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| Owner:
mas Member Member#: 7693 Location: Registered: 29-06-2008 Diary Entries: 381 |
9th September 2020 Windsurfing: Bradfield Wind Direction: WNW Wind Stength: 8-15kts Surf / Sea State: flat Air Temperature: warm Sea Temperature: warm Weather: Sunny Max Speed: 15.3 kts (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 15.6 NM (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise) Another brilliant day at Bradfield’s Ragmarsh farm launch site in Essex on the River Stour. Had 3 straight foil sessions that’s been 5 stars and this one was definitely that. My only mistakes were forgetting to drink my bottle water before launch and using my 4/3mm autumn suit (which was way too hot) and forgetting my 3mm short sleeve summer suit. I dehydrated badly at the end of 2 hrs + foiling and had to go straight to bed for awhile whilst I re-hydrated slowly. The same happened once on a bike ride which caused me issues for days. Luckily feel OK now. Today was very warm and the sun was out on arrival around 1.30, with Keith and James about to launch. Loads of water available with around 2 hrs of tide left. Wind was West backing NW around 10kts only in gusts, so I thought, this could be a bad day for foiling as I am over 100kg. Rigged the Exocet RF-91 with a North S Type 9.3m a brilliant sail with the 84cm Front wing on the Slingshot foil. Track was as far back as I dare and all my straps are furthest back anyway. Keith first time out on the 90cm mast of his Slingshot + Levitator board was wallowing on his 8M sail, and so was James. After launching and slogging to the far side, the gusts started kicking in brilliantly – prob around 12-15kts, as I think I could just about get my 140 fin board going for the short gusts, so started flying straight away. At last I timed it just right! Flew down to the Holbrook end downwind but the wind here was less than the Bradfield end so started the beat back up to Mistley. Had some tremendous gusts to keep me flying upwind both feet in the straps, (both out board straps) which is what I really like about foiling upwind – very much like long board sailing in the eye of the wind a large plate down, right on the edge of wipe out! The run lasted well past the camp and looking around I could not believe the angle I was sailing. I was pulling the adjustable outhaul on the starboard beats, then releasing for the downwind drag for more power. All my sailing sessions have targets to achieve or improve and today was – gybes, sustaining flying in light winds, changing grip from over to under hand to achieve mast foot pressure and level the flight, plus working the back foot over the mast on the downwind drag. After 3 long reaches, I was achieving everything except the gybes. James saw me almost pull one off, but fluff as I flip the rig OK my front foot jammed in the straps! Using a 9.3 cam sail is never going to help me gybe but the 84 wing definitely will, because this is the closet have been to gybing to date. The water was flat with swells in the middle, so running down those, then cutting back up was brilliant staying in the trough as the 84cm front wing is so floaty. Stayed up the Mistley end all the time as the wind kept coming and for 30 mins near high tide, I had to yank the adjustable outhaul making the sail dead flat, as was overpowered! Cheeky James who has only been foiling a few weeks tried to pass me on a long run down towards Holbrook bay. I couldn’t believe how well he has improved and nearly did the pass on me, as the 84 Slingshot wing is dead slow. Thankfully he crashed out thru the front door at a crucial moment. Good fun. Only crashed 3 times today trying to gybe. Keith said he needed more wind, so was disappointed. However every foiling starter says the same thing they need lot of wind to get flying, which is true and told Keith it was the same for me and everyone else. Unlucky for him also, when the wind kicked in near high tide, his UJ broke and it took ages to get back to the beach, for a new one. In the early days I didn’t think my board would ever fly in a F4! Now I take off around 10kts, so I told him to keep foiling, it will come. Definitely, setup, foil type, sail, skill are all in the mix for flying in low wind bands. Burnt over 2k cals so worked reasonably hard, covering the 15.3 Nm. Another nice day in paradise. |
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