DUBAI // A trimaran that spectacularly split in two off Dubai while attempting a speed record is seaworthy again and looking for a new owner.
The multimillion dollar Team Ocean yacht, skippered by Ivan Bourgnon, was just minutes into its bid last June to break the unofficial record for a circumnavigation of Nakheel's archipelago, The World, when it broke up.
As it reached its cruising speed of 25 knots off the Palm Jumeirah there was a sudden bang, the bow rose up and the carbon-fibre central hull snapped in half.
The alarm was raised at Duboats in Dubai International Marina Club, which was serving as the trimaran team's headquarters.
Mr Bourgnon, the owner, said from France yesterday that he was hoping to fetch ?350,000 (Dh1.62m) for the repaired boat. It has been in dock in Dubai since its ill-fated assault on the three hour- 15 minute record.
"We are no longer racing 60-foot boats," he said. "We have put the masts down and we do not have the budget to run such a boat. These are very expensive to run and maintain. It will be fully repaired, new paint job and it will be like brand new."
He said this type of boat new was worth ?3m and that two prospective buyers were visiting Dubai next week, one Danish and another from New Zealand.
Toby Haws, the administration manager at Dubai Marina Yacht Club, said the boat would be cleaned up over the next few days and moved from its temporary home.
After the accident, it was towed to Dubai Marina and lifted by crane from the water for repairs. It sat in the dry dock for the summer and, after repairs, was placed back in the water for roughly six months.
Mr Bourgnon has held numerous records, including the longest distance sailed by a 60ft trimaran in 24 hours (1,006.35km). He had brought the boat to Dubai to demonstrate its abilities on the water and raise the profile of the sport.
The trimaran had won a series of races and had been sailed to Dubai from Europe.
Mr Haws said: "It has been mended and any mend like that has to be strengthened and tested. The boat is made up of a special carbon-fibre structure, but it needs to be tested before it is decided she races again."
eharnan@thenational.ae
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Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
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Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
Favourite book: ‘The Art of Learning’ by Josh Waitzkin
Favourite film: Marvel movies
Favourite parkour spot in Dubai: Residence towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
RESULTS
Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)
Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)
Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)
Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)
Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)
Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)
Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
