...And it's been a blast!

So we didn't quite get the conditions we were hoping for yesterday. Close... but no cigar. We went and had our first crack at the nautical mile in winds which were gusting from 15 to 21 knots and a little west. I had to start around the corner in second lagoon as the Walvis Speed-spot is only 1.04 nautical miles long and I needed to hit it at speed. There wasn't enough wind to blast VESTAS SAILROCKET up to speed before the course in a short amount of space so we had to carry the slow start up speed in our nautical mile run. Once up and away I got everything sheeted in, the wind angle readout had played up at the start so I had to guesstimate the wing angle. There was alot of spray off the front planing surface due to the increased downforce we had put on it after our flip. Visibility wasn't good. I could feel the accelerations and de-accelerations as I dived through the gusts. Sometimes it felt fast, sometimes not. I couldn't see the end of the course and had to line up on things in the distance. When I guessed I was off the end I hit the flap release and spun into the wind... but still ended up out in the lagoon. I had peaked at 43.11 knots, done 500 meters in 41.68 knots, 1000 meters at 39.6 knots and the nautical mile at 36.8 knots. A good first try in moderate winds but nothing earth shattering.

I ran off up into the lagoon until I hit a mudbank in the middle and everyone came in the RIB to help me lower the rig. We had to lift the hull of VESTAS SAILROCKET onto the RIB and walk it back out of the lagoon.

The sunset was magnificent.

And that is how our first world record attempt ended.

I was happy that we gave it our absolute best shot. We got some records and leave as the fastest 'boat' in the world... but the one we want the most, the outright world speed sailing record, remains in the hands of the kiters.

We will have to come back for that one. And we will.

Overall it has been a brilliant four and a half months with one challenge after another. We conquered our steering problem after a big crash, had another crash whilst perfecting it... and then things started to happen quickly. the speeds went through the roof and did so all the way until the boat itself tried to go through the roof. We repaired her literally in record time and came back out for more. The wind denied us in the end but then we knew we were making an attempt out of season.

We will leave Walvis content yet restless in the knowledge that it isn't over.

VESTAS SAILROCKET is now fully packed up and as I write this we are getting set to go for one last blast down the speed-spot... on windsurfers. We will just go for fun and enjoy this amazing spot.

Thanks to everyone who has helped. You know who you are. Our success is shared and only possible because of a collective and overwhelming force.

Cheers, Paul.