Wild Oats XI fried by lightning
Supermaxi Wild Oats XI damaged by lightning on eve of Sydney to Hobart yacht raceChampion Sydney-Hobart super maxi, Wild Oats XI, is in doubt for the start of the famous bluewater yacht race after it was hit by lightning last Sunday morning (December 17).
The 10-million-volt-plus discharge from the lightning destroyed a significant number of electronic instruments, all of which are vital if the yacht is to maintain maximum speed and stay on course during the race.
At the time of writing it was not known if any of the yacht’s carbon fibre rigging was damaged by the strike. But the Oatley family’s champion Sydney to Hobart yacht is now at the centre of a frenetic repair schedule.
Wild Oats XI was out of the water and in its cradle at Woolwich Dock, on Sydney Harbour, when the bolt of lightning struck the top of the 45-metre high carbon fibre mast during a thunderstorm.
Carbon fibre is a great conductor of electricity and many a fishing rod has been hit by lightning over the years. The surge of energy usually blows the fibres to smithereens.
Sandy Oatley was confident his team will have everything ready for the start on Boxing Day and he was also quick to recognise the support offered by Peter Harburg, owner of near-sistership, Black Jack.
On Harburg’s invitation, Wild Oats XI’s shore team manager, Paul Magee, flew to Brisbane today to see what equipment existed in Black Jack’s warehouse that might replace instruments damaged by the strike.
“That’s the spirit that exists in this level of ocean racing,” said Oatley. “We might be arch rivals on the race course, but we’re all supportive of each other when necessary.”
Wild Oats XI’s skipper, Mark Richards, said he was confident the yacht would be ready for the start of the 628-nautical mile classic on Boxing Day.
“I’d like the think that this is the third strike when it comes to bad luck for Wild Oats XI in the Hobart race,” Richards said.
“Two years' ago, the mainsail shredded in a storm, last year the canting-keel hydraulic system failed, and now we’ve been hit from the heavens.”
Richards added that while rigging checks would continue tomorrow, he believed no damage would be found.
Another line honour’s favourite for the Hobart race, Comanche from the U.S., which was docked alongside Wild Oats XI when the storm struck, was not impacted by the lightning strike.
More on the Sydney Hobart website.
Photo credit: Carlo Borlenghi and Daniel Forster
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