My arms are a little longer today after 4 hours sailing and swimming at Melville waters.
I found sailing through the gusts very difficult. One second I was planning next the wind dropped and I was stalling.
Any advice. I was using a 6.1 m sail.
Someone suggested changing the fins to give more lift.
Was it flexicat or eternalnoob who yelled out MADDOG as they sped past me and left me floating in their wake?
Great day Can't wait for the next set of strong winds.

I mean felixdcat not flexicat

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Maddog49 said...

My arms are a little longer today after 4 hours sailing and swimming at Melville waters.
I found sailing through the gusts very difficult. One second I was planning next the wind dropped and I was stalling.
Any advice. I was using a 6.1 m sail.
Someone suggested changing the fins to give more lift.
Was it flexicat or eternalnoob who yelled out MADDOG as they sped past me and left me floating in their wake?
Great day Can't wait for the next set of strong winds.

Those conditions are always difficult. Whatever you rig will only be right some of the time. Keeping the nose of the board down in the gusts is important - mast track a bit forward, smaller fin, perhaps a weed fin. Then again a larger fin will help you get over the chop and prevent spin out. Just depends on identifying your problem... A smaller board will be easier to handle in the gusts but will stall in the lulls. Use plenty of down haul in your sail so it will exhaust better.

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Maddog49 said...

My arms are a little longer today after 4 hours sailing and swimming at Melville waters.
I found sailing through the gusts very difficult. One second I was planning next the wind dropped and I was stalling.
Any advice. I was using a 6.1 m sail.
Someone suggested changing the fins to give more lift.
Was it flexicat or eternalnoob who yelled out MADDOG as they sped past me and left me floating in their wake?
Great day Can't wait for the next set of strong winds.

Hey Maddog49,

I was there on Sunday. It was totally brutal for me as well.

I cant lift my arm properly my shoulders hurt really bad. I fell next to a guy using a 6ish meters and we were floating together for a bit. So probably that was you or not.

But if someone sped past you it wasn't me , I spent most of my time catapulting and doing face plants.

Cheers

I managed to avoid face plants, but stalled when the wind dropped.
I usually wear a blue shirt when sailing and have a blue and green and pink KA 6.1 or 6.5 sail. One thing good about Melville waters you can always sail to the sand bar and have a rest. I try to sail South West of the car park. The water is flatter and it is not as deep.
I usually set up and pack up at the Tap and hose.
Look for the White DMAX ute.
I try to sail to the sand bar, attempt a gybe at the float. If I fail I can deep water start or swim to the sand bar.
I was hoping for a sail tonight but the wind looks a little light.

It was me yellin out "maddog"
you were doin well on the "old" kit for yesterday
I was on a 7m gettin a goood arm streachin!

Craw

ggf
You were really going. Any idea what speed you were doing?
I can say it was not skill that kept me ontop of the water. I think my survival instincts took over. I have some good size calluses on my hands and I am aching in the elbow joints.

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I spent most of my time catapulting and doing face plants.

Cheers

makes me feel a bit better I thought it was just me

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Maddog49 said...

My arms are a little longer today after 4 hours sailing and swimming at Melville waters.
I found sailing through the gusts very difficult. One second I was planning next the wind dropped and I was stalling.
Any advice.

I drove out to Melville Waters around 3-ish and was very up and down. Suprised how flat the wind was near shore and was strong and gusty a 100m out. Drove to Peli point for a look and was a lot stronger and more consistent. Though lighter on the last run into shore nowhere as stupid as at Melville.

Sailed for 3 hours at Peli Point till could do no more on my trusty old 254 Tiga wave and 4.5m NP NR-Wave and was one of the fastest boards in these conditions! What a day! Of course had a couple of spectacular high speed falls and another after tackling the lip of a nice big bit of river swell but all good fun. But bits started hurting the next day that I thought I didn't use or hurt like my toes and fingers

Just wondering would using a seat harness help when the wind gets stronger?

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ggf said...
It was me yellin out "maddog"
you were doin well on the "old" kit for yesterday
I was on a 7m gettin a goood arm streachin!

Craw

You got some good speeds out there on Sunday Craw. I was keen to try out my newly (Saturday) purchased Reflex 4 6.2....it was awesome...super stable and comfy in the gusts...was on the X-F 90 with a Delta 27.

Bart...seat vs waist harness is personal preference...I've used seat harnesses (Da Kine XT Seat) for many years and find them comfortable.

Maddog...it was one of those days where you just need to put on a fin which feels comfortable...I too was stalling in the lulls but very comfortable in even the strongest gusts...to me comfort in those conditions is everything. Too big a fin would see you lifting off in the strong gusts.