Bellbridge, VIC, AU

NW 12 to 20knts. Gusty. Was a bit worried as I was by self and storms were forcast so went safe as still learning. Had a nice catapault trying to get into the back footstrap. Rocket 145l, 5.7m Zone.

6 categories

Swan Bay, Vic, AU.

Great day at Swan Bay again. Big rain and squalls when we arrived at 10am.

On water about 1130am after wind had swung NW.

Great to sail with Bero today he was going great on the Carve111, Goya 4.4m AND kESTRAL 20cm.

Red and Dale from the Cremasters were there - Great crew to sail with.

Maiden run on the Mach1 5.5m - awesome, light, wicked.

Isonic W54, SV Mach1 5,5m, Techart 22cm/MUF DeltaXT 20cm,

6 categories

Lake George, SA

Mad winds this morning. I am glad Carl and Sam turned up or I may have piked it! 

As it was we procrastinated for a long time before finally braving it. In hindsight (wonderful thing that..) we should have gone earlier, but it was definitly daunting.

I rigged the 4.6m Koncept and 5.2m Koncept Prototype. Fitted Kestrel 16 to the speed board as the water had all got blown away and the weed was thick on the surface in Kev's Bay. After the first run with the 5.2m I thought it was a mistake! I was struggling to stop the board flying out of the water and the fin felt very different. I tacked right up almost to the 5 mile and back into Kev's bay until I got to the weedy glass. Massive gust and bearaway and I thought I was a goner for sure. I was barely keeping the board from lifting off and not really pushing at all. The water was absolute glass though!! 

Got to the edge of the lake where Sam and Carl were waiting to see if I lived through it. I glanced at the watch and said it looks like a 42.5, but it felt like a 48!!! I considered for a minute and decided to go and get the 4.6m and the 16cm Lessacher fin. I figured the fin would feel more familiar and allow me to push. What I was doing that I glanced at my watch again and realise I had a 45.2 peak! The 42.5 was the 10 second! Holy cow! No wonder I felt on the edge!!

I went back with the smaller sail and fin and got one more OK run before the wind really started dying. The fin was dragging weed badly in the glass and not feeling all that good anyhow. I had a few more runs and was feeling pretty underpowered with only one more 40 peak so I went and and changed back the the original fin and sail. Obviously, the wind was dying fast as we were struggling to get going at times and didn't do another peak over 40.

It didn't matter though. I finally got over 44 and peak 45 again after more than two years! Yeeehaaa! 

It was quite a learning experience to figure out how to deal with the super strong winds and the thick weed. When the lake is this low and the weed so thick I definitly need  a 50 degree fin. I probably should have just manned up and stuck with the original setup, but thats what the leaning experience is.

It desn't look like it's worth hanging around until tomorrow, but it is definitly worth another trip back here on a big front. 

CA40, Kestrel 16cm, Lessacher 16cm rake 40, KA Koncept 5.2m Proto. 2016 Koncept 4.6m. GW52