Once on the ground, the foils on the 11th Hour Racing Team's Ocean Race Mālama were removed from the boat and have undergone surface Non-Destructive Testing. These non-invasive techniques determine the integrity of the structure of a boat and its appendages, and can be used to discover issues without causing any damage to the structure.
The survey found serious damage to both foils, and after consultation with the yacht's design team, the advice given is that the foils will require extensive repair before going back into service. This work cannot be completed onsite in Cape Town before the boats leave on Sunday, February 26, for Leg 3 of The Ocean Race.
The consensus is it would be unsafe to venture further in the race with this set of foils, particularly with the next leg being a five-week-long marathon through the Southern Ocean.
The team has formally requested permission from the Race Committee to replace the foils onboard Mālama, so they can continue to compete in a safe and seaworthy manner.
Race Committee receives request from 11th Hour Racing Team to replace foils
The Race Committee of The Ocean Race received a request to replace foils for Leg 3 from 11th Hour Racing Team at 0900 UTC on 16th February.
The Race Committee is currently reviewing the technical reports supplied with the request.
The Rules of The Ocean Race (Notice of Race 6.4) specify teams are only allowed to use one set of foils in The Ocean Race. However, a team may apply for permission to replace a foil that "suffers serious damage that cannot be repaired before a Leg start".
