On 1st January 2017 at 0930 hours (French time), Enda O'Coineen, the Irish Vendée Globe candidate, who had already experienced computer problems, told Race Direction that he had dismasted. Positioned around 180 miles south-east of Dunedin, New Zealand, the skipper of Kilcullen Voyager-Team Ireland broke his mast while sailing in 35 knots of south/southeast wind.
After securing his boat, he decided to set course for New Zealand, which in the current weather situation is downwind of his position.
"I was a little caught off guard. I was in 20-25 knots of breeze and fell into a nasty 35-knot squall just as the pilot jumped. I missed a gybe. The boat was out of control. The runner was not well attached and the mast broke cleanly at deck level. It was intact. I had to choose between saving the rigging and saving the hull of the boat. I chose safety by dropping the rig so that it wouldn't pierce the boat. The sea was pretty rough. I'm devastated. Things were going very well for me, I was in great shape. But I have to accept this situation. This kind of sailing is on the razor's edge..." said the skipper the same day.
On the morning of 2nd January, Enda O'Coineen was around fifty hours south of New Zealand before the arrival of the strong wind forecast for 4th January. He was also taking advantage of this opportunity to confirm his official retirement and is currently sailing with the engine at low speed (2 knots) 150 miles off the New Zealand coast. He has not yet specified his port of destination.
