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| Member Details | Session Description |
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| Owner:
mas Member  Member#: 932 Location: Registered: 24-08-2004 Diary Entries: 47 Mood: rattle dem bones |
17th August 2014 Windsurfing: Point Clear Wind Direction: W Wind Stength: F3-5 Surf / Sea State: flat/chop Air Temperature: warm Sea Temperature: warm Weather: cloudy sunny Max Speed: 27.83 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 18.4 (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise) First time sailing at Point Clear, as always sailed South Clacton round the corner and its very much like West Mersea except for the famous lagoon. Several windsurfers including the Felixstowe posse, there and lots of kiters. After the initial rain, most rigged 7.0M wind was nice and fresh with plenty of water long be4 high tide. A few obstacles to avoid as everyone pointed out. Rigged 7.7 hellcat / 120 JP excite Pro ed with 44cm fin and initially was nice out to sea but wind was up down, with a few spells on the beach waiting for wind. The sea chopped up and wind too strong for 7.7, flattened sail, (3 clicks on the North Shoxs :) -and changed fin to 38cm, headed in to the lagoon which was at least a force less. Water was nice and flat at first, but couldn't suss beating high to the far side then bear off when almost grounding out. I was always way too far in the middle of the lagoon reaching before hitting chop, or beating back to the start point when the wind gust hit. The lagoon became a pain as I got in a right muddle, after doing some screaming gybes on the flat water, but realised I lost too much down wind, so was *ucked to get back to the starting point. Pete and Squiz gave good tips including Pete's cutting thru the gap to get back out to sea when the wind dropped. The sea was way too choppy for me to sail, so was forced to stay in lagoon, after a 20 minutes disaster trying to hang on in the strong wind, out to sea. Went back in the lagoon and started to get broad runs, nice and tight to the bank then no gybes just luff up to the island. After 3 hours there I only cover 18.3 Nm's but must have walked *ucking 5 of them on the poxy island to get upwind!! Got in a muddle in the channel between the island and couldn't get on the board in the churning tide and no wind, arrgghh! Real nice place to sail though and loads of fun with the boys, but got hammered by the speed merchants Pete and Squiz who clocked 31kts + in the lagoon whilst I only managed to hit 27.83kts! Wasted a lot of time on dud runs, instead of aborting them so got tired quicker than normal. Tried both waist and seat harness - jury is out and cant decide which is best on the 7.7. My arm ached with the waist harness, but in light winds the upright hooked in stance was much more comfortable. In the gusts I could sit down with the seat harness - and it did produce the 27kts whilst the waist only hit 26kts - could be just a lucky run - don't know. Watched the speedsters angles and they really put in tight beats to the far side. Copied that too late as the wind eased, and off the water at 7pm. Lucky the lagoon was there otherwise it would be another 2 rig day. Too knackered to watch fire works at maritime fair in Ipswich docks which was a shame. Will def go PC again, but the sea was awful at high tide in the westerly - well choppy, like Mersea on a bad day. Mersea is flatter and better in a westerly. |
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