The dream of a podium finish is over, and so close to the end. Shortly before midnight yesterday, Dick's bad news arrived at the regatta office: about 500 miles north-west of Cape Verde, the entire keel suddenly broke away. The situation was under control and he was sailing with full ballast tanks at around eight knots towards the Azores.
"I was travelling on port tack with a reef in the main and the Solent in around 20 knots of wind," Dick reported. "I was in the cabin when the wind suddenly picked up. I went on deck to adjust the sail trim when I heard a loud bang. Virbac Paprec 3 took in a lot of air and immediately lay on its ear. I furled the main and the solent, which I immediately furled away completely. I then climbed to the end of the boom to furl the backstay. That put me on a calmer course before the boat righted itself again and I was able to fill the tanks. Now I'm travelling towards the Azores at eight knots under double reefed main and staysail. The situation is stable and I don't think there's any danger of capsizing. (But) the dream of a podium place in the Vendée Globe is suddenly gone."
