Skipper Kristian and Bosun Bertram are at full tilt aboard Oceans of Hope as she enters her final week of maintenance work at the Newport Shipyard. The safety and efficiency of the mast and its rigging are paramount. So a full health check has been carried out aloft and some substantial work has been carried out on the headsail furling gears. The two principle headsails are permanently hoisted on foils which can rotate allowing them to be furled or unfurled as required, one of the many systems which make this powerful 20 meter yacht manageable for the crew. If they don’t furl away when the wind rises it can be a tricky situation offshore, so their reliability is critical.

During the transatlantic crossing the foils took quite a hammering.  As inherited gear that came with the boat they had, on close inspection, reached the end of their active life. Foil Fatigue, if you will! Expert local rigger Phip Hallowell, of RigPro Newport, and his team have been invaluable in assisting to help the team replace the foils which have been supplied by Harken, and they are just about ready to be re-installed and ready for use. The sails have all now been serviced at North Sails/Newport, and in the coming days everything will come together and Oceans of Hope will be ready for the very active service she has heading her way.