Despite the unforeseen events, sportsmanship and solidarity turned this accident into an enriching human experience. I spotted the fishing boat, but too late. I should have called the captain immediately, but I hesitated. Right after, I realized we were in a collision course We quickly spoke with the fisherman to assess the situation, and we confirmed there was no water ingress to worry about.
However, the fisherman insisted on escorting us to Lorient, worried for our safety. I think he was more stressed than we were, but he helped ensure we arrived safely. Once docked, the shore teams took over to inspect the damage. It was an accident; these things happen, and we all handled it in good spirits. Thankfully, everything was sorted quickly. This made the logistics for the repairs much easier.
By Thursday evening, everything was dismantled. Julien Bigaud, with whom we had worked last winter, stepped in to assess the necessary repairs. We received a shipment of composite materials on Thursday afternoon, and the Spanish team arrived Friday evening to start the work. They did an amazing job, especially in molding part of the hull. Our boat is the sistership of Monnoyeur-Duo for a Job. It was amazing to be able to do that!
Plus, the teams from Les Sables d'Olonne were incredibly supportive and offered their help as well. Honestly, it was intense. We pulled several all-nighters, especially over the weekend when the Spanish team came to help us. We were all on deck by 6 AM to make sure everything was ready. Thanks to that, the boat will be back in the water by Monday! I think we handled it well, given the timeline.
No, I never thought about pulling out. I was in action mode, focused on what needed to be done to keep moving forward. Just a few centimeters more and the damage could have been much worse, affecting the foils or the structural parts of the boat. In the end, everyone handled this accident with a positive attitude. These things happen. Whether it's offshore racing or fishing, we all have our jobs, and sometimes our worlds collide unexpectedly. From welcoming US solo sailor Cole Brauer as co-skipper to preparing for a crewed racing calendar filled with firsts, the next six months promise to be particularly exciting for Team Malizia.
