Yesterday we went sailing again in similar conditions to the first day. We sailed conservatively with speed once again not being the objective. I tried doing a run with the wing more eased to see how the boat responded. We are basically trying to verify our predictions and simulations. If we can trust their accuracy then we can predict where we are about to go and what will happen when we get there. Yesterday VESTAS SAILROCKET locked in to the course nicely. We only peaked at a lowly 30.6 knots... but we did a 500 meter average of 29.8! What was nice is how the new steering system locked onto a course. There is zero feel at high speed but then that is a good thing in a craft that is rarely seeking a neutral helm. Once I turned onto the course and sheeted according to a desired rudder position... that was it for the rest of the run. You have to remember that the new system is an 'exponential' one in that it is incredibly fine initially and then very coarse towards the ends of the steering input. Our aim is to have the boat sitting in a particular area of this curve when at speed. We have decided to re-initiate a weather helm set up so that I am steering in the region of the curve that causes VESTAS SAILROCKET to bear away. This action cannot initiate the dreaded 'round-up' towards the beach. If I want to come up closer to the beach then the steering will pass through the gentle 'dead-band' of the curve where 8cm of movement only turns the rudder 0.6 of a degree.

There are a number of ways we can do this, we can sail with the rig eased a little or we can rake the beam, rig or both aft. That is what we will do today. The whole beam and rig will come aft be half a meter. If we run down the course sitting in the predicted 'safe' area of the steering curve... well... then we can put the bloody hammers down.

No joking party people... I sense we are very close to getting the control we always dreamed of and what is possible after that... well we will see. I'm hoping for a big week this week. So far things are looking good. Malcolm will be with us tonight and I think he will be pretty impressed with the work we have done over the past month since he left.

The tides and winds both look great for the week.

It's hard for me not to get excited.

Cheers, Paul

It was a pleasure to return to the water yesterday with a view to going sailing. Conditions were light and the tide was running out... but we decided to have a go anyway.

As we launched VESTAS SAILROCKET on the Walvis Bay Yacht Club slipway a small pod of dolphins came around the corner only meters away. They escorted us out into the lagoon lazily swimming around and under the boat in the shallow water before cruising slowly off to deeper water. Brad mentioned that he thought it was good karma for what is to follow with the new steering system... I'd like to think this was true... but our past has ripped such romantic notion from me. There is no magic, only our ability to understand the facts and apply our knowledge to the situations at hand. Some times, if we have worked dilligently and are prepared for an opportunity... it all falls into place. Sometimes it goes the other way.

Quietly I was happy to have the dolphins accompany us out.

We set up quickly to make the most of the falling tide. Brad bet me a bottle of rum that I wouldn't be able to get VESTAS SAILROCKET up and going in the light winds. It was only gusting to 16 knots and generally around 14-15. There were a number of things I wanted to try out beside just going sailing at speed. One of the tests was to see what the low speed response of the new single rudder steering system was going to be like. We had limited the rudder range to plus and minus 15 degrees. The last low speed rudder could deflect to almoist 30 degrees... but it had to work against the fixed skeg.

So we headed out on Run 58 with all systems up and running. The boat seemed very reluctant to turn up onto the course and I had to ease the wing further than normal to make the pod sail out around the outside and assist the turn. This becomes easier in stronger winds. The foot steering controls are now reversed to tie in with the hand steering setup. A couple of times I found myself reverting to the old inputs and having to rethink my inputs. With practice it should become more natural. The fact is that there is no right or wrong way to set up the foot steering as many different craft use different inputs i.e. an aircraft and a landyacht or billycart. I used to push with the right foot to go right but now I push with the left to turn the foot pedastal with my left foot to orientate the boat to the right. I used to fly ultralight aircraft that would steer on the ground with the front wheel in the same way... I just have to remember what I'm strapped into!

As VESTAS SAILROCKET jumped up onto its new rear planing surface I radioed to Brad that he owed me a bottle of rum. The bear away went well and I cruised down the course peaking at 28.6 knots. The steering felt lovely but then it always does at these low speeds. All of the systems we have trialled work well below the mid thirties. We called it a day after one run having seen what we needed to see. next up was to download all the run data and check that all the secondary systems were working as expected.

recently we had uncovered a serious problem affecting the quality of the data recorded on each run... and every run we have recorded since its installation. It's an area that continually frustrates me and I still find it amazing that we are the ones who are constantly left to finish the work of other supposed experts-in-their-field. Still... we will work through it and all come out the wiser. We are a team and must keep working to maintain thius aspect as it will be what ultimately leads to our success. Whilst someone may get their wrists slapped today, they may solve our woes tomorrow. Go the team.

Today looks like it will be windier so we will try and raise the game a notch and head into the dreaded mid thirties.

Cheers, Paul.

Well the kiters finally bust through 50 knots in two days of heavy winds in Luderitz, Namibia. They got the nuclear winds they were waiting for and all their hard work and preperation paid off. Well done and congratulations from all of the VESTAS SAILROCKET team here in Walvis Bay.

As the winds rattled the sides of the container here in the North we could sense something was going to happen in the even-windier south. It was obvious that the kiters were pumped for the challenge and more than capable. So Seb Cattalan broke the five-oh but was topped 24 hours later by Alex C. Already they are talking of 60mph and then 100kph!

