Solar boat racing: CLAFIS Victron Energy unstoppable

I might be on a brief sailing holiday but as my small yacht has a Victron MultiPlus and Victron batteries powering my house loads as well as laptop and 4G router – well I’m happy and able to bring you news that the CLAFIS Victron Energy sponsored solar boat team has done it again. First in their class in all their races. Unstoppable!

Blogging from Victron powered SY Elektra at…

Tarbet Harbour – Click image to visit www.tarbertharbour.co.uk

Wereld Havendagen

Sailing holidays aside, the racing last weekend was in Rotterdam during Wereld Havendagen (World Port Days), and their website informs me:

“What once started as the one-day event Maritiem ’78 has since grown into the Netherlands’ largest annual maritime festival, which welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors over the course of three full days. In 2017, the World Port Days will celebrate its fortieth anniversary with a party of global proportions!”

Click image to learn more about Rotterdam Wereld Havendagen (World Port Days)

Solar Sport One

Evelien Rooda from the CLAFIS Victron Energy Solar Boat Team sent me this race report for the Solar Sport One races:

“On Friday we started the day with a Mini-Endurance race, racing for an hour duration in the Rijnhaven of Rotterdam. It all started in sunshine but the finish was in heavy rain. Despite the rain we completed 26 laps in the hour and won the challenge.

Following this we started the Head to Head sprints and won all heats.

At the end of the day we participated in the Speed Record and reached a speed of 46.5 km/h.

The next day it was an obstacle course through Rotterdam just to get the boat in the water! We walked with the trolley and the boat through Rotterdam to the pontoon, but we made it. The sun shone on us for a morning start in the Sprints and we won both.

Made it to the pontoon – and the sun is shining…

After a short break the Endurance race started at 1200 until 1400. With 35 laps we won this part too. And for the final classification we also won every part of the race.

At the day’s end we participated in the Speed Record again to try and improve our speed from the day before. In the second run we achieved a speed of 47 km/h, which meant we’d improved the speed record. However in our third endeavour our pilot had a speed of 48.5 km/h at the finish!”

Evelien Rooda was reporting for the Stichting (Foundation) Furia One team from Leeuwarden, sponsored by CLAFIS Victron Energy.

CLAFIS Victron Energy pilot sprints to the finish…

Conclusion

As I conclude this blog aboard SY Elektra I note the Solar Sport One press release which says:

[An impressive performance from the Clafis Victron Energy Solar Boat Team. They won all the elements in their class. Team Captain, Gerard van de Schaar explained that victory is in the preparation.

“Preferably we think a step beyond the race so that we are more than ready!” – he said with the shining winners’ cup in his hands.]

And here’s that Silverware!