I got some work done in the car on the drive north and then headed out to the island in time for a 5:30 post work windfoil session. I didn't even try and set up the new foil board I just picked up. Just headed out on the BIC Techno 148 with the slingshot 76 foil and the old NP 6.5 V6.
The wind was from due north, and was the typical gusty wind I used to dislike. I would have been using a 9m sail and struggling between the 15 knot gusts and 3 knot lulls.
The gusts make it easy to get up on the foil. I caught some nice kilometre long runs with one run being 1.5 km all up on the foil. I had a few moments where I was sailing hooked in, one handed, both legs straight. I was so relaxed that I had time to look down at the colourful foil with the reflective tape on it beneath me and the tiny thin little wake out behind. On downwind sections everything becomes super quiet. Very cool.
I think I reached a new record top speed on the foil, 33.2 km/h. And that felt pretty comfortable. I also carved into a few jibes after nice long downwind arcs. But the wind was so gusty and my skill is still not there - I wasn't going to complete a jibe. Air was 16c, water a very surprising 18c near shore.
I came back in and enjoyed a hot shower and a having warm room to change in.
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Post session smile and rainbow
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| Nice Goose family on my way out to the island |
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A very north wind - and warmer than the weather info said
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33.2 km/h top speed and 16.8 kms overall
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Post session view west
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Rainbow over the wind farm
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Just a bit of weather nearby
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Much warmer than May 18th when the water was 9c!
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Earlier in the week I watched
a good video by Guy Cribb on footstrap position. I think when I set up the new board I will try having my feet closer together - to stand more upright on the foilboard. And need to centre the foil between the feet.
He also had a cool formula for a regular board's fin size: sail m2 size x 5 + 4 = cm fin to use!
Off to sleep now.
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