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mas Member Member#: 7693 Location: Registered: 29-06-2008 Diary Entries: 399 |
30th August 2026 Windsurfing: Bradfield Wind Direction: S/SW/W Wind Stength: 8-15kts Surf / Sea State: Flat Air Temperature: warm Sea Temperature: warm Weather: Cloudy / sunny Max Speed: 18.4 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 19 (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise) Bradfield Session Report – Sunday 30 August 2026 The forecast had promised a SW breeze — offshore at Bradfield — around 10–18 knots and dry until late afternoon. So I headed to the farmer’s field for the usual easy shoreline parking. By 11:45 it was already a bright, sunny day, and the water was well in thanks to the very high 4 metre tide. Unusually, there wasn’t a winger in sight. Instead: five windfoilers, two longboards, and the resident canoeist doing his rounds. The wind looked light on the Bradfield shore, but the far side told a different story with yachts keeled over nicely. I was thinking 7.8, but when others rigged 9s and 10s, I followed the herd. A1’s suggested setup for the day was my 8.2 at minimum settings, 1300/500 wings, shim at –0.5, 105 fuse, and mast foot 1cm forward of centre — all tuned for my 100kg frame. Interesting, because I’d normally go 1100/330 and track centre with a 7.8. A1’s logic was that in the 15knot gusts the –0.5 shim and big 500 stab would keep the nose down. Fair play: the explanation and the settings were spot on again. We launched around 12:30 and all headed toward the Manningtree end where the wind was strongest. It was gusty, dead flat water, and very much a “wait for the gust” kind of day. The others pumped onto foil and disappeared; I stuck to my usual policy — if the gust doesn’t lift me, I wait for the next one. Fortunately the gusts were regular as the wind swung from SW to S to W, keeping everyone on their toes. I had some cracking runs toward Manningtree, and DC was doing Wrabness to Manningtree laps on his longboard. I owe DC one: he saved me from going completely gaga when I was about to walk the board to shore with the foil fitted backwards — stabiliser proudly mounted at the front. Ffs indeed. I decided to use the day to finally sail all the way up to the end of the main river, right to the yacht club — something I’d never done. The beat was fantastic: flying half mast on flat water, both feet in the straps, comfortable like a slalom board. It took about an hour thanks to the shifting wind, and I had a few dunkings plus a couple of groundings on mudflats invisible at high tide. Two other sailors followed but sensibly turned back before the narrow section. The bay itself is a brilliant blasting area when the wind behaves, though weaving between moored yachts is a bit sketchy. Landing at Manningtree beach would’ve been fun, but the mudflats looked dodgy — I’d already felt bottom a few times. The run back to Bradfield was excellent when the wind was up, and the 500 stabiliser with the 105 fuse let me run almost dead downwind on foil — easy on the body and surprisingly stable. My “foiling gybes” in front of the parked cars resulted in two face plants, which was… character building. I didn’t see much of the others as my beats and runs took about two and a half hours. On the way back I met G, and we both struggled to land at the launch area as the offshore wind faded at high tide. And, as tradition demands, once we’d packed up and started chatting, the wind filled in to a perfect Force 4. Another great day in Constable Country. |
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