Too many great days... not enough good ones!

Once again Walvis Bay turned on the wind... and once again it was too much. Every day seems to come in with the same strength, 20-25 knots.

We just want one day that sticks at around 15-18 knots. seems like they don't make those types of days in these parts.

If we time it just right then we can be out on the course as the wind builds. The tide has been a big factor recently but now that we are moving back towards neaps (mid-tides) it shouldn't be such a big factor.

So we continued tweaking the little jobs list yesterday.

Brad finished the last run video and it should be posted in the coming days.

The high tides are getting late in the day now.

It's another sunny morning here and that tells us it's going to blow again.

It's annoying because I know that we should be using these glamour days... but we're just not quite ready for them.

One mild day, please...just one.

I'm sure that many of the local sailors are wondering why we are so picky with the weather. It's hard to explain how sensitive the boat is to a few knots difference in wind. Situations develop alot quicker. Our only way out of trouble is to sheet on and power away from the beach. If something is not right then that can become a scary and destructive process. Things have to be right and proven to be so. The whole of our boat is a prototype as are all the systems. Nothing is borrowed of another speed sailing boat that hit 50 knots beforehand. There will be things that need changing, adjusting or strengthening. We must find them all. If you look at what we have seen in the last 7 runs with the wing then you will appreciate the challenge.

Big round-ups, rig wipeouts, high-speeds with no control, destroyed planing surfaces and so on. All of this action has taught us alot and the craft is all the better for it.

It will pay to tread carefully.

Cheers, Paul.

 

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