Here the "excellent" (humm yes) translation by Babel fish of the Dutch commentary of www.roundtexel.com

Of 550 the presented zeilers to estimate about 250 of starts there has gone in 28e the ZwitserLeven round for texel. Hundreds of zeiler remained to the rampart, because they found it irresponsable water to go up. ' we invented the chance on damage many too large ', thus Sicco Verhoef Utrecht. With crew start J?en Jansen also he did not decide. ' you have this way this way a couple thousand euro damage.'

28e the ZwitserLeven round for texel have gone spectacularly at 10.00 of start. High undertow golves made it the zeilers extreem difficult. Several boats ran damage on and many zeilers decided remain on the side. Eventually about 250 participants have faced the undertow and of start have gone. A lot of thousands of witnesses were getuige of this bacon hoist. The sail circumstances on water are very well, Nw-wind, strength 4, changing cloudy with from time to time what sun.

The two-high rolling mill Hans Bouscholte/Ruurd van Wieren (start number 023)heeft the black flag got. The two-high rolling mill by the organisation has been disqualified because of a too early start. The team build a new boat would have let and went this game for the line honours. Such as there now to looks forward to 27 teams have had a black flag. These participants can make a note of still protest against this decision at the protestcomit

The large favourites for the first entry, Mitch Booth and Herbert Dercksen, have been eliminated. The two-high rolling mill beat for in the undertow, where the boat damage incurred. With among other things a number of zeillatten break the Olympic two-high rolling mill went again at water. Attempt also this failed. Dercksen: We came not well by the undertow. We heard a hard slap and have probably damage to the fuselage. We did not find it justified to continue because, as a result the boat could piece go. The vexation at the two-high rolling mill was enormous.

So what did Booth break ?

Bable fish can be so rubbish sometimes !

I read it to say that they had a hard time punching through the surf. On the second attempt, they heard a big crack (probably hit sideways by a wave) and decided to come back to shore rather than risk having a major failure in the boat later. Their frustration was enormous.

Come to think of it now, there may be an advantage having a boat with a little weight to it in the surf. Otherwise, you are really vulnerable to the waves taking any momentum. It sounds like a lot of other boats were damaged too.

I can tell you that it looked more or less like D-day 1944 from the beach. Luckily without human casualties.

Would this be the Hobie concept boat?

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Are there more photos of the boat?

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Some of the Concept Hobie are attached

those are some great shots. Looks like more than one boat had trouble punching through the surf. That sequence with the T about to capsize in front of that F18 is priceless.

I just have one question though... wth is up with this?

That will be one of the start boats !

The year I went and it was cancelled we had a frigate from the Royal Dutch Navy as a start boat !!!!!

I am not a texel expert, but when I last went and did get to sail it, the start line was between a frigate and a helicopter!

Talk about a wind shadow.

That'd irritate me

No, the Chopper fly's over at (from memory) 30 seconds to go trailing red smoke and then again at the "Gun" with green smoke - or something like that - timing and colours are probably wrong....