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squiz Member Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 2901 |
31st December 2020 Windsurfing: Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: Max Speed: Distance Covered: Stats windsurfing 2020 :) It’s that time of year when I look back over the year and work out my stats and in a funny old year with lockdowns and restrictions caused by this terrible virus I have actually had my best ever windsurfing year:) My wife Maggie and I are in a lucky position being retired with a small pension that covers our outgoings just, our boys are both in secure jobs with no loss of pay and we have finished paying our mortgage, also we live in a fairly safe area of the UK so even during the first lockdown we were able to get out a lot biking in the peace and quiet of beautiful Suffolk. As my boys say I have been social distancing for years! After spending over 1200 nights in our much-loved VW campervan over the last ten years we only had 43 this year, the least amount for ages. To be honest we have not missed it as we had reached a point where we needed a break from it especially with every one and their uncle getting a camper. ‘wild’ camping places are becoming harder to find we think we have had the best! So with the house feeling particularly empty it was time to liven things up with two new kittens. Benny and Rue arrived in October and have been entertaining us ever since:) In the end I managed 118 sessions. This was a surprise as we were lucky enough to have a great month in the French Mountains in Feb/March, skiing and snow shoeing. We got back just before lockdown. Then another 50 days were lost in the first lockdown March through to May. Foiling this year has been a revelation with 79 sessions and after treating myself to a new Exocet foil board, my first new board in 30 years I have greatly improved with only my gybing to sort out. Who would think that I now regularly sail in winds in excess of 25 knots on my foil. I love my Slingshot foil, perhaps a little slow but who thought sailing at 18 knots could be so exciting! I have had several adventures with foiling partner Andy Mexome including a 7-mile trip out to Rough Towers, plus some top long-distance sessions at Felixstowe, Point Clear, Bradfield and Levington including a sail up to the Orwell Bridge. A huge number of local windsurfers are now foiling but I have sailed a lot with a small group, Andy Mexome, Michael Galbrieth, Ian Clarke and last but not least super keen Robert who has probably sailed more than anyone this year! I did have one big disaster when my Foil fuselage broke while out at sea, I managed to save my front wing when it floated to the surface and a big thank you to Slingshot UK and Jamie Dodds from Wetndry for sorting me out a new one:) I would like a new carbon one but funds will probably not run to that so might just look for a smaller front wing for mine to see if I can get well over 20 knots. My fin sailing has taken a bit of a backseat this year but I have managed to get some good sessions in with some nice speeds achieved at two sessions at The Ray, Southend just missing out on 40 knots again. I try to get a good hour every time I fin sail getting my UK best of 19.46 and ending up second in the UK in the elevated ranking for the hour on gps speedsurfing. Not bad for an old boy on kit that is hanging on, with a dodgy back and hands! My gear is taking a real battering, considering my sails are probably 15 years old, the 6.5 is officially dead with the 6, 7 and 7.8 are now well taped. Perhaps it’s time to upgrade to a few new ones and like the look of the Duotone E Pace or XO Vegas but they are so expensive so might have to look for some more second-hand Lightnings which I absolutely love, especially the 7m - my go to foil sail from 15 to 25 knots! I also need two masts a 4 and 4.30 so could be in for an expensive year! In a year where we had to pay to sail at several places including £100 to sail the Stour at Bradfield, £60 for Levington Marina and with a parking metre now at our favourite foiling venue, The Manor. That is the way of the world now where nothing is free. It is a small price to pay for all the fun these places brought me this year:) Venues sailed this year. (118 sessions) Levington Marina (River Orwell) - 38 times. Felixstowe. The Manor – 34 times. The Dip – 14 times. Bradfield (River Stour) 18 times. Wrabness (River Stour) 1 time. Point Clear – 10 times. Southend (The Ray) 2 times. Nacton Shores (River Orwell) 1 time. Equipment used this year. Boards. Fanatic Mega Cat – 0 times. Starboard Formula (foil) – 24 times. Exocet RF 91 foil – 55 times. F2 Xantos 310 – 4 times. F2 Xantos 295 – 23 times. F2 Ride 282 – 24 times. F2 Ride 277 – 5 times. Fanatic Falcon 80 – 2 times. Fanatic Speed – 1 time. Sails. Tushingham Lightning 9.4m – 0. Tushingham Lightning 8.5m – 12. Tushingham Lightning 7.8m – 18. Tushingham Lightning 7.0m – 45. Tushingham Lightning 6.5m – 24. Tushingham Vulcan 6.0m – 9. Tushingham Storm 5.2m – 2. Tushingham X – 15 – 7.0m – 7. Tushingham X – 15 – 6.4m – 4. Tushingham X -15 – 5.8m – 5. Tushingham X – 15 – 5.2m – 2. Speed/Distance for 2020. In my 118 sessions I sailed for 2907 miles with my best day at Southend where I sailed for 87.50 miles. Fin. Foil. Max speed – 38.33 knots. 20.48 knots. Average – 35.72 knots 19.44 knots. N/mile – 30.11 knots 17.45 knots. 1 hour – 19.46 knots. 12.69 knots. Alpha – 19.14 knots. 13.47 knots. Foil Max speed – 20.48 knots. Average - 19.44 knots. N/mile – 17.45 knots. 1 hour – 12.69 knots. Alpha – 13.47 knots. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy new year with loads of lovely mild weather, a good breeze and sunshine:) Let’s hope this virus can be beaten in 2021 – I am looking forward to vaccination time too! 2020 in pics here |
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