Luderitz Speed started 16/10/17, but no news anywhere?

Last news I saw in the Facebook page last week was that they were still digging the channel.

www.facebook.com/pg/luderitzspeedchallenge/posts/?ref=page_internal

Can we dig one day our own channel in Australia?

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Macroscien said..
Can we dig one day our own channel in Australia?

You find the spot and I will bring my shovel!

In all seriousness, the issue of digging a channel is not the biggest one. There are a number of places in Australia that get reliable, very strong winds that already have either a very good setup, or a world class one.

Sometimes, it just the remoteness or the inaccessibility that is the bigger issue.

There is obviously no point in a purpose developed speed course where speeds of 45-50+ knots are not possible. For that you need wind . Lots and lots of wind!!

Name a place in Australia that can be relied upon to get 40knots plus winds from a very consistent direction (essential for a canal - or most natural speed courses for that matter). And then narrow that list(?) to a place that is near a major urban area, town or city.

EG: A few of us know of a potential natural, channel like speed course that probably meets the angle, length and wind conditions. But it has no direct road (or vehicle track) access and is hundreds of KM from the nearest town, or even accomidation, where sailors could be based. It is so hard to access that, AFAIK, it has only been physically inspected on the site by one person, despite our best efforts and strong desire to get there.

There are others.........

From what I can gather via a Facebook page, the canal is not finished yet. They are planning to be using it on Monday 23rd. The event has been delayed a week.

I bought recently 100 Ha in not so remote location, but a bit/ slightly only sloppy so windsurfing channel going down the hill may provide additional gravitational acceleration But something like plot 1.5 km size should be completely sufficient to dig a proper channel. What I suggest we could do - is use our SB human resources to do research in Australia for the proposed location. I think that once we find the optimal/ideal plot of land at a reasonable price - there will be investor happy to come.We could even issue shares and own the object as a community project. I am sure the having 100 members, buying $10,000 each we could purchase a land to develop water channel strip, even build some accommodation. Let's assume that we have funds about 1 mln.Can we start looking for an optimal location? Non disturbed wind, flat, somehow accessible by car, preferably on the mainland, not Island.
For obvious reason, Queensland could be our best option as we could sail whole year around, but the wind here could be problematic. Maybe we should start looking by research made for the best Wind Turbines location in Australia?
Our channel could serve not only as 2s speed but sometimes to get the proper distance in ideal conditions possible- flat even water.For technical reason, I wonder if our ideal channel should be completely straight or have this bent/ curved shape.I don't think that for artificial, ideal channel the best is needed - as the whole run could be already at right off the wind angle giving us whole 1 km run at a perfect angle(?) On another hand curved strip will be more forgiving for wind direction.

Whats the point Macro? There are already at least a couple of places in Australia, natural speed courses that can produce the goods, and yet when they are ON, they are often empty.

How many will we get at Henty Rivermouth next time it is on?

How many will turn up at Sandy Point next time a big front arrives?

Who is going to spend a few weeks camping with the sand snakes at Boobays this summer?

The real point is: What have we already got within reach, and who has the commitment, means and motivation to be there?

As I have said before, speed sailing is all about being in the right place at the right time. (And then, after that, being on the right gear and prepared to go all out.)

If you have not had a serious go at one, or all, of the above mentioned spots yet, or are not at least planning to ASAP, what makes you think you will turn up to run a 'canal' if it were able to be built in the right spot?

