Whilst the Portimao leg four winners Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme on Beluga Racer and the second place Chilean duo of Felipe Cubillos and José Muñoz with Desafio Cabo de Hornos are relaxing in Charleston, solo sailor Michel Kleinjans, on Roaring Forty has just arrived in Charleston after a harrowing final approach. Breeze in the high 30s with massive breaking seas in the Gulf Stream escorted a damaged Roaring Forty into the harbor under jib. Michel explains: “The boat is holding together, but now I’m back on starboard tack and it has started cracking. The chainplates are carbon straps on the hull and I think it has delaminated as there’s a hole you can put your hand through there. Fortunately, a lot of water goes into the ballast tank, which is not such a problem as I opened it and it drains itself through the bottom of the hull, the rest can be hand-pumped out.” Look for a video interview with Kleinjans and Race Director Josh Hall later this week. Photo of Cabo de Hornos finishing is from Sam Hall and there are more here.
The Hard Way
