Aktuelle Nachrichten 2007 Nachrichten 2007 27.03.2007 Sailrocket returns to Walvis Bay speed strip The Sailrocket team have returned to the Walvis Bay speed strip for Round two. They spent the last two weeks repairing the boat after a big wipeout on their first outing. There was alot of damage from the earlier run. I couldn't believe it was all over so quick. We had only progressed 250 meters down the course and the rig had done the unmentionable. We got it all back to the shore and then ferried it back to our base. We all felt pretty tired that night. 'Sailrocket the rigs back' Foto: Sailrocket In the cold light of the following day I cut away all the damage and began to formulate a plan. I was amazed that the wing had survived at all. It vindicates our design decisions to build with a central spar rather than use a fragile 'egg-shell' approach. It could all be fixed and I accepted that there will probably be a lot more of this sort of action along the way. If you step into the ring you have to expect to cop a few in the face from time to time! ‘Sailrocket crash’ Sailrocket Two weeks later we are back in action and as pretty as ever. We went sailing again yesterday in light winds of 14 knots or less as we try and get to grips with the handling. Sailrocket hit 28.8 knots in the fading light and could have done more but top-speed was not our objective. We need to work up to that. We checked out some handling issues and got back in one piece. The boat is becoming increasingly intimidating as it starts to reveal its potential. I know if I send it down this course in 20 knots of wind that it will go ballistic. I just need to make sure that I can control it. Malcolm (sailrockets designer) is over here at the moment and we are working through a number of sailing profiles. We need to make the boat perform in a safe manner at very high speeds where even a slight turn to windward would spell disaster. The boat needs to have lee helm. Sheeting out to slow down at speed is not an option as it makes the boat round-up. I have to do a big bear away at high speed until the wing stalls. It's a scary thought. We have designed three high speed drogues which will serve a double purpose of slowing us down rapidly and turning us to leeward. It is not an easy thing to design for rapid deployment and effective grab at high speed. I hope that we don't need it. Today is looking glamorous again and the boat is sitting next to me fully rigged and ready. This is getting pretty intense. If I can effectively turn the boat away when I want then that is not a great... but if it can turn up into the shore when it wants then we are screwed and the boat will turn into a black piece of tumble weed. ‘Sailrocket - Day 2 run’ Sailrocket I am confident that with a bit more practice and tweaking that we can begin to see the sort of 'locked-in' stability that the model demonstrated time and time again. For now this is what we are here for, to develop the boat and understand what we have created. Ultimately we want a craft which is incredibly powerful AND stable. That is the craft that will be king. Numbers are great but now my backside is starting to translate them into reality and it is pretty exciting to say the least. Meanwhile Walvis Bay continues to impress us with its amazing conditions. I went for a run up the course on a sailboard the other evening. I was sailing directly into the setting sun a meter or so off the shore. In the golden glow it felt like I was sailing on another planet. The wind was strong but the water was so flat it was like skating - Surreal. by Paul Larsen Click here for printer friendly version Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story. If you want to send this story to a friend, please use link below http://www.sail-world.com/indexs.cfm?nid=32032 Based on your current download speed Sail-World has delivered large images (660 pixels long side.) If you would like to see only small images (300 pixels long side) click here . For medium sized images (500 pixels long side) click here . If you would prefer to see text only (without pictures) click here Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos: Click for further information on DINGHY Related News Stories: 02 Apr 2007 SailingTalk.com interviews Darren Bundock 02 Apr 2007 Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofía 2007 - Day 1 results 02 Apr 2007 Morrison and Rhodes take early lead in 49er Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE