sboardcrazy (24291km):
1165 days ago patchy 5-24kts SSE- S more consistent 15-22kts at the end Marmong Point, NSW, AU
Sailed 12.12 - 3.12 with breaks..
5.7m gator - WT57 - 28WTweedy
then 24cm WT stealth weedy + lot of tail flex and mastfoot 1cm forward.
Well Marmong has redeemed itself in my eyes.. I've had so many patchy yucky sails there. This one was very patchy and demanding at times but when it was on it was on..
Up & down like a yoy yo when I arrived.. 5-12kts for 5 mins then 20-25kts ..it seemd to have settled into 10-23kts so I rigged the 5.7m knowing it would be brownpants if it kicked back in but thinking it wouldn't..
Of course it did! About the 3rd run it kicked in 20-25kts with 1.5m ramps ..really happy with the 2 sec ( 26.98kts on the screen) a board lake PB. I could have probably got better except I was so maxed out , the board was launching into the air at each chop and it could have been carnage..It was a fun but hairs standing up on the back of your neck run..
Decided to switch to the 5m and smaller fin and try the mastfoot forward - set it up for the strong stuff.. Of course it died down to 10-18kts . I didn't use it but went back out with the 5.7m. I was underpowerd a lot.
I thought I did longer runs than that! . It got really patchy if you went further than that.
No wonder I thought I was going to have a heart attack ( heart rate up so much).. Usual 150bpm rate by Garmin but definitely more tiring than usual. Most of the time I wasn't powered enough to get in the back strap.
Marmong is certainly flatter than Coal. I'm really happy with my gybes. I went back to my old technique and the mastfoot further forward helped engage the rail so things went better. It also made a difference being well powered ( rather than maxed out) and only having 30cms chop to deal with gybing.
I got a couple of beauties..No planing exits but tidy and still moving after the flip and I just had to hang off the boom to accelerate out.. I actually had some wind on the exit for once! I think the alpha is a lake PB? I had to keep a narrower turn or I would have run into the jetty..
I'm certainly happier if I can get some ok gybes in a session.
B & J conditions when the wind was in. There were some 1-1.5m ramps on port tack.. I was more focused on gybe practise and a few bearaways but I did one small one. The WT57 with it's bigger fin is easier to land than the waveboard. The waveboards narrow tail and small 20cm fin has me spinning out a fairbit on landing.
It seemed to die so I came in and got out of the harness etc and yakked with Lajos but then it kicked back in better than ever so everyone went back out. Much easier going for it not so maxed out.
It was really good but I was tired and starting to stuff gybes so I quit while I was ahead.
Happy , Happy happy... I finally feel like I've turned a corner with the 90ltre and I'm starting to get the gybes going..
Lajos , Gert , Hugh? and some others on fins. MickB on foil and some wingdings and a kiter.
The first time I've ever watched a kite and thought " wow ! That looks fun!' He was getting 10m high jumps and landing and planing off plus doing serpentines at full speed.
I wish we got more days like this one..zzzzzzzz
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