Best day of the season - 3 sports & 3 of us on the water

What a great day. The forecast was bang on - sunny and increasing west wind all day.

3 happy windsurfers
and a new wind foiler and a wing foiler

Wing foiling during my 2nd of 3 sessions…

The forecast was great…

Len getting ready to foil!

Len heading out on a sail that was too small!

Len and I headed out and started wind foiling. He was on the 4.7 with the Techno and 76 cm foil. It wasn’t enough to get him going so we swapped kit. He didn’t really like the 6.5 with the Stingray and 99 cm foil. He would get up and immediately overfoil. As I was rigging the 6.2 for the first time this year he came in to ask for the Techno back. I mentioned to him about keeping his legs together more like riding an INDO balance board. And instead of sheeting in and pressing heels to head upwind when he’s about to overfoil, that he should bend his knees and sheet out, We put the 6.5 sail on the Techno and he was off again.

I rather enjoyed the 6.2 and was making the majority of my foiling jibes, several without touching down. My one carve 360 was a fail. I did have one smoking jibe and want to see my alpha 100 time (jibe and return) but can’t figure it out exactly…

Len was getting better and better and it was fun to pass each other frequently up on our foils. We were foiling for well over an hour and he was getting super long runs. I saw him pumping the board and enjoying the surfy feeling.

I suggested we head upwind to see the swells at Wedge Island. We worked our way up there over several tacks. The waves weren’t as good with the wind from the west as during a SW wind. And it was getting windier. Eventually we were both tired and overpowered. Heading downwind resulted in several falls for both of us. I still managed to find the floating sunglasses Len was wearing twice! Overall 28 km in 2 fun hours.

Len and my wind foil tracks

28 km of wind foil fun

Next it was time for me to head out and try some winging. Len came to the point to takes some photos but the GoPro battery was dead. Instead I offered for him to head out on the wing. I went back for the seadoo and followed him around a bit. He was now downwind in the harbour as Vanessas came out in the boat. She got some good video of Len learning to wing and then me heading back upwind.

Heading out for my wing session

Winging it before the handoff to Len

Len learning to wing

Winging back upwind to the dock

The wind during our noon - 5pm sessions

Now it was Vanessa’s turn to go windsurfing. We set her up with her favourite 5.7 firefly sail on the Techno with a 38 cm fin. She was flying and looking great. 

I headed out on the Duke 6.2 on the Skate 108 and remembered how much I love that combination. I was pleasantly surprised by two of my three Vulcan attempts. I got around to the other side with my hands on the boom and sliding backwards. I just forgot to lean against the sail and lift my back leg. The last Vulcan attempt was much more like the other few over the last few years. With the water at 24c, I should have tried even more!

My windsurfing tracks during sport session #3

Nice top speeds

Some Vulcan attempts there!

Sadly Len didn’t really get going much on the 5.4 with the Freewave 116. It looked like 90% slogging and maybe 10% planing. I’ll try and get the 2nd Techno ready for our next session together. I was a total blast having 3 windsurfers out in the harbour on such a wonderful sunny day.

Today of the 3 sports it was definitely windsurfing on my trusty Skate 108 that was the most fun. I did surprise myself with how well the wing foiling went with the small 4.2 wing. And 2 hours of wind foiling with Len speaks volumes of how great wind foiling is - me doing it now 4 years, and Len just his 2nd day.

3 sports before the storm - windfoiling for the win!

It was a beautiful south wind day. Lots of sun and solid (if a bit gusty) wind between the morning thunderstorms and predicted even stormier evening thunderstorms with a tornado warning!

The thunderstorm approaching as I headed home…

I started the day on the recently repaired 7.0 NP V6 on the Ray 122. It was much more comfortable than yesterday with the 9.0. I was happy with the seat harness and was soon comfortably blasting out to Dead Island. I worked my way upwind and briefly thought about going around Dead Island or even to the Bustards. The visibility of shoals underwater was excellent and I could have picked my way around any islands. But with thunderstorms predicted and no family or support boat back at the island, I opted to head back and stay in the Harbour. 

A nice big cruiser was heading into the Harbour and I had fun in the smooth water behind it. I kept going out and back as the best wind seemed to be closer to the shore. I tried for some top speeds and hit 45.3 km/h which I’m pretty sure is my maximum speed this year.

I headed in for a break and found I’d done 39.99 km. I had a bite to eat and noticed the cruiser was still circling the harbour. Then a boat approached asking about anchoring in the bay north of the Launch Pad. I helped them tie up to the old iron posts that have likely been there for many years!

Then it was wing foiling time. I pumped up the 4.2 slingshot wing and started tacking the Stingray 140 with the 99 cm foil upwind. That was a fair bit of work but I finally got to where I could do long runs. I wing foiled up to find buddy Scott out on his Hobie Cat. We chatted a bit about how nice the weather was and I generally was able to match his speed. I also managed to almost hit the only shoal in that open area!

