16 January 2025, North Atlantic – Boris Herrmann has reported significant damage to the port foil of Malizia - Seaexplorer following a collision with an OANI (abbreviation of a French term for “unidentified object or animal” used when the skipper does not know what he collided with) at 02:31 UTC. The incident occurred approximately 900 nautical miles off Brazil’s northeast coast while sailing at 13.7 knots. Boris is safe and unharmed, and the boat remains seaworthy.
The damage, however, is severe and beyond repair. After consulting with his team, Boris is assessing whether the foil can be retracted and secured. If this is not possible, he may need to cut it off, a complex and time-consuming operation.
Despite the setback, Boris is determined to finish the race. "It’s another difficult day," Boris shared. "But it can always be worse. The boat is safe, I’m unharmed, and we keep going. We keep trying our best, as always."
