Thursday, July 28, 2011

The LSC Anomaly













Tuesday, 7/26/2011, Blue Lagoon.

After local optimistic on site reports I loaded the van with 2 boards, 85 and the 100 liter, 3 sails a 5.0, 5.5 and 6.0. Local on site reports mentioning the 5.0 word.

I was a little bit more optimistic compared to the last few sessions .

Arrived on site at 3 and saw a few puffs and everyone warned me that it is dying off. Rigged the 6.0 anyway and went out by 4:30 on the 100 RRD. An easy slog with a lot of light wind maneuvers, heli-tacks, pushtacks, nose sink tacks, upwind 360s and sail\body 360s and clew first sail\body 180 to backwind side with a back wind jibe returning to normal tack.

Around 6 gave it up due to almost zero wind. Waited around and got sucked out a few times when some puffs would come by only to die off in a few minutes.



Time for happy hour, Craig was already well into it so he offered me a beer and I started happy hour. Derigged and put all the gear back in the van. As I was putting the gear away the wind picked but after being suckered out a few times already I wasn't going to fall for this.

Three minutes later I was pulling my gear back out and rigging the just derigged 6.0.

Got back on the water at 8 and sailed marginal winds to sunset.


Session: Officially 8:00-9:15 PM.



Gear: 6.0 Ezzy Panther, 101 RRD FSW boards.



Conditions: On shore NE winds brought confused choppy conditions.



Weather: 80 degrees sunny, water, 75 degrees.



Wind: Estimated to peak of 25 on-shore NNE.



Schooled: 1 for 19 on the downwind 360s.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Hot Session



Thursday, 7/21/2011, Metro Beach.
I loaded the van with 2 boards, 100 and 109 liter, 2 sails a 5.5 and 6.0, and one mast. A "Hot Session" over 100 degrees the hottest weather I ever sailed in. Wind Forecast looked very marginal. By 3:30 I rigged the 6.0 Panther with the 109 RRD and went out in with no promises from the wind gods. Got lucky and a slightly side off shore puff came in and got me up on a plane. Further out the winds were steadier with an occasional blast of super heated air. Flat water ruled and for some reason a lack of weeds.

Sailed for about an hour and then came in for to rehydrate and also changed down to the 100 liter RRD. Went back out for another hour in some overpowering hot blasts of wind. Pulled of 50% of my downwind 360s. Perfect smooth conditions for practicing that move, also got some of the occasional hot air blasts on the inside where it was full planning hero duck jibe city.

About a dozen windsurfers showed up despite the marginal winds.


Session: 3:30 - 5:30
Gear: 6.0 Ezzy Panther, 109 and 101 RRD FSW boards.
Conditions: Flat on the inside and flat on the outside.
Weather: 100+ degrees sunny, water, had to be 80+ degrees.
Wind: 0-25 from the SW-W and WNW.
Schooled: Another day of downwind 360s, batting 500 on them. Still not pretty but getting better. Also pulled off a lot of hero duckins on the inside with the occasional hot air blasts.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Expected Session

Belle River Wind Graph











Wednesday 7/13/2011, Blue Lagoon


Again I loaded the van with the minimal amount of gear, 2 sails a 5.5 and 6.0, one mast, and one board.
An "Expected Session" Wind Forecast looked promising, all traffic signals were green and practically a full moon . By 4:00 the wind picked up and I was on the water with the 5.5 Ezzy SE and the RRD 101. Almost a repeat of Monday's session with the exception of higher/steadier wind speeds and less weeds.


Session: 4:00 - 8:00


Gear: 5.5 Ezzy SE 101 RRD FSW board.


Conditions: Flat on the inside and small swell on the outside.


Weather: 80 degrees sunny, water 75 degrees.


Wind: 10-30 from the NNE.


Schooled: Another day of downwind 360s, less successful then Monday but got a good one in, all the way around with hardly any backwinding. Still not pretty but getting better. Also pulled off a lot of opposite side helicopter tacks in the higher winds. Gotta love the flat shallow stuff for doing that.


















Had a special Foxy guest show up during "cocktail hour"

































































Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Late Afternoon Surprise










Monday 7/11/2011, Metro Beach

I loaded the van with the minimal amount of gear, 2 sails a 5.5 and 6.0, one mast, and one board. Not expecting much although the Metro Beach Windtalker was posting 17 mph.


A "Surprise Session" after the storms moved east the winds gradually picked up. By 6:00 I was on the water with the 6.0 Ezzy Panther and the RRD 101.


Session: 6:00 - 8:00


Gear: 6.0 Ezzy Panther 101 RRD FSW board.


Conditions: Flat on the inside and small swell on the outside.


Weather: 80 degrees sunny, water 75 degrees and very weedy, we are in peak weed season.


Wind: 10-30 from the WSW to WNW.


Schooled: 3 in a row downwind 360s on one tack heading out. After the last one I topped it off by doing an upwind 360. Not pretty but getting better. Also pulled off some good feeling duck jibes on the inside flat water. Gotta love the flat stuff for doing that.


Iwindsurf Graph form Grosse Point Yacht club.