| Pilot Sean Langman, the former 18 foot world champion who modified and raced the fastest ‘off the wind’ big boat in the southern hemisphere, Grundig/AAPT, conceived the idea and built Wot Rocket in his Noakes boatyard. |
Click here to read Sean's bio ... |
| Graeme Wood, the internet entrepreneur who founded Australasia's number one accommodation website Wotif.com and has a stable of his own boats including a TP52, Farr 40 and Sydney 47, has jointly funded the project with Sean Langman. |
Click here to read Graeme's bio ... |
| Andy Dovell from Murray Burns and Dovell is the naval architect. He has designed everything from America’s Cup boats to most of the surfboard foils on the top performance surfboards. |
Click here to read Andy's bio ... |
| Martin ‘Tacka’ Thompson will be co-pilot with Langman. He started as a ‘tacka’ in Hobies before moving to the extremes of the Worrell 1000 offshore racing multihulls. These days he sails in Rolex Sydney Hobart races and races gliders/sailplanes. |
Click here to read Martin's bio ... |
| Project Manager for Wot Rocket, Joshua has been involved in teams for Americas Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, Farr 40’s, several Sydney to Hobart races, many regattas in Europe including maxi worlds in Sardinia and Copa Del Rey in Palma. |
Click here to read Joshua's bio ... |
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The World Sailing Speed Record is governed by a body of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). Claiming a world record requires the sailing craft to average the highest speed over a 500 metre course.
The current World Sailing Speed Record of 49.09 knots was set by French sail boarder Antoine Albeau in March 2008. Set on the speed canal in Saintes Maries de la Mer, Albeau’s record was 0.4 knots faster than the previous record of another French sail boarder Finian Maynard.
Back in 1993 Simon McKeon and his Australian team with their yacht 'Yellow Pages Endeavour' set a record of 46.52 knots (86.52 km/h) in only 19 - 20 knots of wind.
After setting the world record, the Yellow Pages team decided to continue to push, aiming for 50 knots. Their new craft, 'Macquarie Innovation' has reached 47 knots, but it requires the winds to be from a particular direction and a special location.
The British Sailrocket team lead by Australian Paul Larssen has been testing their design in Namibia in recent years. It too requires wind to come from a specific direction so the boat can sail in flat water.
The Australian Wot Rocket team believes the foils will deliver them the freedom to make their record attempts on water that is not at all smooth. |
