Catamaran faces more troubled waters

Team Philips needs to be ready for December

The much troubled ocean racing catamaran Team Philips is back in the water - this time minus one of her masts.

The bow of skipper Pete Goss's £4m craft snapped during her first sea trials, a bearing on her masts also developed problems and recently one of her crew resigned.

We know we are racing against time to get to Barcelona

Vicky Williams

Following repairs and the creation of new bearings, the masts were due to be replaced on Monday at the catamaran's build site at Totnes, south Devon.

But as the starboard mast was moved to the boat it was damaged and then the tide went out before it could be successfully fitted.

Countdown to race

The catamaran was built to compete in The Race, a challenging round the world event starting from Barcelona on 31 December.

But on Monday the revolutionary craft had to set off on a 10-mile river journey to Dartmouth with just one 135ft mast in place.

Team Philips project spokesperson Vicky Williams stressed the damage to the mast was only superficial and the fitting delay was not a problem.

Team Philips catamaran

Largest carbon structure in the world

Dimensions bigger than the centre court at Wimbledon

Masts the height of 10 double decker buses

She said: "It is not a setback in any sense. It doesn't have any impact on time or on the project."

Once both masts and the sails are in place, the 120ft long catamaran will set out on further sea trials before the start of the big ocean challenge at the end of the year.

New crew member

At the end of the month a new crew member is due to be announced, after Mike Calvin resigned from the six-man team in October.

Mrs Williams said the crew were in optimistic mood and confident of making the start of the race.

Pete Goss: "Safety is the important issue"

"We know we are racing against time to get to Barcelona but we are still determined to make it," she said.

"Team Philips will have done 10,000 kilometres by the time she gets there and gone through some nasty seas, so we think she will be ready."

She said of the 38-year-old skipper, who is a former Royal Marine: "Safety is the most important thing and so if Pete says he doesn't want to go then he won't go."

The catamaran was officially launched by the Queen in March. Just two weeks later the bow snapped and Team Philips required £250,000 of repairs.

The catamaran's first sea trails ended in disaster last April when a 40ft section of the bow snapped off.