Where We're Sailing Today / where we sailed today

dsgrntlxmply · Joined: 16 Jun 2010 Posts: 180

Looking at the forecast chart, put my gear on the car in the morning just in case. Belatedly saw 19.5 on iWindsurf just before 2PM, and zoomed out to the site, knowing that it would be too shallow by 3:30PM. Raced to put my one and only (155L) together with a 6.4, and the wind nearly died.

Fortunately it came back up and I had a truly excellent ride out, planing nearly all of the way out, with the sail feeling totally dialed in and light. The wind died to a slog, then came up to planing again. By this point I did not trust the depth for that speed, so laid down to windward and ended up with my butt applying the brakes hard on the sandy bottom.

Return reach was mostly a slog, with a brief moment of planing. It was getting visibly shallower by the minute, and I had started out badly fatigued anyway, so I decided to quit.

Very short session but absolutely worth the trip and effort, especially the fast ride out, as a much needed sanity restorer. The maddening poison oak on my legs that had kept me mostly sleepless for three days, also seemed to be relieved considerably by the seawater.

Naturally, the wind came up again with caps all across just as I was de-rigging, but it had gotten too shallow.

LeeD · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 952

Most guys, at low tides, sail Hart's beach or Doran.

kevinkan · Joined: 07 Jun 2001 Posts: 1016 Location: San Francisco

Crissy on Tuesday: took one run out on 4.6 and was massively OPd... came back in and rigged 4.2. Wind dropped a bit, but I was fine on 4.2/81 for about 90 minutes, then the wind got even lighter. At least I got to see that AC72 get ebbed out The Gate in person Rolling Eyes

zirtaeb · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1763

I thought you hated Crissy. I thought it was your last ditch choice.
See, Crissy can be fun.

dsgrntlxmply · Joined: 16 Jun 2010 Posts: 180

LeeD · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 952

Another 300 yards up the road, you launch at Doran, simple tiny shorebreak heading to EsteroAmericano and back. Back in the early '90's, some weekends would see upwards of 75 windsurfers using that launch, sailing outside the break until they get back to the launch.

dvCali · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 249

bert · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 103

Had a 5.3 session at Dumbo from 2 to 3:30. Rigged bigger than I wanted cuz it was flooding and I had no desire to get too close to the bridge. Nicely powered and planing the entire session and I regretted not going a bit smaller. The launch site is still fenced in, but all the bridge retrofit hardware is gone so there is access to the water. No CalTrans to chase me away so it was a good day. Funny, seems that Palo Alto a couple miles down was reading 14 while Dumbo had maybe 5 mph more wind.

Rube · Joined: 21 Jun 2000 Posts: 74

Stick 4-6. Grossly over powered on 5.7, 100l. Still a welcome late season sesh. I must admit I felt rather unskilled amidst all the freestyler hotshots throwing down spinny flippy tricks! Very Happy

dsgrntlxmply · Joined: 16 Jun 2010 Posts: 180

The usual 155L. Started on 5.7 but it eventually became too much to handle. This is one of the few times when I decided to rig down (to 5.0), with that decision turning out not to be a mistake. 5.0 gave more than enough power, and I got a water start (my first on a sail that small). This was the most power that I've had under a reasonable semblance of control on that sail (generously downhauled).

That big board can be a bit of a trial in the short-period chop that Bodega builds, but the slapping roller coaster ride stayed mostly in control and was fun enough on starboard tack, but my port tack sailing was terrible: left arm and hand were giving up early.

Most people were out on 5.0 to 5.2. One lighter person was on a 3.3 then a 3.7. She's fast even with a small sail.

--- Update, Sun. Oct. 21

Sunday I should have brought the 7.3 that I'd brought Saturday. Mostly just barely enough power on 6.4 to stay upwind. OK conditions for a retry at acclimating to a harness.