4 categories

Budgewoi Lake, NSW, AU, South 15-25kts

CA44 Delta XT50 14cm and North Warp 6.2m

Great day at Budgie, there is currently a reasonably large perfectly flat area. Bit underdone with the 6.2, but some really nice runs and I think perhaps a PB alpha for me on the speed board.

Strangley not many out for such a nice day. Only the Jordans and a few short stints by a few others

3 categories

Marmong Point, NSW, AU

25-30kts plus SSW then one run  20-25kts S Valentine, NSW, AU

 4.2m Sailworks revo - Windtech 85ltre magic bullit - 20cm centre fin

Well that was a baptism of fire!  

I've only used the Windtech 2 x before - both in 10-20kts of wind where I only got a few barely powered runs..Ideally a nice 20kts would have been good to get used to it but the wind gods had other ideas.

Just me and a yacht with a storm sail up. I wore my mobile in case things went pearshaped..

When I got there it was 20-25kts. I haven't sailed B & J for 6 years so I wasn't really sure what size to rig. I rigged the 4.8m Sailworks Hucker ( both sails are early 2000's models) but when I was about to go out decided it was too strong so rigged the 4.2m. I should have rigged the 3.8m! 

 I was a bit worried about the 85ltre being too big in those conditions. Back in 2012 I was out at Valentine in similar conditions on a 78ltre  and got lifted and thrown and ended up on crutches with a badly corked thigh.

Mega powered on the 4.2m. The harness lines were in the wrong position and I was in "look after myself ' mode and was using my front arm a lot to depower the sail and be ready to push the mast away if necessary. After one run my forearms were like jelly..

I usually rely on the harness lines 100% of the time..

Still I survived , didn't get catapulted and stayed safe so that was good. 

I just luffed the sail in the strong stuff and sailed a bit in the lulls. Pity I'm not used to the board and good with it. There were some waist high ramps coming through. 

I muffed all my gybes.. Most waterstarting practise I've had in ages..

I suppose I shouldn't expect to get them as I was grossly overpowered at first and just concerned with staying safe.  I tried a few faster ones later but didn't choose a good ramp ( just in the slop) . Think I need more speed and flip earlier or clewfirst exits.. After an hour it died a little and was a little less like  survival sailing. 

I came in and had lunch and  I noticed my old alloy boom clamp had come off the mast..It had been making some noises too so I decided to change to the more modern boom. It was 5 " too long though..

 I went out for one more run but it was starting to get some holes . I'm still getting used to sailing raf sails plus the board.. I was wallowing around trying to balance and  going nowhere thinking the wind had died and then realised it had just turned more S . Bore off and went much better. 

 It settled into a nice 20-25kts S as I derigged. That would have been a better intro..

 Oh well I  survived and I'll know to rig the 3.8m next time it's that strong.

I hope I can get fit enough and good enough to start to use the boards potential. It seemed pretty well behaved gybing wise and generally didn't give me any scares.

It had a decent turn of speed too - I didn't really bear off much and mostly tried to keep my speed down.

 If there had been others out I might have persevered but I figured quit while I was ahead.

I  still don't know a lot about the tail but I'd had it set with not much rocker probably 5mm. Today I screwed it out so it had about 50% of movement and didn't lock it so it could flex. I  figured that would slow it down a bit