‘A big Wipeout!!! Well we just got in from a gutting experience. Today I was gunning for 40 knots; we ended up with a destroyed boat. The beam is smashed in many places and the wing is in pieces over at speed-spot. Once again Sailrocket tried to sail up the beach at high speed. This time at over 30 knots.

I had changed to the small rudder and was experiencing alot of weather helm. I sheeted in a little to help alleviate this. I was doing about 33 knots and in close to the shore. The rudder loads should have been easing off and becoming neutral at these speeds. When I sheeted on a little to assist in easing the helm loads she did the opposite and went for the shore in a violent round-up.
Once again, the rig compressed into the beam, destroyed the strut and then slammed straight down into the beam.

We got it all ashore. Broken carbon and Nomex was washing around in the shore slop. What a mess. I don’t know what is wrong with this boat. It is doing things that no-one has expected. Maybe we can rebuild what we have… again. I’m not sure right now. The wing is still in bits over on the beach. It’s very windy. The flaps are a mess. The leading edge is cracked. I think that the Compotech spar has survived again.

It’s a bad scenario. I wanted at least one good, fast controlled run before we had a big issue like this. Enough. I’ll get all the bits back and take a day or so to make a full assessment. It’s not over… but right now it’s not looking good. I’m not feeling very jovial about it all.

The good news for all you viewers is that as usual, we have got it all on camera from onboard, onshore and stills and video. So click on this video link and check out the carnage. I still can’t believe that the wing survived.