Damage to 2009 solo Transat boats that reduced performace

Collected by Jerry Freeman.

QII Open 35.  Torn main sail, using an old mainsail, (1998?) the lowest full  length batten had the batten car to mast track removed in error by sail makers’ assistant. Sail not tested on QC because the Old delivery sail used on QC
Point load opened to a hole that eventually ripped full width of sail on day 15, last 6 days sailed with 2 reefs in light conditions. Cost 12 hrs?

QII no wind instruments, very old autohelm daisy chain connections faulty so unable to set new pilot (type 2 ram) to steer on wind. Cost 6 hrs?

Spinning Wheel. Open 40.  New plastic rudder bearings pintles failed on twin transom rudders in first 3 days, These bearings were fitted in Plymouth prior to start replacing long tested metal bearings that had completed the delivery from Italy with no problem. Cost ….hrs

De Franchsman. Open 30. Old fore hatch fitting failed on front-hinged hatch
Massive water ingress to cabin, floorboards cut to fix over hole
Consequential damage; nothing serious, but all clothing and fresh food wet.
Cost; lost four hours repairing and recovering mainly due to reducing speed (down to about 1 or 2 knots) to minimize water ingress during the night. Remember it was a 30-knot beat in the Western Approaches.
No other damage during entire ostar.

Jbellino. J122. Lost all spi gear over the side on day 17,(Grand Banks ice/fog) in heavy running conditions and knock down. Also jib wrapped round forestay and flogged itself so that the vertical battens ripped the sail to shreds. Sail written off.
 
Probable primary cause of this incident was lack of food – low blood sugar – and tiredness. It should have been a normal spi take down but I changed the process and allowed the sail to drag in the water. Wind continued to increase. Boat gybed, sheets and guys tangled round rudder and more. Bad decisions at many points through the night. All stem for first two points. Solution - be aware of effects of low energy and tiredness and try to do minimum to stabilise situation. THEN eat and rest even if for short time. I failed to take this advice. (Rob Craigie)
Masthead wind sensor intermittent after 3 days then failed day 14(Tack-Tick?)
Unable to steer to wind for last 16 days of trip.
 
Pilot failure. New Raymarine Type 1 pilot (ram) failed after 35 hours. Used about 15 hours before race start so I believed that it had passed its failure phase. Problem was an assembly fault. (Rob Craigie)
 
Fortunately I had a complete spare autopilot system and I had personally changed both the ram and course computer before the race start. I had not anticipated the challenge of heaving-to with a modern hull design in 20/25 kts. In the end I hove-to then set a broad reach. It was only by running deep that I could get the boat to stabilise with the wheel locked. Wheel must be locked when changing the ram for 1) to fit ram into steering quadrant and 2) for safety so that I emerged from the bilges with the same number of digits I started with. (Rob Craigie)