Hi all
First run out for my session on my formula board yesterday at my local I had a close call with a big arse turtle at 24kts. The rail literally passed over its head so the fin could not have been more than 35cm from hitting it as I passed over it. I estimate this sucker was 100 kegs plus. They seem to be more common here lately, I have seen 3 this season for the first time after 15+ years sailing at this spot. This incident spooked me, if my fin had collected it I assume this would not have ended well for me or the turtle. This would be like hitting a 100 kilo floating rock. Just wondering if anyone else has ever hit one or anything else big (other than the bottom) and what was the outcome.
We have heaps in Moreton Bay and had some close calls. I have a lanyard around my foil in case I hit one, hopefully what ever bit is left it remains attached to the board.
I leave my safety leash intentionally long, so it hums, buzzes, and wishes thru the water and turtles, seals, birds, and bigger fish actually look towards me as I near them.
Even had a sturgeon jump out of the water 20' in front of me.
The Big ones move very slow ,well they are 100 years old ,and they eat weed 
but i've had a few near misses ..i did hit a little one ,it made one hell of a bang on the front of the board as it saw me and dived again ..but the fin missed ,so luck escape ..but yeah don't hit them ,you will get messed up .
and you will come of second best .it will end up in a catapult ..face plant .
Select to expand quotenormster said..
yep, ive noticed an increase lately - bit of a worry if foiling
I've hit bottom a few times with a foil and have come to the conclusion that they are not as dangerous as a fin.
For one they generally aren't going as fast.
Secondly, apart from the mass of the foil, most of the momentum, in the board, rig and rider is on an extension a metre above the point of impact. When you hit a sandbar you can feel yourself rotating freely on this long arm about the point of impact. When you hit bottom on a slapper there's no room for rotation. All momentum is impulsively transferred though the fin. I'd reckon the converse is true for the turtle. It has more chance of surviving impact with a windfoiler.
I hit one a few months back. Well I assume it was turtle as there were a load about but normally can see them so guessing he came up from below. There was a bang and I lost the side fin on new Dyno
Luckily for both of us it was only the side fin and not the power box as both of us might have felt it.
So if anyone sees a turtle swimming about showing off a Severne fin please tell him i'd like it back!
Select to expand quoteshaggy696 said..
I hit one a few months back. Well I assume it was turtle as there were a load about but normally can see them so guessing he came up from below. There was a bang and I lost the side fin on new Dyno
Luckily for both of us it was only the side fin and not the power box as both of us might have felt it.
So if anyone sees a turtle swimming about showing off a Severne fin please tell him i'd like it back!
was it a tuttle BOX ?
Select to expand quoteTardy said..shaggy696 said..
I hit one a few months back. Well I assume it was turtle as there were a load about but normally can see them so guessing he came up from below. There was a bang and I lost the side fin on new Dyno
Luckily for both of us it was only the side fin and not the power box as both of us might have felt it.
So if anyone sees a turtle swimming about showing off a Severne fin please tell him i'd like it back!
was it a tuttle BOX ?
It was a turtle-box ... ba-dom-tish.
www.facebook.com/1340310952/videos/10208119986060980/
if you have FB, few years ago, I hit 3 turtles in 3 weks.....
We have turtles, but not in the bay, did scrape the back of a manatee while foiling just as it was diving, dropped me almost to the water, but kept on going
There's a medium sized one that has made the Balmoral Sydney boat moorings (Hunters Bay) it's home over the past few weeks. Never want to meet it sailing.
Question: does anyone know if turtles stay fully submerged underwater at times where they can't be seen or are they usually easy to spot with their shells partially above water?
When out sailing just before Xmas my fin (an alu Fangy) hit something really solid underwater with the impact cracking the deck of the board from rail to rail and put me out of action for three weeks, so was wondering if it could have been a turtle shell I hit?
GazMan, yes they can hang in mid water just cruising along. I past directly over a big one on a particularly clear day, it was about 4 ft underwater and my foil past straight over it. You won't see them until it's too late, unless they pop their heads up for air.
GazMan, what did the fin look like?, wondering if you hit something more solid. Turtle shell should not cause cuts or gouges in aluminum fin.
Select to expand quoteSandman1221 said..
GazMan, what did the fin look like?, wondering if you hit something more solid. Turtle shell should not cause cuts or gouges in aluminum fin.
No sign of any damage to the 22cm fin. Think that water depth was around waist deep at the time (Lilacs Albany)
I have foiled over turtles and manatees in Florida, but never hit one (yet). The bigger problem there is shallow sand bars.
At home people sometimes hit fish. Unplanned salmon dinners sometimes happen on the Columbia.
I noticed a few down at Broulee on south coast NSW this summer. I have never spotted them before. Only concern where there are turtles there are sharks!
No turtles in Auckland but many years ago stayed at a condo in Kihei Maui.
Sailed off there a few times and every time saw Turtles in the same area about 150m from the shore.
It was a great spot for a slalom sail but always cautious (having seen a few destroyed tuttle boxes) until further out.
Never saw them elsewhere even on Hookipa to Kanaha coast run 
Eyes ahead and stay safe
I saw mob dogs turtle a few days before. It surfaced, stuck its head out, said it was as big as a JetSki and that I should alter course. So I did.
Next day I went over diving brown things, about ten of them. Baby turtles..?
water turbulence, vibration-noise, was mentioned above.
my board has a center board which makes a bit of that when up I reckon. So maybe turtle heard me coming..
maybe a submerged inverted roo shoo whistle would help..
we still haven't got those locator beacons mob dog. we ain't checking in with volunteer marine rescue, I'm sailing without a life jacket because it messes with the hook. Rocky's fly-by and my subsequent skywalk catapult...
safety- it's not a thing. Nothing is safe.
Look out turtle.
??
here we come.
turtle was co-operative today. lifting his head up as we approached showing location. good turtle. magic day
am I the only one who feels sorry for the turtle? must be a hell of a shock for the poor thing.
