More mast track issues

Job list never ends for Steve Fossett's Cheyenne, due to round Cape Horn tomorrow

Although the West wind has returned and Cheyenne is again making speed in the 15-19 knot range heading straight for Cape Horn, the news this afternoon is not all good.

Slow winds in the middle of the low held the big cat to only 112 miles over the past 12 hours - but are now blowing at 14 knots from the west and are expected to both increase to 20-25 kts and to veer to the northwest over the coming 24 hours, allowing Fossett and team to gain real speed - and continue their drive directly towards Cape Horn.

Equally importantly, however, another piece of Cheyenne's mainsail track, this time up near the top of her 143ft mast, has parted company. The latest breakage of the rail that holds the mainsail to the mast occurred early on Tuesday, is one more hurdle for Steve Fossett and his crew of 12 to overcome after Sunday's repair to Saturday's similar damage at the first reef point. This time the full repair will await the first slowdown in waters after Cape Horn and the Falkland Islands.

Running under a single reefed main and headsail, at 1710 GMT this afternoon Fossett and crew were making 16.4 kts and were only 560 nm from Cape Horn, which they hope to round Wednesday afternoon.

The diminished lead over the 'phantom' 2002 record track of Bruno Peyron's Orange is still over three days - but is now accompanied by the increasing threat by Olivier de Kersauson and Geronimo's current strong effort - the 110ft French trimaran passed Cape of Good Hope Sunday night almost precisely on Cheyenne's time - and continued their strong run into the Indian Ocean.

Cheyenne's crew showed their mettle in an all-day repair job Sunday on the broken 1st reef mainsail track; their resourcefulness will once again be called upon to mend the latest damage - but this time with fewer resources. A somewhat frustrated Steve Fossett discusses the materials issue - and the weather and technical challenges ahead - in a message received at 1508 GMT:

"Now it is the mast track at the top that has ripped off," he said. "We are baffled that this has occurred in mild conditions - without any significant shock loading or sailing error. We are limited to a one reefed mainsail until the repair can be effected. We are running out of spare mast parts and are scavenging bolts from winch bases and other rigging locations. Right now we just want to get sailing. The repair will be attempted at the next slowdown beyond the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. It is demoralising that there is one breakage after another.

"Meanwhile we have been stuck in the center of the low with light winds and we reflect with envy on the 600 mile days Orange was able score on the way to the Horn. Our lead has shrunk from a maximum of 4.5 days to three and continues to shrink. The lost time on repairs and a poor weather pattern forecast for the South Atlantic means we are going to be hard pressed to maintain any lead at all by the time we reach the Equator."