Rogues (2694km):
3280 days ago Kyeemagh, NSW, AU
Formula first on Starboard 161 with Severne Code Red 11m and VMG75 fin assuming the day would be much like yesterday where the wind did not build. Wrong again. lol. Had a gread sail on the big gear as the wind built. Was getting petty spicy for my big rig and I had an off going downwind three quarters down the runway. Nothing big but the rig separated from the board and I could not catch the board as it was blown downwind away from me. I swam my arse off for as long as I could and frustratingly came within a meter of the board and then had to stop as I was just knackerd. Really done. Thankful I was wearning my life vest at that point I must say (although ironically perhaps I would have caught up to my board without the vest on??). Anyway I was bloody miles from anywhere and looked around and saw no one. I had gone further down wind than the slalom sailors up in the corner. Gave up on the board and sail at that point and started the long swim back to shore figuring I would sort something out to retrieve the gear when I got there. But then luckily there was one sailor doing runs down near the boat ramp who spotted my board and sailed to it. He dropped his rig and sat with my board to stop it going down wind further. So I turned around and swam to him. Took 5 mins or so but I made it back to the board. The chap made sure my gear was not broken but just separated and with that, I paddled off on my board to retrieve my sail. He said he'd keep an eye out to make sure I was all good. Thank you so much mate. I don't know your name but you saved me from a huge swim and the chance of possibly not retrieving my gear at all. Thumbs up for you!! 
Anyway, got to my board after another 5 min paddle and was just completely buggered at that pont. Reattached my rig and sailed back. Got to the beach and noticed I had a small tear in my sail in the second lowest panel. Ugh I thought but given the wind had picked up, no bother, I just rigged the slalom gear.
JP Slalom Racing IX 68 with the NP RSS 7.8m with 36cm Goldwing fin. Hit 32 on my first run and felt great. Then started to gybe only to find my rig floating in my hands, separated again from my board. Put it down in the water as gently as I could and reattached. This was becoming bothersome! Kept sailng only to have the same thing happen again but this time, another small tear in the lower sail panel and then the penny dropped - all these tears have happened when the mast has sepaated from the base and as I've laid the sail down, the pin from the mast base must have gone through the monofilm. Luckily they are failry small tears so I think I'm all good with a bit of sail tape but that was the final straw for those stoopid euro cup to pin converters you can buy. They do not work. I am trowing them in the bin and goung back to euro cup.
So that's three lessons I learned today:
1) Life vests can be quite useful. I am not saying I would have drowned but it sure was nice to have that bit of extra flotation when I was staring down the barel of a 1km swim back to shore.
2) Windsurfers are an awesome bunch of guys. The guy who helped me get my board back didn't have to. He stayed with my board for at least 5 mins and waited til he could see I was ok before leaving me. Awesome. Thanks again mysterious sailor!
3) Euro cup to pin converters do not work. They are a terrible piece of junk and I am throwing them out today and gong back to euro cup.
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