Having just spent the last 2 weeks including last night wavesailing, it has given me some time to reflect (Bloody Client just turned up early)
2 quick points and I will return.
Wavesailing has long been considered the pinnacle of windsurfing, and speedsailing it's poor cousin, well the 2nd point I will make is that following my 2 weeks of wavesailing I missed speedsailing terribly, and think it is very under-rated by the windsurfing community, will say more later. (If only clients would stop interrupting my life!!)
Wavesailing is a beautiful part of the sport, and it requires high levels of skills in all aspects of our sport. My first wavesail in 6 months saw me getting crunched in 3 metre waves, coz I made a silly skill error gybing on a wave, your skills have to be sharp and precise or you pay big time (20 minutes to recover my rig and get back to shore). Later, I caught a magic wave on my 3rd day there, seven bottom turns smaking lips, getting shunted down the face of the wave feeling the massive power of the wave propel you like a slingshot, I was whooping and a hollering, and thought this is why I love wavesailing.
But all the while, I was pining for the pure adrenalin rush of speedsailing, the simplicity of it, that feeling of being on the edge, speed it's been an addiction in every speed related sport since time began, from horse riding to chariot racing, it's primal it's in our blood. So underrated in our sport.
I geuss we're lucky in our sport that both aspects are available to us.
Let's not forget racing as well...
Counting slowly in your head as you dredge towards the boat, fighting the turbulence from the guy upwind, then pulling the trigger and pumping, wondering if you've peaked too early. Watching other guys ahead doing the same, now you wonder if you've left your run too late. Screaming towards the start line, praying for the green flag to go up, watching the start guys meddling with the flags and then...
BANG you're past the start line, couple of guys around you, another has catapulted in front so you quickly avoid him, keep pinching upwind then close the slot and scream down to the mark on a broad reach, is there anyone in the water near the mark? Adjust angle to suit, try to find some swell to gybe around while not overshooting the mark too much, quick glance downwind and behind to see who's going to clean you up when you tip yourself into the turn, hold your breath as you fly downwind and cross your fingers as you grab the new side of the boom, Phew still upright on this one, catch a swell to get planing again, quick check to see who's about to overtake and plan your route through the fleet to get back to the first mark...
All three disciplines are fun, and all seem to prepare you in strange ways for when you do have the chance to try something else.
Me, I just love sailing 
Yeh I love sped too Hards, just wish I could go faster 
Sun's shinning and wind starting to blow, I'm outa here 
I had an awesome DTL day at Gerroa on Sunday, had a big sail and big wave board up but caught some great head high waves. Lots of bottom and top turns per wave, spraying water in the air.. I was as they say stoked! I landed on the beach, punched the air and shouted! I also got taken out on numerous occasions as i wasn't used to getting over the waves and i was completely knackered as i spent so long out of the harness.
They're both great disciplines but wavesailing - and the jumping - is best. Speed sailing is ok for an hour with mates but then i have to go looking for waves, ramps, freestyle spots...
Problem with speed sailing is that your feeling for the day can change just because a gps unit says you did not go as quick as you might of thought you where going, i reckon go for whatever the conditions dictate if is flat go for speed if theres swell go for bump and jump and if there are two markers bouys and a start line Race !!!!!!
quote:
Originally posted by frant
Just what wave height would be equivalent to speedsailing 47.2 knots 5x10sec ave
be bloody
hardy if not for those interruptions you wouldn't be screaming for more wind and sailing time irregardless of conditions and disciplines...i sincerely hope i was right on that point!
I love both but at the moment the gps thing has a hold of me
and i cannot get enouth of it and its hard to find time to do both.
But you never know you might see me on wave gear some time in the future.
I've just been on the Goldy for 2 weeks without kit
and 3 weeks altogether of the water
, you don't half reckon I'm twitching to get wet
I hope I can remember how to rig a sail, this would have to be my longest dry spell since I started the sport.
Might get a very kooky (Elmo riding style) wave today and hopefully a bit of fang tomorow
