marcingabriel
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Hayling Island on 02/05/10
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 144 litres |
| Sail: | 7.6 |
The Sunrise to Sunset windsurf event raising money for Cancer Research,
I was up at 4:40am from my warm bed, turning on the gas stove preparing it to cook my morning breakfast. I was about to endure an early morning windsurf and had to be out on the water by 5:37am Sunrise. I cooked my bacon, eggs toast and a cup of tea, and flung on my wetsuit, (which was semi dry from sailing the night before). It is a strange feeling donning a wetsuit soon after vacating my bed.
I ate my beaky and went outside to see what was stirring. It was still hazy and dark, some people were already out rigging their kit. I had rigged my kit the day before, and decided to stick with my chosen sail size. There was no wind at all and some people were preparing their SUPs.
I was still walking around the other windsurfer?s chating about their choice of sail size sipping my tea, when I noticed some sailors starting to take their kit towards the water front. If i remember correctly it was about low tide and the water was dead still and there was a light offshore breaze.
I finished my cup of tea and grabbed my kit to place it on the shore front, Then I watched as the first two people went out. Then the third etc, I decided too to get in, I was the 4th person out, which although was not a race it was nice to be one of the first few to be on the water.
There was little to no wind, and we floated out a little, I decided to get back in incase I drifted with the currents and it would have been difficult to come back, especially as we need to wait for David Tuttlebee the organiser of the charity, W4CR to be formerly the first sailor out at Sunrise.
David Tuttlebee went out followed by a number of other people, and then we all lined up and sailed out to the water while a photographer took some happy snapps.
Some sailors stayed out and played around in the wind/tide in the waist high water. I stayed out for a while, practicing my tacks, and helicopter spins etc, entering the water on a number of occasions, Which may sound cold but it was rather refreshing.
One of the chaps, who?s name I cannot recall pledged that he would sail from sunrise to sunset. He wore what looked like a strange green wetsuit which made him look like a frog man, (not a Frenchman) he even had a back pack with his supplies of water, food and a cell phone (totally mad)
The day went one, the wind did not pick until about 1pm, some people with large sails managed to get planning, while others like me played around with small wind tacks and basic sailing. By this time I have been in and out of my wetsuit many times as the chill in the air was getting worse, There were a number of master blaseter races that were held, I entered both which I came about last on each, But the experience and the commoradity (not sure how to spell this word) was worth it.
The second race, which I definetly came last on, froze my fingers, as I was not wearimng any gloves.
A few hours later after drying my wetsuit, the wind picked up steadily and sailors were planning, I decidide to head out, By this time the day was long and I was tired and not looking forward to get into the water, Mind you remember the guy who pledged to sail sunrise to sunset, well he was still out there.
I got out and had to sail to the first marker which was down wind a fair tack, i gybed around and aimed up wind hoping to get planning, at this time most people went back on shore, and it was me and another guy only, Plus the wind droped. I managed to get some windy spots and get planning, this is what we came here for, Anyway I was able to plane most directions and stayed out for a good long time, Until I decided to go back in.
Sunset was coming and only one person remained out sailing, guess who. Another person decided to participate and he took his SUP out,and sail 25km? Well not really sure of the exact details. Anyway, sun set was due at 8:30pm, Dave T and 3 others kitted up and went out, the wind still offshore but steady allowed everyone to got planning for the last daylight hours/minutes.
8:30 or so the support crew (land people) came down to announce the sunset and congratulate them on their efforts, I long day but for a great cause.
It was memorable in everyway,
Anyhow have a look at the website for further info. www.windsurfing4cancerresearch.com
Marcin
Cornwall on 02/04/10
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 115 litres |
| Sail: | 5.9 |
I had sailed Daymer Bay on the Easter weekend a great spot for wave sailing , At first I took my 140 litre board with a 5.9m sail. I got planning easily but was over powered many times. Many times I managed to bump and jump, But being overpowered meant that it was easy to loose control.
So after about 2 hrs I changed the board to my smaller 115ltr. This time I was able to get planning on the way out, with some nice jumps, but it was nearly impossible to get planning on the way back. Nevertheless I preffered the smaller board as it was easier to wave sail on the way in.
