Site Designed, Produced and Maintained by
Pixelwave Design.
|
|
| ||||||
| Member Details | Session Description |
Toys Used |
| Owner:
MartinF Member  Worst Wipeout Award 2003 Member#: 72 Location: Registered: 28-10-2002 Diary Entries: 184 Mood: needing time out |
20th August 2004 Windsurfing: WSM Wind Direction: WSW Wind Stength: F2-4 Surf / Sea State: Pretty flat Air Temperature: ~19C Sea Temperature: ok Weather: mostly sunny Max Speed: Distance Covered: Early tide ~ 10:00. Forecast for F2-3, so not really expecting too much, but still hoping to get the remnants of yesterdays stronger wind. Got to the beach ~ 08:15 - somewhat before the car park attendant. Good to get £4 worth of free parking! I was there, the sun was there, Ollie Daniels even turned up to do his daily, early inspection. The wind wasn't there. After a natter, I decided to have a wander down to Uphill to check out the recently expanded pond by the marina, while Ollie went to await delivery of a consignment of long lost videos. Apparently, the pond is now available for windsurfing. I asked at the chandlery: I got the feeling they'd prefer people to book lessons through Mendip Outdoor Pursuits, but they didn't say that one person can't teach another privately. You need to book in advance, & slot in between all the other users. Cost is £4/session (I think that's about 3 hrs). The pond is very small, but is apparently only waist to chest deep. Anyhow, I got back to my car at about 10:00: Still only about F2. Decided to go out anyway & mess about. I've needed to practise short board tacks & heli-tacks for yonks, so here's the chance to try it in light winds. I rigged up 6.2m sail on the Fanatic Cross 110 & sallied forth. I practised on dry land - easy. I practised on the water - useless. I practised on dry land - easy. I practised on the water - useless. Notice a pattern? I eventually start nailing a couple of tacks on the water, but heli-tacks. No-way. The really upsetting thing is - I used to be able to do these ok. Admittedly on a long board, though. I spent a couple of windless days on a Guy Cribb course in Ireland practising tacks, heli-tacks, sail 360's, boomerangs, and many, many other things; none of which I can do any more! Still playing in the shallows, I actually caught a slight gust & got briefly on the plane at 11:55 precisely. From 12:20 onwards, I was planing solidly & pulling off most of my tacks. Amazing how having a bit of speed helps. At least, I was pulling off most of the port to starboard tacks. I buggered up most starboard to port tacks. I keep leaning the rig too far back and/or running off the front of the board. By 13:30, the land was receding rapidly & the mud was getting slimier. I managed to sail back right to the water's edge by sailing backwards & then had a mere 1/2 mile walk back to the car. Not a hugely windy day, but very enjoyable and satisfying all the same. I was also pretty wrecked for the rest of the day! MartinF |
Toys Used:
Statsbar:
| ||||||||||||||
  |
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
Web Design in Wales, UK by 
Pixelwave Design.
© Alan R Cole 2000...