More yachts out

Press, 18 June 1976, Page 24

More yachts out

NZPA Staff Correspondent The number of retirements from the single-handed transatlantic yacht race had increased to 24 vesterday as the remaining 101 boats were being buffeted by gale-force winds. A spokesman for the "Observer.” the sponsors of the race organised bv the Royal Western Yacht Club in Plymouth. said that the bad weather across most of the 4800 km route between Plymouth and Newport, Rhode Island, was expected to continue for two or three days. Race organisers had not I heard from one of the New Zealanders. Captain John Mansell in the 8.53 metre Innovator of Mana, since he reported his position last Friday. He is expected to be at least a third of the way across. The organisers have not beard at all from the other f ew Zealander, Rodney KenI'all, sailing the 7.31 metre tongeur.

"There are still a lot of boats we haven’t heard from.” the spokesman said. "Some don’t want to use their radios, and others don’t feel it’s worth the effort.” Alain Colas, of France, radioed yesterday from his storm-battered four-masted schooner that he was mending sails with bleeding hands and had given up hope of breaking his own 20-day record in the race.

Colas, the pre-race favourite added that if he was still in the lead against his smaller rivals he believed it would only be temporarily.

I “1 feel that some boats will overtake me as 1 am always mending sails with bleeding hands,” he said, adding: “I’ve had a rough lesson.” He gave his position as 500 miles from Newfoundland, Canada. France’s Jean Yves Terlain yesterday retired from the race, after reporting storm damage to his catamaran Kriter 111. Organisers feared his boat may be in danger of breaking up. He was one of the leaders.

Another leading Frenchman to drop out was Yvon Fauconnier, who has broken his arm 600 miles off Newfoundland aboard his 39 metre schooner I.T.T. Oceanic and is planning to limp on to Rhode Island.