Well it was with great relief that we re-launched VESTAS SAILROCKET today. The stress of what we are doing has been getting to me over the past few days. yesterday I snapped a little. A seemingly unsubstantial thing happened and it pushed me over the edge. I knew today was going to be our 'comeback' day and I felt the presure of making it go smoothly. A crash on top of a crash does not make a cake that anyone wants to eat!

the whole boat needed to be recalibrated and it was during the very last twist of a screwed thread which was to allign the whole boat... that it happened. A pin started binding up in a hole and then it quickly siezed. It had never done this before. I tried all the tricks but it refused to budge. I had no option but to apply more force... but then the carbon laminate cracked... and I knew that the clock had begun ticking between the now and the then of the next run. It was too much after a major repair. All the work done on the days calibration was ruined as whole new brackets needed to be fabricated which wouldn't necessarily be positioned where the last ones were. It meant we were rushed. rushed on an area which I really didn't want to be rushed on. We strive above all else to keep this project scientific. to change one variable at a a time, improve our understanding and eventually dial this boat into its predicted potential. What we don't want to do is just rush it back out on to the water every time to show we can come back with a mere sailing boat. Sometimes we have to compromise. This is speed-sailing and you have to grab weather windows when they come. Some times you have to use the best of your abilities to 'have a stab'. I didn't want to have a stab straight after a significant crash... so I worked... and stressed... and my mind was full of a million things that needed attention.

 Walvis delivered us the perfect day. Not too light and not too strong. We did two runs in conditions that always make the boat look good. We peaked at 39 knots and all the modifications felt absolutely fantastic. All the data PI RESEARCH and BandG sensors worked brilliantly. the data will be excellent and pave the way forward.

All the stress just washed away with the dust from the repair.

It's behind us now.

Certain e-mails in my outbox will not be sent.

Aspects of the project need to be addressed... but we can do that.

Today I sailed nice tight courses with the new skeg steering system and a new method of sheeting the wing. It worked and felt good. It was with great joy that we put VESTAS SAILROCKET safely back in her soft hangar.

 Meanwhile I watch the progress of the other teams chasing the 50 knot goal. For sure the Hydroptere team looks the most impressive. These guys have done the hard yards and deserve every knot they get... but nothing in this game is automatic. The other team making claims from Australia give us a few giggles. I don't think they have done 5 knots yet... but they consider themselves contenders and are rushing to call in the comissioners!

Don't get me wrong, 'they' are one of us and I also laugh at some of our own early press releases and promises. This is a loooong road. Hydroptere started as a model in 1983. yellow Pages performed extremely well very quickly... but the same team haven't managed to re-capture or improve on the record in 15 years of trying... and it has taken us nearly 4 and a half years of dedication to even post a 40 knot average! If the WotRocket team can get anywhere near 50 knots in the next year... let's say above Hydroptere's current 500m average ( which I'm sure they will smash in the coming weeks) I will sail our boat down the Walvis course naked (and it's not real warm here either)!

There it is! Claim for claim. I'm glad they are on the water and I admire their confidence. I can understand the theory behind Hydroptere, MI, Technique A' and Longshot... but that one escapes me... Maybe they are holding back on some of the real facts. If so, fair enough.

Meanwhile we will continue to push on with what we know.

 All I can say is that the boat felt great... and it felt great to be truly back. We can only progress in a careful and methodical manner until we unleash the boat that we know is within.

Desire is something you want, passion is something you can not live without.

This one takes passion.

Cheers, paul.