Hi Guys,
Check out the message from Karin Jaggi and Partik Diethelm!! Speed sailing in Luderitz is something I would love to do, I would also love to take the kids to the big game parks in Africa before dentists shoot all the animals.

Arhh but I would like to do a lot of things, time and money is a problem YOLO

regards Justin


Hi everybody,
Due to some cancelations there is a unique possibility to enter the Luderitz speed challenge in the first 3 weeks (05.-25. October). Feel free to contact us if there is any interest from your side. We will again be present at the event at all times and can also help with preparation, advice or equipment if needed.
The starting places available will be given out to the first persons confirming to attend.
Would be great to welcome some new speed addicts at this legendary event!
Best Regards,
Karin & Patrik

As you say Justin, YOLO! Ok I'm tots too old to say YOLO, but Luderitiz is on the bucket list, FOMO!

What would an Aussie realistically need to budget for a Luderitiz mission?

20k

FOMO - fear of missing out! OK got it, I had to google it

20k sounds like a lot, I guess that's for a professional approach. If I was to do it, it would be more for the experience rather than to achieve a certain speed. It is very specialized speed sailing and I am not at that level or focused actually I find speed sailing scary and so I would just take minimal gear and I would only spend 5 or so days at the trench. I was thinking someone could be spending between 5 to 10k?

The event starts with amateur sailors and then the pros take over I think.

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JustinL said..

20k sounds like a lot, I guess that's for a professional approach. If I was to do it, it would be more for the experience rather than to achieve a certain speed. It is very specialized speed sailing and I am not at that level or focused actually I find speed sailing scary and so I would just take minimal gear and I would only spend 5 or so days at the trench. I was thinking someone could be spending between 5 to 10k?

The big expense is flying there with your gear and paying the entry fee. So you are looking at $2k each way for flights and some random value from $0 - $1000 each way for baggage (depending on how generous the airlines are), plus the $1500 per week entry. Then you need a car to drive from Cape Town. And accommodation. And food.

Now you are up to paying $10k just to go for a sail on a small patch of cold water -> you might as well take some new gear...


Spending 5 days flying, just for 5 days sailing... seems more like a Mastercard ad.

Hmmmm Sounds like the only way I'd get there would be driving the OZ lotto truck

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STU7777 said..
Hmmmm Sounds like the only way I'd get there would be driving the OZ lotto truck

Ha Ha



I think Matthew just killed the dream. Oh well, probs a good thing. In a week you might only get 10mins of sailing. Dunno.

If I get some more info I'll post it up here.

3 weeks at Lake George in Jan, Feb or Mar is a much better bet.

Who is interested in a group deal GPS only trip to Luderitz in 2016?

The idea would be to go directly after the official event for a couple of weeks. Canal use costs would be quite low. The major costs will be Flights, transfers Cape Town to Luderitz and accommodation. My ballpark guess on cost of trip could be as low as $4500, but I will need to do a lot more groundwork if there is serious interest. The idea would be to travel as a group and book as a group. I am willing to organise and 'guide'.

I have already run it past Seb and he was fine with my ideas. I am pretty sure I can get the same deal from the Nest Hotel as we got for the official event.

After talking to a lot of people at LG last summer, I think it might be possible to get a party of 8-12 sailors (and partners if interested).

The canal can be quite daunting to sail in 40-50+ knots of wind, but those days were rare when we were there. (One the day before it opened and one on the 3rd day of the event). In 30-35 knots with the right wind direction it is quite within the capabilities of many experienced speed sailors in Australia.

The cost of the official event this year is 1500 Euro per week, which is over A$2200. A very large proportion of this goes on the official WSSRC timing which I don't think we need. I would be aiming at around a tenth of that or less for use of the canal and facilities and transport back to the start.

The trickiest issue to solve will be transport of sailing gear, but I have a few ideas for that.

If you are seriously interested. PM or email me. If there is enough interest I will get onto it properly.

I haven't sailed in Luderitz, although know it was meant to be good. In my day, before the canal, more of a wave sailing spot. If you have traveled that far and can spare the time I can highly recommend a visit to Walvis Bay. The natural speed strip there is incredible. I think on the right day it might still have another world record or two in it.

