Final Report - For Now

Our friends on the VO 70 Movistar file this final report on their Brazil to Spain shakedown.

The last report on this trip, as the Galician coast is only 150 miles awa, and Movistar will finally reach its homeport, San Xenxo .We are a bit under time-pressure, as there is a welcome party organised this Sunday afternoon. It looks all very simple , please be there at 1600 local time...................but we are still a sailing boat totally depending on wind, and that we haven't a lot of in the last three days.

So where are we after nearly 16.000 miles on our log? The crew: extremely happy with the people we have got, with a good mixture of talents covering all areas.

The boat: a machine, no structural problems or major gear failure, biggest change was a new rudder, and alteration of shape on canards, which made a nice improvement. We have spent I don't how many hours on refining everything, thank you Bruce & team - (he doesn't mean Nelson, either - Ed.) not only during the design stages, but as well finding things out by just making hours on the water. So we are fully confident. How fast our hullshape is compared to the other teams? A new class, and besides the Farr office, two other designers, so time will learn.

The sails: we are now on our third generation, and having covered all the relevant wind angles. Now back for one more wind tunnel session, to compare data from 4th generation against 1st generation. Some people don't like North Sails, but with all the knowledge of previous RTWR races & feedback from the Americas Cup, you would be very cocky to go somewhere else.

It will be a bit quiet in the next following months, as we mainly do sail testing, but will send daily update wen we sail the Fastnet.

Cheers,

Bouwe

6/8/05