Quick sail at Pt M.

Patrik 115l, KA Koncept 7.5 and Vector Volt 40cam.

Majestic Point, WA, AU

4 categories

Melville Beach, WA, AU

Spent plenty of time today trying to tune this combo but still not getting it to fly. Some good gusts out there today but felt like the sail was forcing the board in to the water. Rigged to spec but I should have tried to come in and put more downhaul on. Problem was it was the usual on /off, stand around chatting winter westerly.

Loft Switchblade 6.8 on the Loft 75% mast did rig a bit better than the powerex but not a difference I would rave about.

Tried the 32 Goldwing today but it didn't feel like it used to in the iso 90. Moved the base back of centre to start but felt like I was crabbing.  Moved further back in increments which improved the fin hold but then when the wind booted felt too flighty. Finally moved it forward of centre which improved the control and upwind but didn't help the speed.

Finally got too cold and derigged in the white out rain.

Loft Switchblade 6.8, M SL91, GW32

2 categories

Melville Beach, WA, AU

Surf was up on the swan, when those big black clouds and face punching drops of rain came in anyway. Then it went from mad to bad, very on and off when the fronts came through. Wacked on the Mistral 91 and had a bit of trouble holding in down in the gusts and chop, today it wanted to go flying and i wasnt brave enough to go with it so i ended up with grazed shins and got a tad chilly in the water.

One thing that really sticks in my mind about today was when the black clouds came in and almost turned it into night and how awesome the bright colours of the boards and sails look against it. Would make a brilliant photo i reckon. Yeah i know the simple things.

Lots out, great to see

xfire 102, mistral 91, reflexII 7.0, Tribal WS 29

Coodanup, WA, AU

90 Xfire, 29 speed weed, 6.2 Overdrive

Some big squals and heavy rain at times, but fun never the less.

The heater in the car was on maximum all the way home

Melville Beach, WA, AU

A quiet afternoon on the river. NOT!

I was completely overpowered, I arrived and the wind was dropping so I rigged a 7.8 this was always going to be a handfull. Never managed to settle down gusty wind choppy water what a blast

FS 111; reflex 7.8 started with a 42 finished with a 36

Melville Beach, WA, AU, Koncept 6.6 and Mistral 112 - nice day out, started feeling like summer and then the front came in. Glad I got almost completely packed up before the rain hit. Just a bit damp inside the car. Good to say hello to a few and get back on the water.

Hilight of the day was watching a bird with a fish, it caught it in the shallows just south of the car park and was struggling to carry it (a decent sized fish), took it a lot of work to get over to the south west side of the "bay". It seemed to land there so assume it was feeding something.

Pinnaroo Point, WA, AU I wanted to go to flat water with a hard to control urge to join Fangy but there was no sign of wind anywhere but my local place and I did not fency 200km drive both ways. Started with 100l Speedster. That was not enough. 125l Rocket and 42 weed fin worked. We had all year in one day. From sunny low westerlys to overpowering wind, rainbow and dark sky and rain. Good to see Obelix and few locals. 6.5 easy. The swell was surely slowing us down.

1 categories

Coodanup, WA, AU 6.5T4, M91, 31JP weedie

Arrived at Coodanup to see no-one on the water. I was thinking they'd all packed up and gone elsewhere, but it turned out they'd been chinwagging so long after the BBQ they hadn't actually made it onto the water yet. It was still sunny and relatively warm with about 15 knots of wind. I rigged big, and put on the springsuit. The sun disappeared as I hit the water. The 6.5 was underpowered some of the time, and then quite nice, and then BAM! the front came through with a vengeance. There were two huge squalls. The mandurah graph shows one of 37 knots. I don't know if it was that strong where we were but I do remember thinking my 4.9 sail would have been handy. The last squall had so much rain in it I was worried I might sail into someone because I could hardly see in the whiteout. Fangy and Decrepit say I sailed past them after they got slammed but I don't remember seeing them at all. I was just concentrating on hanging on and staying in one piece. No bear aways today - Plenty of wind but it just didn't feel safe on the big gear. I must say I was impressed at how the Mistral board recovers and settles down after being on the edge of going over though. The speed boards are good at that, obviously the bigger Mistrals are too. I am sure I'd have caught a rail and gone over on any other board today.

After the big squall there was a big lull, so we all came ashore to compare notes and lick our wounds and get progressively colder. I actually came ashore to put on my wind jacket (having not put on my winter gear because it was sunny when I dressed) but got so cold standing around that I decided to call it a day. So did most of the others, especially when the thunder and lightning started, except Oaf, who hadn't actually gotten wet yet. Firie, who sailed in boardshorts and harness only, said he'd never been so cold in his life. A reminder of what there is to look forward to this winter.

Roll on summer!

Stroppo, congratulations on winning the Fangy 5X 10 challenge. Glad you like the trophy!

THE squall:

4 categories

Melville Beach, WA

Social Sunday, great to see so many out.

Lulls and bumps so a challenging NM - EDIT looking at the track I'm suprised how crosswind it was.

XFire 112,  Koncept 7,  CL SL1 34

Melville  - IS101 & 87, CR6.5, Vector 32.  I can't believe the crowd of windsurfers out!  You would think it is a warm sunny summer afternoon.