2 categories

ARooBar, Chinook, WA, US

Loft Blade 5.6, CA44 Speedfire 24

First session in months, huey had taken an overseas vacation and other than a few farts we've been windless. Boris the enforcer came up from Nevada and we had a nice session at ARooBar. He turned his 5.5 into a 3.9 after head butting the sail and I now have an assysmetric carbon boom. Good way to get back in shape and start the new year.

6 categories

Arrived at ARooBar and unlike last year, this time things were looking good for some speed runs. Mission; break 40 knots. First time sailing there but no problem, Roo was there and ready to take me on ARooBar tour. Thanks Roo :-)! Great looking sand bar with possibility of sailing three different legs depending on wind direction. This time, it was the first leg. I started very slow sailing up and down out of the foot straps, just to get some feel for the place and sense of orientation. Everything checked out ok and it was time to put down some speed runs.

First run ended with 40.2 knots max. and I immediately gained some confidence. Second run I waited for the big gust and decided to go for it 100%. Started with great upwind speed, moved tight to the bar and flying from the start. Gust was really strong and sling shot was next in order. OOOOOOOOOOO!!!.......little to fast and sailing turned into flying over and through my sail. Ouch! Re-rigged as fast as I could and back on the water while Roo was coming out with his boom tubes looking somewhat strange, pointing out in many directions. Tough day at work, I guess. Managed to do few more runs in shallow water before tide was too low. 

Mission accomplished! What a great speedsurfing spot! Can't wait to do it again, next time hopefully with less casualties and longer tide window.