The Train, Southport, QLD, AU  Waihau 90l, North Idol 5.3, Choco speed Weed 27

Very Windy Woo here but so, so choppy. A myriad of things prevented a good sail....obviously my lack of skill continues to top the list but also wind and tide agin each other so mid-tide conditions were very exciting... as the main sand bank went under the lumpiness increased ; no adequate Tuttle pointer fin ( I have pm'd Santa) so I was spinning around like a whirling dervish on my Choco Weedy ; a medley of crab pot lines strung out across the broad reach track down the Train and a new challenge in a couple of overloaded rental tinnies with 6 HP Ozito outboard motors enjoying a leisurely stroll down the smoothest stuff. Things picked up to a genuine 26-28knots so I was overpowered.....time to go home before a Xmas injury. On the plus side?...., not working, beautiful temperature and no crabs. Hah!

Glory Holes, Australind, WA, AU

Mission was to get Mad max on the water got that accomplished , then I got a sail in although wind was pretty patchy, which I had managed to conclude whilst rigging from the faint sound of blasphemy coming from the water , Ratz 

Max had a good sail now in harness and looking more comfortable..

2 categories

Liptons fabulous way to end a difficult days work.  Lotsa happy chappies, Elmo particularly who was nailing his gybes, Stretch and Stroppo sailing fast, Super Decrep the fittest man in the world, Otts, Bazil having fun, and late arrival yoyo.

I timed that to perfection. After a busy schedule of snotgobbler taxi service duties, I got to the water and had a gust reading of 19.1 knots. By the time I got on the water it was more like 14. It was a pity the breeze didnt happen as the tide was perfect for some inside runs. I ended up just cruising around for a little while getting some exercise in the sun and managing to put a hole in the only panel on the Duct Tape 7.5 that was yet unscathed. Oh well, I suppose you can call that an achievement for the day...

Peel Inlet, WA, AU

It was not the smooooth we got addicted to last season but otherwise good conditions. Slowly ,ever so slowly building up my speed to nothing remarkable  but a bit better for me.

1 categories

JP SS 100L, NP RSR E7 7.0m, JP weed 31cm

That was a whole lotta fun, been feeling misserable all day today and that just made the blues change to doof doof.

The setup felt on the money tonight althought the shoulders are feeling the love as I mainly just went for Gybes tonight.

Thouroughly enjoyable way to end the day.

0.5 to go

Peel Inlet, WA, AU, Falcon113/FW7.0, then CA52/Tushy5.8. started about 12:30 and the wind slowly increased thoughout the arvo until I finished a bit before 6.

Got 35 with the Falcon before the wind strengthened, so happy with that. Choppy conditions for Liptons, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. Glad I put the 30cm weedy on as it made things a bit more secure doing bearaways throught the chop.

Im pretty shagged now, but a great day's sailing with all the usual crew

Mike, you are a very good judge of your alpha's!

2 categories

Well that's more like it, I think the fins were the saving grace today. the 16.5@55 is really only meant for very well powered up conditions in thick weed, didn't suit liptons the other day at all.

So first mission today was to try out Daffy's newly acquired 6.2 koncept. Plonked it on the 53 with a 24cm 45deg weedy.

As I was about to launch Stretch came in to change down to his 5.8.

Had a feeling that I migfht be a tad overpowered, but it felt sweet, played around on it for half hour or so then changed down to the 5.8 on the 48 with a 21cm 45deg weedy. This combo felt a lot lighter and easier but was still getting the same 32s I was getting before. Untill the wind started to kick in that is.

Wind seemed to have a fair amount of west in it, so we thought Pt Grey which is a starboard tack run would have the best wind, consequently wore watch on left wrist. We turned out to be wrong however the best wind was at liptons just before the real flat stuff started, occasionaly the gusts would carry on into the bay, great for those who don't like the speed/chop combination.

So here's the underhand watch results, again not all that far off.

2s 34.950, 5x10 33.395, 1hr 12.304, @ 24.974, NM 27.8 dist 63.79

All in all a fun session tide was great, enough water to get into the flat stuff, but not too much to create big chop.

Nice to sail with Hardie, Elmo, Stretch, Basil, Otts, Stroppo and yoyo

1 categories

Leighton Beach, WA, AU, GW-60

See below