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Looked at Dip where sea looked nice but 6m inshore and several hundred metres out was 4.5m so off the Fludyers where Strawb was waiting. Looked 4m or too much, then wind decreased to 6m. Waited some more and wind soon came back and rigged 76l/4.7m which was spot on. Strawb on 5m and Andy M on 4.5m after being a bit underpowered on 3.9m.
Bit choppy to start with but no real problem and enought to try a few jumps. After low tide had smooth rollers and chop which was easier to gybe in and leant more into gybes which helped. Didn't fall in for ages and was getting hot, so mild today. On the water at 2pm and off at 3:20 after a couple of landings to adjust sail, as wind decreased, came in just in time as Andy M and Strawb landed a couple of groynes down. Great fun trying a few jumps and riding down swells. Sea was nicer than it looked, warm too. 5*.

First speed session for a year or two. realy enjoyed it -- I have no speed kit anymore so used a very old 5mtr Tush storm sail and my falcon 80 - sail and board a bit big for the conditions - got blown out of the water a few times and a couple of realy big catapult crashes running aground at 34 knots ! very bent boom and broken Harness but no broken bones -- Great day - good fun

As said by everyone funny old old at Ther Ray :( As usual I arrived too early so had plenty of time to rig which is good because everyone there was rigging 5m and my 5.2 is a nightmare to rig as the head is damaged and it's  a nightmare to get the mast in! Many thanks to Ant who helped me and then gave me a rigging lesson:) The tide was taking it's time to drop but we set off around mid-day and the walk out wasn't too bad but it didn't seem that windy, then out on the  Ray the west course was too broad and the east too sqare:( The hihlight of the day was a seal getting out of my way on my first run down, yet another disappointing speed day for me and as usual I was way off the pace:( I got some  OK peaks but just couldn't get a 10sec:( being underpowered most of the time and I should have been brave enough to rig my 5.8! It was knackering struggling to get going up and down wind on my speed board - I need to use this board more as the last time  I sailed it was in June!!!! On the day I would have had more fun on  the 80 as it was good fun watching speed buddy Peter Cutts out of control on his 80 and wave sail ending up having a good day including a mile and an alpha! The only plus was a good peak which ended in a big crash as I headed into the chop ! Then as it was getting dark I had one last run ending in the middle of the channel not being able to waterstart as the wind dropped, I managed to swim ashore and walk back to the prom a mile from my van !!! By the time I got back to the van, changed, returned to pick up my kit and drive 70 miles home I was knackered !!! but still great to meet up with so many other speedsailors and perhaps one day I will get a 10 second 40 !!!!

Here's wishing everyone a  Happy Christmas and a healthy and windy New Year :)