Orange Project suffers collision

Steve Ravussin scuppered again in Route du Rhum

At around 0900 GMT this morning Stève Ravussin’s Orange Project trimaran had a violent collision with a submerged container. At the time the 60ft trimaran was sailing at more than 20 knots under full mainsail and gennaker in a fresh northerly breeze, the Swiss yachtsman way to the west of the great circle.

In the collision the daggerboard in the centre hull struck first, but fortunately as the boat was sailing downwind, it was raised at the time, however the fixed rudder on the centre hull was totally destroyed.

At time Orange Project was 140 miles north west of Florès Island in the Azores, however with the centre rudder gone and she cannot be steered (despite having three rudders, one on each hull presumely the entire rudder system has been destroyed in the process).

However Ravussin is however going to attempt to reach the islands, where his support team will try as rapidly as possible to get a new rudder to him. Stève has not yet had the time to dive to take a look at the condition of the main hull. So far, he has seen no sign of a leak. There is therefore no need to retire.

In the Route du Rhum four years ago, Steve Ravussin was leading by a country mile when his trimaran capsized.