The Australian trio, Lindsay Cunningham, Simon McKeon, Tim Daddo are preparing their new speed machine, Macquarie Innovation, for an attempt at breaking the current the world speed record.

The record they set in 1993 aboard the Cunningham-designed Yellow Pages Endeavour, currently stands at 46.52 knots over a 500-metre course but this time they hope to exceed 50 knots.

They are currently trialling their new boat over a course in south-eastern Australia at Sandy Point – a coastal lagoon separated from the ocean by a relatively long, thin, sandy spit. The wind is reasonably undisturbed and water is relatively flat which is ideal for a speed sailing record attempt.

This new Cunningham design is, at 40ft loa, longer, lighter and more powerful than YPE, has a 40ft wide, 440lb tripod which is the structural base for the boat’s rig.

In Herb McCormick’s report in the New York Times website this morning McKeon was quoted as saying: “I know how fast we can go; we can actually do 55 knots, if not more, the question is whether it’ll be practical in the circumstances. There’re always a million things that can go wrong.

“There’s a risk every time we take the boat out that it’s going to crash. The only real issue is whether it’s going to be a big one or a little one. But we’re used to that. No worries.”

The team is currently camped near the beach waiting for the wind. We will bring more news when we have it.