It says in the article that the front beam snapped, but in the pictures it clearly shows its still there (Can you tow a cat in 40kt winds without a front beam anyway?). <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

And in this picture the mastbase seems to be pointing out of the water and being towed upwind (to shore), looks like it is mounted on something (top of a RIB maybe?).
They may have deep pockets but they're not idiots.

Agree, Tony - the early reports just don't square with the pics. I guess we'll have to wait for a press release or a blog like we did with Foncia.

Wonder how long it took them to figure out that towing a cat with the rudders up is a PITA? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

That pic looks like it is showing the rear beam with the rudders up. You can see the hulls twisting too.

IIRC their 40 has black rudder blades.

I see you guys are reading the AC forum as well.
According to the Windguru archive there was absolutely no wind last weekend...
With tomorrows date in mind, better double check anything you read. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

With regards to the rig being lost.

IF the mast was damaged it may have been unusable. As light as these are built, they are probably easily damaged. They would not be able to determine how damaged it was while at sea and some of the defects may not have ever been noticeable till the mast failed later.

Keeping that in mind, how much does a set of those hulls cost? I'm sure the mast could not have been loaded onto a Rib for a 40 mile (!!) ride back to the harbor. So... where would they have had to put it? What if the now damaged and useless mast damaged the platform further while being transported and made it a lost cause as well? I suspect the decision to leave the rig was a calculated gamble to save the boat from further damage. I've been towed and have towed I20's and other boats that have dismasted and just that little mast is a beast to secure. I'm sure the VX40 mast would be even worse especially in those seas over that distance. IMHO

This picture also shows the mast on what appears to be the tow boat? What gives?

That's a moderately angry looking seaway.

Hmmmph! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> multihulls...if you can't beat 'em...destroy 'em

C;mon guys! Check that last photo! You would have to get the sail down to save the rig. Which one of you thinks you could do that in that sea?!
After the rig had that kind of impact would you then put it back together and risk the AC on it?
Surely the stupid choice these photos speak to is that they were sailing in 40 knots. It is not like the cup will be raced in anything like that.

And in the end.

50K.......they blow a couple of spinnies and that is gone in the monos. These boats cost nothing compared with the budgets they have had.

BTW anyone notice the second cat flipped out in the first photo?

These cant be the same boat (in both pictures)

They're not. The tri is Alingi and the VX40 is BMW-Oracle.

Looks to me like they are towing the boat backwards and you can see the front beam dragging in the water. The front beam looks like it is attached to the starboard hull and angled down into the water. The hulls at the front also are not on the same plane.

[/quote]

Go back to SA and read the corrected story guys.

Its not BWMO and the mast was saved.

Does anyone have the story here so I don't have to go "there"?

From SA -

"We thought this was BMW/Oracle, but it looks like our source was a little confused about the ownership of the Extreme 40 that we reported on this morning. An X-40 did break its rig and forward crossbeam more than a week ago, but it wasn't BMW/Oracle. The brand new boat is owned by +1 Racing/Team Draper - a British iShares team. That is indeed a BMW tender helping out, but not their cat. The beam broke during a training session against the U.S. team, and was towed to shore along with their rig. No one was injured. Apparently this is the second crossbeam broken on the new boat in just a few weeks. Our bad."

The price for an vx-40
•Boat price € 359.500,- price is ex vat.
Just incase you were wondering

Hey Rich, If you're going to buy one You'll need crew, I'm just over the hills in Redding!! Hope you plan on attending the Whiskeytown Sailing Clubs "2008 Whiskeytown Regatta" Memorial day weekend.

hmmmmmmmmm memorial day is open on my calender. Maybe i should take the tiger out there for a spin. Hopefully shawn and wes will be there too.

Cool,
NOR is at http://www.whiskeytownsailing.org/2008_whiskeytown_regatta.htm. Hope to see you all there.
Ryan,
Whiskeytown Sailing Club
Webmaster

The reason for the breakage of the beam was a glitch in the communication when they transferred the manufacturing of the beams from France to Marstrom. The new beams wasn't built strong enough. New beams are being built right now and the damaged VX40 will be transferred to Marstrom in a couple of days for repair.

/hakan

Thats a hell of a glitch seeing as someone could have been killed. Not to mention the cost factors involved.