Hey guys,

Looks like Saturday will be perfect conditions for a DOWNWINDER:

Forecast for Saturday
Winds: Northerly 15-20kn increasing to 20-30kn during the morning
Seas 1-1.5m increasing to 2m during the morning.

So the plan is to meet at SANDRINGHAM Carpark at 9am sharp and then arrange shuttling up to St Kilda from there.

Everyone welcome. Please if you are inexperienced with Downwinding in these conditions, try and bring a PFD and leg-rope. Looks like there will be a few of us and we can all look after each other. Promises to be lots of fun!

See you there.

I'll be there and Jonathan will have his trailer that we can load lots of boards on.

DJ

we'll let the guys racing know there'll possibly be a downwinder on afterwards. Would be great to get both groups together out there and aim to combine it all next time if possible.

If possible would be good to meet earlier there in Sandy and see if the crew would be keen on racing first and then heading on a downwinder. Safety wise this week we prefer not to use the downwinder as the race as it would obviously be better for the group to stick together.

See how you go, we might see you out there tomorrow morning, if not enjoy!

Sounds like a good plan Teeps, see you at Sandy.

PS. I'll bring along a spare PFD if there are any downwind newbies and I'll also have a set of marine VHF radios to assist with safety measures. We will make sure no-one gets left behind. It will be a great fun social paddle with latest forecast suggesting mainly sunny conditions and 20 degrees.

Looking at the maps I think it would be a good idea to move it back a bit. Looks like you will
get more wind from about 12pm onwards. Slight chance it could be a little NE early as well.
Myself and Matt might try make it down for our fist DWer of the season.

Also...Sunday morning looking to be the windiest part of the weekend, perhaps more NNW.

I'm thinking a 10am start from St Kilda and then maybe a second run at about 12 noon for those wanting more..

Forecast for Saturday
Winds: Northerly 15 to 20 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots during the morning. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres increasing to 2 metres during the morning.

We need to do the same on Sunday..

Forecast for Sunday
Winds: Northerly 25 to 35 knots tending north to northwesterly 20 to 30 knots around midday. Seas: 1 to 2 metres increasing to 3 metres around dawn then decreasing to 2 metres during the morning.

DJ

With a distinct lack of swell down here, I'm pretty keen for Sunday. Don't start too early, as I'll need some time to get up the Highway....

Plan for Sunday is 9am meet at Sandringham

It was awesome today.. and tomorrow will be even awesome'er..

Hey Simon.. See you at the St Kilda take off point at 9.30-10am tomorrow.

DJ

DJ Where's the pics/Video??? We watched you guys go past at the SUP club event and I thought to myself I'd rather be going with the wind than agin it!!

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Leroy13 said...

DJ Where's the pics/Video??? We watched you guys go past at the SUP club event and I thought to myself I'd rather be going with the wind than agin it!!

At least 4 GoPros on the run so hopefully there's something to see later today. I'm hanging out for DJ's hula hoop stunt. By the way Leroy, what happened at the race? How many participated and who won?

Hey PT. There were 9 all up. Jarrad on a 12'6" Sunny King board beat Warwick from RPS on his Red Fanatic 12'6". Apparently Jarrad's some sort of Vic Canoe/Kayak champion. We really missed all you guys!!!!! When you're all there at least I get to watch and improve my technique from the back of the packor as you pass me.

Fun racing today.

Fortunately Jared, who had a commanding lead lost count of the laps and finished the race ahead of the field and came in after 5 laps instead of the required 6, but hey, it was gusting 25 kts right on the nose!

Well done to finish Leroy, we were all willing you on to get to the finish. Tough conditions for you for the second week in a row. Hope it hasn't deterred you to continue racing. They're not all that difficult or windy. Con, man have you improved! Who said training on the Yarra doesn't pay dividends!

Just got in from a bonus sup in small, empty waves at Shoreham. Took the wife out and she caught her best waves ever. Massive high tide and they were breaking at hip high for well over 100 metres! Now off to a winery/restaurant at Redhill for a rare Fillet Mignon and an estate cab/sav! Yeah!

