The Derry “LondonDerry” Doire has resumed racing in Race 9 of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race after undergoing repairs to its rigging.
Sean McCarter.
The Derry entry was one of three boats to sustain damage to its rigging which resulted in the race being halted and the entire fleet directed to Hong Kong.
The race has resumed but the Derry Clipper is experiencing “traffic problems” on the 1,000 mile sprint to China.
Skipper Sean McCarter explained: “So far, the Strait of Taiwan has been living up to its reputation – cold, wet and wild with more fishing boats and other traffic than you can shake a stick at!
“We had a basic race strategy that all went out the window about an hour after the start. We were pinned into the shore by a constant stream of cargo ships and fishing boats.
“It was honestly easier crossing Hong Kong’s main shipping channel than it was getting offshore yesterday evening!
“We noticed that if we got within a mile or so of a ship, they would shine a torch at us from their wheel-house. We would then tack out of their way no matter who had the right of way. We therefore decided to fight fire with fire; once close enough to an approaching cargo ship, I shone my torch at their wheel-house. Result: we still had to tack out of their way to prevent a collision!”
Tags:
