Mortimer Bay, TAS, AU

Naish sp ltd 95 2010 and 7.0 2012 NAISH grand prix sail. man it was so lumpy today and sailing in the dead of winter you tend to hold back a bit.

Cold blast happy with my NM today  played by the team rules Izaak Well done everyone for sailing today especally Dave and Steve

good team effort. Good to see you Kazzy Kaleb and Peter

Mortimer Bay, TAS, AU

6.0 Overdrive  86slim isonic  32 Venom

Freezing cold sail at Mortimer, was nice to get out for a quick blast......bring on summer!

2 categories

Mortimer Bay, TAS, AU

Isonic 80, Venom 32, 6.2 Refex 3

Too on and off for a small board.  The pain of dogging back to the car park sunk up to the knees, ah well it was only about 5km.  Nearly threw up from the pain as the blood came back into my fingers.  Looking forward to seeing what Steve and Dave end up with.

2 categories

Hawley Beach, TAS, AU

Went off Bakers Beach with James, a really nice dead flat speed run against the break water. Hopfully some good numbers tomorrow. Well done to the team down south!!

NP RSR 6.7, JP Slalom VII 56, C3 StingII 32cm

Sweet sail at new spot with Izaak. Heaps better than our other SW spots.

Severne Ref 7.0, Isonic 90, C3 Sting36cm

Sailed at low head with Ben, Johnny and Jack (new sailer). Plan was to do some distance and an hr. The wind came in from the west about 11am at about 16-18knts and Ben and I rigged the big gear and went for a few runs before it died out. Johnny and Jack arrived about lunch time and we all waited until some signs of wind came back around 1pm and we went out for a muck around and dredge until it swung more sw and picked up again with some gusts reaching 20 plus knts but many large holes. No chance of any descent numbers today but still nice to get on the water and get planing. The jp exite worked really well in these conditions planing through a lot of the lulls and felt comfortable with the 7.0. Nice board. Great to see a newby out in the middle of winter having a go.

JP exite-ride 145, loft blade 7.0, jp supersport40 

Lagoon Beach, TAS, AU

Nice sail in the winter sun with the Launny boys.

Some nice flat water around in the river, good to get out with a few people at low head.

First time in the river on the JP board... still got some work to do learning how to drive it!

jp 112 SSR 6.6

4 categories

Sandy Bay, TAS, AU

Great sail.  Steve and I headed out just before 1PM off Sandy Bay and sailed up to Mortimer.  Good to see Kaleb up there.  Quite windy at times, but quite light at times too, unfortunately. 

Sailed my new iSonic 117w with Reflex 7.0 and C3 42 Sting II.  This gear felt awesome.  Sail was probably on the small size for this board, but when the wind was around 18 knots (mid-strength) it absolutely flew.

Got my one hour in, just.  Hardly planing at times, but still mananged to get it in without actually being becalmed.  Quite a lot of it was pointing too.  Got another 20+ knot 1 hour, but it included almost 10 minutes of drifitng. 

All good until Steve and I headed back to Sandy Bay, when the wind dropped to ZERO knots!!!  I tried paddling twice, but that was hopeless.  Could see Steve over near Tranmere and he'd already dropped his sail in the water.  I perservered in no wind for about an 1 hour, slowly drifting toward Sandy Bay, but knew I wasn't go to make it and would continue to drfit toward the bridge - arrgghhh.  Was waiting for a police rescue boat, but none came.  Sun had now set and it was getting dark.  Almost glassy water now!!   

Started thinking about un-rigging, but didn't want to (certainly didn't want to paddle in either, as I was probably almost 1km away from the point.  Then out of literally nowhere a NW wind came in and I went on the other tack straight to the beach - only about 5 knots of wind, but enouhg!!

Rang the police when I got in as it was now dark and I couldn't imagine Steve having any luck getting in.  Police already had been called about two windsurfers in the river!!  One police car was at Prosser's, so I went round to talk with them.  They organsied to get the police helicopter and boat out to do a search (pitch black now). 

Then I get a call - Steve is at Howrah Beach.  Call off the search, thank the police and go and pick him up!!!  '

Police were really good about it all and very professional, not wanting to take any chances. 

Anyway, excitement over.  All up it was a good day!!

3 categories

Sandy Bay, TAS, AU

Oh what a major drama todays sail turned into, got home at 8pm. We were meant to be at a birthday dinner a 7pm. I am in the dog house at the moment, hopfully Sue will be over it by next weekend. Started my 1hr at the top of South Arm at 3.30. Fully powered up the whole time and with 5 minutes to go I went from the far end of Droughty Pt along the eastern shore on a broad reach. Thought at the end of the 1hr I could point up to the Sandy Bay sailing club where we launched from. Then with about a minute to go the wind died out completey at around 4.30pm. Waited until 6pm until the wind came in enough to dog back to Howrah beach in the dark. It was freezing cold and I thought for sure a rescue boat was going to come before it got dark, very glad no rescue chopper came. The police said that the chopper was getting ready to off. Thanks Dave for coming over and getting my gear and me. Was sailing the 2012 107 Isonic, 40cm C3 Sting 2 and Reflex 3 7.0. Beers are going down well.