Shoreham sounded fun!

DJ, the swell is indicated at 0.5-2.0m from the SW, which is an indication of little waves, with periods of nothing in between. If the swell fills in, I'll be surfing. And if not, I'll head up for DW. I will call/text either way.
Simon

On the way back to St Kilda yesterday to get the cars, JC, PT, and Mj believe the D/W course should be extended from St Kilda to Black Rock. all those in favour.....

Yes. Optional finish at Sandy for first timers.

Is carbon a super-conductor? "Al" got zapped yesterday! (only funny because it didn't happen to me!). A bit of electrical energy in the air just before the rain front came through.

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ockanui said...

On the way back to St Kilda yesterday to get the cars, JC, PT, and Mj believe the D/W course should be extended from St Kilda to Black Rock. all those in favour.....

Good idea.. .. I'm in.

Bit of a bummer yesterday staying dry for the whole run only to get rained on with 200 meters to go..

Thanks Alan for directing the lighting away from us with your Naish lighting rod paddle..

Maybe it's a lucky thing that you had that bicycle handle bar tape on your paddle.

DJ

For clarification, I think the zap was a heavy dose of static, rather than lightning.

It also funny watching Al timidly pick it out of the water... I think he was scared of being zapped again, even though it was now earthed in salt water.

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Simondo said...

Yes. Optional finish at Sandy for first timers.

The optional finish should probably be at Green Point, making that routine stop more purposeful. It is also much cleaner getting out of the water at either Green Point or Half Moon Bay / Black Rock instead of the putrid Sandy Marina.

There's no grass at Black Rock YC to leave boards on or get changed. It's all paved car park and boat ramp.

It can be very hard to safely get a board from the water onto a roof rack when the wind is blowing hard. Probably ok if two people work together.

There is parking for 18 cars with boat trailers, and about 50 single cars. I guess it would not be filled on down winder days.

The coast swings to the SE after Green Point so in a true northerly if you are following the waves in a straight line you will be 1.5 k offshore at Black Rock. That would be perfect in a N with some West in it.

There are some great reefs directly off Southey Street. They work well in southerly. They might kick up some good waves in a NW.

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Simondo said...

For clarification, I think the zap was a heavy dose of static, rather than lightning.

It also funny watching Al timidly pick it out of the water... I think he was scared of being zapped again, even though it was now earthed in salt water.

Jim Hesson Master Marine Surveyor


To answer your question. Carbon fiber's ability to conduct electricity is quite well known in the marine industry and I believe amongst most owners of vessels using the material.

If they are not they should be because as you pointed out it can have some rather interesting results affecting the safety of the vessel or people in and around the vessel. The hazard list includes fire, shock and electrocution and corrosion of metals in contact with it and water.

Best,

John J
ABYC Master Technician

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Simondo said...

For clarification, I think the zap was a heavy dose of static, rather than lightning.

I think this quote explains it pretty well.


"As rain falls through the atmosphere, it aquires a static charge. On hitting the sea, which is a good conductor, the charge on the raindrops would be spread over a large area. The charge aquired by the raindrops would leave an equal and opposite charge in the atmosphere. The end result would be an electric field which would extend some way beyond the area where the rain was falling, something like the field bowing out from the sides of two charged plates".


It was all a bit surreal at the time.
Firstly I noticed the feeling of the hair on my head standing up.
Next the handle on the paddle was buzzing as it moved through the air.
Then I got a zap through my top arm which was strong enough to make me drop the paddle.

Thankfully the rain hit which calmed everything down.

Al, don't you have pins in the hand that got zapped?

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PTWoody said...

Al, don't you have pins in the hand that got zapped?

Yeah the broken hand.. and take off some of that bling next time we do down-winder in a lightning storm..

DJ

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DavidJohn said...

PTWoody said...

Al, don't you have pins in the hand that got zapped?

Yeah the broken hand.. and take off some of that bling next time we do down-winder in a lightning storm..

DJ

It was my left hand with the plate and screws and l was wearing a metal watch.

Do you think a Faraday Cage would hinder catching runners?