No, it's certainly not for everyone, (and it's not the best thing to have happened to windsurfing or will it ruin it)
Yes, you could certainly do it on a windsurfer LT. (but it wouldn't have enough volume for me and my gear)
Phew got all that out of the way.

My last trip was a solo journey through the Witsundays, with lots of two and fro exploring but ranging from hill inlet on Whitehaven to Airley.

I collected for a charity. The story is summarised best at the charity site. Not asking for donations now but its the best summary. Scroll to the bottom for the start.


kollinginstitute.everydayhero.com/au/windsurf-for-research

My next trip is an attempt at sailing from the top of Morton island Queensland to Southport.
As before a mix of crashing in resorts or B and Bs when available, but also camping when appropriate or necessary due to progress issues.



I sail with a VHF marine radio, a mobile phone and a satellite emergency beacon.
I report the destination and arrival daily.
I also carry a sup paddle, and if it comes to a severe situation I could abandon my rig and paddle.
I would try to derig. I carry water-resistant tape to hold it all together, but that's not always going to be possible.
I found in the Whitsundays that I can go for four days without resupply but that is the maximum, mainly limited by water.
So for safety, I'm looking to resupply every 2 to 3 days.
Comms and safety gear are on me, in case I get separated from my board.
However, I don't think its safe to have much water on my back because it makes swimming and remounting the board difficult.

The main limit to weight on the board is not performance (primarily) but the issue of capsizing in rough conditions. No not while sailing , but I found that if I did fall and conditions were difficult, an overloaded board just wanted to capsize, which was difficult. So I travel with as little stuff as possible.

I'm interested in others' thoughts and adventures.

The following are also interesting. (but not me....LOL):



windsurftouring.blogspot.com/2010/03/creating-ultimate-windsurf-touring-kit.html


windsurftouring.blogspot.com/

.be

www.dailysabah.com/expat-corner/2019/03/15/windsurfer-on-tour-around-europe-to-cross-through-turkey

www.americanwindsurfer.com/articles/woman-to-windsurf-across-pacific-ocean/

Best of luck with your trip. When are you doing it.

When you hit the gold coast Broadwater I'm sure a couple of us could sail out and say hi.

I'm sailing in the first 2 weeks of February.
(school hols over, warm nights, sons soccer season not started)

Yep, solitude is fantastic, but it also makes meeting new people really special. I had such a great time meeting the crew up in northern qld.

Sail and board choice is interesting. Whitsundays was Exocet rsd2 with 8.5 bic techno. Gave excellent range and upwind performance. Not really dedicated to speed. Fortunately, I can check the weekly forecast. If its predominantly downwind (given the forecast) I might take an exocet tandem, basically a 300 litre 76 wide Kona (recently picked up on seabreeze)

Its got super tie-down attachment options. and will probably go downwind better than the rsd2.

I'm thinking a 9.5 rsx race sail or the 8.5 bic if the forecast is mostly in the green. I also use a variable on the run downhaul. That's a must when touring as it really helps with wind range and avoiding exhaustion.

This topic is not much of a goer but I'm keen to hear from anyone else who has toured or gone on expedition with a windsurfer.
Who needs a yacht?
I must say that every time I go back and forth in a patch I always feel like its training to actually go somewhere.
However performance windsurfing is so on the edge of control for the conditions that expedition windsurfing has to be much more conservative as you have just one rig.
So I totally get it that most people are hooked on performance, which mostly excludes touring.
On the other hand touring is huge with Kayaks and Sups, but even with my conservative rig I smash the distances done with paddle 90% of the time. (while carrying a paddle for emergencies and frustrating no wind days.)

The clip is a quick summary of the trip I just had, with about the most rain and least wind possible, but I still had a great time. Even if I didn't make it quite as far as I hoped.

.be

That's cool Lyndon! Congrats on another successful expedition, you are becoming the go to guy for advice on these adventures. Taking th Etiler to see the sights and cruising is just another fun aspect on windsurfing that most of us miss out on in the chase for high performance balls out speed sailing and the like. Great report.

A sail which can rotate with minimal downhaul plus an on the fly downhaul and outhaul can really help in my experience. I don't see much difference in very light wind between 7.5 and 9.5 slalom sails rigged like that (older, mid 2000s ones). I think modern foil sails might be similar. The top end on those slalom sails is really good though.

I don't tour much but I do longboard around lakes and my local bay for several hours on end.

Select to expand quote

Heavy1 said..

No, it's certainly not for everyone, (and it's not the best thing to have happened to windsurfing or will it ruin it)
Yes, you could certainly do it on a windsurfer LT. (but it wouldn't have enough volume for me and my gear)
Phew got all that out of the way.

My last trip was a solo journey through the Witsundays, with lots of two and fro exploring but ranging from hill inlet on Whitehaven to Airley.

