Major Drama for Earthrace
The team of the New Zealand built 24 metre bifuelled triimaran Earthrace is in full scramble mode attempting to ship a high pressure fuel injection line to the Marshall Islands. The 30,000 psi line burst earlier today forcing the crew to shut down one engine, slowing her speed significantly.
'Earthrace in Hawaii May 2008 (Photo Peter Faretra)'
Earthrace
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As of this morning Earthrace had gained considerable distance ahead of the Cable and Wireless record and was 1900 nautical miles ahead of record pace . The team was ecstatic with the progress and considering the possibility of a less than 50 day circumnavigation. Now running at 16 knots Earthrace is just holding pace with the Cable and Wireless record.
For the ground team this means locating a spare high pressure fuel line, and getting it shipped to the Marshall Islands before the Earthrace arrival. Luckily the Marshall Islands are covered by the US mail service and the ground team, still in Hawaii, has all Friday to organize a repair kit. As I type the ground team is franticly calling Australia in an attempt to use the last business hour before the weekend.
For the Skipper Peat Bethune it's a difficult moment. Limping on one engine increases the remaining engine's load considerably. With the tropical hot temperatures Bethune has to be especially careful he does not overwork the remaining engine. In the wake of such a spectacular performance on the first half of the race it may be a challenge to play it safe and slow down. Slowing down may be especially difficult once you have driven half way around the world at a record breaking 22 knots.
The timing of this break down is particularly bad. Earthrace had just departed Hawaii thus barely starting the two most remote race legs. It was in this far off section of the Pacific where parts shipping delayed the team on the previous record attempt. The next full service race stop is the new One Fifteen marina in Singapore over 6000 miles away.
by Scott Fratcher/Allison Thompson 
Cape Leeuwin, WA
