Hiya,
Anyone up at lagoon bay today?
Cheers!

Quite a few been sailing lagoon all day, until the wind goes!!
Perfect conditions.

Yep, i was the beginner that rolled up later :)
Nice day - have to get out more!
Phil

You were going well today Phil, I am the one on the green and white sail... if that helps.... the fast one anyway

Great place for honing skills at Low tide - see you there again soon!

Great conditions at lagoon today

gpsteamchallenge.com.au/sailor_session/show?date=2014-05-11&team=27

Yes, great conditions out on the water on Sunday. Sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye but as you were all out it was a bit difficult. Got a question though. The BOM reckons it was gusting to 25 knots in the morning and I had a 5.8 on a 114 l board and at times only just planing. If I was home I would have no larger than a 5m and 90 l board. What gives? Is it because the wind is so much more steady or is there a discrepancy between the wind meter and the beach?

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Iceman said..

Yes, great conditions out on the water on Sunday. Sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye but as you were all out it was a bit difficult. Got a question though. The BOM reckons it was gusting to 25 knots in the morning and I had a 5.8 on a 114 l board and at times only just planing. If I was home I would have no larger than a 5m and 90 l board. What gives? Is it because the wind is so much more steady or is there a discrepancy between the wind meter and the beach?

I was on my 103 with a 5.7 and this felt perfect, during the windier moments in the morning. It was definitely windier beyond the sandbar and into the river. On the inside it was a bit sheltered and blowing at lower end of the spectrum. The BOM readings are taken at the lighthouse so my guess is they are more representative of what is happening in the middle of the river and along the coast, say at Bell Bouy, rather than in Lagoon Bay. When the reading are 18-25. I usually expect to sail a big board in lagoon, but would grab an 86 and a 5 if planning to sail in one of the more exposed locations like Bell Bouy. With the water being so flat at lagoon it was a great sail Sunday!. Who knows what muscle I have sprained in my lower arm after telling myself, a few too many times , just one more run.....

Later in the day I made one trip upwind, almost to the lighthouse, and I have to say that up there wind was up to 5 knots stronger than at Lagoon. Also, water state was not too bad, with smooth waves, and not current mixing chop, which you can find in the middle of the river.
Cheers, Luka

Good to know Luka.
We certainly are exploring the Tamar a lot over the past year - out of the comfort zone and really enjoying the sailing!

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Iceman said..

Yes, great conditions out on the water on Sunday. Sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye but as you were all out it was a bit difficult. Got a question though. The BOM reckons it was gusting to 25 knots in the morning and I had a 5.8 on a 114 l board and at times only just planing. If I was home I would have no larger than a 5m and 90 l board. What gives? Is it because the wind is so much more steady or is there a discrepancy between the wind meter and the beach?

No problem Rod.. I think I was busy doing the Giant Penguin Slingshot stuff

Looking at the readings there were not many 25 knot gusts... and I agree with the above around wind speed generally being lighter then the readings at the mouth of the river.. Also +1 to the wind being full strength in the middle of the river...

Additional to this I do think a 5.8 is a bit small to be using on a 114L board.With a bigger sail and a slipperier fin to make gusts manageable you may find yourself planning more consistently... which is why I chose a weed fin yesterday

I have always found smaller sails to not power larger boards very well. We had similar conditions in the afternoon where I was very comfy, happy and sometimes excited on a 7.5m.. My 5.8 doesn't come out until close to 30 knots... but im a bit different and pretty fat eh

On those marginal days at lagoon it's always worth investing in some height. Often moving your runs up past Cordell Point toward the pilot station can make all the difference in wind strength you need

I think from your replies that I was right in guessing the wind was more like 15-18 where we were sailing than the 20-25 that was recorded. Right out in the middle or nearer the mouth it looked stronger. It is handy to know because that helps to decide which sails to run. I will be more inclined to go for the 7m next time.
Ben, I wouldn't say fat!!!! In the old days, Rubens would of loved to paint a fine figure of a man such as yourself. I can picture it now, reclining back on a sofa, a towel draped modestly over the necessary bits, bunch of grapes in hand, maybe a cherub or two playing harps in the background.

I couldn't find any pictures of harp playing but wrestling tigers in the semi nude suggests that he might have a Giant Penguin Slingshot back at the man cave.

Don't know about the first photo but the second is the Great "Henry Hoover" inventor of the Bagless Giant Penguin Slingshot.

Now that's what I'm talking about.