I collected for a charity. The story is summarised best at the charity site. Not asking for donations now but its the best summary. Scroll to the bottom for the start.


kollinginstitute.everydayhero.com/au/windsurf-for-research

My next trip is an attempt at sailing from the top of Morton island Queensland to Southport.
As before a mix of crashing in resorts or B and Bs when available, but also camping when appropriate or necessary due to progress issues.



I sail with a VHF marine radio, a mobile phone and a satellite emergency beacon.
I report the destination and arrival daily.
I also carry a sup paddle, and if it comes to a severe situation I could abandon my rig and paddle.
I would try to derig. I carry water-resistant tape to hold it all together, but that's not always going to be possible.
I found in the Whitsundays that I can go for four days without resupply but that is the maximum, mainly limited by water.
So for safety, I'm looking to resupply every 2 to 3 days.
Comms and safety gear are on me, in case I get separated from my board.
However, I don't think its safe to have much water on my back because it makes swimming and remounting the board difficult.

The main limit to weight on the board is not performance (primarily) but the issue of capsizing in rough conditions. No not while sailing , but I found that if I did fall and conditions were difficult, an overloaded board just wanted to capsize, which was difficult. So I travel with as little stuff as possible.

I'm interested in others' thoughts and adventures.

The following are also interesting. (but not me....LOL):



windsurftouring.blogspot.com/2010/03/creating-ultimate-windsurf-touring-kit.html


windsurftouring.blogspot.com/

.be

www.dailysabah.com/expat-corner/2019/03/15/windsurfer-on-tour-around-europe-to-cross-through-turkey

www.americanwindsurfer.com/articles/woman-to-windsurf-across-pacific-ocean/

Have you seen Jono Dunnet's trips? Windsurfing around the British Isles & recently "windsurfing around Europe" ... Also a guy in the US doing the "Everglades Challenge" windsurf touring in Florida. I'll see if I can dig up links...

Great thread Lyndon!The Moreton trip sounds fantastic and I enjoyed ( and envied) the Whitsundays posts. Inspired to give this a crack sometime!!

Select to expand quote

gorgesailor said..

Heavy1 said..

No, it's certainly not for everyone, (and it's not the best thing to have happened to windsurfing or will it ruin it)
Yes, you could certainly do it on a windsurfer LT. (but it wouldn't have enough volume for me and my gear)
Phew got all that out of the way.

My last trip was a solo journey through the Witsundays, with lots of two and fro exploring but ranging from hill inlet on Whitehaven to Airley.

I collected for a charity. The story is summarised best at the charity site. Not asking for donations now but its the best summary. Scroll to the bottom for the start.


kollinginstitute.everydayhero.com/au/windsurf-for-research

My next trip is an attempt at sailing from the top of Morton island Queensland to Southport.
As before a mix of crashing in resorts or B and Bs when available, but also camping when appropriate or necessary due to progress issues.



I sail with a VHF marine radio, a mobile phone and a satellite emergency beacon.
I report the destination and arrival daily.
I also carry a sup paddle, and if it comes to a severe situation I could abandon my rig and paddle.
I would try to derig. I carry water-resistant tape to hold it all together, but that's not always going to be possible.
I found in the Whitsundays that I can go for four days without resupply but that is the maximum, mainly limited by water.
So for safety, I'm looking to resupply every 2 to 3 days.
Comms and safety gear are on me, in case I get separated from my board.
However, I don't think its safe to have much water on my back because it makes swimming and remounting the board difficult.

The main limit to weight on the board is not performance (primarily) but the issue of capsizing in rough conditions. No not while sailing , but I found that if I did fall and conditions were difficult, an overloaded board just wanted to capsize, which was difficult. So I travel with as little stuff as possible.

I'm interested in others' thoughts and adventures.

The following are also interesting. (but not me....LOL):



windsurftouring.blogspot.com/2010/03/creating-ultimate-windsurf-touring-kit.html


windsurftouring.blogspot.com/

.be

www.dailysabah.com/expat-corner/2019/03/15/windsurfer-on-tour-around-europe-to-cross-through-turkey

www.americanwindsurfer.com/articles/woman-to-windsurf-across-pacific-ocean/

Have you seen Jono Dunnet's trips? Windsurfing around the British Isles & recently "windsurfing around Europe" ... Also a guy in the US doing the "Everglades Challenge" windsurf touring in Florida. I'll see if I can dig up links...

Everglades challenge sounds great.
I may just look at trying it .....

www.tampabay.com/sports/outdoors/first-windsurfers-complete-300-mile-challenge/2170114/


Ive also wondered about the Greek Islands , But they have cliffs and few beaches.

Jono Dunnet's is amazing and inspirational.


He also seems to be hooked. I'm just thinking about where next as soon as i'm home.

Well done Lyndon!

.be

Just put together a clip from the Whitsunday trip.

