Irish offshore solo sailor Yannick Lemonnier's September Transatlantic ambitions have been set back after his mini 491 Port of Galway dismasted, last night around 2h30, off Ushant, a French island at the south-western end of the English Channel.
Organisers of the Mini Fastnet race are reporting the Galway-based sailmaker is 'fine, not injured, except for his morale'.
Lemonnier was on his way back to Ireland, following the Mini Fastnet race he had completed a few days previous.
As Afloat reported previously, the Galway sailor had embarked on the first part of his Mini campaign that features a 600-mile race from Douarnenez in Western France. It's a campaign that will ultimately see Lemonnier (50) compete in the Mini Transatlantic Race this September.
Lemonnier's boat appeared to be 'drifting' towards shipping lanes, so the SNSM, the French lifeboat service, intervened and took him in tow to Lampaul bay, on Ushant island, according to an update to supporters from Olivier Lemonnier this evening.
He is reported to have secured the remains of his rigging and managed to lower his mainsail that had been jammed after the dismasting.
The break, which is at the level of the second spreaders was mostly likely caused by the breakage of a spreader bracket or the spreader itself.
Lemonnier had to go up the broken mast again to put two halyards in order to hoist the mainsail to the highest reef point and a storm jib.
The wind forecast for the next 48 hours is quite strong, 25-35 knots, so Lemonnier will have to be patient before being able to bring his boat back to a French port such as Brest, Camaret or Douarnenez to effect repairs.
