Short update from Porto airport. We shouldn’t be here before next monday 15 on our return flight from Ponte Delgada to Amsterdam. But here is what happened.

Surfing in ideal conditions, 35 knots NE, on a rough sea we build an average speed of 10.51 knots over ground (!) for hours. Peaking 21.9 knots boatspeed running down one of these mountaneous waves. La Promesse at her best. Stable. Easy steering. Dry. Blue sky. Sun. Paradise.

When wind and sea kept building and to prevent saildamage we decided to put a second reef in. After we’d changed gennaker for genoa couple of hours before.
We couldn’t get the sail down running down wind. So had to turn windward, put the reef in and turn back. In that manoeuvre, done so many times, we were hit by a next big wave that smashed the boat on her side, made the boom touch water and snap. 😡😫😩😤😡

Impossible to repair. No alternatives to set main. So we retired from the race and headed for Spain/Portugal coast. Took us 40 hours beating into NE 30knots and heavy seas to reach Vigo.

We’ve cleaned up the boat and organised repairs to be done in the following weeks. Dissapointed about the race. But happy with the superb sailing we’ve done.

Thanks to those that have helped us!
And till next adventure.