Will it be plain sailing for Cabin Fever contestants?

CABIN Fever contestants will be told today whether they should pack their life jackets once more or drop anchor on their sailing careers for good.

The nine remaining contestants in the RTÉ reality TV game-show have been told to stand by for a call at midday to say whether the programme will resume. A green light could put them back at sea as soon as next week.

Another boat has already been sourced and programme makers are confident marine authorities will not challenge their licence to sail. But three contestants present a stumbling block as they remain to be convinced of the sense of continuing the venture.

The contestants have been in dry dock for the last 10 days after their boat hit rocks and sank while departing Tory Island off the coast of Donegal last Friday 13, less than a fortnight into their round Ireland voyage.

They were given €1,000 each to replace lost clothes and personal belongings and asked by the production company to stay on Tory until the future of the programme was determined. But a mutiny and threats of legal action saw them leave for home and worried loved ones within days.

Several contestants are still considering suing the owner of the sunken vessel, British charter boat operator, Roger Barton, but they have not blocked negotiations with makers, Coco Television, although solicitors have been present at their meetings with the production company.

The company still has the prize of €100,000 on offer to the sole survivor of the show in which the plan was for the public to vote overboard the contestant they least liked each week.

It is believed the format would remain the same if just six of the contestants continue with the show, but changes may have to be made if all nine get back on board as the programme will have missed two of its twice-weekly slots on RTÉ.

The makers will also be under pressure to revise crewing and safety arrangements after the last boat went down in shallow waters, in calm conditions and in a rocky area well marked on marine charts as a hazard.

The Marine Casualty Investigation Board is carrying out an inquiry into the accident and have been interviewing the crew as well as examining the broken remains of the vessel.