Sunday 7th June - Windsurf * - River Stour at Bradfield – cloudy with showers.

Starboard Formula and Slingshot Hover Glide F/Wind with Tushingham Lightning 8.5

Foil – 17.63 knot max, 15.40 knot ave ., 8.44 knot hour, 12.46 knot mile, 19.30 km., 10.32 knot alpha

After yesterdays hectic session on the fin it was time to get back on the foil and in the end, I wish I had stayed at home! Headed over to Bradfield and the field soon filled up but it was difficult to pick a sail as the wind was probably west which means there is a shadow close to the shore? It looked patchy but with white water at time so took a chance with 8.5 which in the gusts was too much but as usual with river sailing it was up and down and you could sail out of the main wind band if it became too much. To be honest I didn’t feel comfortable for most of the session with the big sail somehow not right and I couldn’t get my feet in the right position, perhaps I should have moved the mast further forward to balance it more? There were times when I couldn’t get the board to fly, Andy M had the shame problem a couple of times and we are sure that’s its weed on the foil, it only takes a small amount to mess things up!!! I was challenging at times as I headed downwind towards Shotley so decided to return up river and was comfortable in both straps, hooked in but then things went wrong. I was pulled onto my sail managing to put my knees through two panel of my sail and as I couldn’t get my feet out of the strap ripped one off. That certainly reduced my sail area as I continued the beat back making it very difficult to get up and flying not helped by the patchy nature of the wind. I got back OK if a little depressed, it is not a surprise I went through my sail so easily as all my sails are old with the monofilm having seen better days, as for the board I think it is also the end of the line for that too, still it only cost me a hundred pounds and must I must have had 50 foiling sessions on and I think it has been holding me back for a while and signals the end of my foiling for a while:( So with a trailer full of tatty old kit it is time for a massive rethink just a shame the pension wont stretch to a full set of new kit:(  

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