Groupama 4 skipper Franck Cammas is confident about the team's chances in Leg 2 Stage 2 despite a repair job that had to be carried out by the sailing team.
The sailors had to fix a crack in the hull themselves after it was spotted at the time of last week’s loading in the Safe Haven port in the Indian Ocean.
The crew went to work on fixing it after the arrival in Sharjah and while a more comprehensive repair will not be completed until after the fleet’s arrival in Abu Dhabi, Cammas is not too concerned.
“It’s a minor crack," the Frenchman told reporters on Tuesday. "It’s annoying but we will try not to think too much about it. It will be a minor brake on our performance.”
Bowman Brad Marsh said six sailors went on board the yacht overnight to assess and repair the damage. Marsh said he used his harness and several ropes to manoeuvre to the bottom of the boat, with the aide of his teammates.
"Martin Strömberg and Martin Krite made sure I was safe and well placed under the hull by using ropes,’’ he said. “Damian (Foxall), Phil (Harmer) and Charles (Caudrelier) prepared the different things, which were necessary to fix it.
“It was an uncomfortable position and I was afraid of not doing it well, but it all went well, a true team effort."
Tests would take place during the stopover in Abu Dhabi, the team said.
Wednesday's Stage 2 will see the boats race 98 nautical miles down the coast to Abu Dhabi. The race has a provisional start time of 0530 UTC.
