Josh Hall’s 60ft racing yacht, Gartmore, has been dismasted 450 miles from Cape Finisterre en route from Horta in the Azores to Cherbourg.

The three crew on board including Hall battled to salvage the carbonfibre fixed rig but, in the increasing gale force winds in the middle of the Atlantic, the rig was finally cut free. The boat is now bound for the Channel under jury rig, making 3-4 knots in 35-40 knots west-north-westerly winds.

Although Hall and his crew are satisfied with the current situation as they head towards the Channel, Colin Sturman from the Falmouth coastguards says “Weather conditions are deteriorating rapidly so we are currently maintaining close communications with the yacht.”