Wednesday 18th March – Windsurf **** - The Manor, Felixstowe – mainly cloudy.
Starboard Formula and Slingshot Hover Glide F/Wind with Tushingham Lightning 7m.
Foil – 18.56 knot max., 16.84 knot ave., 6.73 knot hour, 14.31 knot mile, 19.90 km., 7.39 knot Alpha.
After a fantastic month in the French mountains we had to cut short our holiday due to the corona virus and managed to get back with no major problems yesterday and was keen to get out on the water. Mate Andy Mexome who has really got the foiling bug posted that he is going to The Manor for 9.30 this morning and with a WSW forecast to get to 20 knots, mild too I was keen to give it a try as I have only ever had one open water session on my foil. After a long day travelling, I was quite relieved that the wind was light first thing so we could get things done at home, I even managed my exercises. I then get WhatsApp message from the Felixstowe group saying that Any Mexome and Michael Galbraith were now heading out. So, after breakfast I headed down to the beach to check it out, I spoke to Simon Chippington down watching during a break from work we watched the foilers. With the wind WSW slightly cross off it was perfect for foiling, a nice easy launch and a smooth sea but the wind was marginal. My problem being is that my 7.8 needs a repair and with Andy on 8.2 and Michael 7.5 I didn’t think it was windy enough for me as I didn’t want to rig 8.5 for my second sea session. Then both sailors came ashore to add more downhaul saying there was loads of wind so I set up my foil and took a chance with my 7m. I found someone to zip me into my wetsuit and headed out and soon hit the wind band and was up and flying. To be honest I could have done with my 7.8 in all but the biggest gusts and Andy was going particularly well and has defiantly cracked the flying gybe! In amongst the slogging I managed some nice long flying runs with the back foot out of the strap, somethings hooked in sometimes not! Then with Andy and Michael gone, they had been on the water much longer than me the wind filled in and the sun even made a brief appearance and I had some cracking runs out to Wadgate post, both feet in the straps and hooked in, I still struggle to maintain an even flying height but I was pleased with the session especially after not sailing for a month and I am actively looking for a second-hand foil board but they are still way too expensive for a poor old pensioner. Impressed with Andy’s gybing skills I did try a couple but ended up in the water so perhaps I will try harder the next time I am out on the local rivers! Also, a big thankyou to Michael who took my sail for repair in the sail loft in Woodbridge:) It looks like we are going to get a run of E to NE winds in the coming days but sadly a tad chilly!
PS - I did have trouble getting out of my wet suit as the man who zipped me in caught a big chunk of my rash vest in the zip, Mag managed to get me out of the wet suit and then repair the zip:)
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