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Need info on sailing Diamond Head

 
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nodak



Joined: 13 Nov 2012
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 1:26 pm    Post subject: Need info on sailing Diamond Head Reply with quote

I have sailed exclusively in Kailua and would like some tips on sailing Diamond Head for the first time. The flatter the water the better is for me right now. So what to look for: tides, time of day, etc.?

I heard either a 5.3 or a 5.7 sails work at Diamond Head.

Any folks care to share their Diamond Head sailing experiences in the summer time?
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LeeD



Joined: 12 Jun 2008
Posts: 1175

PostPosted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LONG hot walk down, maybe 1/4 mile, and then back up. Carry an old old backpack with h20, sun hat, sunscreen, light T shirt, everything old.
Mast base in front of track, clamp boom to it, tie outhaul to rear footstraps.
Balanced with two sails in their bags, mast inside one of them, wrapped together by your waist harness.
One package in each hand.
When at the bottom, walk another 200 feet to the beginning of the channel, but not so far you make it out at Brownies.
Sail out the channel and back in a few times, to check sail size, rigging, and your jibing. It's port out, starboard in, the opposite of most sailing areas, but good if you're a goofy foot surfer.
Make sure you have NOTHING inside your car, crack the windows or they'll just break it. If you got nothing thieves want, they'll leave you alone.
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gerritt



Joined: 06 May 1998
Posts: 632
Location: Redwood City, CA

PostPosted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finally crossed Diamond Head off the bucket list last summer. The only rentals on Oahu are out of the Naish shop, which is worth a visit just for the history. It sports many of Robby's old rigs over the years hung from the ceiling. The gear is just OK, but will get you out there. Diamond Head blows mid-day, so you have time to sesh and return the gear before they close, but its a whole day of schlep.

If you bring the family, its a decent beach and you have some pack mules for your gear down the path. If not, bundle it up and walk it down. I had no problems with theft and the street parking above the beach was crowded enough with people that I didn't worry.

Typical coral reefs and heads. Booties are a good idea, but I don't use them. I got a few minor cuts, but wore them proudly. Avoid big days and give the surfers plenty of room and respect. The launch is just in front of the path down to the beach. The opposite tack took some getting used to and made me feel almost like a beginner at first. After about half an hour, I settled in and got some rides.
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MauiMakani



Joined: 07 Aug 1995
Posts: 28

PostPosted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its been years since I sailed there, but one lesson that I remember is to really watch for surfers when you are jumping on the way out. It is easy to get excited flying towards a ramp, and discover when you are up in the air that you are going to land way too close to surfers sitting in the lineup. I found this to be less of a problem if you go back out as far upwind as possible, since at least when I was there, the surfers tend to sit towards the downwind end of the sailing wave. The system that worked for me was to not just jibe out at the end of the wave which would send me out down by the surfers, but instead, once the wave closes out, pinch back upwind in front of the whitewater as far as possible before tacking or jibing to head back out.
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