Then it was time to go in and change to sport number 3. I took the old 6.5 NP V6 and the 76 cm foil on the Techno. So easy to tack upwind. And so smooth to get going - no real pumping required. And with the footstraps controlling the foil is easy too. It was my favourite of the day, but I could hear the thunder approaching. With a tornado warning I figured it was time to call it a day.

Interesting to see the GPS trails and speed charts of the 3 sports:

Windsurfing with a 7.0 sail

Winging with a 4.2 wing
(Almost hitting the only shoal in the SW corner)

Windfoiling with a 6.5 sail
One very satisfying jibe in there

Some good speeds on the windsurfer and a
5 km reach from Dead Island to Key Harbour

Winging has half the speed of windsurfing

Windfoiling has the nicest jibes though!

I packed up and even tied down the little sailboat. I wished the big cruiser crew all the best and made it back just as the rain started and the wind peaked at 30 knots!

Cruiser offshore after my 40 km windsurf

Cruiser tied up at the Launch Pad

Storm panorama

Looking south

Looking north

The gusts!

Last time on the 9.0?

I’ll admit that I haven’t really enjoyed the my Neil Pryde 9.0 V8 the last few times I’ve used it. With the Ray 122 I find it hard to tack to the windline and get upwind. And when I do get it going, it is still hard to get upwind.

It also takes a huge amount of space in the windsurf locker. So I was planning on just de-rigging it. But with the 12-15 knot SSE winds I decided to give it one last try…

I tacked upwind and only fell in once before getting going. The water was significantly clearer and colder - down to 21c after the 2 days of north wind. I got a gust and started heading out past Bigsby island. The seat harness helped a lot but I still struggled to get any significant upwind ground. How did I use 9.0 NP V8s for upwind racing in the HIHO events?

After a few nice planing runs I was tacking and lost my balance. This time I landed on the sail and put my knee through the 2nd lowest panel. DOH. I did manage to get planing again on my way back in so the damage wasn’t extensive but still solidified my decision to pack it up for at least the balance of this season. I’m guessing it was a 2004? vintage sail so it doesn’t really owe me anything - I think I’ve had around 30 sessions on it in the 10 years since I’ve been keeping this blog and likely the same number in the first 6 years I had it? Before foiling it was my go to solution for 12-15 knot days.

The 9.0 after my knee went through the sail.

Nice long runs with the 9.0

Not really as fast as I used to go with the 9.0
I once hit 50 km/h with that sail.

Later I headed out with the 27 year old NP 6.5 V6 on the Techno with the 76 cm foil. That is so much easier. Easier to carry, uphaul and ride. I just didn’t cover the same distance as the speed is lower.

Two nice jibes in there…

Another two nice jibes

Chris got a bit of video of my foil run past the island… Thanks Chris!

I fixed the 9.0 with my last roll of sail tape and put it away. I will think about whether I replace it at all. Maybe find something else that needs a 490 mast and huge carbon boom?

Before and after the repair…

More wind predicted for tomorrow!

Foiling around C&L‘s island

After so many days of heat, the strong NE wind made things a lot cooler.

 Relaxing and warming up at the Launch Pad
in my comfy sweats after my 78 minute session.

Earlier in the day we took a boat ride to the French River to do some swift water rescue training. The wind was still strong on the ride back, so I got dropped off at the Launch Pad to get my fix.

Boat ride to the French River rapids

Google earth of the French River rapids earlier in the day..

I headed out on the 5.4 Duke with the Stingray 140 with the 99 cm foil. The gusty wind ensured I got on the foil each run. I had several successful jibes. The water was so warm (guessing 28c?) that I didn‘t mind falling in. Which I did a lot unsuccessfully trying carving 360s.

There were so many NE gusts that I was able to tack upwind and saw my friend Cary waving from his deck. We chatted a bit and then I headed around his island which I‘ve never done before.

Some nice jibes and then upwind and back down the channel
of an island I‘ve never windsurfed around

Kept it up on the 99cm foil for most of the first few km…

A bit of a surprise session really as I hadn‘t expected the wind to last.Looks like a bit more wind predicted in the next few days…

Another great Wednesday night in Toronto

Wednesday night racing at Toronto Windsurfing club was awesome. Here’s the nicest shot - heading home  through the 2nd safest big city in the world.

Loving Toronto after a nice windsurf racing evening.

Toronto ranks well globally!

I got there early to rig up and was near the start line for the first race. And on the second race I was right on the line at the start - being in clear air makes such a difference. I made it around the course that time twice! Normally they raise the checkered flag.

3 races - 1,2 and 1 lap…

Good winds for most of the races

Post race selfie

But the best part of the evening was getting my sail fixed by Igor at his sail repair shop. He had some extra battens and for 10 bucks my 7.0 Neil Pryde is working again. 

Igor’s excellent shop at Toronto Windsurfing Club
My 7.0 is repaired!

I'm looking forward to bringing my foil down for another race in the fall because the kids were foiling unbelievably well and winning races against the long boards in the moderate 8 to 10 knot winds.