Nick Bubb and Alex Haworth are plagued with mainsail repairs on the 4th leg of the SRBI 5/7/06

On Saturday 1 July, on Nick Bubb and Alex Haworth aboard Kenmore were slogging it upwind with a 30 knot southerly on the nose, for the fourth leg to Lowestoft of the Shetland Round Britain and Ireland. Later that evening, time was spent repairing a rip on the mainsail between the second and third reef that developed after the former mast problems.

To facilitate speedy repair they reefed down fully, but the breeze had dropped significantly by this time. At first light on Sunday morning Nick managed to repair the rip and it is reported to still be holding, but this was not surprising given the wind had dropped to 8 knots at best.

With a shifty wind predominantly from the south east, Nick and Alex sailed the final 300 miles to Lowestoft, arriving at 0102 this morning. Before the final dash home to Plymouth, they will have to mend the mainsail properly in Lowestoft.

It’s been a long race for the 30ft trimaran, set back by mast repairs mid-way through the race, but Kenmore is still hanging in there for the final leg.