Today looks windy...but maybe...

Well surprise, surprise... it's bloody windy.

The forecasts all grew in strength towards the end of this week and they weren't kidding. Today looks strong and our hopes now look towards Friday. Nonetheless, yesterday we set SAILROCKET up anyway and continued to fiddle. She is currently ready to roll at short notice on the Sailing Academy apron because as we all know, the forecasters often get it wrong.

We now have our proper audio back for the onboard camera and it is much improved. In an e-mail from Malcolm based on some simulations he has been doing on his computer he mentioned that at 47 knots, a 2.5 degree rudder input for one second would initiate an uncontrollable 70 degree 'round-up' into the wind. It's important you read the things Malcolm sends you!!! 

This seems like a pretty small input especially if I am steering to avoid something. I recall my last run where the boat did that big round-up at the end. It seemed then that I just initiated it and it did the rest. I did this with a large rudder input at that speed (30.3 knots as you will see on the soon to be shown track log). At all times the rudder has seemed to be light and positive. The rudder is a pretty big ol' spade so it can steer the craft at low speeds. Once we get going it is pretty brutal. We will probably add a much smaller rudder soon. Something like a stiff sailboard skeg which is attached to the side of the current rudder case so I can kick up the big rudder once under way.

For now we have adjusted the rake of the rudder a little aft so that it gives me more feel. The force needed to initiate the round-up is apparently pretty high so as long as the rudder isn't too neutral I should be aware of it.

The tweaking continues.

Cheers, Paul.

 

Paul Larsen
Mobile: + 44 (0) 794 684 1929
E-mail: paularsen1@aol.com
www.sailrocket.com