There was a joke, of sorts, in the Clipper Round the World Race, that in the over two decades of racing around the world, only one boat has ever sunk. It was the boat least likely to sink, at least based on its name, which was Cork. The boat, named after the city and not the buoyant material, hit the rocks off Indonesia in the 2010 race.
The joke no longer works, however, as about a week ago, the Team Greenings Clipper 70 (CV24) hit a reef at the Olifantsbospunt, located between Cape Town and Cape Point and was holed, shortly after the beginning of the start of the leg from Cape Town, South Africa to Freemantle, Australia. The crew was safely evacuated without injury. After surveying the damage to the boat, it was decided that the boat would be pulled from the race.
This was not the first casualty for CV24 in this year’s race. In August, the skipper, David Hartshorn, suffered a serious injury to his left hand during sail handling and had to be medevacked to a hospital on shore. Andy Woodruff stepped in as interim skipper.
The yacht CV24, a Clipper 70 class racing yacht, was in her third Clipper race. The boat, sailed by Team LMAX Exchange, was the overall winner of the 2015-2016 race and won several legs of the race when sailed by Team Switzerland in 2013-2014.
Has anyone any information about why she was apparently sailed up the beach?
Vessel unable to steer, or did somebody forget the zoom button on the plotter? Guessing the latter, based on empirical data.
Racers: one of those breeds we may admire but must not imitate.
How far do you have to zoom out to lose Africa?
*this question has already been asked by someone else on the YW forum.
MAIB are investigating, we should have the answers in about a year.
Unless someone fesses up before then.
I agree with Jean-Pierre, how far do you have to zoom out to lose Africa. A year is a long time to wait for answers, do you think someone is likely to fess up?