Squeezing the balls!!!
Another great day on the 'strip'.
Had locals Des and Andreas helping our usual team of moi, Helena, Hiskia and Andreas. The last four make up our core team. Andreas has been with us for every run and Hiskia for all bar one. The fact we can now sail consistently in our ultimate conditions is a credit to the whole team and the progress we have made with a very difficult and unusual boat.
Wierd shit is going on back there. Huge drag but oddly.... good control. We are sailing in some sort of strange mode.
So I did the first run today and it felt the same. We went back for a second run and I was quickly aware how much more comfortable I was with the situation in the cockpit. I now began to concentrate onother aspects of the job at hand... the flap system, voicing my sensations to the onboard audio recorder, the rudder loads, the course etc.
It's hard to describe the intensity of one of these runs... It really is over in a flash. there is so much force, acceleration, spray...this is all mixed with worry at making a wrong manouvre in a new environment for which there is no manual or course and for which the program as a whole will pay dearly.
Anyway, we had another great day. We have a heap of data in 'the can' and we are more than ever in control of the project. All of the data collection systems are working perfectly. we are pinging of lowly 30 knot 500 meter runs with consistency... and I feel bloody great.
I don't want to leave Namibia.
In the next day or so I will have to question exactly why I should.
I know why... This project has torn me away from my family back in Oz for over five years now... and there has always been an excuse. It's either been the build, the money, the next sail or the work to pay for it all. Meanwhile all my beloveds are getting older.
I have to keep it real.
sigh.
Whatever... great day. We're getting this thing by the balls now.
I really want to squeeze them.
The locals have been so cool. I hope that they are a big part of the final team that brings world records down here.
Happy days.
Cheers, Paul.
Had locals Des and Andreas helping our usual team of moi, Helena, Hiskia and Andreas. The last four make up our core team. Andreas has been with us for every run and Hiskia for all bar one. The fact we can now sail consistently in our ultimate conditions is a credit to the whole team and the progress we have made with a very difficult and unusual boat.
Wierd shit is going on back there. Huge drag but oddly.... good control. We are sailing in some sort of strange mode.
So I did the first run today and it felt the same. We went back for a second run and I was quickly aware how much more comfortable I was with the situation in the cockpit. I now began to concentrate onother aspects of the job at hand... the flap system, voicing my sensations to the onboard audio recorder, the rudder loads, the course etc.
It's hard to describe the intensity of one of these runs... It really is over in a flash. there is so much force, acceleration, spray...this is all mixed with worry at making a wrong manouvre in a new environment for which there is no manual or course and for which the program as a whole will pay dearly.
Anyway, we had another great day. We have a heap of data in 'the can' and we are more than ever in control of the project. All of the data collection systems are working perfectly. we are pinging of lowly 30 knot 500 meter runs with consistency... and I feel bloody great.
I don't want to leave Namibia.
In the next day or so I will have to question exactly why I should.
I know why... This project has torn me away from my family back in Oz for over five years now... and there has always been an excuse. It's either been the build, the money, the next sail or the work to pay for it all. Meanwhile all my beloveds are getting older.
I have to keep it real.
sigh.
Whatever... great day. We're getting this thing by the balls now.
I really want to squeeze them.
The locals have been so cool. I hope that they are a big part of the final team that brings world records down here.
Happy days.
Cheers, Paul.
posted by Paul at 7:49 pm
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