Sunday 6.11.17. Where did you ride? Let's hear it

[windydoug]

Being a dad came first for me this morning, but luck would have it that I would be watching my son score his first goal of the season about a mile from Long Pond.  Post soccer session at Long Pond included Gary W. (thanks for the Groupme message!), Keith S., Ted B., and Eric M.

Upon arrival, the waves were breaking over the rip rap on the side of the road, and spray could be felt on the rigging grass on the other side of the road.  My hand held meter told me it was better than 20 mph on the water, but the boys on the water (and plenty of experience with the Pond) made me go 5.8 and 95L board.  Teddy came ashore as I scurried across the road and gave me a Tae Kwon Do lesson that was intended to tell show what conditions were like.

On the water I was lit up with a super flat 5.8 in the gusts, and schlogging in lulls.  The direction was pretty good, just a couple of ribbons of windlessness  down the middle.  I can’t lie, the Pond belonged to Eric M. on this day.  I had sailed with him twice last year as he stepped back into the sport, but a great offseason and a trip to Hatteras has given good confidence to a good sailor.  I saw him tack Bill’s old 115 Synchro skillfully backwinding the sail to complete the turn, and I also witness a couple of dry jibes….all while well over powered, and enduring a few catapults as a result.  Everybody got on the water and got their boards going.  Teddy was ripping  when I arrived, Gary and I shared a few high speed passes with each other, and though it was frustrating to him as he figures out a new board, Keith got some planing on his Nelson custom.

I managed a dry duck jibe as well.  Mostly it was because I completed the sail work in a complete hole of no wind, so it wasn’t ripped from my hands.

I eventually went in to shore to rig down a 4.7 as the wind ramped, and about this time Joe and Scotty arrived from some morning fun at Hamburg.  I ended up back out on the 5.8, and Scott on 5.5 with Joe on a 4.7……remember, it’s Long Pond.  The wind seemed to  lull, and then of course roar back…scurried back to shore for my 4.7, that was better.  An unknown sailor came out at the end of the session on a blue Sailworks Winduro sail (like new condition…never heard of that sail), and an older style shortboard and was ripping pretty well and making jibes, neither Joe or I recognized him but his sailing wasn’t rusty at all. I got some pics of the action when I arrived at the Pond, so an album will follow.

Wd

[Corey]

Canandiagua was busier than I have experienced before at kershaw Sunday evening.  Met a guy named Chris making some smooth gybes in variable wind.  I got out there and made a few passes.  A gust came up and ripped the 6.7 out of my hands and smacked the water.  I pulled it up again and saw a tear from batten to batten on my 18 year old sail.   Its the only sail I own so i’m already worrying about next weekend.   Anyone selling used sails from this decade?   

 

Corey

[Scott]

The Saturday Groupme posts got me motivated for a Sunday session at Hamburg and a text to Eric revealed his prediction that it would blow from 7-10 am and then start bubbling. I sent out a couple texts and calls and headed out early to meet Eric and his wife Lisa who were already down rigging in the parking lot after a quick session. Eric rode his 95 liter board on a 4.2 so I rigged a 4.7 on my 95 and stayed with this setup for the duration. Gusts were into the thirties and although we’ve had a number of Long Pond sessions in these conditions the big lake changes everything and my anxiety level was quite high. My first session was short as I immediately cramped up in my arms. I kept my sessions short and progressively got more and more comfortable and relaxed. Totally powered most of the time and had to fin down at one point for a bit more control. I hit a couple holes on the outside after gybing on some awesome smooth waves. Wanting to end the session on a positive note I decided to call it a day. As luck would have it it shut down totally shortly after! Joe and Rick were the only other Rochester guys and Joe had a great session on his 4.2. All the locals were in attendance; Eric, Lisa, Joe, Debbie, Peter, Troy, Craig and a couple others I didn’t know. The kiters all showed up late and there were only sharks out for the best part of the cycle.

Joe and I headed back to Rochester and met up with our guys at the pond and I got in another session overpowered on my 5.5. I was pretty tired by this time and kept this session short but sweet. Boy did it blow! Thanks to Gary for letting me borrow his retro swim trunks as all I had was my semi dry suit. (what was I thinking). Well Joe and I are off to meet Art at the pond so gotta go!!!

