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Southern Ocean batters boats

High seas and icebergs have caused havoc with the boats

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The Southern Ocean is taking its toll on the Volvo Ocean Race yachts as high seas and icebergs batter the boats.

After about three days of dodging massive icebergs and the smaller "growlers", News Corp was the first boat to hit one. The team's co-skipper Ross Field reported that the accident happened as the boat was sailing at 21 knots.

"I was steering and all I felt was a loud crash on the hull and then the rudder. The guys below then rushed into the bow and checked the interior but we appeared to be ok."

The boat had previously "brushed" past ice.

News Corp also reported broken sails and other pieces of equipment on this fourth leg. The team sleep in their survival suits with their feet forward -- "if we hit something you don't damage yourself too much."

MORE STORIES News Corp hits iceberg  Icebergs add to southern danger

On Tyco, Briton Guy Salter was knocked on the head when a "wall of water" swept over the deck as the team were attempting to hoist a sail. His injury above the eye was stitched by French medic Jan Dekker. Their fellow crewman Brad Jackson has a badly bruised nose.

SEB reported a variety of damage, including one spinnaker pole broken and gone, one spinnaker ripped and repaired, one wrist cut, one finger cut and the computer used for processing sailing data had gone down.

"The old Southern Ocean is taking its toll," skipper Gurra Krantz said.

"We are still in good shape in this heavy running condition."

The mainsail on Amer Sports One has had to be repaired, costing the yacht 1.5 miles. It took six crew members to complete the job, Paul Cayard said.

He said it was important to have a boat that was fully operating.

"A 100 percent boat is a fast boat no matter what the design. That is a big part of the game down here. People are cold and people are tired. You need people with recharged batteries."