Dark Matter’s Cape2Rio race ended on a dark and stormy night when the Royal Cape Yacht Club-based boat lost its boom on Tuesday.The 12.14m yacht, skippered by David Elcock, is limping back to Cape Town two days after starting with the main fleet in the race to Brazil.Dark Matter is depending on its jib, a triangular staysail that sets ahead of the foremast, to get it home. It is estimated it will take about three days for the return, which is being hampered by a 22-knot head-on south-easterly and 3m swells.Toni Mainprize, the Royal Cape Yacht Club’s events manager, said the organisers were "very disappointed" for Dark Matter. However, he said the boat had an experienced and capable crew and "there is no doubt they will get back safely"."We are watching them closely and they are keeping us posted," he said.Mainprize said they did not yet have information on how the boom broke.Early on Tuesday, the Dark Matter crew reported its plight to the Maritime Radio Control Centre, which is als...
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