Monday 23 June 2008

Gooooo!

Only a couple of sailing days left before I go to Weymouth at the end of this week, but today was fantastic, out in the bay by myself again. I love that and I'll miss it.

Anyway I've got this far because of some special people who have supported me and believed in me since January.

A special thanks to Dr John Nixon of Advanced Composites Group who willingly set about educating me on the subject of composites (hard!) and then explained the materials his company would supply free of charge. Not only that, but ACG flew the 90 and 120 gram VTM264 material to Perth from the UK by refrigerated air transport. We saved weight and gained strength in the hull and foils. Thanks guys, I'm forever in your debt.

And to Clive Watts at CST Composites and Andrew McDougall at KA Sail, who together have provided me with a rig that I think is outstanding. I've done a lot of foiling and I can feeeeel the reduced drag from the 40mm mast.

And the new CST boom just doesn't bend under the kicker loads.

Also I'm not the first to say that the KA MSL13 is the best sail I've ever used. If you think I'm fast down wind, then look at the rig, and learn..

But most of all to John Illet of Fastacraft. John has built me a boat like no other. At the Nationals the other week, when I'd messed up the start and buggered up the first beat, I could almost hear the boat saying to me "OK you've had your go, now just sit there and hang on tight while I go and win this race"

Steve McQueen said in the motorcycle book "On Any Sunday" "Racing is everything, anything else is just waiting"

Right now I agree.

4 comments:

Thierry said...

Hi Si,

fingers crossed! see you in Weymouth soon; I wish all of you flying guys will provide us a great racing!
good luck!

Thierry

Anonymous said...

Hi!
I hope for good sails on big waves for you guys, and: enjoy!!!!

Dutchgirl

P.S. say 'Hi' from me to Amac...

Anonymous said...

Good Luck Big Nose!


Phil

Simon Payne said...

Thanks Phil!

Big Nose