Thinking to try Fraser island next, if covid19 settles down .

Any thoughts about Fraser and the Sandy Straits.

Ive decided the skill I have to do this is not so much windsurfing but is being able to sleep happily on a beach.

Brisbane to Gladstone over a week??

Hey a nice challenge, but its about 500kms as the crow flys, so at least 700 on the water. thats 100kms per day. With GPs and slalom gear on good water and with ideal wind and sail, 100kms is fine. But ... carting many kg of gear esp water. Need to be very conservative in sail size, so mostly under powered, need a board that will survive the surfline over and over, so a fragile raceboard is out, really 30 to 50kms per day is a more realistic distance, (after 50km of balancing on swell and chop under powered you are totally destroyed) and you only really have ideal wind about a quarter of the time. Of course there will be a good day or two wher you might go 100 kms but there will be days where you might as well paddle.

Having said that, given all the towns between Bridie and rainbow beach, it could be done with minimal carry gear, and a credit card.

Id love any suggestions people have for a micro distillation set up, even if it requires a small fire to make fresh water from sea water. The water is the killer in weight, and it makes a surf line very difficult.

Does anyone have experience of the conditions from rainbow beach up the sandy straits on the inside of Fraser, ?? currents ?? too shallow ?? any other nasty surprises.

Good on ya Lyndon. Re Sandy Straights trip. Lots of sharks at Fraser Island. You could then keep going to Lady Musgrave, Heron Island, Wilson Island and North West Island. Return to 1770. This trip is on my list. Trip would be in winter with the prevailing Southerly winds.

Select to expand quote

Heavy1 said..
Hey a nice challenge, but its about 500kms as the crow flys, so at least 700 on the water. thats 100kms per day. With GPs and slalom gear on good water and with ideal wind and sail, 100kms is fine. But ... carting many kg of gear esp water. Need to be very conservative in sail size, so mostly under powered, need a board that will survive the surfline over and over, so a fragile raceboard is out, really 30 to 50kms per day is a more realistic distance, (after 50km of balancing on swell and chop under powered you are totally destroyed) and you only really have ideal wind about a quarter of the time. Of course there will be a good day or two wher you might go 100 kms but there will be days where you might as well paddle.

Having said that, given all the towns between Bridie and rainbow beach, it could be done with minimal carry gear, and a credit card.

Id love any suggestions people have for a micro distillation set up, even if it requires a small fire to make fresh water from sea water. The water is the killer in weight, and it makes a surf line very difficult.

Does anyone have experience of the conditions from rainbow beach up the sandy straits on the inside of Fraser, ?? currents ?? too shallow ?? any other nasty surprises.

Maybe a reverse osmosis pump rather than distillation? Autumn with a mix of SE and NE, or north to south in late spring for the afternoon NE, and use a Raceboard for the upwind possibilities?
sunnie cost to tannum sands would be less ambitious than Brisbane to Gladstone and would be a "backpack and credit card" affair ??with potential for lay days if needed.
just a thought?!?

See if you can track down Sean Hawes in Florida to compare notes. Great sailor (ex-olympian) who does LONG tours on a modified race board. He had the nose hollowed out and his camping gear goes in there, and he carries a reefable sail.

Select to expand quote

Awalkspoiled said..
See if you can track down Sean Hawes in Florida to compare notes. Great sailor (ex-olympian) who does LONG tours on a modified race board. He had the nose hollowed out and his camping gear goes in there, and he carries a reefable sail.

thanks for the tip

Select to expand quote

snorkel692 said..

Heavy1 said..
Hey a nice challenge, but its about 500kms as the crow flys, so at least 700 on the water. thats 100kms per day. With GPs and slalom gear on good water and with ideal wind and sail, 100kms is fine. But ... carting many kg of gear esp water. Need to be very conservative in sail size, so mostly under powered, need a board that will survive the surfline over and over, so a fragile raceboard is out, really 30 to 50kms per day is a more realistic distance, (after 50km of balancing on swell and chop under powered you are totally destroyed) and you only really have ideal wind about a quarter of the time. Of course there will be a good day or two wher you might go 100 kms but there will be days where you might as well paddle.

Having said that, given all the towns between Bridie and rainbow beach, it could be done with minimal carry gear, and a credit card.

Id love any suggestions people have for a micro distillation set up, even if it requires a small fire to make fresh water from sea water. The water is the killer in weight, and it makes a surf line very difficult.

Does anyone have experience of the conditions from rainbow beach up the sandy straits on the inside of Fraser, ?? currents ?? too shallow ?? any other nasty surprises.

Maybe a reverse osmosis pump rather than distillation? Autumn with a mix of SE and NE, or north to south in late spring for the afternoon NE, and use a Raceboard for the upwind possibilities?
sunnie cost to tannum sands would be less ambitious than Brisbane to Gladstone and would be a "backpack and credit card" affair ??with potential for lay days if needed.
just a thought?!?

