I don't get so emotional anymore...

Well that didn't go so well.

The day we asked for was delivered but today we finally paid the price for being stretched too thin.

I started Run 23 as per normal. Sailrocket picked up and took off... and then for some reason as yet to be determined... she began a round up at a little over 22 knots. I couldn't correct it and I was in close.

No problems... I quickly dumped the flap and let the wing go. The power turned off as we hit the beach only 150 odd meters from the start. We plowed a bit with the main foil and then Sailrocket feathered and stopped. Everything was stable so I jumped out and held the bow myself until Andreas caught up.

I was obviously concerned about the round-up but equally happy that we had manouvered out of a situation that would have previously led to a wipe-out.

The joy was short lived.

I thought about what might have changed. I had removed the main foil to re-seal the centreboard case the previous day. Maybe it hadn't gone back quite in allignment despite my attention to this very point. I hadn't measured it accurately but then it does sit down on a fitted surface. I thought that it might be out of allignment with the fixed skeg so I did a pretty coarse adjustment of the fixed skeg so it would bear away if that was the case. I knew I wouldn't be that far out.

Seeing as I hadn't come that far down the course we prepared to finish the run and see if the new setting worked and explained the issue. It was either that or return to the shore and spend the remainder of the day re-checking everything. We don't have the time budget for that luxury.

Whilst I was double checking the mainsheet system I heard a commotion and looked up to see the wing had backwinded. This wasn't the end.

The wing compressed the beam. It shattered and collapsed.

The wing then swung aft and fell into the water... before I could get to it, it picked itself up and blew back fully upright and slammed down in the front of the boat... and then picked itself fully upright again and fell over backwards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Each time the beam would bend to stupid angles and the pod would pick up and fall into the water.

I jumped on it and proclaimed " Well that's it, she's F$%&'d... you've just seen the end of Sailrocket".

Once the situation was stable and we gradually untangled the mess it became clear that the wing was totally unscratched. The lightweight skins weren't even punctured. The beam was a mess but the COMPOTECH strut was still in one piece. The damage to the beam appeared pretty local as compared to the end of Run 7 where it was trashed along its length.

I know what had caused it. User error. Too many inexperienced hands handling a difficult craft. It's by no means their fault. I'm responsible for the whole scenario. It's all the result of trying to do a difficult and technical project with no money.
The boat is fine and capable as I believe we are... but we need a regular team of skilled individuals if we are going to do this properly. If this stuff-up hadn't of happened now it only would have happened later.

I didn't even get that pissed off. We gave it a real good stab this time. I can honestly say that it was our best shot... but we stretched it too thin and we paid.

It's fixable... as always. It makes me more determined to get it right. But we need resources. We need financial support. We have to re-address this issue. Not a half-arsed sponsor who only wants a result... but someone who wants to be part of the story and ride the rollercoaster.

I hope that we have proven our committment to this venture.

Anyway, we got the bits and pieces back to the container. The wing will spend the night at Speedspot. It's a full-moon so we will have to go and check it at high-tide as speed-spot can go under on spring high tides. We don't need that sort of misery.

So what now?
well we go through all the data and perform the allignment checks to try and understand what happened with the initial round-up. I pull on the white suit and cut the beam open to ascertain the extent of the damage and get as much of the repair done as is possible in the next four days. Who knows, maybe I can go 'gang-busters' and get it done in three days and pull off a 40 on the 4th. (I'm sure there will be a few more detailed problems to fix.)

I'll know alot more tomorrow after all the info is in and the accident has been torn apart over numerous beers.

Sigh.

Fuckit.

Never give up eh? It can be a real ball-and-chain attitude.

So close... so close.

Cheers people, Paul.