Saturday is fast approaching and while the morning forecast is looking good, the afternoon appears to be fading pretty fast :( Let's hope the front comes through a few hours later than forecast!

As usual I'll be down at the club around midday, with an aim to start sometime around 1pm. See you all tomorrow afternoon.

Saturday is upon us again, and after last weekends glass like conditions (Sorry Stuart and Ryan, it wasn't the best conditions for you to join us for, but it was great to have you on the water), I'm afraid it's not looking much better for tomorrow, at least not till late in the afternoon :(

I did hear a rumor this week that Pete may have found himself a Davidson Div II board, I hope he snapped it up (truth be told I'm hoping to have a ride on one), otherwise Lyndon might gazump him :) Would be great to see a Serenity Vs Lechner Vs Davidson light wind race!!!

Anyway, tomorrow is on, I'll aim to be at the club around midday with an aim for some social racing from approx 1pm.

See you all there.
John

Saved by the SUP. We can even race in zero wind. Im going to try paddling the serenity before I throw down any more challenges, but anyone who can Stand Up Paddle a D2 board while standing backwards has to have a built in gyroscope or something.

Had a brief sail with Paul on the equipe today, ie sunday. such a sleek nice board. I think it will be a contender with mild to moderate wind. Im sure it would be a great high wind board as well but I suspect on a high wind day paul will be up setting speed records at Budgiewoi .If we get a windy day, john has been challenged to try to beat us on an old school flapper short board, the type that preceeded formula. Will be very interesting.

Oh no.
Just noticed the forecast for Saturday LOL.

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Heavy1 said..
Saved by the SUP. We can even race in zero wind. Im going to try paddling the serenity before I throw down any more challenges, but anyone who can Stand Up Paddle a D2 board while standing backwards has to have a built in gyroscope or something.

Had a brief sail with Paul on the equipe today, ie sunday. such a sleek nice board. I think it will be a contender with mild to moderate wind. Im sure it would be a great high wind board as well but I suspect on a high wind day paul will be up setting speed records at Budgiewoi .If we get a windy day, john has been challenged to try to beat us on an old school flapper short board, the type that preceeded formula. Will be very interesting.

Yes SUP Saved the day, I can't remember such a zero wind day in a very long time. I think that Serenity might be even more unstable than the D2 board to paddle. I don't think I'll try it backwards, well maybe not until summer when the water warms up again ;) btw, you did really well in the challenge, you had me working damn hard to beat you. I couldn't have gone any faster!

I think that Equipe would really come into it's own the windier it gets and I bet it gybes incredibly well (something my phantom isn't great at).

Flapper challenge accepted, although as you say, the forecast for next weekend isn't looking great for such a challenge. Hopefully Pete's new Davidson can make it out on the water next weekend. He did say it needs some work though so it might not be ready for next Saturday :(

No all good with the "Davo", hopeful of getting it wet on Tuesday

Just saw this advert:
"1980's VINTAGE COBRA WINDSURFER
I am selling this for my brother, as he wants to go overseas.
Has been used as recently as two years ago - But time for find a new home.

I found an article/advertisement on the Cobra windsurfers, and this one looks like the King Cobra 35.5 pounds light. It looks like it was a sought-after board, and technologically advanced for the times.

Included in the sale are:
2 x sails (1 sail has been repaired)1 x board1 x mast1 x paddle1 x handle / bit you hold on to and steer"

1) this was the board I owned yrs ago and ripped the fin box out using bigger fins
2) LOL windsurfer complete with : "paddle1 x handle / bit you hold on to and steer" (AKA boom)

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AUS 814 said..
No all good with the "Davo", hopeful of getting it wet on Tuesday

Looking forward to some Davo pics :)

Forecast for next Saturday is looking a little better. Although I'm toying with the idea of heading to DAC for the second heat of their winter series.

Saturday is upon us and it's a little overcast, but the forecast is for around 10 knots, so I'll be at the club around 12:30pm.

Unfortunately Pete S is out with a lurgy, so might be just you and I Lyndon.

Informal racing at Gosford Sailing club on again tomorrow. Meet on the grass in front of the carpark on the souther side of the club from 12:30pm.

Forecast is for 10-15 knots, so might be ok. Unfortunately no Lyndon tomorrow, so Pete it may just be you and I.

See you tomorrow.

yep I will be sailing, 10-15 knots would be fantastic

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AUS 814 said..
yep I will be sailing, 10-15 knots would be fantastic

Bring the Davidson just in case!!! :)

Was thinking I might just bring the Davo only, will check forecast in the am

Looks like all the Gosford guys will be at Marmong Point today for the Midwinter event.

We should be back at Gosford next Saturday.

