SMA IMOCA Round–the–World Yacht Ready to Depart Kinsale

26th January 2016

The repaired SMA 60–footer is ready for sea again in Kinsale Credit: John McDonald

The SMA 60 recovered 100 miles off the Irish coast three weeks ago has been undergoing repairs afloat in the County Cork harbour of Kinsale. The team have been making the round the world yacht seaworthy again and despite of damage to its mechanical propulsion system, the 60–footer is ready to sail again with a new sail wardrobe.

Since Paul Meilhat was airlifted off SMA on 15th December, during the transatlantic Race in which Ireland's Enda O'Coineen finished third, the IMOCA class yacht drifted up from the Azores to Ireland over the past twenty days, during which the SMA team attempted several recovery operations, in spite of some horrendous weather.

The French led recovery crew plan to depart Kinsale for the French port of Port La Forêt next week.

Published in Kinsale

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