O'Rourke, who bought the winning ABN Amro boat from the last race, told Afloat that a minor hydraulic failure became apparent when the crew were 150 miles to the southwest of Ireland, during their passage from Limerick to the race start in Alicante. The damage meant that the crew could not cant the keel, and with big winds predicted en route, the decision was taken to head for safety in Cork Harbour. Our exclusive picture by Afloat's Bob Bateman shows the boat alongside in Haulbowline.
"It's a small hydraulic hose problem," O'Rourke told Afloat.
"We were heading into some weather, 35 knots, and we had no keel, so we decided to head to Cork as it was closer than Limerick. Repairs are underway."
O'Rourke's entry, sponsored by Delta Lloyd, is the last to enter the Volvo Ocean Race.
Previous articles on this topic: O'Rourke Bid On Course
