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Jas71 said..
sailquik you have been to luderitz how would you rate the experience, would you say its a must do and what goals would you recommend completing before sending yourself down that channel. Considering i haven't done 40knt let alone the average numbers the channel produces.
Hmmm, that's a good question.
For me it was the logical next step to see if I could go faster than I have at Sandy Point. Interestingly, I only went a very small amount faster in top speed and 10sec. But I manged to improve my 500m and 5x10 sec a lot.
I recon that on the right day at Sandy Point, one can go very fast indeed. It's just that the window for those days is small, with tide, wind strength and direction all having to come together. Even though I live here, it still only presents a few ideal opportunities to push PB's a year, and that's in a good year! (Although we get dozens of 40+ days most years!
)
Luderitz offers the opportunity to have a number of PB days in the time frame of a couple of weeks. And on those days you will probably get the chance to do at least 5 or 6 runs. Hence my 5x10 sec PB, even though last year we really only had 1 or 2 top days.
The downside of Luderitz is that it is a big learning curve and
very daunting the first few times you launch down it in 40 kt plus winds. We had the windiest day (35-55kts) as our second day and even after running the canal in 30-40 knots winds the day before, I think we were all a bit spooked that day and didn't reach our full potential. If we had got a day like that again a week later, I think all us Aussie's could have done significantly better speeds, just from having more experience, being tuned in and more confident. Most of the guys who had been there before got on the pace quicker than we did and some bettered their previous speeds, despite the canal not being as good as the year before.
I would recommend you have had some experience in sailing deep in very strong winds before thinking about a Luderitz trip. The winds there are also a lot more volatile than at Sandy Point. The gust range is much larger and the flow nowhere near as laminar into the lower sail. You need to have some experience with sub 44cm speed boards and getting them going in less than ideal conditions. It helps if you can get some experience (safely) carrying substantial weight (5kg+) in your vest and water starting a speed board in that situation. Most of all, you want to be familiar with, and solid on your equipment. By that I mean able to make good recoveries and avoid crashes if at all possible.
Alternatively, if you are content to not run the wildest days at Luderitz, you could get a lot of runs earlier in the day before the wind really kicks and on the moderate wind days. If there is enough wind to start and run the course (around 25-30 knots), you are most likely to go at least low 40's. Nobody says you have to launch yourself into a 50 kt gust. That's up to you.
Sandy Point is still a good training ground for the Luderitz canal. If you are willing to be there in the right days, you can really test yourself in very strong winds and find how to tune and ride the gear. You can get experience hammering through the following chop which is not much different from the canal, (contrary to popular belief, nether Sandy Point or Luderitz is 'flat' water in PB conditions) with the consequences of losing control a lot less severe. You can also get used to running a meter or two from the bank (but not with another bank 2 meters downwind!
)
There would be many different paths to Luderitz, but some of them would include wild days at Sandy and fast speed experience at any of the proven high speed (40+) spots around the country, especially in 30 knots plus winds. Those paths would already have you past 40 knots anyhow.
I guess one of the really important requirements is that you really have to want it! By that I mean you have to be at least slightly obsessive with seeing what you can do and finding out your limits. It is a very personal thing. There is always going to be some one faster or better than oneself. For me it's all about finding out what I can do and what I have within; where my personal limits are.
As for the experience? Fantastic!!
One of the great adventures of my life. And I've had a few!
Traveling through such a fascinating land. Sharing it all with great mates. Meeting some of the nicest and most interesting people ever and making many new friends. Watching, talking with and learning from the very best speed-sailors in the world and engaging in great camaraderie with so many like minded adventurers. I would not have missed it for anything, and I would be back there right now if I had the financial means. Be assured, I have my sights set firmly on a return trip if at all possible some time in the near future!
hooray
> 9 months ago, 9 Oct 2014
