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squiz
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Member#: 95 Location: Registered: 23-12-2002 Diary Entries: 38
Mood: Wanting to get back on the wat
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15th August 2019
Windsurfing: Bradfield Wind Direction: WNW Wind Stength: 10/25 Surf / Sea State: river chop,nice swells and fla Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: sunny periods Max Speed: 29.43 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 32.45 (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)
Thursday 15th – Windsurf ***** - River Stour – Bradfield – sunny
periods.
Fin – 29.43 knot max., 26.48 knot ave., 15.10 knot hour, 20.94 knot mile,
60.10 km., 17.21 knot alpha.
F2 282 Ride with Tushingham X-15 7m and 36 fin.
After a few fantastic days away in our campervan while our son Rob, partner
Hannah and the wonderful Grandson Arlo camped next to use we returned home
yesterday as Suffolk was hit with heavy rain:( Neil Hurrell messaged on
WhatsApp to say he was going to Bradfield on the River Stour to make the
most of a moderate WNW breeze with a good high water around 1 o clock. Even
though I had picked up Arlo’s cold, I manned up, hitched the trailer
while Mag packed the breakfast and lunch. We always enjoy the 25-mile trip
to Bradfield and were the first to arrive at 9.30 with enough water to sail
but with the wind cross off from the left it was a job to decide what gear
to use? So, while Mag made so yummy porridge for breakfast I set-up my F2
Ride and with white water now on the far side of the river I took a chance
with my 4 cammed Tushingham X-15 7m which can take a huge amount of wind!
Neil Hurrell and Michael Galbreath arrived as I had my breakfast the wind
appeared to drop but it is always gusty here so you really need to sail big
then sail broad or beat, is there any other angle to sail??? Shortie on I
was first away and the advantage over a foil here is you don’t have to
walk so far out to find water deep enough to sail:) I soon hit the wind
line but was a fraction under to start with, still planing but could have
done with stronger gusts. I decided to make the most of the gusts by going
off broad whenever they hit and soon ended up in Holbrook Bay past
Wrabness. There were some smooth swells, with a lumpy section in the
channel and flattish water to gybe on both sides of the river, the only
gybes I dropped all session was when the wind went a bit light when I had
to turn! I wanted to get back to Bradfield before the tide turned so
started the beat back which was when we had the best wind, easily gusting
to 25 knots and only missing out on 30 knots by a whisker but so much fun
bearing off down the swells! We had been joined by local sailor James who
looked a little under perhaps he had rigged his 5.7? The wind was going a
little patchy again and you had to turn away from the beach on both sides
at this end of the river! So after two hour out non-stop I headed in for
lunch with Mag with Mark Smalling now here to watch and well as a local
drone pilot here to take some windsurfing action:) After lunch I went out
for a few more runs but it was pretty up and down now and with the tide
turned it was time to call it a day. So my 8th session of the month
covering 37 miles with a top speed of over 29 knots on the beautiful River
Stour, 5 stars for me:) It’s looking windy for a few days now, with rain
tomorrow I might save myself for a trip to Point Clear on Saturday with my
son Rob who kitesurfs:) I am actually not the last to pack off and leave
this time as we head to Ipswich for some shopping stopping off at Westwood
Sails and Covers in Brantham to pick up my repaired Lightning 7m but sadly
they were closed!
Photo Gallery Here
MK booms Here
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