It all started late last week with a press release posted on Facebook by Denis Van Weynbergh, the owner of the boat. He accuses the young man of 19 years âeuros whose arrival in Pointe-Ã -Pitre took place under makeshift rigging after having paid âeuros to have left his boat abandoned in Guadeloupe. He writes " The Class40 number 104, DAISY TEMPLE, rented for the occasion by the company SEA MEDIA Eurl to the company WINDRUNNER and having to be returned contractually to Trinidad at the latest on February 1, 2015, is left abandoned with numerous damages in the Marina of Bas-du-Fort in Point-à-Pitre." He also adds "Since his arrival in Point-à-Pitre, we are without any information" .
Firmly resolved to get his boat back, " in the condition originally contracted for" denis Van Weynbergh decided to express his dissatisfaction and disappointment in the media.
Contacted by the editors, the browser answers its detractors.
First of all, the young sailor goes back over his participation in the Route du Rhum and his result. He then explains his project and the reasons for his failure: lack of preparation, team mostly composed of amateurs...
"As far as my Route du Rhum project is concerned, I am obviously not proud of everything that is said and written. I am well aware of the problems of this heavy project. I took some chapters lightly and I was not prepared for such consequences. My team and I were too new and inexperienced in this project to face this storm related to my dismasting.
My message goes especially to my main sponsor, to all my sponsors, my doctor, my nutritionist, my sports coach and my bio-energeticist, my family, my friends, to the Malouins and fans who have supported and followed me. I know that I disappoint them by my behavior and my silence. It is not a voluntary act but rather a reflection and for the negative part the lack of solutions to solve what is happening to me.
When I came back from the Route du Rhum, my small team of student and amateur friends, who were very supportive until the finish line, became smaller and some of them gradually moved away from me, caught up in their classes for some and in their work for others. I thank them for all the help they gave me voluntarily to prepare my boat, but for a project of this scale, I understood that it was not enough.
Looking back, I have found that I missed having a team of professionals to manage the project. It's a little late to be crying, that's for sure."
He then explains that he did not have a sufficient budget to compensate for the damage, caused by a dismasting, but that he nevertheless collected the 20,000 euro deposit requested by the owner. In a complicated financial situation, he is looking for solutions to compensate the owner and recover this boat to which he is attached.
"I obviously understand the reaction of the owner, who of course would have liked to find his boat in the same condition as when it was delivered. I did not abandon my boat . I acted as a good sailor by trying to preserve as much as possible the class40 which had dismasted by putting all my energy in making the makeshift rigging which allowed me to bring it back to port (Pointe à Pitre). Unfortunately, not having planned the return by cargo, I did not anticipate the necessary financing for the repatriation to France. I moored it at the Marina of Pointe à Pitre leaving my things on board. From then on my boat was under the surveillance of Guadeloupean friends to whom I regularly asked for news. I am attached to this boat, it is him who allowed me to realize my dream.
Regarding the contracted facts, the owner estimated the deposit at 20,000 euros, deposit at his disposal as planned. To expose, my budget, obtained thanks to the sponsors and supports (crowfounding included) which wanted to trust me, would have been enough to face this Route du Rhum, if I had not undergone this kind of catastrophic damage that is a dismasting. The only insurance that allowed me to take the start of the Route du Rhum was offered to me without rigging, without mast and without boom, with important deductibles for each damage. I had no choice, because without insurance no registration and no participation in the Route du Rhum.
I am in reflection mode and I am sorry for my late reaction. I wish to face my responsibilities. Currently, I am looking for financial solutions to compensate the owner. I need help for sure, that's also why I'm writing this message."
Credit : Pen Duick
