Thursday 29 November 2012

VESTAS Sailrocket 2, the 65 knot+ record run

From Paul's blog, description of the latest run which has lifted the bar again to over 65 knots (thats over 120 km/h for the non nautically inclined). 
 
 
Blown Away... The 65 knot+ run (With video)

So let's get this down here before I start forgetting stuff...Last Saturday looked like it was going to be a strong day from the moment it popped onto the long range Windguru forecast. Amongst a bunch of fluctuating average days it barely deviated as it approached. We began to focus on it as being the day when we would go all out. Almost annoyingly, the day before piped up and blew just enough to force us to fully gear up and head towards speed-spot. We stopped just short of launching the boat. It was annoying as it was strong enough to force us to react but we really wanted to focus on the next day. You have to be reactive as for whatever reason, the next day may not deliver. Every opportunity has to be seized this year and we had already had two remarkable days on average forecasts.
That night we had dinner back at the crew house. I was about to raise a glass to the following day and the last day of living in the 50's... but decided not to tempt fate. We had an early night.
It was already blowing from the SW in the morning. This combined with the strong forecast spoke to us that at long last, after over six weeks, we were going to get some good, old-school, industrial Walvis Bay wind.

read more here

and the video of the record run


 

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