Choppy start for Helsal 3
A CREW member of Sydney to Hobart yacht Helsal 3 has fractured seven ribs during the boat’s delivery.
The unnamed person was thrown from the galley on the port side to the starboard side during a south westerly gust of about 30-plus knots on the way from Hobart to Sydney. He also suffered a hemothorax — blood in the lining of the lungs.
While the boat was in Bass Strait, and 12 hours from land and medical support, there was a doctor aboard.
He administered morphine for pain relief and immobilised the injured person, who was later taken to hospital.
The 29- year- old boat, which boasts a multinational crew, also required some repairs after the eventful journey.
Several of the fleet’s glamour boats, including line honours favourite Wild Oats XI and the new 60-foot Ichi Ban, went for training runs on Sydney Harbour yesterday.
Wild Oats XI only returned to the water on Friday following an intensive check-up lasting four days.
The final decisions on which sails she carries in her bid for a recordequalling, seventh line honours title will only be made shortly before the Boxing Day start.
‘‘ Going on the race weather forecast we are seeing, the overall weight of Wild Oats XI will be critical when it comes to speed,’’ Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards said.
‘‘All the signs are that it will be a downwind race for most of the way.
‘‘If that is the case, we don’t want to be carrying any excess weight, including sails.’’