Ecover’s new keel has arrived in the UK from Canada and has already been fitted to the Open 60 in preparation for the first event of the 2005 season, the Calais Round Britain Race.

Canadian skipper, Derek Hatfield, agreed to sell the keel to Mike Golding as he is currently building an Owen Clarke designed Open 60 monohull to compete in the forthcoming 5 Oceans race.

The new keel is a fully machined solid forged steel blade attached to a lead bulb, as opposed to the hollow fabricated blade that was fitted to Ecover for the Vendee Globe in which it fell off.