http://www.fossettchallenge.com/

whats up with these both Orange losing its bow and Cheyenne breaking a forestay all within a couple days of each other.

Did you get the part about the Orcas leaping off the bow and the Right whales sounding?

End Day 16: Fossett and Cheyenne suffer major rigging incident
Forestay disconnected or broken
Repairs being undertaken, but RTW attempt jeopardized

Monday 23 February 2004 - 0510 GMT - 955 nautical miles (1768 km) SW of Cape Town, S. Africa: With the 125' catamaran Cheyenne a full day ahead of record pace, Skipper Steve Fossett advised this morning that the a major, potentially irrecoverable problem had occurred late last night, jeopardizing their entire Round the World Sailing Record attempt. The forestay - a major part of the rigging which helps to hold the 143' mast upright - had become either disconnected or broken.

The mast is still standing and no-one was injured in the incident, Fossett is steering downwind towards Cape Town as the crew attempt to repair the situation and continue on course.

Skipper Steve Fossett:

"The mast forestay is broken or otherwise disconnected. The forestay is the primary support for holding up the mast. Fortunately this was discovered while preparing for a midnight gybe to the south and the rig was not lost.

We recognize that our attempt may be finished, but the crew is gamely trying to find a solution. The mast has now been secured with spare halyards but this configuration is only strong enough for moderate downwind sailing. We actually cannot see the forestay because it is inside the roller foils and the furled solent. Next step is to remove the Solent and lower the Forestay/Furling apparatus to the trampoline. The best case is that a fitting has come unscrewed and the forestay can be reconnected. Hope is slim.

We are sailing downwind toward Cape Town less than 1,000 miles away. We should know by the end of the day on Monday if we must retire from the Round the World Record attempt."

This incident occurred while Cheyenne and her crew of 13 were nearing the completion of day 16 and had stretched the lead to 508 miles, or about one day, over the record pace of Orange in 2002.

- Stay tuned for updates later today -

For additional information on the entire RTW Sailing Record attempt, data and photos please see www.fossettchallenge.com

they fixed it.

Wow.

1710 GMT Evening Day 17: 'Running Repairs!'
Forestay Re-attached as 16 Hour Repair Salvages RTW Record Attempt

Fossett and Cheyenne Back at Speed and On Course
Monday 23 February 2004 - 1710 GMT - 773 nm SW of Cape Town (but not heading there...): After a day of extraordinary tension and teamwork, Skipper Steve Fossett reported late this afternoon that the giant catamaran's wayward Forestay, displaced during the previous night, had finally been reconnected - and Cheyenne and her team of 13 were once again sailing at speed and on course in their attempt at Bruno Peyron's 2 year old Round the World Sailing Record of 64 days 8 hours 37 minutes. The bars of Cape Town can now stand down. At 1710 GMT this evening Cheyenne and crew were traveling E/SE at 21.8 kts in a 23 kt westerly breeze. Before this morning's drama, Cheyenne was over 500 nautical miles ahead of the 2002 record track of Orange. Even during the 16+ hour repair process, excellent downwind progress along the course was made, the big cat covering 196 nm over the past 12 hours, and 446 miles over the past 24 hrs - at an avg speed of 18.6 kts.

Not bad for 'running repairs'.

Steve Fossett described the repair undertaken:
"The crew of Cheyenne has reconnected the Forestay. Cheyenne has gybed to the Southwest and is continuing its attempt to break the Round the World Sailing Record.

The forestay cable, which supports the mast, pulled out of its end fitting. None of us on board has ever seen this fitting fail before. The repair process took over 16 hours and was accomplished using hand tools - where this type of work is usually done in a rigging shop with specialized heavy equipment.

This is defining of the most professional distance sailors. They can fix things at sea where normally we would have to retire to the nearest port. Despite meticulous preparation, these high performance multihulls cannot be expected to make it Round the World without mandatory repairs at sea.

- Steve Fossett, Skipper"
Pictures and descriptions to follow - after everyone gets a little well-deserved rest.