Dolphin Address 25
October 17, 2004
A sudden twinge reminded me of the Jethro Tull concert in Amsterdam, 1971. For weeks I had been looking forward to see my absolute heroes in concert. It became a slipshod comedown, their impeccable studio harmonies fizzled out one by one in a messy evening.
Actually Davy did not even have 5 minutes. Family circumstances weighed heavy on him. What struck me most was his power. That was so much more than the vice-jaw handshake, best to be described as mental momentum. I explained what I came for and with a resolute kindness he worked this into an advice: the firm Metal Tech in Ennis. He asked me for the address of my website. I turned the car and drove around the bend. There I quickly wrote down the firms' name and played the movie 'Jan meets Davy' a few times. As if I'd met Elvis, but different, very different.
At home I searched the 'Yellow Pages' in vain for the address of Metal Tech. Neither could Google help me out.
E tu, Davy?
I remembered once having heard that it costs a packet to be in the 'Yellow Pages', so the next day with all my confidence I left for Ennis. It was a bit of a go-getting at the Tourist Information, but after a few internal rings Metal Tech popped up. The firm turned out to be established in Sixmilebridge, some 15 kilometer further on.
From an open phonebox I dialed the number, but found myself caught unaware of Eircoms greed. My only three Euro coins were gone before I could explain my intentions.
With a crude curse addressed to the Irish telephone service I collected my writes, but to my surprise I saw the text 'incoming call' pop up in a little window. I thought they only did this in America. We talked about where and how and an hour and a half later I tried to match the address description to the street profile on the left.
I was met by the director, Liam, whom I showed the present waterwing and explained its properties. He took me to a large hall and showed me the stainless steel pipes and the machines that could work it. I felt very much understood, this could really do it.
We agreed that first I would send him a detailed drawing of the wing, so first a prototype could be made. This is necessary, not only for the shape of the wing, but particularly for its buoyancy. While drawing the pipe wing I hit upon an unexpected insight that may make the wing even more effective. A simple intervention might make it possible that on the one hand the sails will adjust themselves to the streamline and on the other can assume a larger surface and thereby a greater thrust. That'll be another try-out and this time together with Dusty. Again I feel the inventor blood merrily pumping through my arteries. Exiting times.
(to be continued)
Jan Ploeg, Killohill, October 17th 2004
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