Wheels nearly fall off again

Near disaster for Steve Fossett's Cheyenne. Brian Thompson explains...

Above: Weather for 0500GMT this morning

Day 52
Position at 0510GMT: 09deg 20.207N 31deg 42.651W
Course/speed: 349deg/15.9 knots
TWS/TWA: 15.0 knots/050deg

Yesterday it was the turn of one of Cheyenne's forward beam attachments to cause palpitations among the crew.

"When some crew heard a new creaking noise from the right front corner of the boat Monday morning, Nick Leggatt and I threw on our harnesses and ran up to see the cause," commented skipper Steve Fossett. "The carbon and steel bushing holding the front beam to the boat had broken in the middle and worked out halfway on one side. Another two hours of this upwind sailing and it would have finished coming out, the beam separated, and the mast fallen over from lack of support. That was a close call.

"We slowed and the crew went to work trying to pound it back in to place. It only went part way back in. Then the drilling and bolting was started. The whole operation was completed in four hours. This temporary fix is likely to hold until the finish, but we have to take it easy on the boat. What a shame, because we have an excellent wind pattern into the finish and we would love to pour it on. Instead we are sailing slower and conservatively."

Hence over the last 24 hours Cheyenne has covered a relatively modest 371 miles. Back in 2002 Orange had a good day 52 but the American cat still holds a lead over her of more than 1,200 miles.

At present Cheyenne is sailing in northeasterly trades blowing at 15-20 knots. Her average course over the last 24 hours has been 332degs, indicating that the crew are unwilling to keep the boat crashing along upwind. It is likely to be another 48 hours before the wind will start to free up for them as the Azores high drifts to the east.

Brian Thompson reports from on board...

It has been a hugely important day, when the fate of the trip has been hanging by a mere 25mm of broken bearing - we have been very close to losing the front beam and the mast, and to spending the next weeks drifting around near the Cape Verdes. But once again good luck and quick thinking by the team has kept us on track.

This morning we had just come out of the doldrums, the skies were clearing, and we were sailing on a fast upwind course in 18 knots of wind. We had one reef in the main and the staysail up. I was on watch with Steve, Damian and Nick as usual, and Jacques was sleeping below. He woke up to go use the head and heard crunching noises from the forward part of the boat. Although the forward beam pin has been making noises for much of the trip, this was different and Jacques alerted Steve, who with Nick went to investigate. News was not good;the half metre long pin that holds the front beam to the hull had slipped out 25 mm, and was in danger of sliding all the way out.

We rolled the staysail and slowed the boat right down and began to assess the situation. It appeared that the pin, which is about 250mm in diameter and hollow, had cracked in half and although it was attached at the front to the hull with bolts, now it had detached the rear half of the pin was free to slide out rearwards. There was now only about 25mm or one inch of strong material holding the back of beam in place.

We tried every trick to coax the pin back in, stopping the boat, then turning downwind, pulling halyards forward the starboard hull, all the while hitting it with the biggest item we had available, the bottom collar of the redundant solent furling gear, a 30kg cone of aluminium, but no luck.

Moose drilled some holes in the side of the fairing and put in some bolts and threaded rod to secure the bearing from sliding out further. Dave was in contact with Gino Morrelli, the designer from Morrelli and Melvin Yacht Design, who had some good input for the repair.

This operation took over two hours and after that we very gingerly got the boat back up to speed, while watching the pin every half hour. Now it is about 10 hours after the damage and so far no more movement. We are still being cautious and trying not to launch the boat off any waves. Within two days we will be in downwind conditions and we should be able to sail at full speed again.

During the repairs, Dave got a piece of carbon fibre in his eye, this has irritated his eye and he is getting treatment for that. It is getting better slowly but he is walking around tonight with sunglasses with one lens in place, rather like The Terminator.

Apart from all of the above, which are a concern, we have had a good days sailing in the very steady trade wind conditions, almost cloudless sky during the afternoon and many stars at night. The Plough/ Big Dipper is high in the sky to the north, a welcome signpost to this hemisphere. We are looking out for the planets in the sky and think we have spotted them all.

Strangely, tonight we had two close encounters with other vessels. Firstly we passed about five miles from a fishing boat, and at the last minute, saw a strobe light passing 300 metres past us. This must have been one of the markers for his longline for catching tuna. Apparently the lines can be 40 miles long. Just after we passed the first strobe light, we saw another one - on the opposite side of us, so we had passed right across his line.

Half an hour later a big bulk carrier came over the horizon towards us. It was crossing at an angle, but had we not gone more upwind for 10 minutes, we would have piled into the side of her. As it was,we passed close astern of the ship. It always surprises me how often you do end up on a collision course with ships whilst in the middle of the ocean.

Whilst having dinner, Damian and Steve and I were talking about prior record attempts since Orange set the current time. It turns out that there have been seven starts since then, two last year with Geronimo and Kingfisher and five this year with us, Geronimo twice and Orange II twice. So far one finisher, which was Geronimo last year, outside the old record, and two attempts still in progress.

So onwards cautiously to the better winds ahead, we have got a healthy lead on the record, we just have to keep the big bird together for another few days.

Brian