Race 9 of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has been stopped due equipment failure on board a number of the boats.
The Derry “LondonDerry” Doire clipper was one of three yachts which experienced failures of their “forestay bottlescrews” on their rigging.
As a precaution, the organisers have called a halt to racing and instructed the fleet of 12 competing boats to make their way to Hong Kong, from where the race will recommence following repairs.
Robin Knox-Johnston, founder and chairman of race organisers Clipper Ventures, said: “There is clearly a fault with this part of the rigging and we are not prepared to take any risks with the remaining boats so far unaffected.
He added: “In Hong Kong the forestay bottlescrews will be replaced with a system we have just had approved by the MCA surveyor.”
The boats are expected to reach Hong on Saturday when they will be turned round as speedily as possible ahead of staring racing together to Qingdao.
The crew on board all the vessels are fine and well and conditions safe as a spare “Yankee halyard” is being used as a temporary forestay to stabilise the rig.
No points will be awarded and Race 9 will start afresh from Hong Kong to Qingdao. The yachts that have retired will therefore not be penalised and will rejoin the race from Hong Kong.
The forestay supports the mast and is also what the “Yankee headsail” is attached to. A few days ago Jamaica Get All Right suffered the first failure and diverted to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.
Last night PSP Logistics experienced the second failure, followed a few hours later by Derry “LondonDerry” Doire.
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