Conrad's predicament

In his latest diary Conrad Humphreys looks at the mammoth task ahead of him to replace Hellomoto's broken rudder

As I sit here, perhaps just 24 hours before arriving in Cape Town my mind is racing about what needs to be done. There are so many 'ifs' to close down. At best we have just one shot at replacing the rudder and we will need perfect conditions to even try. That starts with finding exactly the right Bay, harbour or safe enclosure in or around Cape Town that is free from any swell and is sheltered from the wind. For most of today, I have been speaking to Joff [shore crew] back at Base on the Motorola satphone discussing where exactly is the best place to attempt to replace the rudder. We have nailed down our choice to two places, but the final choice will not be made until we have covered every eventuality.

The Vendée Globe rules allow for me to drop anchor, but I am not allowed alongside a pontoon or a marina wall. I am allowed to go ashore, but not beyond the physical limits of the tidal range. I can not receive any outside assistance whatsoever. This is very clear, but what exactly does this mean as I head straight into a major international capital and port, Cape Town at 15 knots?

My first hurdle will be to bring Hellomoto safely into the chosen venue under sail. The anchor will be ready to stream as I will attempt to sail exactly over the place where it must hold in the sand. As the 100m line pays out, Hellomoto and I will be completely at the mercy of the anchor and the line, if it doesn't hold will I be able to re-gather it for a second chance?

Looking ahead to each of the tasks that must be achieved quickly and more importantly done right first time, I feel a wave of adrenalin surge through my body. My palms are sweating as unanswered questions run through my mind. The spare rudder weighs around 80kgs, it currently is lashed inside the foreward sail bin. This means that I will need to carry it through the boat around the keel box, through the nav area and finally lift it clear through the companionway steps. Even before I attempt to move the rudder, I will need to familiarise myself with the current rudder layout, measure the critical distance of the quadrant, check the rudder alignment and measure the angle of each autopilot rudder reference units. Removing the broken rudder needs careful thought. Remove the tiller bars, loosen the quadrant, attach a line to it and knock it through the hull. Its positive bouyancy will mean that it should sit in the lower bearing whilst I scramble below and push it out of the bottom bearing. All sounds pretty straightforward thus far, what if it twists or gets stuck on the lower bearing? I guess I'll hop straight over the side and try to clamp it with me knees holding it aligned and gradually easing it clear.

Joff and I will mentally rehearse each stage and I will normally counter his 'can do' approach with questions or apprehensions. We then go over the plan once more and make sure we have not missed an obvious one. I keep reiterating that if we are to be successful we must find a perfect venue to do this. The weather forecast is looking breezy for a few days with fresh south-easterly winds forecast (the norm for Cape Town at this time of year) Any swell and we cannot risk the chance. A damaged bearing and we will have failed.

In total, I have nearly a dozen important tasks to undertake before leaving this amazing Cape. The chafe on the cap shrouds needs some repair and I will need to modify the headboard of the mainsail, possibly cutting the top head away. The mainsail also has a broken batten which occurred when we hit the UFO as the boat went into a crash gybe.
The keel has some damage from the UFO and while it looks superficial, it will need a thorough examination. The gennaker halyard also still needs replacing which will be an easy climb in the safety of a harbour. Finally before we leave, I will hoist the Code 5 and re-furl it, and recalibrate each auto-pilot rudder reference unit.

If together my team and I can achieve all this, Hellomoto and I will leave Cape Town and set our sights on catching the fleet and I will enjoy the small bottle of champagne that is clearly marked "only to be opened when you pass the Cape of Good Hope to Port."