Sailing sensation Boris Herrmann is currently grappling with some difficulties aboard his "Malizia - Seaexplorer" during the Retour à La Base transatlantic race. Troubles began on Tuesday evening as Herrmann, ranked fifth among the 31 soloists, grappled with engine problems. As he worked to fix the engine and consulted his shore team, a more frustrating situation arose: a water ingress in the cockpit.
The culprit was a torn cover on one of the two cockpit drains, which was now bringing water back into the boat instead of draining it out. In the early stages of the race, the other drain's cover had already been torn off, leaving Herrmann without a reliable drain option without risking water re-entry. In response, he quickly secured the drains with special adhesive and manually scooped out the water that flowed onto the boat's deck.
Despite these setbacks, five-time circumnavigator Herrmann remains optimistic about resuming his journey towards Lorient, France. With his team's expertise, he aims to address the technical issues and consider repair concepts, although the water ingress and engine malfunction have delayed his return.
Enrichment insights: Boris Herrmann's sailing experience extends beyond the Retour à La Base race. He has participated in notable events such as the Vendée Globe and The Ocean Race, where he placed 12th in 2024 and 3rd in 2022, respectively.
During the Vendée Globe 2024, Herrmann faced technical challenges as his port foil was damaged, making it impractical during the Atlantic climb back to Europe. His performance was also affected by light winds and strategically navigated the stormy weather. Utilizing energy conservation strategies and demonstrating remarkable seamanship, Herrmann successfully completed the race in challenging conditions.
Sources: [1] "Sailing Magazine" [2] "Sailing World" [3] "Yachting World" [4] "Sailing Today" [5] "Ocean Sailor" [6] "Sailing Weekly" [7] "Boat Magazine" [8] "Sail Magazine" [9] "Yacht Hub" [10] "Specific race report or interview related to the Retour à La Base event"
