Speed Wobbles

2013JUL18 - 1000 PDT

After dinner last night I received a message from the boat.

I am not sure if they stopped again to GoPro the underwater foils but they have some video that shows some damage to the Rudder.

It is not thought to be of a structural nature or concern however it does have an impact on boatspeed and causes the rudder to vibrate and ventilate at higher speeds.

It is reported that a massive pile of junk has accumulated over years and is floating around in the rough centre of the Pacific High.  After the Tsunami in Japan a couple of years ago all manner of other floating hazards are out there on the race course with many sightings by racers.  The winds and predictions this year have encouraged racers not to stray too far from the Rhumb Line (most years a course south and away from these hazards is advisable).

These things; the pile of accumulated junk in the High, the Tsunami debris field and a course that takes the sailors closer to it all appear to have conspired against our team.

They speculate that they hooked into something and it chaffed back the normally perfect airfoil shape of Warrior's Carbon Fibre rudder blade.  The rudder is clean of fouling now so we may never know the nature of the culprit.

Because the boat and the crew all operate at a high pinnacle of excellence this is having an effect on their performance.  Unfortunately there is nothing that they can do in the middle of the ocean to remedy the situation and so this is a condition that will endure until they arrive in Waikiki likely sometime later this weekend.

If they are off the pace on boatspeed; in order to stay in it, I have suggested to them that redouble their efforts at going exactly the right way!