It is best to twist according to the following formula:
Number of twists = strap length / board volume + number of cams in largest sail. ;)
– Glenn Woodell
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Day #18 on the lake
NEW GPS SPEED RECORD! 24.0 mph
I got on the water at Hamilton Creek Boat Ramp at 11:30 AM and sailed pretty much solid for 2 1/2 hours. I came in when I saw Bob H. rigging a 9.0, gave him a downhaul tool which he so needed, and was back out in 10 minutes.
I soon hit 20 on the GPS and hit 22.8 at one point, but I really wanted to hit 23. My last run in was a broad reach and I believe that is when I hit the big 24. I would guess, partially due to the smallish chop on that run, that max wind was 16 mph.
First sesh: 2:20 hours
Second sesh: 30 minutes.
Here is my course:
It was great day and I am tired.
Max Temperature 88 °F / 31 °C
Wind Speed 3 mph / 9 km/h ()
Max Wind Speed 15 mph / 24 km/h, mostly NE
Max Gust Speed 22 mph / 35 km/h
My Max Speed: 24.0 mph
Avg Speed: 5.6 mph
Distance: 17.33 miles
AHD Attitude Inspiro
9.5 V8
Techtonics Maui 58cm
I got on the water at Hamilton Creek Boat Ramp at 11:30 AM and sailed pretty much solid for 2 1/2 hours. I came in when I saw Bob H. rigging a 9.0, gave him a downhaul tool which he so needed, and was back out in 10 minutes.
I soon hit 20 on the GPS and hit 22.8 at one point, but I really wanted to hit 23. My last run in was a broad reach and I believe that is when I hit the big 24. I would guess, partially due to the smallish chop on that run, that max wind was 16 mph.
First sesh: 2:20 hours
Second sesh: 30 minutes.
Here is my course:
It was great day and I am tired.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Longboard Sailing
HOT Sails Maui owner Jeff Henderson says in an interview at Robert Masters’ Stable Road website:
Longboard windsurfing is the yoga of windsurfing.
So true.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Day #17 on the lake
Thursday, June 14th, 2007
I went to Hamilton Creek even though the forecast was NE 5. I arrived at noon, rigged Superlight/6.3 and putted around. There were some decent 7-8 puffs, so I worked on fast tacks and got them down much better.
Robyn finally made it out around 3:30 and we worked on her tacks and upwind techinque. She only sailed for 30 minutes and had to leave. I headed out of the harbor into the lake and there was a solid 9; I might have had fun on the 9.5. I made just a few short runs, then headed back.
Max Temperature 92 °F / 33 °C
Wind Speed 2 mph / 4 km/h ()
Max Wind Speed 14 mph / 22 km/h (I saw this when I got home this evening)
Max Gust Speed - none
GPS: Yeah, right.
I went to Hamilton Creek even though the forecast was NE 5. I arrived at noon, rigged Superlight/6.3 and putted around. There were some decent 7-8 puffs, so I worked on fast tacks and got them down much better.
Robyn finally made it out around 3:30 and we worked on her tacks and upwind techinque. She only sailed for 30 minutes and had to leave. I headed out of the harbor into the lake and there was a solid 9; I might have had fun on the 9.5. I made just a few short runs, then headed back.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Only Suit That Matters Is A Wetsuit.
We’re playing “pass around the quote”. I found this on Bunts Blog. Bunty found it on Boardseeker. The person who posted it in Boardseeker apparently found it on a South African windsurfing site that is unidentified.
“Windsurfing is not just a sport, nor is it just a pass-time or something to do on a weekend, not to me anyway. It’s a partnership between man and the power of the elements, a relationship with the wind and the water. Windsurfing is like swimming with dolphins, or riding on the back of a lion. It’s humbling and empowering at the same time. It’s everything.
People are forever changed by windsurfing. It alters your priorities and it fills you with a sense of awe. Suddenly, the importance of your bank balance and the car you drive diminishes. The only suit that matters is a wetsuit. People’s opinions become less important. Investment-trust pish-pash, anti-ageing cream big whoop.
The allure of the city lights grow weaker and the call of the wild grows stronger. Bad weather is good weather, terrible weather - even better. When the parasols are hurredly removed from the beaches in the advent of a storm, when the sky and the water seems furious and sand stings your legs, that’s when the windsurfers appear.
