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ron.c
Joined: 30 Oct 2004
Posts: 1460
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 Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Come on Bruce - For the average sailor, it gives you a general feel for what went on.
RC |
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Juani222
Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 138
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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I got out of work at 10 here in Providence... I ended up sailing Formula in Fogland... My 5.5 hasn't seen the water in 4 months.
Next time, hopefully 
Juan
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http://www.twentyknots.blogspot.com/ |
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OliverTwist
Joined: 25 Nov 2004
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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Juan,
Leaving RI at 10 you would have been riding your formula board at Pleasant Bay too. At 2PM I was on a 140 with a 7.5 Retro and only planing 50% of the time. As predicted the wind was up early and died off in the morning.
Hopefully we'll get some good wind before it gets too cold.
Oliver |
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speedysailor
Joined: 11 Sep 2007
Posts: 841
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| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 8:13 am Post subject: |
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| ron.c wrote: | Come on Bruce - For the average sailor, it gives you a general feel for what went on.
RC |
When you consider yourself the average sailor, perhaps that might be true. However, the average American is 6 feet tall and weighs over 180 lbs. I really don't think I have met enough windsurfers to think I know what the average guy uses for sails, either. The majority of current windsurfers in New England might be using sails comparable to yours, but world-wide, I doubt it. The average professional sailor would be using bigger sails for sure. If you are standing in front of me and then tell me what sails you are using, I could make a good guess at what the wind strength might be. However, without some idea as to an author's physical attributes, I really can't make any more than a wild guess. For instance, he says that he was sailing a 7.5 in the afternoon. I guessed that might mean that the winds were blowing in the high teens with gusts to 20. However, I don't know if he was planing with the 7.4 or whether or not he just didn't have any larger sail. Futhermore, I don't know the age of his sail. A sail made in the last couple of years will have a remarkably wider range than that of a sail made ten years ago. I can rig a 9.6 when guys with 10 to 20 year old gear take out their 7.4. In addition with a recently made 7.4, a good sailor can be comfortable in winds that would be totally over-powering for a 15 year old sail. Then, you have to consider a sailors ability when trying to co-relate sail size with wind speed. Someone with loads of experience in gusty winds can hold on to larger sails than someone with little experience. I have no idea what the abilities or physical stats are of every poster on these forums except you. In the second post, he qualifies his sail size stating that he was only planing half the time. Was he over-powered at any time in great gusts? Did he have to slog in long lulls when he wasn't planing? Does he rig conservatively for the gusts? Would he have planed more if he sailled often over-powered? We have no idea, do we? Now, take that kiter I mentioned in another thread who insisted on wind speeds that didn't jive with the reality. I know him. I have heard plenty from him. He has come up with this cockamamie theory that in any given wind sail size should be half of the adequate kite size. He has pushed this theory on so many people (people who know little about kiting or visca versa) with such confidence that I hear others repeat it. It can't be further from the truth. Kite size varies with style of kite and other factors as does sail size. I'll be sailing with a 9.6 when kiters are using 12 meter kites effectively. To top it all off, I have had guys refuse to believe my windmeter readings when they are looking directly at them. I carry one of the best made portable ones, too. Consequently, you must admit that most posters and commentators at the beach are just telling you little about the conditions and a lot about themselves. |
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Gerda
Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 52
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| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:04 am Post subject: Friday AM wind speed estimate |
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For what it is worth (my subjective evaluation) wind speed at Pleasant Bay on Friday at 7:45 was Force 5 ( 19 - 24) over most of the bay and a bit less near both shores. From then until I left at 11:00 AM the wind decreased
overall (17 - 20), and although the direction did not vary, there were periods of filling and backing, again most pronounced near shore.
