5 categories

Clifton Beach, QLD, AU SE-ESE 15-19 knots .Used the RRD xfire 98 Tribal SW 31 RSR E 7 7m2.Nice combo for today-needed a few more knots of breeze ...

Holloways Beach, QLD, AU After last weeks head cracking catapult, when I laid down to sleep I found I'd  also cracked  a rib which has progressively become more irritated. Anyway as Ed said you just need to harden up. After 10 k's  of just reaching back and forth, practicing gybes  my rib started to whinge so I thought better  not push my luck.

Isonic 120, 6.7 Overdrive, 43 alloy blade fin.

/Tinaroo Dam   .....Just a bit of a go,,,,very rusty  and now a bit stiff   ....Just me and the ghost and some skiers   

Port Douglas, QLD, AU

2 categories

Port Douglas, QLD, AU

Nice sail at Port. Water was flatter than usual for the beach, and the wind was a reasonable 20ish Knts.

First run on my new 2018 Isonic 107 and I am very impressed! Feels flightier under foot than the 2016 107 that it's replacing, and much nicer to jybe. Also used a Drake DW 36 for the first time and also impressed!

Used, 2018 Isonic 107, Drake DW 36, and R8 Overdrive 7.0 

Port Douglas, QLD, AU

A less expensive option would have been to stay at home. 

A supberb afternoon in Port today. To set the scene, a very low swell line, 16 knts breeze in shore with 20 way out wide. Sunny, and really was the smoothest ive seen Port in a long time. To top it off, great company...Captn Kel, Benny, Boxy, Andrew and Old Grumpy Guts himself - Ed, the Port Royal!!!

Decided today was the day that I was going to crack an open water 30kt run on the old Blue Bludger. Take her where she has never been taken before. Finally rigged my old HSM GPS to the req specs and it felt like a machine. No issues today at all, very comfortable. First squirt out the back was my tester, making sure I didnt need to make any final changes, second run out was to have a small downwinder and get a feel for a full blown effort to make the 30kt barrier and comfortably managed 28.28. Fantastic, lets crank her up wind, get in as close to the reef for the return run out and give it everything for the coming afternoon. Well, famous last words . Out near the headland, my Hot Rod RDM let go. BANG. Snapped cleanly, above the boom and about 30cm from the 2 pce join area.  Didnt even get 10 km's out today.....didnt even get to see the rest of the lads sail. A big thank you to Kel who was in the area and helped with the de rigging process and tow back into shore.

Used - AHD Diamond "Blue Bludger" 125, 49 S10, HSM GPS 7.3

Port Douglas, QLD, AU

Had a great day out there with the boys from Cairns. Rigged my trusty 6.5m Severne Turbo single cam.  Just enough sail and just enough wind for the first 30 minutes and then a frustrating 40 minutes getting knocked down the beach.  Let an inch off the downhaul to get some more grunt out of it.  Wind had turned ESE and, after much cursing, it decided to pick up again - had the rest of the session working out as flat as I could and then getting in some nice powered up runs. Very low tide seemed to make things rougher out the back... My mate, Ed got off his sick bed for another one of his typical epix.  Great to see him back in action.  Sorry to see Billy doing the walk of shame after a mast snapped on him way out wide.

Port Douglas, QLD, AU

Nice afternoon sailing with Capt'n Kel, Billy, Boxy, Ed & Andrew.  Bit light on for the first 30mins, was struggling to get on the plane (have to lose some kgs!!)- made me question whether I should have rigged bigger...  Wind then picked up nicely and the water was nice and flat for the beach, so it turned out to be a fairly decent session.

Have a little case of the man flu which knocked me around a bit today...  Had a pretty decent prang over the handle bars making me still feel alive!  Bit annoyed with my NM's of late.  Need to lock in some longers runs- just wasn't feeling it today playing it a bit safe.

Used Futura 122 Severne Convert 6.7 BP 47.5

All being said, another funday Sunday with great company!

Poor Billy, I feel for you mate!  That's a busted mast for each of us within the last few weeks!!  

"Long May our Big Jibs Draw!"

Port Douglas, QLD, AU....Yer never got down the beach till late, think i missed most of the action...Heard Billy broke a mast which spoilt the moment for him.. He wanted to get 30kts on trusty old AHD, which would have to be one of the most 'thrashed boards on the planet.'..Heard the captian towed him home...'That would of been fun'Well done Kel...Benny looked to be having some great runs on a late arvo sea breeze think he went home shagged but happy..Andrew is in a happy place with his sailing at the moment and looked great and totaly in control and enjoying that late arvo breeze..Never saw Boxy sail think he had to go in to damage control and help rescue his old man...As far as my session went..What can i say.. Guess it was worth rigging up for..Had a good fun blast on 97lt Isonic 6.6m north rig was carrying a bit much fin didn't realy need 38 veriom fin, water was smooth enough  and it was gusting nearly 25kts out in the big pool as the sun started to go down, 36 cm fin would of been a bit faster..But going back to the beach to change it was way to much effort..Still inrecovery mode as far as injuries go left arm is  a bit weak and  back is still a bit shabby..Dropped a couple of gybes out the back so i pulled up a bit before dark..would of been nice to get my 75 kms in but i failed..Not sure what is wrong with new GPS has no Alpha on it...Billy looked at it before he went to beach he seemed to think it was already dialed in..I wouldn't know...Cheers Ed..