WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT, BLACK ROCK DESERT, NEVADA

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INFORMATION ON SASSASS HOLY GALE AT BLACK ROCK THIS JULY

WORLD DISTANCE RECORD ATTEMPT
JUNE 8 - 9, 2001

Report from US2000 Dennis Bassano

Mario and I arrived at the Black Rock at noon. The wind was starting to blow. We drove around the desert looking for a suitable space to attempt the 24-hour distance record. The Black Rock is in bad shape; it hasn't rained hard enough to cover the lake with water for more than three years. The playa needs standing water to be blown back and forth to smooth out the surface and heal the scars left by cars and motorcycles (and yes, even dirtboats).

After about 1/2 hour we found a space that was about two and a half miles wide. We set up the boat and waited for Lester and all the other people that we were going to need to set the record. While we were waiting we did some sailing to dial in the boat and to find suitable sailing angles so we could set our marks for the fastest point of sail. Around 2 o'clock the wind started really picking up but not in a good way. It was the kind of wind that goes from twenty to forty knots instantly. The strong winds tend to kick up the dust from the Smoke Creek Desert, which is just on the other side of Gerlach from the Black Rock. The dust was so thick you couldn't see the surrounding mountains and because of that, it was difficult to see the marks and find camp. Because all the dust coupled with the gusty wind, we decided to hold off until things mellowed a little.

The team with the "Green Machine" at the start.

Lester arrived around 3 o'clock and we decided to set the marks so we would be ready when the wind was. Lester rented two lights with generators (like the kind you see on the freeway with the four big halogen lights on the top of a pole). These lights were big enough to see from quite a distance even in the daylight. The lights were also mounted on trailers so the would be easy to move. We set the two lights up 2.55 miles apart on a course that was just slightly off a beam reach.

Around six o'clock the wind started to steady out at 20 to 30 knots. At 7:13 we were ready to start. Mario was the first to go. Our plan was to complete ten laps and then switch drivers. Mario did 10 laps (50 miles) in exactly one hour and he was ready to rest. Lester was in the boat and sailing within one minute of Mario stopping. Lester is heavier the Mario and the boat seemed to like that and even though the wind was down (20 to 25 knots) he was able to complete his 10 laps in 53 minutes. After another one-minute driver change, I was in the boat. The only thing that was different now was it was dark and the moon hadn't risen yet. The lighted marks were great you could see one from the other, now if I could only see the mast. After completing another 10 laps in exactly one hour, it was Mario's turn again.

The wind started to back off and the laps started taking seven or eight minutes. Lap 35 took 11 minutes. We pulled Mario into the pits and switched from the 40 sq. ft. sail to the 59 sq. ft. This took seven minutes and then Mario was back out sailing on the six-minute lap schedule we were getting used to. With the slow laps and the sail change this 50 miles took 1:21.

Night's descending out on the playa floor.

It was now 11:30 at night and it was Lester¹s turn again. He kept doing what we had been doing all night -- sailing fast and completing his ten laps in 1:04. The wind was down to 12 knots so when I got in at 00:35 in the morning, I threw out the 50lbs. of lead ballast and got right back at it. My shift started out pretty normal with six to seven minute laps but on lap 55 things started to go bad. Lap 55 took 10 minutes and lap 57 took 11 minutes. After two more slow laps, I came in and we changed to the 79 sq. ft. sail and put Mario back in the boat (the wind was now down to five knots). Mario got in two more laps and ended up pushing for the last part of lap 62, he got back to camp at 2:30 in the morning and the wind was completely dead.

We waited for about half an hour then called it off and turned in for some needed rest. The next morning we awoke to no wind and it stayed that way until 11:00am. At that point we figured out we were going to have to average 75mph for eight hours to break the record and this was not going to happen.

We could not have attempted this record without Lester's wife, Mary, who stayed up the entire time we were sailing and kept track of the laps and the time-- a thankless job. This was an extremely difficult task, as you had to pay attention the entire time. Because the boat was going fast and it was dark it didn't take long for the boat to appear out of and disappear into the darkness. Phil Rothrock was also there as the FISLY representative and to help with the scoring (We would all like to thank Phil for coming it took him 12 hours to drive to the Black Rock!)

Saturday afternoon after we had called off the attempt, Phil and I had a great time sailing. Phil had brought his yacht the "Arthur A." and we had the same close sailing that we enjoyed at the America's Cup. The "Green Machine" was sailed for nearly 500 miles over the two-day period and when it was all over, the front end was slightly loose and the boat was really dirty but other then that no damage!

We learned a great deal from this experience and should be better prepared for our next attempt in the near future. I know that I had a great time sailing in the pitch black at top speed and only wish the wind had held out. The "Green Machine" may not be the perfect boat for this task, but it had the speed and durability to set the record (I¹m not so sure about the pilotsŠ)

Maybe in the future we could have a 24-hour race with multiple teams trying to break the record all at once. By having more people there we could move the marks more and have some relief for those who are scoring. Now that we have attempted this record we have all that much more respect for the Morel brothers of France for averaging an amazing 40-mph for 24 hours on the beach (how did they do that??)

I hope to see you all out on the playa.

Dennis US2000

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