While sailing upwind, after a successful tack to port and 1st transfer (about 11-12 seconds) of the water ballast, we heard a large "bang" that caused Sue to drop the tiller extension sending the boat into an almost crash tack! The mast was still standing, nothing was floating behind the boat from maybe hitting the keel or rudder (leeward rudder only because we were flying the weather one out of the water), we were wondering what went "bang". I took a quick look over the transom and there was nothing on the rudder, we were scratching our heads what had made all that noise.
We decided it was time to head back. So we emptied the water ballast and prepared to head back to the harbor and put up the spinnaker. We hoisted the code 2A and sailed the boat with a little heal and were moving very nice for such low wind speed. The knot meter was not working, but the hand held GPS was reading 10-10.5 knots of speed...very controllable!
While Ken was looking at the wake from the leeward rudder (starboard one that was in the water when we heard the "bang") he noticed the transom was fractured at the location where the outboard rudder gudgeons were mounted! The stern was fractured and starting to come off!
Apparently, we had hit a submerged mammal (shark or whale) that took four layers of bright orange paint off down to the epoxy and did not impact or damage the rudder surface at all! The collision only majorly screwed the structure of the back of the boat. The designer said the steering system and support were under engineered and the builder said the rudder was over built....bad situation for a new boat that was overdue by 9 months and only sailing for 40 minutes! I call it the unfortunate effect of, "we hit the curb at 30 mph and did not blow the tire, we ripped the axle off instead, ouch!"
In the end, the boat will be coming out of the water for repair on the broken and unbroken rudder systems on each side.
The Antrim Class 40 will be sailing with all Ullman Sails.
Carbon / Aramid D4 Class Main
Carbon / Aramid D4 Class Jib
Carbon / Aramid D4 PHRF MH Genoa
Carbon GPL #3 Jib
CZ Spinnaker Staysail
Contender SL-50 Code 1A Spinnaker
Bainbridge A700/600 Code 2A Spinnaker
Contender 130/90 SK Code 4A Spinnaker
