sailing distances

[robmorrkb]

Hello all,
On a typical windsurfing session, how far can you ride comfortably?

Would you consider a 20 mile round trip excessive?

[dllee]

Average slow planing speed would be around 24mph, jibes take some time, so on a typical 1.5 mile reach, jibes both ends, it should take around 1.5 hours to sail 20 miles, something reachable by most sailors who don't fall on their jibes.

[isobars]

On the days when I make (i.e., plane through at full speed) most of my jibes, I'm fully powered so probably averaging mid-20s or better. That equates to about 100 miles in a good session, or 200+ miles in a good day. On warm flat water such as at Bird Island at Corpus Christi, sessions and speeds can be much longer and faster, except that since going ashore for food/water/pee entails simply stepping off the board at one end of the racetrack, sessions may be much shorter than they are where going ashore wastes much more time.

In the REAL world, with up'n'down winds and needing to change sail sizes now and then, fully powered reaches are more elusive and sessions are shorter as winds change more often. I'll often range up and down the river more than a dozen miles, and that doesn't even count the back and forth/beam reach vectors.

ON THE OTHER HAND ... if you mean back to back 10-mile reaches (one 20-mile round trip) instead of 20 1-mile reaches, that's a different story. Standing there under static tension on one tack (one side of the sail) for 10 miles could get REAL old, with lots of lactic acid buildup. I'd want to break that up by jibing just for the hell of it now and then, or at least be prepared to abandon the idea and turn around short of my destination.

[cgoudie1]

One mans excessive is another's joy. Lake sailing on a 14 mile round trip
(7 each way) my back leg gets pretty tired. If it were broken up into
1/2 mile rides each way, I can muster a few hours.

Where are you sailing that you have a 10 mile fetch? Ocean wise, I wouldn't go out farther than I can swim in. That'd be a lot less than 10 miles.

-Craig

[dllee]

When I used to visit Kahala Oahu for a month twice a year, there was a lifeguard who worked Makapu who lived next door. He'd sail his Seatrend 8'6"'er until he could see Mokes, the island off Maui, and if the clouds weren't present, Haleakala, before turning back to Kahala.
The hariest part of the trip was making it over the reef just S of the Intercontinental Hotel, usually around 9" deep.

[keycocker]

I think the downwinder from Hookipa to Kanaha in Maui is 15 miles not sure. Often done.
You mostly can't go straight down, but you can catch wind swell to help.

If you can't sail with your hands by your side or one lightly resting on top of the boom, it is a lot harder to sail long distance.
The Easter race in SanPedro used to be 28 miles across the wind and around small islands. Fewer than half the field of fifteen would arrive.

How far is the Molokai crossing from Maui?Or the Defi in France, which is 6 heats of 45 kilometers, maybe 25 miles with 1000, count em, 1000 sailors at each starting line.

[coachg]

You mean like this Leed? If you get lucky, no need to sail out into the middle of the ocean. This was taken near Blow Hole.

[dvCali]

[GURGLETROUSERS]

To safely cover long distances and crossings on the open sea by windsurfing, you best need,

a) A longboard of over 200 litres volume.

b) Force three type wind strengths and water conditions for semi-planing (gallumphing I call it) speeds, in the seat harness but out of the straps which, with correct fin, sail, and masttrack position balance is almost effortless, and can be held for hours.

c) To carry back-up split kayak paddles (strapped to front deck with an easy and quick access fixing method) for when the wind fails. You then drop the boom and balance it over the rear straps, sit in front of the masttrack facing the back of the board, jam your legs and feet beneath the rig to balance it (tricky in a windless swell as the sail tries to waft up into air as you drop down it), and paddle the board fin first at kayak speed, for as long as it takes to get back. (Three hours and ten miles my most annoying effort.)

Have been doing this since the 80's (came into it from sea kayaking). The main danger is being caught out at sea way overpowered, and with deteriorating conditions. THAT'S why choosing a force three type day, and NOT carrying the biggest sail you can, is most advisable. (And experience of open sea conditions is also a good idea.)

[spennie]

zirtaeb calls 24mph "slow planing speed"? He needs a GPS! SLOW planing speed is APPROXIMATELY 15 mph, depending on a bunch of variables, 24 is a good fast clip, over 30 gets scary in dead smooth water. I would say that average JSA (just sailing along) speed is about 20-22 mph.