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dhanson928



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 99

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:40 am    Post subject: New Guy here. Reply with quote

Hey all, just discovered this forum. Hello.

Did anyone else catch Roosevelt yesterday? It was good. I left Lyle without my 3.2. I got some sore arms today.

This time of year the early morning light on the starboard reach is really quite special. When it's as windy as yesterday, smoke blowing and gray sky with the sun really low directly behind the grain elevators...the water looks nasty...like I'd imagine the North Atlantic, or something...Then when you jibe back towards Wa. you realize.."hey, it's the Gorge"

When I left home, early, with a good forecast and good pressures, the wind graph was trending down, so I even tossed in a 5.8 and my biggest board thinking..."Today, I am not going to wish I'd brought my Baja-style gear, watching the Tri Cities sailors having fun on big gear, then finally get an hour or two....I'm taking the big stuff along...."

Wrong call...As I passed Avery the graph took a sharp jump up...By the time I hit Roosevelt it was gusting high 40s and by the time I got my 3.7 rigged it was into the 50s... I flattened everything, stuck in my tinyest fin and proceeded to "hang on" to that 3.7 from 9:30 till about 1, when the gusts went back to the 40s and made my 3.7 sail a bit more appropriate.

After a short break for fuel, I got my first ride on a new composite board I just built...Quite different feeling than my Open Ocean "all arounder" that I have been riding. So much less 'swing weight' at the nose. I can see it will be a nice ride once I get it wired a bit. Still on my 3.7, now 'juiced-up' with less down and outhaul at 2pm....Then the wind started going all weird...came in and rigged a 4.2 took a few reaches and called it a day before I got caught 'out' by a frontal passage or something.

I have to say that after coming back to windsurfing following about 8yrs of not sailing at all, days like yesterday (and some of the epic days I got at Arlington earlier this summer).....the sport is still quite 'challenging'....and fun.

Don Hanson
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rule #1: Take all yer $#+. I arrived at dawn, and could have used every sail I own if I had no faith in the forecast.
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dhanson928



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 99

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

isobars wrote:
Rule #1: Take all yer $#+. I arrived at dawn, and could have used every sail I own if I had no faith in the forecast.


I have been caught before leaving the sail or board I want out of the van...LOL. More than once... but with the newer rigs available since my last obsessive sailing period, one can *almost* make do with a not quite right sail size and still have plenty of fun....

One of the things I used to dislike about sailing was the need to keep 'chasing' the perfect set up as the conditions changed. Now it seems like I can just stop in the water and tune my Northwave enough to stay out and have fun...within reason, of course..

There are still those days when no sail you rig ever seems exactly right and so you re-rig, only to find conditions have again changed and you are wrong again.....but the modern gear IS pretty adaptable, a huge improvement over the Old Days....Of course, my "new" gear is still old, compared to some of the stuff being used. I just haven't seen the need to pay $1000+ for just a new a mast and boom, yet.

And yes, aluminum booms do break....I had one fail this summer due to 10 salt water seasons in La Ventana and La Ribera...corroded almost in half at the clamp and "Pop!"....another 3 meter day at Arlington earlier this summer...
Don Hanson
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jota



Joined: 28 Feb 2001
Posts: 205

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the nuthouse, I'd introduce you around but you'll meet everyone soon enough.

Glad you got a good session yesterday! (but Iso is right; how much room would that 3.2 have taken in your vehicle?)

You're right about modern gear - I used to sail a 3.2 all summer, now I rarely do since my modern 3.7 can handle so much more. Or is it my extra 15 lbs?
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skyhigh



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 58

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:07 pm    Post subject: Re: New Guy here. Reply with quote

hey dh, the swells must have been amazing Very Happy !!!NICE!!! Water still not too cold, eh...I had a GREAT season Smile , nice to hear your still charging and thanks for the post
dhanson928 wrote:
Hey all, just discovered this forum. Hello.

Did anyone else catch Roosevelt yesterday? It was good. I left Lyle without my 3.2. I got some sore arms today.

This time of year the early morning light on the starboard reach is really quite special. When it's as windy as yesterday, smoke blowing and gray sky with the sun really low directly behind the grain elevators...the water looks nasty...like I'd imagine the North Atlantic, or something...Then when you jibe back towards Wa. you realize.."hey, it's the Gorge"

When I left home, early, with a good forecast and good pressures, the wind graph was trending down, so I even tossed in a 5.8 and my biggest board thinking..."Today, I am not going to wish I'd brought my Baja-style gear, watching the Tri Cities sailors having fun on big gear, then finally get an hour or two....I'm taking the big stuff along...."

Wrong call...As I passed Avery the graph took a sharp jump up...By the time I hit Roosevelt it was gusting high 40s and by the time I got my 3.7 rigged it was into the 50s... I flattened everything, stuck in my tinyest fin and proceeded to "hang on" to that 3.7 from 9:30 till about 1, when the gusts went back to the 40s and made my 3.7 sail a bit more appropriate.

After a short break for fuel, I got my first ride on a new composite board I just built...Quite different feeling than my Open Ocean "all arounder" that I have been riding. So much less 'swing weight' at the nose. I can see it will be a nice ride once I get it wired a bit. Still on my 3.7, now 'juiced-up' with less down and outhaul at 2pm....Then the wind started going all weird...came in and rigged a 4.2 took a few reaches and called it a day before I got caught 'out' by a frontal passage or something.

I have to say that after coming back to windsurfing following about 8yrs of not sailing at all, days like yesterday (and some of the epic days I got at Arlington earlier this summer).....the sport is still quite 'challenging'....and fun.

Don Hanson
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:09 pm    Post subject: Re: New Guy here. Reply with quote

skyhigh wrote:
Water still not too cold, eh...I had a GREAT season

Had? The water's still relatively warm. I got overheated today in a wet suit even when I swam in when the wind went offshore. Get it while you can ... it'll be bootie time again by Thanksgiving.
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