So if it seems that we’re uninterested in your board meeting, or our glaringly absent faces betray our indifference to your marketing pitch, it’s not that we don’t like you, we just don’t care. We answer to a higher calling…”
Borrowed from The Peconic Puffin
“Windsurfing is not just a sport, nor is it just a pass-time or something to do on a weekend, not to me anyway. It’s a partnership between man and the power of the elements, a relationship with the wind and the water. Windsurfing is like swimming with dolphins, or riding on the back of a lion. It’s humbling and empowering at the same time. It’s everything.
People are forever changed by windsurfing. It alters your priorities and it fills you with a sense of awe. Suddenly, the importance of your bank balance and the car you drive diminishes. The only suit that matters is a wetsuit. People’s opinions become less important. Investment-trust pish-pash, anti-ageing cream big whoop.
The allure of the city lights grow weaker and the call of the wild grows stronger. Bad weather is good weather, terrible weather - even better. When the parasols are hurredly removed from the beaches in the advent of a storm, when the sky and the water seems furious and sand stings your legs, that’s when the windsurfers appear.
So if it seems that we’re uninterested in your board meeting, or our glaringly absent faces betray our indifference to your marketing pitch, it’s not that we don’t like you, we just don’t care. We answer to a higher calling…”
Borrowed from The Peconic Puffin
Day #16 on the lake >> YEAH, BABY!
Tuesday, June 12th, 2007
What a great day! It’s 6:15 and still blowing 15 gusting to 21. The forecasts all said NE 5-10. Once forecast last night said 5-15, but this morning that was gone. Still, I had a feeling it would hit 15 and boy was I right! I sailed 7.5 and I bet I planed all but 10 minutes at most.
I checked the dam, but parking was pretty busy even at 11:30, so I went to Hamilton Creek boat ramp and it looked great; side-on and a fair amount of whitecaps up by Bear Island. I thought I could make it up there on 7.5 and AHD, so that is what I took and I was right. I had a bazillion great runs and worked my way up even with Anderson Road Swimming Area and the Elm Hill cliffs. It wa sha-weet! I sailed for an hour and 55 minutes, then came back in. Robyn was finally bringing her own gear, but had no mast and I needed to be there to lend her the correct mast and get her rigged.
Robyn has a narrowish 9′10″ Seatrend and about a 1988 Pryde 6.2 Sprint RAF. My 460 was a bit stiff for the sail, but it rigged okay and off she went. She immediately went downwind as she always does, but she stuck it out and worked her way back upwind. I guess she was out about an hour and I was really proud of her.
When she came back in, I sailed the board across the lake and got planing with the 6.2, but could not make it to the straps, so I moved the mastfoot back and inch and got in the front strap on the way back. What a nice day!
Max Temperature 88 °F / 31 °C
Wind Speed 4 mph / 8 km/h ()
Max Wind Speed 18 mph / 30 km/h
Max Gust Speed 24 mph / 39 km/h
GPS Top Speed: 20.7 MPH
What a great day! It’s 6:15 and still blowing 15 gusting to 21. The forecasts all said NE 5-10. Once forecast last night said 5-15, but this morning that was gone. Still, I had a feeling it would hit 15 and boy was I right! I sailed 7.5 and I bet I planed all but 10 minutes at most.
I checked the dam, but parking was pretty busy even at 11:30, so I went to Hamilton Creek boat ramp and it looked great; side-on and a fair amount of whitecaps up by Bear Island. I thought I could make it up there on 7.5 and AHD, so that is what I took and I was right. I had a bazillion great runs and worked my way up even with Anderson Road Swimming Area and the Elm Hill cliffs. It wa sha-weet! I sailed for an hour and 55 minutes, then came back in. Robyn was finally bringing her own gear, but had no mast and I needed to be there to lend her the correct mast and get her rigged.
Robyn has a narrowish 9′10″ Seatrend and about a 1988 Pryde 6.2 Sprint RAF. My 460 was a bit stiff for the sail, but it rigged okay and off she went. She immediately went downwind as she always does, but she stuck it out and worked her way back upwind. I guess she was out about an hour and I was really proud of her.
When she came back in, I sailed the board across the lake and got planing with the 6.2, but could not make it to the straps, so I moved the mastfoot back and inch and got in the front strap on the way back. What a nice day!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Day #15 on the lake (light day)
Sunday, June 10th, 2007
The forecast was NE 5-10 and I felt like it would never make it to 10 (I was right), so I avoided all the boats and spent the day in the cove at Hamilton Creek. The Superlight and 6.3 were fun to sail and I gave Robyn (who did not stay but an hour or so) a beachstart lesson. She did it almost immediately!
I was there from 11:30 AM until 4:30 PM and was joined by about 8 kayakers. It was a pretty day, not too hot, but also not too windy.