[windydoug]

Scott and Corey-

I think I heard that Rick gave Woodlawn a shot on his windsurfer, I’m curious to know more.  Sounds like the wind may have died on him, but the waves look sweet in all the vids I have seen of the kites there.

Corey,  I’m guessing the Chris that you met at ‘daigua was Chris Parsons.  A fast learner that guys is, we’ll have to get him to try travelling from Canandaigua a bit when he needs a new challenge.  Sorry to see your issue with your 6.7.  I’d get to work with some clear packing tape for next weekend.  A bunch of strips across the tear (and then a few running down the tear) may be able to hold it for a few more sessions.  It wont be pretty but in a pinch it’l do.  I will send you a private e mail of a guy Name Ken Jones.  A few years back (2008?) he had a couple year old Sailworks Retro 6.5 he put a hole through and had fixed by Sailworks.  He didn’t use it after that as in the meantime he replaced it with an Ezzy 6.5.  The best I know, he has kept it around as a back up.  He may be willing to part with it.  It’s a good sail, and the advances in sail shaping would offset the .2 sq.m. you would lose from your previous sail.

Thanks for the posts guys, keep em coming!

Wd

[Scott]

From what I hear, its a long walk to the beach with your gear. The local sharks don’t sail there and I know they are a talented bunch so Ill follow their lead. I think Rick got washed up big time and another sailor at Hamburg sailed into the lull and apparently got washed up big time as well and I’m not just talking about the local washing machine where quarter or token are generally accepted! Maybe Seneca will happen late tomorrow, prediction is 5pm 6/15/17!

 

[Geoff]

Local wind was bad, and my truck is broken down anyway. NY highway salt has had  it’s way with too many parts hanging in the underbody. Probably will get it back after July 4, and many $1000s to replace lots of parts. Good to hear you all are having good sessions. I’m still at 1 here in NY (had 3 down in Hilton Head in May).

Doug…if the sail is getting ripped out of your hands on a duck jibe, you’re waiting WAY too long to throw the sail. In a duck jibe, it’s almost impossible to throw the sail to early. Right after you start the carve, do it. Very little delay, don’t carve through the wind first (i.e., the usual “past 6 o’clock” thing). It’s almost impossible to throw the sail too soon (and generally that amounts to not carving hard enough, more than a timing thing of throwing the sail). In a duck jibe, you throw the sail, the mast “weathervanes” way downwind (you can almost do it from a beam reach) and you carve the board underneath the sail as the weathervane stays oriented along the direction of the wind. After you’ve gone through the wind, you just yank the clew with your back hand and the boom will come back to you. If you wait too long to pull the boom back, then the sail will “weathervane” too far away and you won’t be able to reach the boom (and the mast will smack the water, the clew smack you in the face, and you’ll get 6’s and 7’s from the Russian judge on artistic impression. When doing a duck jibe, if you’ve had time – after starting your carve – to think “this is way too soon”, you’ve waited too long…and the consequence is that the sail gets ripped out of your hand.

Also, it’ll help if you bear off before starting your carve…to say 4:00 or 4:30, and then you can start the carve and immediately throw the rig. If you’ve got lots of speed you can carve a wide arc (rig hanging forward helps keep the nose down and speed up) and let the sail hang for what feels like a really long time. But you want to pull it back up by 7:00…much later than that and it’ll be hard to get your hands back on the boom after the flip.

Good luck (never knew anyone to use a mouthguard, but it’s probably not a bad idea because when you screw it up and the mast hits the deck the clew makes a run at your face!)

GEM

[windydoug]

Ha!

Thanks for the how-to Geoff.  I actually got 9’s from the Russian judge on a couple of launches, but I may have colluded with them to earn those marks.  I have heard a bunch of what your are reminding me about the duck jibe.  But even when I do throw things when I am supposed to, isn’t here a time when the clew will catch the wind again as I complete the turn and give me a pull?  I should talk to Dan Scorza too, he’s the most recent guy I have seen duck jibe….and he’s good at it.

New truck???  Or are you patching that thing up like my 116 Screamer cause you love it so much.  See you out there.

Doug

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