Owner:
mas
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Member#: 7693 Location: Registered: 29-06-2008 Diary Entries: 381
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6th August 2019
Windsurfing: Bradfield Wind Direction: SW/S Wind Stength: F3/5 Surf / Sea State: flat Air Temperature: warm Sea Temperature: warm Weather: Sunny Max Speed: 22.30 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 11.4 (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)
Forecast was great but couldn't make PC tide so went local at Bradfield.
Initially was SW but went southerly - offshore there. Just Nick and I
turned up for foiling. It was windy and saw James who launched at Wrabness
tanking flat out from Wrabness to Manningtree on dead flat water. Looked
great on fin - but the need to foil was too great:)
Rigged 7.8 which was too big really but Nick insisted fine. Using 147
Ultrasonic non foil board with Goya mark and RRD foil, I launched a bit
late with just hour and a bit be4 high tide, headed out towards Manningtree
and went straight into my first flight covering maybe 75 metres be4 the
first big wipe out as the foil left the water. Am now forcing myself to try
things. I can go downwind fairly easy now, but the upwind thing is killing
me! Today was a great day to fly as I was fully powered up be4 taking
off.
Targets were - control mast height by just moving front hand - yes did
that, brilliant - just slide front hand forward a bit and the nose
gradually lowered. Next was sailing anywhere but downwind - failed as I
spooned the nose every time straight into wind and whoosh, straight over
the top FFS! Nick looked super cool as he was flying very slow and low in
the gusts almost stalling the flight keeping control. I need to learn that
for sure, as it looked very cool. The front footstraps are not forward
enough for me. My stance is not comfortable when I am flying, as too much
upright and bent over. Everytime I sheet in slalom style, with back foot in
straps, I lose flight control and either nose dived (too forward) or the
foil leaves the water (too far back).
In front straps and back foot out down the middle, I was getting some real
long flights, brilliant! For once - since taking up foiling, I was fully
powered up, so no need to pump up to take off - thats so much easier on the
body. Tide turned and Nick was getting nervous as the wind went light so we
called it a day after less than 2 hrs - which was a pain. Just as we packed
up the wind started howling, so with hindsight - was a great call - we
would have been smashed on 7.8!
So good foil day, learnt lots and getting more confident. I never let go of
the boom once in the crashes so no damages. Speed was 22.30kts but it
seemed much much faster than clocking 28kts on fin - very strange. Wood
have been 5 stars - but too gusty for that.
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