Max Temperature 87 °F / 30 °C
Wind Speed 2 mph / 4 km/h ()
Max Wind Speed 10 mph / 17 km/h
GPS: Are you kidding? No.
The forecast was NE 5-10 and I felt like it would never make it to 10 (I was right), so I avoided all the boats and spent the day in the cove at Hamilton Creek. The Superlight and 6.3 were fun to sail and I gave Robyn (who did not stay but an hour or so) a beachstart lesson. She did it almost immediately!
I was there from 11:30 AM until 4:30 PM and was joined by about 8 kayakers. It was a pretty day, not too hot, but also not too windy.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Day #14 on the lake
Friday, June 8th, 2007
Does today count? Well, I (barely) sailed, so I guess it must.
I was going to give Robyn more lessons today. The forecast was SW 10-15, but at 10:30 it was winder than that and really gusty. Bob H. and I talked and he decided to not go out. Robyn and I talked; she had a 10:30 meeting, but said to give her friend Gail a call. Gail grew up in Hawaii, looks 30-ish, knows how to surf and windsurfed 25 years ago. Robyn said we would hit it off.
I called Gail and she got to Cook as I got the 5.5 rigged. It was really up and down and I would have rigged 7.5 for myself, but with impending storms, I didn’t want to get caught out with too much sail, so I figured I would sail the 5.5 if the wind arrived before the rain and lightning.
Gail was cool and wanted to learn so, against my better judgment, I had her out on the Fanatic and 5.5 Wow, she struggled a bit before she got uphauled, but she sailed the Fanatic. I was really impressed. She managed to stay upwind for quite awhile headed for Bear Island, but the wind picked up and she drifted a ways downwind as she caught her breath. She tried to get going again, but was now downwind and never had enough wind to get going again. I knew she was tired, so I walked along the beach, took her sandals and sailed the board back to the beach.
We talked for 15-20 minutes, she left, the wind and lightning came at the same time, and I was glad to be in the shadow of my car as I derigged in 30-35 winds.
Calm before the storm; then Wunderground says max gusts were 30, bull. Definitely 40-ish.
Does today count? Well, I (barely) sailed, so I guess it must.
I was going to give Robyn more lessons today. The forecast was SW 10-15, but at 10:30 it was winder than that and really gusty. Bob H. and I talked and he decided to not go out. Robyn and I talked; she had a 10:30 meeting, but said to give her friend Gail a call. Gail grew up in Hawaii, looks 30-ish, knows how to surf and windsurfed 25 years ago. Robyn said we would hit it off.
I called Gail and she got to Cook as I got the 5.5 rigged. It was really up and down and I would have rigged 7.5 for myself, but with impending storms, I didn’t want to get caught out with too much sail, so I figured I would sail the 5.5 if the wind arrived before the rain and lightning.
Gail was cool and wanted to learn so, against my better judgment, I had her out on the Fanatic and 5.5 Wow, she struggled a bit before she got uphauled, but she sailed the Fanatic. I was really impressed. She managed to stay upwind for quite awhile headed for Bear Island, but the wind picked up and she drifted a ways downwind as she caught her breath. She tried to get going again, but was now downwind and never had enough wind to get going again. I knew she was tired, so I walked along the beach, took her sandals and sailed the board back to the beach.
We talked for 15-20 minutes, she left, the wind and lightning came at the same time, and I was glad to be in the shadow of my car as I derigged in 30-35 winds.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Day #13 on the lake
Thursday, June 7th, 2007
Ahhhh, another day in 5.5 paradise!
I left the house this morning, circled the block and came back for the 95 liter Tempo. I arrived at Cook at 11:30 to find Bob H. rigging 7.5 for his newish IMCO (his only board). Bob is 230 lbs. and at least 6′5″, so his gear choice wasn’t a total shock, but it sure looked like 5.5 to me. I rigged and went out on the Tempo. My mastfoot was too far forward, so I sailed to the other side and adjusted it. Yes, much better. The Tempo and 5.5 were great when powered up, but there were a lot of holes and I sank pretty bad in them. After about four 1-mile runs, I came in for the Fanatic.
Bob had said he was going to sail in front of the beach, but he was nowhere in sight. I had robbed the fin screw off the Fanatic to put a 13.5″ Wardog ATX on the Tempo, which had felt good and pointed well, but the screw suddenly did not fit any of my Trimbox fins! I went through the entire bag of fin screws and nothing worked. The one screw that I had been using fit the ATX, so I stuck that on the Fanatic and went out and it was good, but there were still holes. There were times today when I wished I was on 7.5, but it was incredibly gusty and 30 seconds later I was powered or overpowered on the 5.5.
