Myself and Tony 'nowork' have been looking forward to that lovely combination of predicted strong SE winds and midday high tides at Sandstone Point.
With the the wind showing 16k and building this morning I was pumped to get the short board happening. Like Morgan and others here I was just busting to get the whole harness, footstrap thing working. I've been on the night duty warp thing all week watching and rewatching windsurf videos till I had my 'head full of zombie'. As I said just busting for some short board action!!!
Tony calls from the beach and and says it's probably 10+ however the predictions were for a building wind so excited I pack the GO 151 and just in case it comes hammering in I packed the old school Comet F2 plus a range of suitably small sails. Knowing that the GO May need some horsepower I threw in my 9.5 lion
SCUNKED
The the wind teased us for a little - enough to put up 7ish sails but nothing happening - lots of schlogging around!!
Decided to give the CometF2 a go with a 7.5 sail - now the comet is no long board in the full sense of the definition but around 3.3m and 150ltires it was making much more of the conditions than the equivalent liters GO 151
Not being one to give in and desperately wanting to make some short board progress I paused and rigged the 9.5 lion - saying to Tony theres no substitue for horsepower to get us big lads going
Back out on the Go had some success getting on the plane - a few short runs. Meanwhile Tony had taken the Comet back out and was having a blast. Grins from ear to ear.
So the decision was made - not enough wind for consistent planning. We transferred the 9.5 over to the Comet ( old school meets new school ) I was just wondering how wrong this was going to be???
Nothing wrong at all.
Tony and I took turns blasting back and forward across the beach - getting absolutely stoked to be making something of the afternoon. The short fin allowing us to take the session much further into the disappearing tide.
Spoiler alert.... Footstraps - yes. Front and back feeling comfortable even a little overconfident - I tried the hands off 'bayside narcolepsy' pose but a little more tweaking of the harness position was required. Can I say (probably old knowledge to the experienced). .. Can't believe how relaxed and light the sail felt when I got ' locked in!!'
First time I've used that term
So a wonderful afternoon on the water. 'Old skool and new skool'.
However I must say the couple of times I did get the Go on the plane all the old school stuff was soon relegated as interesting confirming why I'm persevering with the short board learning curve - ain't nothing like a short board once it's skirt is lifted!!!
Cheers Jeff
Thanks to Tony for the company.
