Sailor Graham Dalton leapt for his life when the 30-metre mast of the Around Alone yacht, Hexagon, snapped at the start of its Atlantic Ocean crossing on the weekend and crashed to the deck.
Dalton escaped injury but was forced to abort his crossing from England for the start of the
solo around-the-world race and instead motored 321km to the closest port, which was Brest, in France.
The weekend mishap is a severe setback to Dalton's chances. He is now in a race against time to sail Hexagon to the United States and complete preparatory work before the race starts on September 15 from New York.
His problems have been compounded by the fact that he has yet to qualify for the Around Alone after race organisers refused to recognise his shake-down voyage between Auckland and Sydney, via the Kermadec Islands, as being enough to qualify. He is counting on the voyage across the Atlantic to qualify.
Dalton, who will sail under the colours of the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club, was at the wheel of Hexagon about 579km southwest of England when he heard a "crack".
He looked up and saw the mast folding and leaped for safety as the top tumbled down in the 25 knot winds.
"It was heading straight for me as I stood at the wheel," he said today. "One of the spreaders grazed me as I leapt for cover."
Dalton said the boom was smashed and he had to cut the whole rig adrift.
The Tauranga-built yacht is under tow and heading to the English port of Hamble, near Southhampton, where it will be fitted with a temporary rig.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
