kong.
They have pulled out of Leg 5 and Leg 6 for repairs.
