After many months in the planning we can now confirm we will be taking a helicopter to Sandy Point for some serious speedsailing filming. We will have the helicopter there for 2 days to make a short movie about speedsailing at Sandy Point plus to take heaps of photos as well. Dates? - the plan is to head over on a good forecast so dates will be announced just a few days before, more likely to be October/November. This one should be a cracker, full speed along the sand bar with a helicopter above your head! Can't wait.

wow! pic me pic me that will be awesome.....how well do helicoptors fly in 30-40knots?

Fly over when the speed fortnight is on. Also you should fly over the sand dunes and get a few of the wave junkies on camera. There right next door you can see them from the up in the dunes. If you see a dude sailing around with a visor over his helmet, on a green speed needle, thats the mighty kato. He once told me he can windsurf faster than a chopper, so see if ya can chase him. And if you see a funny looking dude jumping over chop like a dolphin, thats me flipper get some pics of us both thanks.

Cool I,ll just use the short mast to avoid those nasty rotor cuts

Awesome !!!!!!!

You won't need a good forecast, with a carefully positioned chopper somewhere on the starboard side you should be able to get a good run in next to no wind.

Very COOL! and much appreciated Col, and then theres also Melb' Cup weekend Comp' with Wave/Slalom/Speed at Sandy Pt. You may just score it and get the trifecta!! Also end of November is the Corona Classic aka MAMBO Merimbula with maybe Naish attending,
any chance you'll be about Gnaraloo 25Sept-Oct9.... JP may even be there too..

Cheers

As big kev use to say ''i am excited''

Spotty, planning on heading to Gnaraloo 25sept-3oct (driving) if I can but have to be back by the 3rd.
Will also try and get some wave action at Sandy Point as well but where's the spot to go to? Can someone post a map because they all look a little onshore in a w-sw.

The surf beach is right next door. There are even a few guys who sail the pit, then sail out of the inlet to the surf beach. But most of the time guys walk there gear through the dunes to the surf beach. Sandy point is the only place i know of where you can speed sail and wave sail maui type conditions, all in the same place.. It's a windsurfers paradise.. With the wind direction, you can wave sail sandy point in most directions as the dunes are fairly low. I know alot of guys who even sail there off shore alot of the time.. I think the beach works in all directions..

all the wave spots are onshore in w-sw. they are best between nw and se so not really good for speed sailing.

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birdseyeview said...

Spotty, planning on heading to Gnaraloo 25sept-3oct (driving) if I can but have to be back by the 3rd.
Will also try and get some wave action at Sandy Point as well but where's the spot to go to? Can someone post a map because they all look a little onshore in a w-sw.

Col usually that time of year with SW fronts coming thru we first get a NW'ly which is cross off right in Sandy Pt at the lifesaving club to 1km further to the west where the township starts. As the wind swings to the west as the front approaches this area can still be sailed but if the swell and wind have size we head a further ~4km west along Waratah bays curve to "The Gap" where it can be still a bit cross off, more so than right in Sandy Pt. The Gap is where Gale st and Fish Creek Warratah Rd meet on the coast.

Some days you can get NW cross-off wave sailing in the morning followed by a strong SW change for speed sailing in the arvo' at the inlet. Closer to summer with the easterlies, we wavesail the other tack on the surfside of the inlet, speed sailing can also be had on the east bank of the inlet too with varying degrees of east and speeds upto ~45knots ...so far...

The last chopper footage from the inlet was done by Wide World of Sports long ago...

Al The gap or waratah works in westerly.

yeah but it is cross maybe slightly onshore so the waves are mushy and generally crap for riding. it is fun jumping though...