LeeD please stop talking sh!t. If you haven't got anything worthwhile to say, just stop posting. I was sailing that day and it was bloody freezing. I wouldn't have wanted to be in the water for 10 minutes much less 3.5 hours. I doubt you would have done any better than bhc in these circumstances.

Sounds like a bad situation! Maybe my upside down technique would have worked if you placed the top next to the bottom part without having it upside down. Just trying to shove the top inside the luff somewhere.

For the past 38 years, my venue would have 61 degree midsummer, and 48 degree winters water temps with an average air temp around 59 degrees.
90% of windsurfers wear a sealed 4/3.
Not cold, just moderate.
I've broken over 30 masts, 15 booms, 6 boards [3 cleanly in half, the other 3 shearing into two pieces on the way to shore], a dozen mast bases, and several inhauls.
Easy credited with 15+ rescues of other sailors at Crissy Fields in SF.
Anything worthwhile?
Not for you.

Stop ganging up on LeeD, he's a f***ING legend. Everything he writes makes SO MUCH SENSE

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LeeD said..
For the past 38 years, my venue would have 61 degree midsummer, and 48 degree winters water temps with an average air temp around 59 degrees.
90% of windsurfers wear a sealed 4/3.
Not cold, just moderate.
I've broken over 30 masts, 15 booms, 6 boards [3 cleanly in half, the other 3 shearing into two pieces on the way to shore], a dozen mast bases, and several inhauls.
Easy credited with 15+ rescues of other sailors at Crissy Fields in SF.
Anything worthwhile?
Not for you.

So you break approximately one mast per year and one boom in two years... haven't learned to check your gear before going out for 38 years... and give lectures about safety...

And yeah, the post is again not worth reading with no meaningful info in it. There would be some meaningful info if you widened your horizon and learn si units.

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bhc said..

LeeD said..
BBC, are you an engineer or a mathmetician?
Expand your thinking.

Got an engineering degree but not sure if it is relevant here. Common sense says fit the solution to the problem not the other way around. Open to hear your suggestion about surfing the chop in offshore wind.

On the East coast you could self rescue back to New Zealand in an off shore breeze according to Leed's amazing wisdom.
On the West coast next stop is Sith Ifrica..
Just make sure you're carrying enough spare change for the flight home.
Great tips Leed, always good to hear from someone that knows everything

Ok....for the literal....
Why learn to shortboard surf?
Because that teaches you to balance and become COMFORTABLE in cold water and breaking surf.
Once you achieve this skill, on a 37 liter surfboard, YOU will easily sit on your 70 liter wave board in waist high windswell and calmly derigg as I prescribed and paddle your own self back to the nearest safe shore.
Does take some skill, which you acquire learning to surf.
Volume by body weight.
At 200 lbs., maybe a 60 liter surboard.
150 lbs., about 38 liters.

Please if anyone is learning to windsurf and is looking for ideas, do not listen to LeeD because he is full of **** and will lead you astray.
This has been a community announcement.

Thanks, Hoops

Always an excellent idea to learn self rescue from those afraid of water due to inexperience.
NEVER ever listen to someone who has 25 years of San Francisco surf experience followed by more than 30 years of experience sailing around the safe and tropical waters of Northern California.
We sissys always wear 4/3 wetsuits even.

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LeeD said..Because that teaches you to balance and become COMFORTABLE in cold water and breaking surf.

So... The water is warmer when you are on a bigger board? Or... This method is no good in the tropics?

Lee... Sorry to break it to you but maybe it's time someone did. There are two convos going on in this thread. Everyone else's and yours with yourself cos you're the only one who has the vaguest idea what you're on about.

Mus, do you comprehend what you read?

Back on the topic...

I was lucky to experience this several times, and found it extremely difficult to do anything with the gear in the rolling chop.
Even just disconnecting the mast from the board is difficult. Wouldn't attempt to dismantle the rig.

A few times it was the fin, so I would get into the waterstart position, and lift the gear above so the wind can drag you back.
A broken uni joint once, I tied the rig to the rear strap, and dragged the whole thing to the beach. (careful - the mast will want to hit the board and this will cause damage)_
A broken boom, sailed the clew first until fully destroyed, than the gear stacked on top of the board and dragged to the shore.
It's always very exhausting

If you don't sail in the offshore winds you stand a good chance to salvage the gear.