Yachting: Finish line nears for lone yachties

Around Alone yacht race leader Bernard Stamm is expected to set a solo monohull trans-Atlantic record when he passes England's Land's End and the Lizard Peninsula at about 8pm tonight (NZ time).

His lead over Thierry Dubois on board Solidaires has stabilised at 65 nautical miles and Bobst Group Armor Lux was expected to cross the Around Alone first leg finishing line at Torbay at about 6am tomorrow morning.

Tauranga's entry Hexagon, skippered by Graham Dalton, has dropped to fourth place after striking a new batch of problems on the home stretch.

Yesterday, he lost the full-length battens from the outboard end of the mainsail, essentially denying him use of the mainsail.

He was forced to alter course north to make repairs to avoid heading directly into seas whipped up by gale force winds.

Dalton is now heading south again and by early today predicted he would cross the finishing line on Monday or Tuesday (NZ time).

- NZPA