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| Owner:
mas Member Member#: 7693 Location: Registered: 29-06-2008 Diary Entries: 381 |
28th September 2019 Windsurfing: Bradfield Wind Direction: SW Wind Stength: 12-25kts Surf / Sea State: Lumpy Air Temperature: warm Sea Temperature: warm Weather: Sunny / cloud Max Speed: 29.46 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 4.3 nm (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise) Not sailed for a couple of weeks so was keen to get out but the early tide made Point Clear difficult - so chose Bradfield which is closer. Looks like I made the wrong call as all PC sailors said 5 star, but Bradders was 2 star for me today. Arrive late anyway, almost high tide launching at 12.30, the wind was horrendous on the far side but light on the beach. It was very gusty, going from zero to 25kts in a couple of minutes. Jay went out on 6.0, crawled from the beach, but I could see he was being hammered on the far side. Graham was on foil with a 7.8 and he was hammered, so having rigged 7.8 which had no chance - rigged 6.7. Only Dave stayed out on an 8M on foil, in ridiculous gusts. The 2 fin guys came in and changed to 5.7, whilst I was still wondering if I should go to 6.0. The wind band was large so stayed with 6.7 / 120 Severne Fox and crawled out to the wind zone. To be honest, I hate gusty windsurfing, but today reminded me why. I wobble out quite a way, when another huge gust hit me forcing me downwind to stay on deck and the swell / chop in the middle was huge, so I was flying over them. The Fox is much better at staying in the water than the Bolt 125 I had previously. That run to the far side was 29.46 kts, uncontrolled in rough water, I was well happy. I didn't dare gybe so just landed on the far side and waited for the gust to go thru. The wind picked up instead, so I had to make a move to get back. I was a metre over. 5.5 would have been great. Just Just as I started to gain, speed I heard a bang! Straight away I thought it was the mast or boom but luckily it was the main panel on my 6.7 Hellcat just blew out in the gust. I think it was bellowing over the boom. What a pain in the butt windsurfing is. My mare day was still happening as I couldn’t find my Lycosy GPS watch - so switched to the GT31 that only had a few minutes charge left. Also the North XT extension gear wheel decided to pack up, whilst rigging, snapping a new formuline rope. The gust went and the wind just dropped, so I was limping back, frekking great so had to bear off and lose 100 meters for the walk of shame. All the guys had packed by the time I got back, as it was too windy on the far side and too gusty. I wouldn't have re- rigged again anyway but was well happy to get back in one piece. Thankfully my neighbour found my watch, after she had ran over it! so that completed a great day! Amazingly bar a few scratches - the watch is working fine! Yet another panel repair and a North gear wheel. How they can charge £25 for a little wheel I dont know. Cant sail Sunday, so hope to get something next week. |
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