We have the machine if someone can help out with fuel servicing & a few hydrolic issue. & Of course relocation cost to any where in Oz

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sailquik said..
Whats the point Macro? There are already at least a couple of places in Australia, natural speed courses

You know well that nothing could beat simple 1 .5 km trench dig in the open space deserted place.
No more worries about chop, tide, boat traffic and crab pots. You go to Burrum or Sandy and at the best, you have 2 - 3 hours of sailing even if the wind is blowing 24h.From the egineering point of view, it isn't impossible or economically drastic to dig a trench here in Australia.Europe has plenty thank to Dutch ingenuity, Namibia too - I don't know even who is there to thank for the gift. IanK is right partly here. The channel much be completely lined with plastic to avoid water loss. But what is even more fascinating that we could pour something on top - surfactant or olive oil to completely change water properties. Call this cheating but artificial tweaking could bring quite interesting results.Since Louderits is only 800m long, our 1 or 1.5 km run could be even better.Now let's imagine that somebody created artificial structure along to amplify wind, funnel-like phenomenon that could double or triple wind speed and correct even direction! Sort of polycarbonate sheet along the run to control wind flow. So we could have our wind tunel and water track all in one.

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Macroscien said..

Now let's imagine that somebody created artificial structure along to amplify wind, funnel-like phenomenon that could double or triple wind speed and correct even direction! Sort of polycarbonate sheet along the run to control wind flow. So we could have our wind tunel and water track all in one.

I'd think there'd be a limit to how much you can accelerate a free flow through an aerodynamic gap before it'd start to take the alternative path over the top. I'd guess it's more like only 50%, at best?, to be gained. Unless you nested them. But then outer one would then have to be huge for the inner one to be able to take the height of a windsurfing mast. We thought all this through back in Canberra. The 18 knot easterly passes through Commonwealth avenue bridge. An inverted wing on the upwind side could add a few knots to the easterly I'd reckon. Or a whole new bridge at Blue Gum point where the topography already funnels in the horizontal direction.... even better.


Have you thought of putting a trench beside an international run way? ..... No that won't work, planes like to land into the wind.

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Ian K said..

Macroscien said..

Now let's imagine that somebody created artificial structure along to amplify wind, funnel-like phenomenon that could double or triple wind speed and correct even direction! Sort of polycarbonate sheet along the run to control wind flow. So we could have our wind tunel and water track all in one.

I'd think there'd be a limit to how much you can accelerate a free flow through an aerodynamic gap before it'd start to take the alternative path over the top. I'd guess it's more like only 50%, at best?, to be gained. Unless you nested them. But then outer one would then have to be huge for the inner one to be able to take the height of a windsurfing mast. We thought all this through back in Canberra. The 18 knot easterly passes through Commonwealth avenue bridge. An inverted wing on the upwind side could add a few knots to the easterly I'd reckon. Or a whole new bridge at Blue Gum point where the topography already funnels in the horizontal direction.... even better.


Have you thought of putting a trench beside an international run way? ..... No that won't work, planes like to land into the wind.

I don't know if that could be considered cheating but one jet engine position in strategic location could give,wind the boost required to give us 100ktn speeds one day. Obviously Arab sheik could find Abu Dhabi the best place in whole world to create dream like windsurfing spot. Definitely much bettercinvestment then F1 car track there

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sailquik said..
Whats the point Macro? There are already at least a couple of places in Australia, natural speed courses that can produce the goods, and yet when they are ON, they are often empty.

How many will we get at Henty Rivermouth next time it is on?

How many will turn up at Sandy Point next time a big front arrives?

Who is going to spend a few weeks camping with the sand snakes at Boobays this summer?

The real point is: What have we already got within reach, and who has the commitment, means and motivation to be there?

As I have said before, speed sailing is all about being in the right place at the right time. (And then, after that, being on the right gear and prepared to go all out.)

If you have not had a serious go at one, or all, of the above mentioned spots yet, or are not at least planning to ASAP, what makes you think you will turn up to run a 'canal' if it were able to be built in the right spot?

Yeah I agree.

I'd say rather than digging a channel which requires very regular maintenance, we should flatten those damn dunes at Sandy Point with a Caterpillar dozer - after a thorough torching of course!

Nah....he's dreamin' again...

Sandy Point in 1990 was as good as anywhere in the world back then, natural or otherwise.

