Run 54&55 done... peak speed 41.6 knots!

Good to be back in buisness. It was a fantastic day on speed spot today with winds around 18-21 knots. It was great just to get re-acquainted with the course and the boat. The steering wasn't generating the desired lee helm... but we'll get to that. We now have the data to download and check out. I did a conservative run on the first pass only peaking at 38.6... big rudder still down and no flap on. The wind was a little soft at the end.

On the second pass the foot steering went dead just like it did on Run 50 where we wiped out. The pedal went to the floor and I could picture the rooster tail out the back. I had some space so I tried the hand steering. We were well positioned on the course. The hand steering was nice and positive so I kicked up the big rudder and committed to tthe course.

VESTAS SAILROCKET felt lovely... for a while... but then she started to gently head for the shore. I ran out of steerage on the skeg flap and quickly went into the wing dumping procedure, grateful for the new systems. Vestas Sailrocket slowed gradually... but not gradually enough. I was inside the end-of-course shallow water mark and heading at an acute angle for the beach. The stop came nice and smooth with no crunch. Thankfully the sandy bottom has a gradual incline... especially when coming into it at an angle. The car was very definitely parked. Hiskia and Helena were on it in an instant and together we got the situation under control.

It wasn't the ideal ending... but it could be a lot worse. No damage was done. We headed back to the Walvis bay Yacht Club in the dark. So now much of the work begins as Helena and I begin to process and catalogue all the data. We have two video cameras, one stills camera, the Pi RESEARCH data logger from the boat, The TACKTICK wind logger from the shore and the gps info off the handheld to sort out... and then everything needs drying, cleaning and re-charging. It's quite a lot of work.

So let's get into it. I'll let you know what we come up with.

Cheers, Paul.