The fate of the damaged Volvo boats

Ericsson 3 to be repaired in Taiwan while Delta Lloyd will be shipped to Rio

Ericsson Racing Team have announced that they plan to repair their damaged yacht, Ericsson 3 in Taiwan before it heads to Qingdao and the start of leg five of the Volvo Ocean Race.

The Nordic crew, led on leg 4 by skipper Magnus Olsson, turned back to Taiwan in the early morning hours of Tuesday, 27 January, when they discovered the forward compartment flooded. Upon reaching the port of Keelung, Taiwan, and hauling the yacht, initial inspection revealed damage in the outer carbon-fiber skin, as well as delamination of both inner and outer skins in a large section of the bow.

The team has since decided to undertake the repair work in Taiwan. The yacht is at a commercial dockyard in Keelung, but will be transported by barge down the coastline to another boatyard with the necessary facilities to affect the repair.

"The boat will be loaded onto a transport barge tomorrow and begin the trip down the coast," said navigator Aksel Magdahl.

A replacement panel for the bow is being built in Italy and will be air-freighted to the yacht in Taiwan, where it'll be scarfed and bonded into place. Once the repair is completed, the crew plans to sail the yacht to Qingdao.

"We hope Ericsson 3 can finish the leg under sail," said Richard Brisius, Ericsson Racing Team Managing Director. "By sailing to Qingdao Ericsson 3 stands to collect the 4 points available for placing fifth on the leg.

"We are in regular communication with the Race Committee to ensure that they are kept up-to-date with our plans and progress which, for obvious reasons have to remain fairly fluid and could be subject to change," Brisius continued. "It's like doing an enormous jigsaw puzzle, which has the added pressure of being against the clock."

Ericsson 3 was in second place and approximately 620 nautical miles from the finish when it suspended racing. It must return to that waypoint, approximately 60 nautical miles north of Keelung, to resume racing.

The sailing is expected to last three to five days, which might mean Ericsson 3 begins Leg 5 (Qingdao to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) after the scheduled start on 14 February. She therefore won't take part in the Qingdao In-Port Race on 7 February.

"There is still a lot of race left and we are determined to get Ericsson 3 back in it as quickly as possible," said Brisius. "The repair will take some time. It's a 24/7 challenge that's been made a bit harder by the Chinese New Year holiday. But the shore team has managed to organize a great set up, geared it up with additional boatbuilders, equipment and materials. In addition we've received great support from the local sailing authority in Taiwan, and the Ericsson Taiwan organisation."

"Not everyone is in a perfect mood, but it feels like there's still positive energy in the team," said Magnus Olsson. "That energy wants to do Leg 5. If we can do it with the other boats, that would be good. There's safety in numbers, especially when you're in the Southern Ocean."

Olsson is confident in the boat and believes that the damage is a one-time incident. He does not believe that the crew will be in jeopardy when it resumes racing.

"We will not compromise, we will do a proper repair. There is safety involved," said the five-time race veteran. "We're very disappointed, but we can see the bright side as well. Even though it was a stressful leg, we still think we sailed well."

Meanwhile on Sunday Team Delta Lloyd took the decision to ship their VO70 to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It means that the Dutch entry officially withdraws from the fourth leg and it won’t start in the fifth leg to South America. They prefer to repair the boat thoroughly in Rio, instead of rushing for the upcoming start. Subsequently the team will continue racing with a fit crew, repaired yacht, new mast and sails for leg six.

“It is a blow for all of us that we have to miss the long leg to Rio”, admitted campaign director Tom Touber. “The guys did so well, worked hard and showed good seamanship. Therefore it is very disappointing to be forced to give up. But the damage is repairable and as of Rio there are five more legs and four In-Port Races left. That gives us enough chances to grow, which we want to achieve. We are still aiming for a podium finish on the way to St. Petersburg. That is why we take our time to prepare profoundly for a strong return.”

On 27 January, the sailors found a crack in the bow bulkhead. Later, they also discovered the delamination of the bow section, which weakened the boat. Given the rough circumstances at that moment, the risk of breaking the hull by wave slamming became too big. The safety of the crew could no longer be guaranteed, so skipper Roberto Bermúdez de Castro decided to take shelter in Keelung City in the northeast of Taiwan.

Overf the last few days, experts have been examined the damage and looked into the possibilities to get her repaired. Based on their recommendations and judgments, a final plan of action will be made. However, it is already decided that the Delta Lloyd will be shipped to Rio. The current challenge is to manage the logistics as soon as possible, so she can leave tomorrow. Otherwise her departure will be on February 9, which is still in time. Meanwhile, Team Delta Lloyd will choose the best option to carry out the repairs.

We are awaiting to hear the fate of Telefonica Black, but it possible she will be heading for Rio too on a ship...