Well we just did the full 60 knot-plus load test on the high speed foil and I am very, very, VERY happy to say that it passed without the slightest peep. We even took it a bit over the recommendation just to be sure. I was nervous as hell as the implications of a failed foil are pretty big.

The gig is now back on to carry on with the pursuit of speeds over 60 knots.

We were looking for a test bench to test the foil but the local ones were all busy. We rigged one up between the containers outside and just got on with it. The deflection between the tips was measured throughout. The very tip deflected about 5 cm at a load equating to over 65 knots.

Yesterday we decided not to drill and bolt the foil in the repaired area as the holes simply would have been too much of a focal point for cracking. That means that the load the foil could take would be all down to the quality of the repair.

If the foil had failed then it would probably mean that we would be back to pushing the limits of conventional foils. For all we know the conventional foils may be capable of getting over the current record of 55.65 knots... but then again, maybe not (without a certain level of work anyway). We know that the new foil will be a safe and reliable way to attack the high speeds we are chasing. I think we are close to achieving a life long dream here. If that foil had of failed... well we would probably be set back a year as I doubt we could have turned the situation around and had a new one this year.

We had already started trying to source High modulus carbon and potential builders back in the UK where the moulds are. I'm so glad we don't have to go down that path now. I gave us a 50-50 chance. It's so hard to know what is going on inside one of those repairs as you can't see inside and you can't be very exact about the quality of what you are putting in there.

We decided to do a load test for a speed just over 60 knots with a moderate safety margin. That speed should enable us to get the job done. There was no pint doing the full load test and breaking the foil. The old adage of "Don't shoot for the stars when the moon will do" applies. If we do get these speeds in our TRIMBLE gps 'bag' then we can do another load test to a higher number.

I'm so relieved that the foil passed. I was waiting for that sickening carbon fibre 'crack'. I've heard that too many times. It's the sound I have come to despise most. It's never a good sound. It's the sound of disappointment, of lost time, money and quite often dreams. Well, our dreams are still intact.

Nick has been doing a great job on the beam repairs and tomorrow we will start the full reassembly of VESTAS Sailrocket 2. There is very little wind forecast for the upcoming days so we can do a very thorough preparation of the boat. The world record attempt is only two weeks away. We are back in a good place.

The kitesurfers down in Luderitz haven't been showing any real magic as yet. Apparently they have found that there is a lot of chop in the channel caused by the deep TWA (true wind angle around 140 degrees to the wind) i.e. the chop is rolling down the length of it. Too much chop in a 3m wide channel! Things are never as easy as they first seem. I'm sure they will work out some solutions. Whilst our boat is complex, so is their course and operating environment. I would love to go and watch them in action but the fact is that we need to use every good day that comes our way now. Hopefully they don't raise the bar any higher. I don't want to have to go through the stress of another full load test just yet!

Cheers, Paul.