Robyn showed up with her new shortie, but had forgot to bring shoes. I gave her a waterstart lesson anyway and she did really well. She almost got up a couple of times and once went over the handlebars very nicely. :) That did not freak her out, she was ready for more.
In the meantime, Bob H. finally appeared. He had headed toward the dam, it really picked up and he got stuck. He said he wasn’t even considering jibing and I agreed, but later I nailed one jibe, did two pretty good ones and blew a bunch more. My tacks were good today and I tacked about half the time.
It picked back up and looked like it would stay up, so Robyn went to the beach and I sailed for about an hour. When I returned, there was a note saying she had gone for shoes. I didn’t expect her to return, but she did and was ready for more waterstart lessons. She got all the way up a couple of times, but it was really blowing and she went over the handlebars each time; but I think she’s got it and she was really stoked! We’re all doing it again tomorrow.
Man, I’m tired and happy.
Max Temperature 90 °F / 32 °C
Wind Speed 5 mph / 11 km/h ()
Max Wind Speed 16 mph / 26 km/h
Max Gust Speed 30 mph / 48 km/h
Ahhhh, another day in 5.5 paradise!
I left the house this morning, circled the block and came back for the 95 liter Tempo. I arrived at Cook at 11:30 to find Bob H. rigging 7.5 for his newish IMCO (his only board). Bob is 230 lbs. and at least 6′5″, so his gear choice wasn’t a total shock, but it sure looked like 5.5 to me. I rigged and went out on the Tempo. My mastfoot was too far forward, so I sailed to the other side and adjusted it. Yes, much better. The Tempo and 5.5 were great when powered up, but there were a lot of holes and I sank pretty bad in them. After about four 1-mile runs, I came in for the Fanatic.
Bob had said he was going to sail in front of the beach, but he was nowhere in sight. I had robbed the fin screw off the Fanatic to put a 13.5″ Wardog ATX on the Tempo, which had felt good and pointed well, but the screw suddenly did not fit any of my Trimbox fins! I went through the entire bag of fin screws and nothing worked. The one screw that I had been using fit the ATX, so I stuck that on the Fanatic and went out and it was good, but there were still holes. There were times today when I wished I was on 7.5, but it was incredibly gusty and 30 seconds later I was powered or overpowered on the 5.5.
Robyn showed up with her new shortie, but had forgot to bring shoes. I gave her a waterstart lesson anyway and she did really well. She almost got up a couple of times and once went over the handlebars very nicely. :) That did not freak her out, she was ready for more.
In the meantime, Bob H. finally appeared. He had headed toward the dam, it really picked up and he got stuck. He said he wasn’t even considering jibing and I agreed, but later I nailed one jibe, did two pretty good ones and blew a bunch more. My tacks were good today and I tacked about half the time.
It picked back up and looked like it would stay up, so Robyn went to the beach and I sailed for about an hour. When I returned, there was a note saying she had gone for shoes. I didn’t expect her to return, but she did and was ready for more waterstart lessons. She got all the way up a couple of times, but it was really blowing and she went over the handlebars each time; but I think she’s got it and she was really stoked! We’re all doing it again tomorrow.
Man, I’m tired and happy.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Day #12 on the lake
Max Temperature 82 °F / 28 °C
Max Wind Speed 16 mph / 26 km/h
Max Gust Speed 25 mph / 41 km/h
Didn’t use GPS, was afraid I would break it.
YEAH, BABY! I got to Cook at 11:30 and on the water with Fanatic and the 5.5 at 11:45. It was up and down, but I stayed with it and got a lot of great rides. The forecast was W15-20, but it clocked around alot to NW and looked like it picked up, but left a wind shadow half way across the lake on the Cook side. I never took advantage of the NW to sail toward Hamilton Creek because I was afraid of getting to the middle, being way overpowered, then having to limp back to Cook in no wind; so I sailed back and forth between Cook and Bear Island. In spite of temps in the 80’s, it was so windy that the one time I fell, I wished I had a shorty when I was back up in the wind.
After a couple of hours I came in and rigged 7.5. I thought it would build all day long, but it seemed to be dropping off. I got some great 7.5 rides, but it was coming back, so I came in. Robyn and Kelly brought me some potato salad, so I hung out with them and ate. Then it really picked up, they left, I went out for some more 5.5 action, but crap it was windy! One trip over the Bear Island and I decided to call it a day. What a great 4 1/2 hours!!!
I won’t add wunderground’s graph for today as it is totally wrong.
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