Innovation K2 dismasted - crew safe and well.

Innovation K2 was en route from Tortola BVI to the UK when she was dismasted in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The crew of 7 included 5 LCSC members - Peter Hopps, Jenny Thomas, Trevor Davies, Tim Waite and Jonathan Callow. The mast holed the bow section of the boat below the waterline but behind a watertight bulkhead. The crew has since been taken to the Azores by a Portuguese warship and a tug boat is setting off this morning to bring the boat back.

These are two of the emails Peter sent to the crew's contacts apprasing them of what was happening.

Tuesday 1043

At approx 0025 last night the mast broke. The stbd lower shroud failed causing the mast to break. It fell over on the port side. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

On breaking, the mast fell and made a large hole approx 1foot sq just under the waterline; there is also a large hole in the foredeck which we think was caused by the spreader. This is all in the forward compartment and there is a watertight bulkhead so only that one compartment is damaged and there are 2 other compartments with enough buoyancy to keep the boat afloat. We are not in any immediate danger.

We are in touch with the rescue services and a Portuguese Warship has been diverted to render us assistance. Our plan is for them to take the boat in tow to the Azores.

We are well equipped with safety and rescue gear, including an EPIRB which automatically sends out a Mayday message, flares, hand-held VHF radio etc.. We have been in contact with both Falmouth Coastguard and the Portuguese services via the sat phone.

That's all we can report at the moment.

We will be in touch as and when we can.

Peter, Trevor, Jono, Nick, Jenny, Bill and Tim

Wednesday 1227

We are all now safely aboard the Portuguese Corvette "Joao Coutinho" and making for Horta.

All are safe and well.

Will be in touch with more info later.

Peter, Trevor, Jono, Nick, Jenny, Bill and Tim

I'm sure the crew will be happy to tell the live story for a few beers on their return. In the meantime (and to save my liver) this is how events unfolded from my end.

Innovation set off from Tortola on 2nd March to be back in the UK in time for the start of our Fastnet campaign this April. The joys of satellite communications meant that she'd been in regular email and phone contact and by Monday she was well over half way home with a crew enjoying the boat's wonderful downwind speed and handling. With no race pressures they'd been sailing with two reefs in the main or the tri sail and the no 4 jib poled out most of the time - but still hitting speeds of up to 20 knots. Monday was pretty windy and when Peter phoned me he said they'd changed down to the tri sail and storm jib after he'd hit a new speed record of 32 knots. But these boats were designed for (and had survived) racing the Southen Ocean and we'd had the mast taken out and the rigging checked over before she left the UK so there seemed no cause for concern.

I had to be at the BBC at 5am on Tuesday morning and my phone was in my briefcase downstairs so I didnt hear the 6 phone calls from 3am. But I noticed them when I got there - and since even the media isn't that nocturnal I thought I'd better listen to the subsequent 121 message. This proved to be Falmouth coastguard telling me that I was the notified shore suport for the emergency beacon for Innovation K2 and please would I call him. Luckily for me by then Peter had phoned them to say the reason they'd set off the EPIRB was that the boat had been dismasted and holed - but the hole was behind a watertight bulkhead so they were ok. He would assess the situation at day break but expected to be able to make the Azores under their own steam. The EPIRB had since been switched off.

Somewhat distracted I then went off to ITN without my phone -and got back at 11am to find a host of missed calls from Peter. When he did get through he said the hole was below the waterline and quite large so they would need a tow back. Falmouth then phoned me to say that they'd put the situation in the hands of the Azores who were sending a warship to the scene.

Unfortunately for the boat but not the crew the warship couldn't tow it back - it needs the hole plugging from the outside (Peter tried to fll it with sails - but it was too far below the waterline and too large - and the sails were simply swimming around the forepeak) and the boat pumping out. So the insurance company have arranged for a tug to go and do so today.

When I spoke to Peter yesterday he'd enjoyed lunch - washed down with wine - with the ship's captain in the officers' mess. Some of the rest of the crew had lunch in less exalted circumstances with the ship's crew - but whatever it beats being picked up by a fishing boat. They were due to arrive in Horta around 11pm their time last night - time perhaps for Kill Bill and Trevor to find a night club to get thrown out of. I haven't spoken to them yet today.

Peter is going back out with the tug boat. Until the boat is back and the damage assessed we wont know if and when Innovation will again be racing under LCSC colours. At least we haven't sold Arbitrator but it could be a rather slower Fastnet than we'd envisaged.

Thanks are due to all those who've helped with such a speedy and efficient rescue - espcially to Falmouth coastguard and the Portuguese navy. And to those of you who've plied me with phone calls, emails and drinks over the past two days. And to the boat for being well enough built to stay afloat for that long - without the watertight bulkhead they would have sunk in 5 minutes.

Copyright © London Corinthian Sailing Club, 18 Mar 2005