Cone of Silence Due Back Wednesday

July 8, 2003

LONG BEACH, Calif.---The Cone of Silence---appropriately named, it seems---reported Tuesday that all was well and it expected to return to this port at about 10 a.m. PDT Wednesday after dropping out of the Transpacific Yacht Race.

James and Jenny Neill's 31-foot Super 30 from Australia, the smallest boat in the race, had been out of radio contact since calling the Waikiki Yacht Club in Hawaii by satellite phone Sunday afternoon. The message was that it was dropping out because of "structural damage" but had been unable to inform the race's communications vessel Alaska Eagle of its plight directly.

No further details could be gleaned from the weak connection except that all hands were well and no assistance was required. Those points were repeated in Tuesday's call, which offered few details.

Two other boats have dropped out with breakdowns: the Andrews 70 Renegade and the J/125 Lucky Dog. Renegade was still at sea Tuesday en route to San Diego. Lucky Dog returned to Newport Beach, Calif. on Sunday.

The official 2003 TransPac Yacht Race Website http://www.transpacificyc.org
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Doug Vann, Lisa Niemczura, Walt Niemczura