Yachting: Sailors' lives in danger if boats fail

Round the world race chief executive Glenn Bourke was quick to defend the new breed of ocean racers yesterday despite two already succumbing to damage three days into the second leg from Cape Town to Melbourne.

Brasil 1 (Brazil) turned back after an area of the deck was found to be delaminating (when the carbon layers separate) while Sweden's Team Ericsson was forced out after a hydraulic ram in the canting keel failed while they were sailing at 10 knots in 15-20 knots of wind.

Both teams were planning to assess the damage once in port then decide whether repairs could be made and they could continue on.

Both boats are designed by New Zealander Bruce Farr, who has also designed Oracle's boats for the next America's Cup.

All four Farr boats in the Volvo-sponsored ocean race have suffered serious structural damage in less than two complete legs.

In the first leg three teams suffered damage in a storm on the first night and limped into ports. Two (Pirates of the Caribbean and movistar) were so badly battered they had to retire and ship their boats to Cape Town.

The worry for the race organisers is that the remaining crews are heading further away from land into the dicey Southern Ocean where a massive structural failure could threaten the lives of the sailors.

Some have questioned whether organisers should pull the teams back and reassess the boats.

The new 21m boats with their canting keels promised seven months of helter-skelter sailing.

Bourke said in coming up with the new design they realised they were producing a boat that would be at the cutting edge of ocean racing.

"The issues experienced with canting keels have been around for some considerable time and are not unique to the Volvo Open 70 design," he said in a statement.

While he did not know the full extent of Ericsson's problem, with each keel-related issue information was being shared among the teams.

"I am confident that this communication will continue," he said.

Before the start of the leg ABN Amro One skipper New Zealand's Mike Sanderson warned caution would be needed.

Sanderson's team were last night in fourth position 85 miles behind leaders movistar (Spain). Paul Cayard's Pirates of the Caribbean (USA) were one place ahead of them. Brasil 1 were still registered in second place but that was expected to change once they veer away.