Thursday 26th May - Windsurf **** The Manor, Felixstowe – sunny periods.

Longboard Fin – 23.44 knot max, 21.35 knot ave., 8.77 knot hour, 19.21 knot mile, 40.31 km., 5.70 knot alpha.

Fanatic Cat with Tushingham Lightning 8.5m and 39 fin.

A couple of options today, Levington first thing to make the most of the tide or The Manor in the afternoon giving the wind time to sort its self out and for the tide to drop a little! As the wind was light first thing it was option two which gave me time to do my exercises in the sunny back garden:) The wind was west until around midday when it went WSW, cross off so I headed down to The Manor once again for the second day running with Mag coming so she could have her daily walk but it had clouded over but there were still some glimpses of sunshine. With no foiling kit yet it was time to take my old, battered Fanatic longboard out for a spin and boy I love that board:) With the wind a little off it is hard to judge its strength but there was white water so I took a chance with my 8.5 once again, my favourite longboard sail. I headed out around 12.30 and soon hit the wind line, yes it was breezy, regularly gusting over 20 knots but the 8.5 handles that with no problem. I had no plans for today’s session but when I realised now windy it was, I decided to pull the track back, put the plate up and reach up the coast. It was mega going broad both feet in the straps doing two-mile-long reaches and I made The Dip in four reaches and was very pleased to break 23 knots, not bad for a big, heavy board in a lumpy sea! I landed for a snack and had my fingers crossed that the wind did not pick up anymore! With 20+ knots of wind and sailing straight into some steep chop it was time to use about three quarter plate and take it steady, I love sailing upwind old style railed up on the daggerboard, might be slow but what fun:) I made it to Landguard beach in four tacks by doing really long runs turning just short of the shipping channel. There were two foilers now out, Ian and Andy so I decided to have some more reaches to try for a 20 knot average and ended up landing by the pier before one last beat back with one last mega reach back as getting knackered! Its been a full on couple of day but great fun none the less, another breezy day tomorrow before the wind goes N to NW an OK direction for the Stour but with no foiling kit I am not sure what to do?

PS – so some good speeds today for my longboard 23.44 max with a 21.35 average and a 19.21 mile, loved it:)

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