Excerpt # 2 from Flight of the Kestrel, copyright Bobby R Towe sr

   I fire up Kestrels diesel and the tender crews cast off her lines for me, and they nudge her away from the docks gently with the utility craft.

   Once clear of the docks they pull away, I am on my own from here.

I notice the rotor blades on the chopper beginning to pick up speed they will be airborne soon, I make my way down the channel, towards the open Atlantic, clearing the breakwater, at the mouth of the channel, I begin the process bringing Kestrel’s foils down and locking them in place ,once I am in deep water.

     I take note of wind speed and direction, and vector the main sail’s boom accordingly, I raise the sail fully, and once the sail fills cut the diesel engine, I am under sail power now.

   The boat foils as expected and I unfurl the two jib sails one at a time, she responds well, going to a bi-foil state quickly with an adjustment of ballast, I set the spinnaker, she is now under full sail, and doing a good 45 knots, and still accelerating, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 holy shit!! 71 knots she levels out at 71, the chopper is flying to one side, a radio crackles, it's Su-ling, Ed you sure know how to put on a show. I laugh it’s Kestrels show honey, it’s all her.

     I vector the main sail a bit and Kestrel gains speed, 74 knots, and the roar of water on the hull gives way to a hiss as she climbs up to full bi-foil foil. The adjustments seem to do as I had hoped, no longer needed I douse the spinnaker, and she maintains speed.

   My course at this point is due east 90 degrees.