Green Dragon slips back after boom breaks in violent winds and seas

SAILING/OCEAN RACE:  GREEN DRAGON'S third position on the leader board of the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) came under threat yesterday after it suffered a broken boom in the worst conditions of the race so far.

Last night 10-metre seas and 40-knot winds were hampering attempts at an on-board repair to the carbon fibre structure.

Green Dragon's latest misadventure came after they survived a spectacular wipe out on Monday.

If the crew's repair work is unsuccessful, skipper Ian Walker will have to weigh up the options of continuing under jury rig to the leg finish at Cochin, India, or heading for Mauritius where a replacement boom could be fitted.

The gear failure occurred when the boat was in second place in the run to the scoring gate. By 5pm last night the boat had dropped to sixth, 40 miles behind the leader.

A number of boats reported structural damage and shredded sails, but after two incidents, the Dragon appears the worst affected. The boat is just four days into a voyage expected to last up to three weeks.

In spite of the confused seas, boat speeds hover around 20 knots, with fleet leader Puma achieving 480 nautical miles, one of the highest 24-hour runs.

After the incident happened yesterday morning, Walker sent the following message: "I am sorry to report that we have just broken our boom in a 50-knot squall. We are in the process of recovering the parts. The situation is under control with no harm or risk to anyone."

Positioned 1,500 miles southwest of Mauritius, the Chinese-Irish backed entry is continuing its 4,000-mile journey under jury rig while attempting to repair the eight-metre broken pole.

The carbon fibre spar, which provides vital support to the bottom of the mainsail, weighs 70kg. It is possible to sail without it but at much lower speeds. The crew are attempting to use splints, carried on board for this purpose.

It is the second serious incident to beset the Galway yacht since it set out from Cape Town on Saturday.

On Monday, as the boat travelled at speed, it was knocked on its side when the sails accidentally moved across the boat, an incident known as a Chinese gybe that left the boat with limited steerage.

Irish crew Damian Foxall and Justin Slattery completed a repair, but it involved drilling right through the hull to secure a new part for the steering system.

It is not known if Monday's gybe created any weakness in the boom that subsequently broke.

The Green Dragon team have a spare 100-foot mast and boom in a warehouse in Rotterdam which are on standby to be shipped.