Two yachts dismasted in the AZAB
Two boats dismasted and a further ten yachts retired in this year’s Azores and Back (AZAB) Race.
The race began on 1 June, with entrants leaving Falmouth bound for Ponta Delgada in the Azores.
Solo skipper Charles Emmett was forced to return to Falmouth after his Sigma 36, British Beagle, dismasted less than 24 hours after the race start.
Jayne Toyne, double-handing with Marina Foti, in her Dehler 36, Boogie Nights, dismasted on 8 June, and had to sail under jury rig for three days to Ponta Delgada.
Speaking to Yachting Monthly, Toyne said they were sailing in moderate conditions with a 25-knot wind just before dusk when they lost the mast.
‘We had two reefs in and half a jib out. We were cruising beautifully at 7.5 knots and it felt good. There was no warning and no indication the rig would go. We hadn’t had any trouble trimming the sails, the boat was sailing well and there was no indication of the boat slowing down,’ explained the 42-year-old skipper.
‘There was an almighty bang, like a gun shot only louder, and the whole boat shook. The mast snapped around 1ft above the first spreader. I was looking at it when it went. It fell over immediately.’
With the mast underwater, Toyne, who only had Boogie Nights re-rigged in late 2013, contacted her father back in England via satellite phone, who sent a Mayday relay to Falmouth Coastguard. She also managed to make contact with the crew of the nearest AZAB yacht, the Contessa 32, Katisha, who immediately went to their aid.
Toyne said the mast acted like a sea anchor, which helped make Boogie Nights more stable as she donned a head torch and began to cut away the mast. Initially she tried to salvage as much as possible but the ‘vang exploded and the sharp end was slamming on the coach roof, which made things more urgent’.
Eventually Toyne and Foti cut away the mast before building a jury rig from a spare spinnaker pole and a trysail.
A nearby container ship provided them with extra fuel to reach Ponta Delgada, assisted by Katisha’s crew.
Toyne, who described the experiences as ‘life affirming’ said Boogie Nights would now remain in the Azores until a new mast can be shipped out from the UK.
First over the line in both legs was solo skipper Chris Swallow in his Pogo 12.50, Akouavi. His unofficial time to the Azores was 7d, 5h, 46m and his time to Falmouth was 7d, 21h, 58m.