That stretch of coastline does look good.
I just did a search on reverse osmosis , and found some cool hand pumped devices, but they seem to be for contaminated fresh water rather than sea water. Its hard to find fresh water at all much of the time. Am I missing somethind?

Select to expand quote

Heavy1 said..

snorkel692 said..

Heavy1 said..
Hey a nice challenge, but its about 500kms as the crow flys, so at least 700 on the water. thats 100kms per day. With GPs and slalom gear on good water and with ideal wind and sail, 100kms is fine. But ... carting many kg of gear esp water. Need to be very conservative in sail size, so mostly under powered, need a board that will survive the surfline over and over, so a fragile raceboard is out, really 30 to 50kms per day is a more realistic distance, (after 50km of balancing on swell and chop under powered you are totally destroyed) and you only really have ideal wind about a quarter of the time. Of course there will be a good day or two wher you might go 100 kms but there will be days where you might as well paddle.

Having said that, given all the towns between Bridie and rainbow beach, it could be done with minimal carry gear, and a credit card.

Id love any suggestions people have for a micro distillation set up, even if it requires a small fire to make fresh water from sea water. The water is the killer in weight, and it makes a surf line very difficult.

Does anyone have experience of the conditions from rainbow beach up the sandy straits on the inside of Fraser, ?? currents ?? too shallow ?? any other nasty surprises.

Maybe a reverse osmosis pump rather than distillation? Autumn with a mix of SE and NE, or north to south in late spring for the afternoon NE, and use a Raceboard for the upwind possibilities?
sunnie cost to tannum sands would be less ambitious than Brisbane to Gladstone and would be a "backpack and credit card" affair ??with potential for lay days if needed.
just a thought?!?

That stretch of coastline does look good.
I just did a search on reverse osmosis , and found some cool hand pumped devices, but they seem to be for contaminated fresh water rather than sea water. Its hard to find fresh water at all much of the time. Am I missing somethind?

Ah ok I found a desalinator thats manual, 4litres per hour. Small too. But it costs $1500
Katadyn PUR Watermaker Survivor 35 Desalinator. interesting concept. Maybe its worth it. Would suck if it failed when needed. I guess you could carry a couple of litres just in case.

Yo Heavy1, there are numerous freshwater creeks n sweet water places to camp from inside Fraser island. North of Moon point the fresh water gets a lil scarce though. Whales Mackeral n generally FISH FISH FISH, totally schmik fishin those areas. Protein not an issue. Water is always the issue. Check out "ROKKIT" youtube Camping. Kayakin Dude from Goldcoast does a few solo camp missions in the area. Might give you a bit of a feel for the area.
Darkman.
PS great to see some ADVENTURE sailing happening again.

Select to expand quote

Heavy1 said..

Heavy1 said..

snorkel692 said..

Heavy1 said..
Hey a nice challenge, but its about 500kms as the crow flys, so at least 700 on the water. thats 100kms per day. With GPs and slalom gear on good water and with ideal wind and sail, 100kms is fine. But ... carting many kg of gear esp water. Need to be very conservative in sail size, so mostly under powered, need a board that will survive the surfline over and over, so a fragile raceboard is out, really 30 to 50kms per day is a more realistic distance, (after 50km of balancing on swell and chop under powered you are totally destroyed) and you only really have ideal wind about a quarter of the time. Of course there will be a good day or two wher you might go 100 kms but there will be days where you might as well paddle.

Having said that, given all the towns between Bridie and rainbow beach, it could be done with minimal carry gear, and a credit card.

Id love any suggestions people have for a micro distillation set up, even if it requires a small fire to make fresh water from sea water. The water is the killer in weight, and it makes a surf line very difficult.

Does anyone have experience of the conditions from rainbow beach up the sandy straits on the inside of Fraser, ?? currents ?? too shallow ?? any other nasty surprises.

Maybe a reverse osmosis pump rather than distillation? Autumn with a mix of SE and NE, or north to south in late spring for the afternoon NE, and use a Raceboard for the upwind possibilities?
sunnie cost to tannum sands would be less ambitious than Brisbane to Gladstone and would be a "backpack and credit card" affair ??with potential for lay days if needed.
just a thought?!?

That stretch of coastline does look good.
I just did a search on reverse osmosis , and found some cool hand pumped devices, but they seem to be for contaminated fresh water rather than sea water. Its hard to find fresh water at all much of the time. Am I missing somethind?

Ah ok I found a desalinator thats manual, 4litres per hour. Small too. But it costs $1500
Katadyn PUR Watermaker Survivor 35 Desalinator. interesting concept. Maybe its worth it. Would suck if it failed when needed. I guess you could carry a couple of litres just in case.

Wow at 1500 the old glad wrap and paired tins desal system becomes more appealing!!