Thanks Ron for the invite. It was worth the drive and nice to sail with old and new friends. |
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pueno
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 2807
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| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 11:48 am Post subject: |
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| seedysailor wrote: | | When you consider yourself the average sailor, perhaps that might be true. However, the average American is 6 feet tall and weighs over 180 lbs. I really don't think I have met enough windsurfers to think I know what the average guy uses for sails, either. The majority of current windsurfers in New England might be using sails comparable to yours, but world-wide, I doubt it. The average professional sailor would be using bigger sails for sure. If you are standing in front of me and then tell me what sails you are using, I could make a good guess at what the wind strength might be. However, without some idea as to an author's physical attributes, I really can't make any more than a wild guess. For instance, he says that he was sailing a 7.5 in the afternoon. I guessed that might mean that the winds were blowing in the high teens with gusts to 20. However, I don't know if he was planing with the 7.4 or whether or not he just didn't have any larger sail. Futhermore, I don't know the age of his sail. A sail made in the last couple of years will have a remarkably wider range than that of a sail made ten years ago. I can rig a 9.6 when guys with 10 to 20 year old gear take out their 7.4. In addition with a recently made 7.4, a good sailor can be comfortable in winds that would be totally over-powering for a 15 year old sail. Then, you have to consider a sailors ability when trying to co-relate sail size with wind speed. Someone with loads of experience in gusty winds can hold on to larger sails than someone with little experience. I have no idea what the abilities or physical stats are of every poster on these forums except you. In the second post, he qualifies his sail size stating that he was only planing half the time. Was he over-powered at any time in great gusts? Did he have to slog in long lulls when he wasn't planing? Does he rig conservatively for the gusts? Would he have planed more if he sailled often over-powered? We have no idea, do we? Now, take that kiter I mentioned in another thread who insisted on wind speeds that didn't jive with the reality. I know him. I have heard plenty from him. He has come up with this cockamamie theory that in any given wind sail size should be half of the adequate kite size. He has pushed this theory on so many people (people who know little about kiting or visca versa) with such confidence that I hear others repeat it. It can't be further from the truth. Kite size varies with style of kite and other factors as does sail size. I'll be sailing with a 9.6 when kiters are using 12 meter kites effectively. To top it all off, I have had guys refuse to believe my windmeter readings when they are looking directly at them. I carry one of the best made portable ones, too. Consequently, you must admit that most posters and commentators at the beach are just telling you little about the conditions and a lot about themselves. |
Huh? |
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ron.c
Joined: 30 Oct 2004
Posts: 1460
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| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| ron.c wrote: | my best guess is it is at least 6.0 conditions
RC |
Not a bad guess from looking at the trees in my back yard.
We had 4 guys of different ages, different ablitlites?, and different board / fin types all on sails around the 6 range.
Thanks guys for showing up. Hopefully we'll all get together again and maybe add a few more to the mix. Juan, if you know these guys,the trip from Providence is easy. I did it for 7 years until my boss thought it would be a hardship for me to relo for a work assignment in Oregon. I had to think real hard about that one.
NOAA is already talking about a storm coming up the coast at the end of the week (hopefully on the weekend)
I finished up the week by totally indulging my habits (and prolonging a headcold) by getting in a grade B surf session on the north end of Nauset.
Have a good week, RC |
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speedysailor
Joined: 11 Sep 2007
Posts: 841
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| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:01 am Post subject: Re: Friday AM wind speed estimate |
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| Gerda wrote: | For what it is worth (my subjective evaluation) wind speed at Pleasant Bay on Friday at 7:45 was Force 5 ( 19 - 24) over most of the bay and a bit less near both shores. From then until I left at 11:00 AM the wind decreased
overall (17 - 20), and although the direction did not vary, there were periods of filling and backing, again most pronounced near shore.
Thanks Ron for the invite. It was worth the drive and nice to sail with old and new friends. |
Thanks Gerda for the information. Hopefully you don't need an invite to sail Pleasant Bay. I wonder why the winds will be less near both shores when it is blowing out of the NE. Won't you have more fetch at the SW launch and thus a potential for a higher reading? I also wanted to compare the gust ranges of Upper and Lower Cape, but now it's just history.
| ron.c wrote: | | ron.c wrote: | my best guess is it is at least 6.0 conditions
RC |
Not a bad guess from looking at the trees in my back yard.
We had 4 guys of different ages, different ablilites?, and different board / fin types all on sails around the 6 range. |
Funny, Thursday, I was successfully using a 6.0 because I was rigging for the gusts. The fact was that I did catch one ride where I was nearly over-powered. At first I rigged a 6.5 in the early morning, but found it was too much. However, the wind came down a bit while I changed the board and rig.
| ron.c wrote: | | Thanks guys for showing up. Hopefully we'll all get together again and maybe add a few more to the mix. |
I have rarely lacked for company at the rigging area at P. Bay. |
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pueno
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 2807
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| Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:27 am Post subject: Re: Friday AM wind speed estimate |
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| seedysailor wrote: | | I have rarely lacked for company at the rigging area at P. Bay. |
But when you're there, they have. |
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