It's been windy up Cairns way all week, Green Island is open again (weekends + Mondays and Wednesdays) so you may see some solid GPSTC numbers pop up Sunday afternoon

SAFETY SHARE: No matter how inconvenient and difficult it is to un-do a screw-in mast base after a sail when you're buggered, never ever whimp out on screwing that mast base in as tight as you can before hitting the water. The MF may be all good on your first reach but as soon as you attempt a gybe it may suddenly leave you in the water with rig separated from the board, which is not a pleasant experience.

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Orange Whip said..
SAFETY SHARE: No matter how inconvenient and difficult it is to un-do a screw-in mast base after a sail when you're buggered, never ever whimp out on screwing that mast base in as tight as you can before hitting the water. The MF may be all good on your first reach but as soon as you attempt a gybe it may suddenly leave you in the water with rig separated from the board, which is not a pleasant experience.

That doesn't sound good!!

OW, yep I've done one of those. Amazing how hard it is to hold 80cm wide board on edge in the water n screw the bloody mastbase back in. NIGHTMARE on Swim street.

Yeah mate, was a nightmare. Swam gear to a submerged sand bar but still couldn't get it back together standing in two foot of water with the wave action. Fellow sailor pulled up and gave me a hand. Had a bleeding elbow from rubbing on the non-slip trying to attach in deeper water. Must be less sharks at my local than I thought Really thankful I didn't hole my board.

I don't know if this will help ...but i ocean sail a bit ...and sometimes i have to downhaul out to sea .but the best way is to sit on your board
un attach the extension from the base..foot on the extension and pull on the downhaul ,..in your case the base would be easier to connect to the board ,by disconnecting the base ....just don't drop it ....that way you have your weight to steady the board and two hands free to connect the sail again ,oh one foot holds the sail so it doesn't drift away ...i saw a big black shadow under me last time i was down-hauling. out at sea ...might of been a long turtle ? ..

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Tardy said..
I don't know if this will help ...but i ocean sail a bit ...and sometimes i have to downhaul out to sea .but the best way is to sit on your board
un attach the extension from the base..foot on the extension and pull on the downhaul ,..in your case the base would be easier to connect to the board ,by disconnecting the base ....just don't drop it ....that way you have your weight to steady the board and two hands free to connect the sail again ,oh one foot holds the sail so it doesn't drift away ...i saw a big black shadow under me last time i was down-hauling. out at sea ...might of been a long turtle ? ..

Yeah first step was to disconnect mast base from the extension, managed to connect without dropping it and without sticking the bolt end through the board. Lesson learnt, (rookie mistake) won't happen again.

You've got bigger balls than me adjusting down haul out to sea in that fashion

foodandwine.events/event/11824468-a/qld-kitefoil-championships

Anyone been getting out in these "mango winds" the past couple of weeks? I've been off the water with an armful of stitches and watching the trees toss!

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snorkel692 said..
Anyone been getting out in these "mango winds" the past couple of weeks? I've been off the water with an armful of stitches and watching the trees toss!

alan and richard were out last saturday on 4.8 and 5.5

^ a good weekend here in Mackay, though not sub-6.0 weather. Near over powered on a 7.7 on Sat and my son and I both on 6.7's yesterday. Wind a bit holey yesterday. Good to see a young newbie out yesterday as well.

Green Island yesterday.......

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snorkel692 said..
Anyone been getting out in these "mango winds" the past couple of weeks? I've been off the water with an armful of stitches and watching the trees toss!

are you back on the water yet

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grich62 said..

snorkel692 said..
Anyone been getting out in these "mango winds" the past couple of weeks? I've been off the water with an armful of stitches and watching the trees toss!

are you back on the water yet

Another week or so with a bit of luck. I'm sure the wind will die off then!!

Bugger all wind in Mackay today, no problem, all of us (well total count of 2) on big gear having a ball!

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Orange Whip said..
Bugger all wind in Mackay today, no problem, all of us (well total count of 2) on big gear having a ball!

3 out today in Cairns. Started out quite mild, before building into a very solid ESE wind in the later stages of the afternoon. Looks like that's it though for the next 7 days as the ridge breaks down

2 out at Pallarenda yesterday. Today was weird- next to nothing at 1345, then abruptly a pleasant NE ( bagged-out 8.2 and 140l board) for some fun..then like someone threw a switch gone again- but what a nice hour or so!

