THE BOAT: COCKPIT

The Boat: Components




PAUL'S VESTAS SAILROCKET COCKPIT TOUR


1-HIGH-SPEED HAND STEERING FOR SKEG FLAP(PUSH FOR RIGHT-PULL FOR LEFT). TWIST GRIP RELEASES SKEG FLAP LOCK PIN. CORK IS FROM THE 'LAUNCHING BOTTLE' OF MUMM CHAMPAGNE IN APRIL 2004!

2-FOOT STEERING STIRRUPS FOR LARGE HIGH SPEED RUDDER.

3-PULL-TO-RELEASE TRIGGER FOR KICKING UP LARGE LOW-SPEED RUDDER

4-MAINSHEET FOR SHEETING THE AEROTROPE WING IN

5-'BUNGEE' DE-ACTIVATION TO RELEASE THE 100KG OF ELASTIC TENSION WHICH SPRINGS THE MAIN FLAP OUT TO STABILISE THE WING. WHEN I WANT TO PULL THE FLAP ON I HAVE TO PULL THIS ON SO AS THE TWO LOADS ARE NOT OPPOSING EACH OTHER.

6- LARGE LOW-SPEED RUDDER PULL DOWN STRING. AFTER THE RUDDER HAS BEEN KICKED 'UP' DURING A RUN, I USE THIS TO PULL IT BACK DOWN AT THE END OF THE RUN... SO I CAN PARK THE BOAT.

7-MAIN FLAP BRIDLE FINE TUNE. ALTHOUGH THE MAIN FLAP BRIDLE IS LINKED TO THE MAINSHEET SO THAT THEY COME ON TOGETHER, THIS ALLOWS ME TO FINE-TUNE THE RELATIONSHIP OR DISENGAGE IT ALTOGETHER FOR UNUSUAL MANOEUVRES i.e. OVER-SHEETING

8-FORWARD BRIDLE CONTROL LINE. THIS SYSTEM IS ATTACHED TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING TO ALLOW ME TO LOCK THE WING IN POSITION AGAINST THE MAINSHEET IF NECESSARY. WE USE IT WHEN THE BOAT IS STATIONARY... OR IF FOE SOME UNUSUAL REASON, WE GYBE WITH THE WING IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION (IT HAS HAPPENED)

9- PI RESEARCH DATA LOGGER- THIS BLACK-BOX FLIGHT RECORDER HAS TO BE MOUNTED EXTERNALLY SO THE THE HIGH FREQUENCY GPS CAN GET A CLEAR SIGNAL. IT REALLY IS AN INGENIOUS BOX THAT NOT ONLY RECORDS DATA FROM THE B AND G WIN, RUDDER AND WIND SENSORS BUT POWERS THEM AND THE DISPLAYS (10,11). IT WAS ONE OF THE SINGLE BIGGEST FACTORS THAT ALLOWED THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD. BEFORE IT... WE WERE VIRTUALLY FLYING BLIND. BRILLIANT... AND ESSENTIAL.

10-PI RESEARCH/B AND G WING ANGLE DISPLAY- TELLS ME THE ANGLE OF THE WING TO THE BOAT. WE AIM FOR AROUND 10 DEGREES AS OPTIMUM ON A RUN. THE MAINSHEET IS VERY THIN TO REDUCE WEIGHT AND WINDAGE AND IT STRETCHES UNDER LOAD. THIS DISPLAY IS INDEPENDENT OF THAT AND GIVES ME A QUICK AND EASY REFERENCE IN A SPRAY FILLED AND BUMPY ENVIRONMENT.

11- PI RESEARCH/B AND G RUDDER ANGLE DISPLAY- THIS TELLS ME THE ANGLE OF THE LARGE LOW SPEED RUDDER. IT LETS ME KNOW THAT THE BOAT IS TRACKING TRUE. THIS WAS THE DISPLAY THAT FIRST TOLD US THAT VESTAS SAILROCKET WAS TRAVELLING IN AN UNUSUAL SIDEWAYS MODE WHERE IT WAS STABLE. THIS CAN STILL HAPPEN. IF I SEE THAT THE RUDDER ANGLE IS NEAR ZERO...THEN I KNOW THAT THE CRAFT IS BEHAVING AND I CAN PUSH ON FOR A FAST CONTROLLED RUN. WHEN I GO TO THE HIGH SPEED SKEG STEERING... THIS CAN ALSO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE INDICATION OF LEEWAY.