Cayard update

More from the stricken Pirates

Another 12 hours on, we have had another round of phone calls and information exchange with the designers of our boat. We have damage to secondary support structure in the area of the keel. That means that the main structure is integral but the bits that bond it to the boat have been compromised, probably only slightly.

I hope and assume that assessment is correct. Again, we won't really know until we get the boat hauled out.

My goals now are to get the boat and crew to the dock in Melbourne safely and without incurring any more damage, especially serious damage that could keep us out of the next leg.

Next goal is to do as well as we can in this leg. The reality is that the two ABN AMROs are going quite well and with another two days of power reaching they will be further ahead. So what is at play here is third place. It doesn't make sense to me to break the boat for one place.

So, we will continue to sail at about 85% of full speed. This seems to be a speed that does not cause the severely violent landings and slamming that have caused what damage we do have.

We have maintained the watch system as usual and are doing regular maintenance of the boat. We have also affected some repairs in the area of the damage, mainly to slow the water ingress.

All is well on board. The crew are upbeat.