markc
| Venues | Board / sail size | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 5.2 | 90 5.8 | 90 7.0 | 95 4.7 | 95 5.8 | 95 6.3 | 127 5.0 | 127 5.8 | 127 6.3 | 127 7.0 | 127 9.0 | ||
| Weymouth | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||
| North Devon | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| Christchurch | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| Lee on Solent, Hillhead & Stokes Bay | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
| Hayling Island | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 13 | |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 23 |
Each cell shows number of sessions, click on a cell for more details.
Hayling Island on 21/09/08
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 127 litres |
| Sail: | 5.8 |
Same as yesterday, but even sunnier. Weathermen seem to be telling fibs this weekend, but had lots of time on the water regardless.
Hayling Island on 20/09/08
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 127 litres |
| Sail: | 5.8 |
Settle down, I never actually got planing, but it was a lovely sunny day. I actually learnt some stuff too, managed a push tack but the price was high. Am worn out from climbing onto the board and up-hauling over and over again. Had a lovely evening with with Steve, Bill and Heather.
Hayling Island on 07/09/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 127 litres |
| Sail: | 6.3 |
Having just bought a "tricktionary 2" book, was very dismayed to discover that my skills on a board are covered in 6 pages, and the book has about 300.....oh dear. So light winds today, but rather than spend all day pumping a 9m, went out with a small sail to learn some stuff.
Hayling Island on 06/09/08
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 95 litres |
| Sail: | 5.8 |
Got out early and had a great sail on the sandbar until dinner time. Wind was very gusty and was really overpowered one minute and not planing the next. Was going to change down and go out again, but saw some masts getting crunched in the shore dump, decided to just watch instead. The afternoon and evening was great entertainment.
North Devon on 25/08/08
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 127 litres |
| Sail: | 7.0 |
The wind felt a bit lighter today, but was more cross on, so rigged a 7m and had a go. Found it much easier to get out today, though the waves seemed bigger, and had some great runs, in fact was overpowered on the 7m, so came in for some more down and outhaul. Couldnt manage any real snappy turns with the 7m, but had good fun racing in on the waves regardless. Dad came out to join me and we went out to sea in search of more wind, in fact the opposite happened, and during a lull, had a good chat while bobbing about in the large swell comming through.
I reckon the wind swung more onshore and dropped some, as I began finding it harder to get out through the breaking waves, and after a particularly heavy rinse cycle found my mast had snapped, took some swimming to get to the beach, and was pleased to find no damage to the sail. Just sailing along and looking down the wave face, seeing the white water glinting in the sunlight, as it curled over and tumbled into the beach made it a 5 star day for me. Despite breaking my mast, it was a fantastic day, and nicely rounded off with a few pints in a bar where everyone was singing sea shantys all night.
Sadly, not much action on Tuesday, went for a long walk, a chat in the pebble nook with Adam, then headed home late afternoon.
North Devon on 24/08/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 127 litres |
| Sail: | 6.3 |
Got to the beach early Sat morning, tide was coming in fast and the wind was light, so went for a walk, then settled down with a book and a cup of coffee until the tide started dropping early in the afternoon. As soon as some hard sand appeared I rigged a 4.7 and went out for a test on my new tow....a turf dog. The idea was to learn spocks ,vulcans and gecko`s on it, good plan, but in reality could not even sail it in a straight line let alone turn it with any confidence, and within half an hour had a puncture. Good job I also brought the speedsail, and soon got into the groove, had some company on the sand from ChrisM for a while, and sailed on until the sun went down.
Too late for a meal, but met the others at the Beaver Inn, sat outside eating their food under umbrella`s, had to chuckle. Rounded the evening off with a pool challenge organized by Heather, turned out to be a 5 star day exept I never got wet.
Got to the beach early Sunday morning to be greeted with wind, rigged a 6.3m and went out on my 90ltr board. Wind dropped and turned onshore as soon as I got out there, ( it was cross shore when I rigged), so came in and got the big board, wind dropped even more and was now directly onshore, ah well. An hour or so later MikeP rigged up and had a go, once through the breaking water he was planning, so quickly put the wetsuit back on and went out to join him. Getting through the breakers with a light completely onshore wind was a challenge, but once out there had great fun blasting around in the swell. Rounded the day off with a fish and chip supper, a few pints and some good company.
Hayling Island on 17/08/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 90 litres |
| Sail: | 7.0 |
Wasn`t sure the 7.0m would work on the RRD, but decided to give it a go. Definately felt big, and the tail was very loose with the small freestyle wave fin, but was planning nearly all the time, mostly apperant wind, but really good fun. Early planning has improved, a combination of better tecnique, slippery early planning board, loosing 11 kilo`s and getting stronger has had a dramatic effect. Long way to go yet though, as I still need a bigger sail than most to get it all to happen. Sailed late, and spent the evening at Bill and Heathers before a late drive home.
5 stars? Maybe not the conditions so much as state of mind, had a really enjoyable fun day.
Hayling Island on 16/08/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 127 litres |
| Sail: | 7.0 |
Disapointing wind, was expecting much more, but still brilliant for August. It was a light gusty on shore wind, was planning most of the time, but only on apparent wind. After a big upwind struggle got out to the sand bar for a couple of hours practice, ready for next weekend in North Devon. The wind was stronger out in the shipping channel beyond the sand bar, and after some good blasting headed back to the beach. It seemed like I was the only person out most of the day, as nearly everyone was sailing back and forth 100ft from the beach.
Hayling Island on 10/08/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 90 litres |
| Sail: | 5.2 |
On the water early this morning, as it was Dads birthday today and we had a party to get to this afternoon. First time in a long while that I rigged smaller than Dad, but had some early planning confidence on the new board. Did struggle a bit to keep up wind, but had plenty of speed in the gusts. Sunshine, good wind, too good to be true. UJ broke while I was quite a way out, so after a little think about it, decided to lay my harness on the deck, waterstart and keep the mast foot on the harness, then sail back to the beach. Lot of pressure on the arms, so got the board planning and it was then much easier, but ended up down the beach a way. Got back to the van and looked at the watch 9:30, windsurf shop wont be open yet, better put the kettle on.
Dad soon realized he had lost his blasting partner, and promptly turned up with mug in hand as the kettle came to the boil. He had a look in the back of his van for a spare UJ, no luck. Then his face dropped just after slamming his back door shut, keys were locked up in the back of his van! After lots of wringing of hands and shaking of heads we got the AA involved. They soon sorted him out, but by then it was time to go home, we just had time for a quick shower before the afternoon party began.
Overall, a great day for Dad, brilliant sail for an hour in the morning(good wind and sunshine), followed by some high adrenaline exitement until lunch time, then a family party in the afternoon and evening. Just about perfect, though a little less exitement would be preferable next time round!
Hayling Island on 09/08/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 90 litres |
| Sail: | 5.8 |
Had a great morning sail on the Axxis 272 and a 5.8m sail, nice chop for jumping and generally blasting about. Lunch time coincided with high tide, so Dad and I decided to have an hour off and get out of the wetsuits. Went for a walk down to the windsurf shop, just to past the time. Got into a discusion about freestyle wave boards, and too my suprise came out of the shop with a secondhand RRD freestyle wave board, 90ltrs, roughly 3 or 4 years old.
Dad helped me carry it to the beach as it was still quite windy, then quickly change into the wetsuit and take it for a test drive. Not sure what to expect, but within 5 minutes knew it was a keeper. The smoothness, manoverability and control of a wave board, but it also planes early and really accelerates off the wind. Freestyle potential .......er maybe!