Hey Grich62, hows your recovery going, you getting back on the water any time soon??? I miss your vids!

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Orange Whip said..
Hey Grich62, hows your recovery going, you getting back on the water any time soon??? I miss your vids!

my recovery is crap ,ive since done my wrist and found a broken bone that has been there for a lot of years and will not heal .i need a major injection of confidence and fitnes to get me back on the boards.hats of to all the healthy sailers out there, i think i might have worn my self out

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grich62 said..

Orange Whip said..
Hey Grich62, hows your recovery going, you getting back on the water any time soon??? I miss your vids!

my recovery is crap ,ive since done my wrist and found a broken bone that has been there for a lot of years and will not heal .i need a major injection of confidence and fitnes to get me back on the boards.hats of to all the healthy sailers out there, i think i might have worn my self out

Bugger really sorry to hear that Greg. Hope it turns around soon.

Nice to be back on the water. Even better that there was breeze!

Anyone else had some useful breeze from Kimi? Nice session despite light and ridiculously variable wing this arvo. Forecast tomorrow solid without being ridiculous so fingers crossed!

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snorkel962 said..
Anyone else had some useful breeze from Kimi? Nice session despite light and ridiculously variable wing this arvo. Forecast tomorrow solid without being ridiculous so fingers crossed!

now look what you done you scared it away,windy got it geting beter wednesday

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grich62 said..

snorkel962 said..
Anyone else had some useful breeze from Kimi? Nice session despite light and ridiculously variable wing this arvo. Forecast tomorrow solid without being ridiculous so fingers crossed!

now look what you done you scared it away,windy got it geting beter wednesday

Yes Kimi certainly fled. Today...12-13 knots in the arvo with a few puffs. Got my Dyno 125 out which was awesome. Back to work the next few days so I'm sure that'll bring the wind back!

^ good to see you've been getting out. I've been lying low with vertigo for a few weeks but all set to go on the weekend. Looking forward to feeling sore on Monday morning.

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Orange Whip said..
^ good to see you've been getting out. I've been lying low with vertigo for a few weeks but all set to go on the weekend. Looking forward to feeling sore on Monday morning.

Hope you're recovered OW and got out. Had a very nice session today - pretty light so 8.5 and Fox 140

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snorkel962 said..

Orange Whip said..
^ good to see you've been getting out. I've been lying low with vertigo for a few weeks but all set to go on the weekend. Looking forward to feeling sore on Monday morning.

Hope you're recovered OW and got out. Had a very nice session today - pretty light so 8.5 and Fox 140

Yeah mate, I managed to get out Sat and Sun. Really enjoyed it. Wind was a bit fickle, early high tides didn't help. Managed to have some nice runs late on shallow flat water with this combo on Sat.

What's the 8.5 you used on your 140?

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Orange Whip said..

snorkel962 said..

Orange Whip said..
^ good to see you've been getting out. I've been lying low with vertigo for a few weeks but all set to go on the weekend. Looking forward to feeling sore on Monday morning.

Hope you're recovered OW and got out. Had a very nice session today - pretty light so 8.5 and Fox 140

Yeah mate, I managed to get out Sat and Sun. Really enjoyed it. Wind was a bit fickle, early high tides didn't help. Managed to have some nice runs late on shallow flat water with this combo on Sat.

What's the 8.5 you used on your 140?

Sounds like an awesome return to the water!

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Orange Whip said..

snorkel962 said..

Orange Whip said..
^ good to see you've been getting out. I've been lying low with vertigo for a few weeks but all set to go on the weekend. Looking forward to feeling sore on Monday morning.

Hope you're recovered OW and got out. Had a very nice session today - pretty light so 8.5 and Fox 140

Yeah mate, I managed to get out Sat and Sun. Really enjoyed it. Wind was a bit fickle, early high tides didn't help. Managed to have some nice runs late on shallow flat water with this combo on Sat.

What's the 8.5 you used on your 140?

8.5- using an Ezzy Cheetah or a SV Overdrive in the Mid- 8s on the mainland. Both great sails. For a post- work sail no-cams are pretty handy. Yesterday had a session on an e-pace 7.3 which I was very impressed with. Plus nice having mid-7 rather than 8+ wind!!