During a test run on the Dutch IJsselmeer, the TU Delft solar boat lost one of its hydrofoils. Despite several diving expeditions, the lost 'wing' was not found. The team has now decided to compete at the World Championships without it.
The test run took place on Friday 21 June on the IJsselmeer. Up until Tuesday, divers have been trying to find the lost wing. In addition to losing the wing, the boat also suffered damage to the propeller. Yesterday (26 June), the boat was already back on the water performing tests for the upcoming races on 5 and 6 July, but without its wing.
'We Will Not Fly at the World Championships'
This tenth generation solar boat is the first specifically designed to sail the open sea. The special hydrofoils would normally lift the hull of the boat completely out of the water so that it can sail over the waves as efficiently as possible.
On Facebook the team stated: 'It's a terrible shame to lose such an essential piece of equipment in this way. The loss of our wing means that we will certainly not fly at the world championships in Monaco, which puts us at a great disadvantage. But even though this is a very sad moment for us, we will not give up on our dream!
Replacement Not an Option
Replacing the wing before the race turns out to be unfeasible given the short time frame. 'Carbon wings for sure aren’t cheap, but most of all they cost a lot of time and effort to design and produce. The world championships are next week already! So we’ll do everything we can to reach first place without our wings,' the team stated.
Picture: On 26 June, the boat was back on the water (video still from video posted by TU Delft Solar Boat Team).
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