Saturday is approaching rapidly, anyone keen for some longboard action at Gosford ?. From memory John might be at the snow so not sure if he will be sailing ?, I am aiming to get on the water by 1pm, forecast looks OK, SW around 10-11 knots, might even bring Mr Davidson for a spin

Ok plan to see you there. If its very light I will bring the serenity. If its consistently blowing 8+ we might have another.

I arrived back from the snow late last night. So I'll see you down at the club around midday.

Following message from Lyndon last night :-
Hi. Saturday looks to be low wind again. Ridiculous. Perhsps d2 and serenity. Or i have enought boards and paddles for all of us to surf umina. The surf will have long period and little wind chop.... great ... but could be a bit on larger side.

Pete what's your preference? Think I'm leaning towards D2 and Serenity, mostly because I'm likely to stay dry that way ;)

I managed to get out today in the RB, a little gusty but ok.I think the surf would be to big,would prefer D2,can anyone sail on a Sunday, looks good from midday.
?

Hi , see you guys at sailing club between 1230 and 1pm. Will most likely bring serenity. I have soccer before so will be on the run. Sorry Im working sunday 10am to 330pm, Have to earn enough for next weekly purchase.

Sooner or later they have to get the forecast wrong ;) but I'm happy to cruise about on my Lechner.
Maybe we should do 3 short races and swap boards due each race and see what speed differences we can find.

Did you guys get any wind yesterday? I decided to go around to Marmong. Had a pretty good first outing on the new gear.

Hi Ryan, yep wind was pretty good, Better than the forecast. We had 4 or 5 ? Races in front of the club using the D2,s and the Starboard Serenity.A lot of fun and great practice, you will have to join us with the Phantom

1st race of the Gosford Sailing Club Summer season is Saturday 2nd September. Fingers crossed well have a heat is the NSW Raceboard series at Gosford this year too.

Looking forward to you joining us at Gosford for some training before then Ryan.

Yep. I'll definitely be down. Just need to work around kids sport for the next few weeks. After that should be ok. Looking forward to it.

Hi all,
I had a blast testing out the limits of low wind sailing. These days 99% of people think is pointless unless you are planning, but plenty of super carbon flat water sups going around and no-one seems to worry about them not planning.

Oh no. Now that we have foils on SUPs have we spelt the death of the big flat water SUPs. Of course just like the displacement windsurfers they are as much fun as ever, but if something better exists, well the former dies, even if the conditions don't allow the latter.

I guess its just human nature to want to be "on the cutting edge" but its clearly to the loss of the sport, especially in an area and time of year such as ours that doesn't deliver the conditions to be on the cutting edge except on rare occasions. The D2's and the serenity rock.

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Heavy1 said..
Hi all,
I had a blast testing out the limits of low wind sailing. These days 99% of people think is pointless unless you are planning, but plenty of super carbon flat water sups going around and no-one seems to worry about them not planning.

Oh no. Now that we have foils on SUPs have we spelt the death of the big flat water SUPs. Of course just like the displacement windsurfers they are as much fun as ever, but if something better exists, well the former dies, even if the conditions don't allow the latter.

I guess its just human nature to want to be "on the cutting edge" but its clearly to the loss of the sport, especially in an area and time of year such as ours that doesn't deliver the conditions to be on the cutting edge except on rare occasions. The D2's and the serenity rock.

I've always had a love of Division II's, and they are still my favourite board to ride in up to 12-13 knots. The feeling of them effortlessly railing over and tracking upwind is just so pure!

While the Serenity is in the same style and has a similar feel to a traditional Div II, it comes to it's own in the super light wind conditions, I've never sailed anything that glides through the water like that - almost silent it is so smooth. It's a pity Starboard didn't include a retracting daggerboard in the design, it would have been a much more versatile machine (and what a machine it already is). It brings a whole new perspective to gybing though, I think in 10 knots or in chop it'd be a real handful downwind!!!

Hi all,

Another Saturday is almost upon us and the forecast is looking ok (perhaps even for a Raceboard day).

Gosford Sailing club has a working bee on from 8:30am till midday. I'm aiming to be there from 8:30/9am ish. Probably just general tidy up, but also clearing some rocks from the beach area, I might bring a few tools (maddock etc).

Following the working bee we'll be racing, although I am pretty sure Lyndon has to work, so we might be one person down.

Hope to see you all there.

Light wind specialty sailing can be lot of fun.

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Heavy1 said..
Light wind specialty sailing can be lot of fun.

Great pics Lyndon. Interesting combination of past and present Olympic kit being used together (1988/1992 Lechner Div II and current RSX rig) Olympic equipment spanning almost 30 years :)