Given the thread's been hijacked, I'm joining in . I've explored a lot of shark bay, which would be the best choice in WA for a canal, the wind doesn't blow as strong as Luderitz, there are a couple of places with Venturi effect, but they are extremely remote, I couldn't see most softies in Windsurfing subjecting themselves to the remote and harsh isolation of the sharkbay desert. Hardly anyone from Perth bothers with shark bay, and the excuses I hear are laughable, people believe what suits there own agenda. Basically WA people are spoilt for choice and don't want to drive 1,000kms for a wsurf. The stuff people say about shark bay in perth is "it's not that windy" "The winds too gusty" "The winds too warm" "The wind is weak and puffy". They won't even hold windsurfing events there because "it's not family friendly", so why would anyone bother to invest time, money, energy and resources trying to make something happen in sharkbay for that sort of mentality?????????

Well there's nuffin' happening at Ubertitz so why not!

From the sounds of it Hardie, there are far more softies in Perth than I knew about! I thought the West bred them tough.

If those Sandgropers are whinging about warm wind and a little drive, how are they going to cope with 10 degrees and 50 knots at Sandy Point?

^^ Are you paying us another visit this summer?

Sorry, Hardie for small innocent hijack Just filling the time till action will happen on Luderitz next week.
If we look at the forecast for Luderitz there is not bad at all .25 knots every day with gust 35 for the next half a year.I don't know if we could find any place in Australia , even close to this wind conditions.

vs Sandy Point for next two weeks



Kiwis are lucky with their famous Wellington always windy. Since we use to go for ski to South Island, one day we could do some windsurfing there on the artificial channel.





and at last our Tassi also sounds good, if only somebody have arctict wet suits.

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AUS1111 said..
^^ Are you paying us another visit this summer?

Maybe. Depends on how busy I am. Jervis Bay area does me fine in January, without the flights or five day drive. Just about as windy. Dolphins, whales, almost no sharks....you get the picture...

If not, then here it is!

Anyway.....back to trench digging.......

Shark bay



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Stunning. Love to go one day.

Albany gets some nice blows. Ask the locals who sail there. Great times and a NM on glass

Augusta is also a very windy town. The natural spot on the inlet is almost 2 km long. The dunes can mix it up a bit but also give great potential. With human intervention it could be very good. Plenty of friendly camping shops pub bakery etc. 3.5 hrs from Perth.

I love getting down down there to go fast on the flat. This summer will be a good one again.

Id like to do a downwind speed run from Busselton to Dunsborough on the sea breeze. About 16km. Swap fins out and come back. But not a Luderitz course by any means

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Macroscien said..
I don't know if we could find any place in Australia , even close to this wind conditions.

I gather you haven't been to WA ?

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BSN101 said..
Albany gets some nice blows. Ask the locals who sail there. Great times and a NM on glass

I think it is very rare to get 30-35 knots from the favoured Easterly direction there. Even rarer to get stronger. Locals can probably confirm this.

I love the spot though, even with 20-25 knots it is a fantastic spot!

Last summer at Shark Bay when I was there:

Mal Wright spent his late teens and early twnties living there at Useless Loop. He said it was normal to get 40 knots + winds at times.

Forecast for Luderitz when I was there. The bottome line is my modification for the wind gust strength. It was pretty right and confirmed by me by taking lots of readings with my anemometer. It's not windy all the time there, (ask Spotty ), but it is incredibly regular, and the direction is very consistent as you can see. In Australia, Shark Bay is the closest I have seen to this. And, not surprisingly, it is on a simmilar Lattitude and is created by very similar Geographical conditions. My limited experience at BooBays is that the wind is a LOT more steady there, meaning the gusts not as much above the average wind strength. = quite a bit easier to sail!

excellent work !

Facebook post stated Canal will be open this Monday

Looks like the canal is dug. It does not look quite 'finished' though.

Yeah looks pretty rough and complete with huge mounds of earth downwind like a few years ago....

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sailquik said..

Macroscien said..
Can we dig one day our own channel in Australia?

You find the spot and I will bring my shovel!

Remote desert spot in SA but if everything aligned would be a ripper not much in the way of interfering with the wind when it does blow, 2.5km run