Fangy's with just my inner Elmo. Super fun session in the chop on the Vivien Leigh (vintage Mistral Screamer). Will post more later.

But some epic speeds from all the guys on the pond today . Congrats to all but WOOHOOO 'Ken on a sensational PB! 

Quick video of earlier on:

Following TJ across in the chop

I had decided that the BOM guys were smoking a particularly potent weed these days. This was based on their forecasts of late. So when they forecast some pretty ballistic wind speed for today I didnt really take them seriously. I should have.

I rigged up a 5.9 to start with and lasted one run. Plan B, change down to the smallest sail I had brought. A 5.4 wave sail. Whacked this on and set off again. Lasted one run. I came in and applied enough downhaul to bend the mast at right angles. Set off again. Now I could hold on, but I still wish a had bought down my 4.5.

The big boys all went off to play in the pond but I decided to hang in the chop and link up with Elmo when he dragged his carcass down to join us. I am so lovin' the old girl at the moment. I had dropped my MUF 26 Speed Weed in the box and the package was really composed for the most part. I did runs across to South Yunderup and generally mucked about in the chop, occasionally lining up some chop lines for a blast. I may have not been really fast, but in the chop but man it felt like I was breaking the sound barrier. Certainly enough to get the heart rate up.  But as the afternoon wore on I was getting ridiculously overpowered and spending a lot of energy just keeping the power eased and everything under control.

 I joined Tugger as he floated out of the pond for a quick run across again, trying to get some footage. By now Huey was going mental and I could not hang on to the 5.4 in the chop. I followed Tugger back in and the Gods shone brightly on me.

My Fibresnap boom did just that as I rounded up on the shore. It was a satisfying loud crack for the punters on the shore as the whole thing went to pieces. At that point I noticed Elmo on the shore with his little muppet magic stick pointed at my boom. The power of the Muppetiser is strong with Elmo and I was left in no doubt as to why my boom had died. Job done the Muppetman packed up and left without having dipped a toe in the water.

And that was the ball game for me. Snapping my boom right on the shore on such a nuking day, defo a Top Ten Fangy Day!

1 categories

Glory Holes, Australind, WA, AU

Iso 86, R6 6.2m, 34talon

First sail since the 3rd March and the third for the year.

It was nice to get out and get planning. Big storm surge made it vert lumpy and bumpy.

Had a fun sail for an hour then joined for local SUP pod for a downwinder. Feeling it now!!

2 categories

At last the forecast was close to right!!!!

Had fun in Creery's lagoon with an enthusiastic mob. Wasn't sure what to rig, but I just had to have another go on the 38cm board. A few gust came through as a hint of things to come, so took a gamble on the forecast being close to accurate and rigged the 5.0 koncept, then plugged the 18cm 45deg fin into the 38cm board.

Led 'ken into the lagoon but didn't do a good job! The post holding the fence up at the channel entry has collapsed leaving odd bits of steel just below the surface. The track into the channel is now undefined, I should have taken the time to guide 'ken in but I only realised the problem when I was too far down the channel. Of course 'ken hit something there and took a notch out of his fin. Luckily Grumpy came to the rescue.

I was a bit overdone in the gusts, had trouble getting the power down, and had trouble getting the little board going. After an hour and three quarters, my forearms were getting quite sore, and hanging on to the boom was getting harder and harder.

It was also hard to be sensible and call it quits!  So I've probably overdone it and will be sorry tomorrow. Might have done better with the 43cm board and possibly the 4.4 koncept, that would have allowed me more control in the real gusts, and the 43 takes less effort to get going.

1 categories

Glory Holes, Australind, WA, AU. i76, Tush5.8, 26cm weedy.  Went north near the caravan park, high water levels and a bit of a washing machine further out at times. I sailed like a sook today, never really got into the groove, probably would have had more fun on bump n jump gear. Next time, must join you guys on the lagoon...

     Coodanup lagoon,  WA,  AU.   

A fun & fast sesh, but a bit cold,...   

Dec'experamental 47to40 wide, Avi4.7 sail and 20cm 48weedy...  gota go warm up!!

5 categories

Coodanup, WA, AU

Details after hot shower. :-)

... Feeling a lot warmer now. Sitting by the fire place and finished picking the sticks out my feet. Might use my booties next time I try the chook pond. But I think I will be going back there. I have been chasing 35 knots for ages. Today saw the end of that. I got 33.6 early on on my 5.8 out in the estuary. A couple gusts had me blown out the water, so went back and rigged a 5.0 before heading in to the pond following the captain. I managed to hit the fence on the way in with my fin making a big dent in it.   Just couldn't get any better than my 33. Stopped and spoke to Stroppo who had just clocked 43 and he said I should be using a smaller fin. Salty very kindly lent me an awesome vector speed fin. Turns out he was sailing around with about 5 in his back pack trying them all out. But that made all the difference, my first run was a PB. All my runs after that were fast but the 5.0 was mostly a little on the small side. Then there was the one gust, I was following Salty down the strip and a big gust came through, he took off and I just tried to keep up. He busted 40, and I got close. It was reading 39.57 on the dial. Very chuffed. Thanks Chris for the loan of the fin.  

Manta 86, 5.0 Severn Code Red and borrowed Vector speed fin.