To get to the sandbank you have to cross a slightly choppy channel. Once you get there you will have to sail both ways, unless you get a boat to ferry you around. But the angle is quite good and if you don't think having footstraps on both sides of your board and a fin that can go both ways is going to kill your top speed it can be huge fun. More enjoyable 'normal' sailing than I imagine the canal to be. It is very windy there too. We visited there twice when I was teenaged for two week (windsurfing)holidays. Most afternoons when I was there, there would be at least 30 knots. One afternoon almost 30 years ago we were measuring a solid 60 knots all afternoon. I wish we had GPS back then but had no way to know our speeds.

Just saying, if you are in the area (globally speaking) and lugged your kit that far and can spare the time and money, it might be worth checking out Walvis Bay.

Walvis bay is only about 250km directly north of luderitz BUT, it is about 750-800km by road!

The winds at Walvis Bay are not as strong or reliable as further south but it has a great Nautical mile course!

You can actually sail in the bay parallel to the canal at Luderitz and many did when I was there, but it can be a bit choppy in places or shallow close to the share depending on the tide.

If the interest was there it may be possible to visit it as well, but it is a big full days trip from Luderitz.

800km is only 6 hrs driving in South Africa isn't Daffy

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kato said..
800km is only 6 hrs driving in South Africa isn't Daffy

Easy 6 hr drive!

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sailquik said..
Who is interested in a group deal GPS only trip to Luderitz in 2016?

I think its a great idea sailquik! and if that's the approx cost its not out of reach. I've actually been seriously thinking about it but due to renos its not possible for me in 2016 but if it successfully goes ahead and became annual thing I'd be keen for 2017. Just thought I'd put it out there. Good luck, hope you can pull it off.

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sailquik said..

kato said..
800km is only 6 hrs driving in South Africa isn't Daffy

Easy 6 hr drive!

I thought it was just over 5hrs...

I'm sure with competition he could make it 4 1/2 hrs

lets dig our own channel. Im tired of all the Namibians getting rich of us poor windsurfers.

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boardboy said..
lets dig our own channel. Im tired of all the Namibians getting rich of us poor windsurfers.

The place to dig a channel is shark bay, but could you imagine getting permission?

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mathew said..

sailquik said..

kato said..
800km is only 6 hrs driving in South Africa isn't Daffy

Easy 6 hr drive!

I thought it was just over 5hrs...

Yeah, but i said 'EASY'.

Give me an AMG 63 and lets see the dust fly!

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boardboy said..
lets dig our own channel. Im tired of all the Namibians getting rich of us poor windsurfers.

I don't think there are any Namibians getting rich from the Channel. A certain French couple are certainly doing OK out of it.

It brings a lot of tourists to Luderitz for a few weeks and makes employment for a few council, restaurant and hotel workers during the event. I certainly don't begrudge the locals that. The majority of the locals are not well off at all by our standards.

I agree that a nice channel around shark bay would be great for us! Given all the earthworks up there for the salt mining already, I wonder what a bit more would matter to anyone? Is any of it on freehold land?

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sailquik said..

boardboy said..
lets dig our own channel. Im tired of all the Namibians getting rich of us poor windsurfers.

I don't think there are any Namibians getting rich from the Channel. A certain French couple are certainly doing OK out of it.

It brings a lot of tourists to Luderitz for a few weeks and makes employment for a few council, restaurant and hotel workers during the event. I certainly don't begrudge the locals that. The majority of the locals are not well off at all by our standards.

I agree that a nice channel around shark bay would be great for us! Given all the earthworks up there for the salt mining already, I wonder what a bit more would matter to anyone? Is any of it on freehold land?

Sammy and I will have to take you on a tour of shark bay when u get here one day

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hardie said..

sailquik said..

boardboy said..
lets dig our own channel. Im tired of all the Namibians getting rich of us poor windsurfers.

I don't think there are any Namibians getting rich from the Channel. A certain French couple are certainly doing OK out of it.

It brings a lot of tourists to Luderitz for a few weeks and makes employment for a few council, restaurant and hotel workers during the event. I certainly don't begrudge the locals that. The majority of the locals are not well off at all by our standards.

I agree that a nice channel around shark bay would be great for us! Given all the earthworks up there for the salt mining already, I wonder what a bit more would matter to anyone? Is any of it on freehold land?

Sammy and I will have to take you on a tour of shark bay when u get here one day

It might be sooner, rather than later.

I'll be interested in 2016 for a road trip to the ditch Daffy.

Seeing the photos of your trip last year has got me keen as.