So what does all this mean to us? Well when we started the project seven odd years ago (my god... is it really that long ago?), the record was still 'only' 46.52 knots and held by a boat in the form of Yellow Pages Endeavour. And that's still the fastest 'boat' to date. The hurdle has certainly been raised but all we can do is work hard to milk every last bit of speed and learning we can out of our current craft. Nothing is over and the quest to be the fastest in the world doesn't stop at any particular speed. I still believe that power and efficiency will ultimately win the race over simply sailing knot-for-knot in atomic winds. New records are very motivating for us as it inspires us all the more to drag the potential of our craft to the surface.

Today we hope to return to the water to resume sailing trials. If the winds are favourable we will try and make the most of the late tides to get our first runs in with the new steering system. Yesterday we did a full rig-up on the lawns of the Walvis Bay yacht Club to sort out all the rigging and check everything is functioning correctly. The new load cell on the steering system is proving to be a real nightmare... currently it is more of a 'random number generator'!!! very annoying. Nothing erks me more than dodgy electronics... and the people who give them to us. They are expensive, high maintenance and finicky often recquiring more attention from us than the entire rest of the boat. Someone is going to cop a rude phone call from Namibia on Monday! Unfortunately we need this sort of stuff in order to fully understand our unique craft. I will definitely concede that point to the kiters and 'windy's'. Their simplicity is a huge bonus... but gadgets have a habit of creeping into all craft so be weary!

50.56 knots eh! That's smoking. Top speeds of 58 knots were mentioned. The kiters are definitely in a different field hydrodynamically than the rest of us. The fact that they are 'edging' i.e. using the rail of a planing surface instead of fins/foils recquiring attached flow is definitely a bonus at those speeds. That will be our next big challenge once we have mastered this one.

Righto, back to the coal-face.

Cheers, Paul.

Hi all,

So another page turns as we put the design and build of the new steering system behind us. Yesterday We  got up before dawn to conduct some towing tests. It was a real pleasure to be pulling on the Musto drysuits rather than a white dust suit.

The RIB was launched and VESTAS SAILROCKET followed. As with all new systems, the devil was in the detail. Whilst the main body was largely finished a week ago, we spent another week making sure we got the quality and precision we wanted at the start. The new setup looks fantastic but the proof will be in the testing!

Here you can see how the new rudder is tucked under the new extended aft planing surface. This should greatly reduce the onset of ventilation. The aft planing surface is tapered towards the back to give a slightly softer ride and provide a more 'pressed' foot print in the water so as to help prevent air from reaching the foil. It will not be as efficient as the wider, higher aspect planing surfaces but we will get to that later. The priority is on control.

So the tow testing went well and our attention to detail paid off. We had some issues with the correct bridle system for the tow but generally I found the system a pleasure to use. The new steering concept relies on a unique method where the one action gives a ramped response to the rudder. In the central position, + or - 4 cm of action fore and aft on the hand/foot steering will only move the rudder about 2/3rds of a degree. As we leave that range fore and aft, the response gets ramped up so that at + and - 10cm of range we get 30 degrees of rudder response for low speed manouvering. I will wait to see how it performs in the arena before I go on too much about how this was achieved, needless to say.... nothing is easy.

I am pretty happy with what we have achieved in a relatively small amount of time and many people deserve thanks. George has done an immense amount of work and the quality of the finished product is a direct result of this. the guys at Brumar Turning Services here in Walvis have been brilliant as was UWE Jasperson at JAZ Marine in Capetown.

Here we are doing a run down the speed course in somewhat lighter conditions. We are doing around 25 knots.

Paul, George and Hiskia.

After the tow testing we moved on to static load testing where we applied around 225 kg of side load to the system from both sides. Whilst I know it could take a lot more... it really shouldn't unless something goes wrong and it needs to drag us out of danger in a hurry.

So after all these boxes were ticked we used the new jig and laser system to verify that all the dimensional accuracies were maintained from our initial setup after a full dynamic and static system workout. Everything was fine.  We went for a beer.

A funny thing happened in our local bar/restaurant last night when an old friend just walked in. None other than Tracy Edwards. It was through Tracy's Maiden campaign that Helena and I met. When Maiden parked up back in 2002, I focused all i had on building Sailrocket. Tracy helped us out a lot with accommodation in Southampton back in those early days. It was a freak encounter and great to see her.

Today we began reassembling the wing. It began blowing early and hence was obvious that we were going to be blown out. I decided to leave the wing inside the container for another day. Our time will come. The boat is ready but we will try the new system out on milder days initially. It offers so much promise and improvement that it makes me nervous. I don't like to think too much about it so as to remain impartial to what is to follow.

The next couple of days are also set to be windy... but we will see. We are all very keen to see the fruits of our labour. It was with great pleasure that we packed up early today and headed home to do the office work. I fell asleep and sleapt throughout the afternoon. It's the first fully relaxed time we have had since the crash.

So we are effectively back in action. the kiters look set to have a couple of big days ahead of them in Luderitz and Hydroptere is back in the water in the Med. Haven't heard a peep from Wotrocket but a little birdy told me that the Macquarrie Innovations boys will be back in action soon... so it's all go.

Cheers, Paul.