Close... but no cigar!

So we hit the course again today and everything was perfect. The boat was in great shape, the tide was right and the wind was perfect for our development i.e. 17-18 knots.

When we got up to the top of the course we discovered that our mooring anchor had gone...god knows where!!!!

This large anchor is vital in our starting procedure as it virtually enables me to launch myself whilst sitting in the cockpit. The line is tied on to the transom of Sailrocket and the rest of the team jump in the RIB and take off down the course in order to get in position for filming. Once everyone is in position my bow gerts pushed away from the wind and I sheet on hard to stall the wing. Sailrocket is now straining against the anchor line and rotating away from the beach in a sideways manner. When she is pointing in a safe direction I simply slip the knot.

It works really well, is very safe and frees up alot of people.

We were pretty stuffed without it. Helena and Brad went back to the Walvis Bay yacht club to find another. Once again we recieved alot of enthusiastic support on shore but by the time they got back the wind was up once again to the familiar 22 knots and gusting.

We sat and waited until dark for it to drop... but it didn't.

This was a very frustrating day. Something so stupid like that just ruins a whole day for us. So now we will carry out a big anchor and deploy it from our RIB every time we go out.

One of the frustrating things is that for all I know, these conditions could still be perfect. It's a constant struggle in my mind between stepping boldly forward and being rightly conservative. If the boat is handling fine and as we expect then I should have been able to sail today. If it isn't then I don't want to find out at the top end of our wind range.

We really do just need a few more runs in milder winds to see where we are at. They will come and now is not the time to get impatient and rush things. It's taken us years to get to theis stage, what's a couple more days or even a week in the big picture. That's the beauty of Walvis, our day will come in the not too distant future.

We saw that Hydroptere had broken Dunkerbecks Mile record. I expected them to beat it by more. well done to Alain and the team. They deserve all the success that they can get. It takes alot of effort to get to that stage. Just the effort of getting WSSRC approval for a short course record offshore is a monster effort worthy of mention.

The photos are spectacular and show the boys pushing the boat very hard. I wonder what would happen if they lost grip with that 'T' rudder out the back?

It's very motivating to see other teams out there going for it.

We are currently fully rigged up down at the yacht club. We get out on the water at every opportunity. I

don't want their record to last very long. I think that we can smash it to bits and I can't wait to try.

 

As I stood there waiting on a rather cool stretch of empty beach with the wind whistling through my wierd craft, the irony did strike me. WHY DOES A LIGHTWEIGHT CARBON FIBRE SPEED SAILING BOAT NEED A BLOODY GREAT ANCHOR TO GO SPEED SAILING?

 

We will try again today.

 

Cheers, Paul

 

p.s. Thanks to all the locals who put on such a great night at FREE AIR last night. Jurgen had the pizza oven blazing and I had my first Jagy bomb (or something involving Jagermeister and Red Bull). the place was humming as everyone has come in for easter from all over Namibia. Happy days.

 

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