Yachting: Mishap means an early holiday for Shoebridge

By JULIE ASH

Tyco skipper Kevin Shoebridge is enjoying some time with his family in Auckland before heading to Sydney to prepare for the third leg of the round-the-world race.

Tyco was sent hobbling back to South Africa with a broken rudder in the early stages of the second leg of the Volvo-sponsored race from Cape Town to Sydney.

"The rudder was basically destroyed. It had no structural integrity left," Shoebridge said.

"The lower bearing also was damaged. The needle rollers were damaged as the bearing has been pushed beyond its normal limits of movement."

Tyco was forced to return to Port Elizabeth, where a quick repair was initially an option.

"We got a rudder from the United States, but the bearings were very damaged and it was going to take some time to get some new ones," he said.

"It was unwise to go back into the Southern Ocean with damaged steering equipment and untested replacement equipment, plus we would have been lucky to have made it to Sydney before the start of next leg."

Shoebridge said they still did not know what went wrong with the rudder.

"We are still speculating if it is a design or building fault. We'll be checking the replacement rudder and its construction, and we will be constructing another rudder as well, which we will get in Auckland."

The boat is now being shipped to Sydney for the start of the third leg on Boxing Day.

Shoebridge has spent the last week in Auckland and will head to Sydney on Tuesday.

The boat is expected to arrive around December 11.

"We are really having our Christmas break now. Once we all get to Sydney we hope to do a lot of sailing."

Retiring from the leg means Tyco will secure only one point, and Shoebridge said that concerned him.

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't. We can still win, but we now have eight legs to win it in, whereas everyone else has nine.

"In this race everyone can have a bad leg. We have had ours and we need solid results from now on."

Until the rudder failure, he said, the boat had been going well.

"We finished fourth in the first leg and we are pretty comfortable with the boat. Everyone is fired up and looking forward to getting to Sydney for the third leg, [from Sydney to Auckland, and including the Sydney to Hobart race].

"Sydney to Hobart can be a shocker. It can be bone-baring and boat-breaking. There is not a certain weather pattern - you get what you get."

Shoebridge has already competed in the round-the-world race four times.

He was on Lion New Zealand, which was second in 1985, Steinlager II, which won in 1989, New Zealand Endeavour, which won in 1993 and Merit Cup, which was second in 1997.

He said that in this year's race, everyone was in with a chance.

"Last time there were three or four boats with the ability to win. This time, everyone has the ability.

"They are all very good boats with very good teams. Illbruck, in my mind, has always been the one to watch. They have been preparing for this almost twice as long as anyone else.

"But I also rate Assa Abloy and SEB. Grant Dalton's team have had the least preparation, but they have a fast boat.

"This time you could sail a good race and still come sixth or seventh."

At the latest report, SEB continued to lead, with 1107 nautical miles to the finish.

It led first-leg winner illbruck by 15 miles, with News Corp 50 miles astern as the fleet closes on Bass Strait.

SEB, however, is the most northerly boat among the leading six as illbruck, News Corp and Assa Abloy work their way south in search of more favourable breezes.

Djuice and Amer Sports One remain within 120 miles of the leaders.

The first six boats are expected to arrive in Sydney on Tuesday.