4:23 PM Mon 5 Oct 2009 GMT
Latest news from Paul Larsen and the Vestas Sailrocket team, back at Walvis Bay Namibia for the last time, attempting to break the Outright Speed record.
Mon, 5 Oct 09 12:46
The SW wind began to fill in before midday which is always a good sign. It's a bright sunny day and the wind is building. It's forecast to be between 18-23 knots so there is the potential for a good day. Either way, we should get in a good shake-down run.
Everyone is fueled up and climbing into their Musto drysuits. The wind is beginning to whistle through the palm tree outside. It's definitely on.
So let's go.
Sun, 4 Oct 09 13:41
Not much to report I'm afraid.
We have the whole team on standby... but the wind isn't coming to the party. It's forecast to come in from Tuesday on so we are using the time to keep refining the boat.
It really has been light. I don't mind these days too much as there is usually a nice and stress free mood about the place. The boat is ready and the job-list is minor. It's a waiting game... and that's more enjoyable than a fixing game. We are so used to full on repair sessions with this project... that we almost expect them. They come with the territory I guess although that doesn't mean we like them. It would be brilliant if we could achieve our goals now without it involving any mishaps. Of course we will try and make this the case. We have sought to make the boat tough rather than chase grams.
We have only been over to the course once and there wasn't enough wind to do a run. We spent the afternoon 're-stumping' the timing hut. It had blown over in the strong East winds and was half sunk in the sand as the tides had washed in through the door. It was a bit of a mission but we eventually got it up by putting the big SEAFLEX marker buoy under it and pumping it up with the RIB air-pump. So it's all back on the level now. See the work we go to to keep our WSSRC commissioner warm and happy?
So let's see what Tuesday brings... hopefully something as we are starting to lose the afternoon high tides already.
Cheers Paul.
www.sailrocket.com
by Paul Larsen
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