3 categories

Hood River Marina, Sandbar Channel course, The Gorge, OR

Naish SP 80 Loft RB 5.6 vector Raven 26

First trip out to the channel sandbar course today, only about 100 yards of flat water then had to launch it into the chop to get a decent speed. Bitchin Betty was belting out 40 knots in my ear but 2 sec dropped me down. On 18 hz GPS showed a peak of 41.060 knots and 40.054 for 1 second.! My son joined me later for an evening session after he got off work.

Barton was in town with his Hilton on wheels RV, perfect setup for speed hunting at the coast!

First speed session this year. Joined dad at the sandbar after work.

Hood River Sandbar, Hood River, OR, US

Sailworks Retro 5.5, Goya Bolt 95, MFC KP-RC 360 wind: 24 18G30

Today Roo mentioned that my sailing technique is OK, I just have to be more aggressive in the jibes (i.e less timid) and as a result I got an 'I told you so' from my wife who has been saying the same thing to me for a couple of months (ever since I returned to the Gorge). On the other hand, this is coming from my wife who thought the standard jibe technique was the catapult launch . My response is "I'm working on being aggressive but not the catapult launch".

Not great numbers today like Roo's or Roo Jr's but felt good to start feeling comfortable holding down a 5.5 in 30 knot gusts. Didn't get the big numbers in part because I wasn't comfortable venturing far from the sandbank (and thus a beam reach) partially because I had an ongoing example of what could happen - a guy spent about 1 1/2 hours trying to waterstart to get back to shore as he drifted around in the current downwind of the sand spit. Roo finally had a jet ski go pull him back to shore.

Also, I wouldn't describe my new motorhome as 'Hilton on wheels' but it is a nice 2016 24' Class C built on a Mercedes Benz Diesel Sprinter dual rear tire chassis with two slide-outs, and it gets 16-17 MPG. Oh, and all the gear fits either in the rear 'vehicle wide' storgage or inside. Nothing dangling outside to tempt people. This is a vehicle that has many uses besides windsurfing .

2 categories

Sherman Island, Rio Vista, CA

Patrik SL 128, LB 9.6, F-HOT 46cm. 15 knots, gusting to 20.

While boys at the Gorge are enjoying strong wind and flat water behind the sand bar, I am having some relaxing sessions at the Delta on big gear. LB 9.6 is so sweet, I am even starting to think that I should start chasing some numbers with this kit. Goal; 35 kt max speed, 30 kt NM and 23 kt @??? Should have some good fun trying....