Friday 9th October - Windsurf ***** - The Manor at Felixstowe – sunny but clouding over later.

Foil – 18.35 knot max, 17.25 knot ave ., 10.40 knot hour, 15.68 knot mile, 52.35 km ., 10.37 knot alpha.

Exocet RF 91 AST with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Lightning 7m.

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That’s 6 sessions in 6 days, 3 on the fin, 3 on the foil covering 165 miles, there is wind forecast over the weekend but not a great direction considering the local tides so might have a rest? So, with the wind in the west a direction in the past we wouldn’t have considered sailing at Felixstowe but foiling has changed that:) The forecast was for wind to around 20 knots with sunshine first with rain later so I was keen to get down early. The wind was light first thing but built during breakfast so headed down about 10.30 taking Mag down so she could walk back. With the wind off it is difficult to judge the wind out on the water but it looked fairly breezy so I set up my foil which gave me some time to make my mind up? I would have probably rigged my 6.5 but I destroyed that a few weeks ago so took a chance with my 7m Lightning. I set off into brilliant sunshine and was soon up and flying with no plans today to go anywhere. I had a run down towards the Orwell but it was fairly breezy, lumpy too so I chickened out of crossing the shipping channel. Then on my second run I was braver, crossed the channel and set a course for Walton Tower but the sea was very lumpy so I tacked after a couple of miles and headed back. I then had a great run down to The Dip, doing long broad reaches downwind, finally turning near the River Deben. I then had a nice beat back well powered in a big sea and got back fairly quickly with winds gusting 20 knots. I then had several long broad runs out to Wadgate or the shipping channel in super smooth water, just such great fun. Ian, Michael and Robert were all out now foiling having a great time too:) It had clouded up with rain coming so it was time to call it a day and I actually managed to pack up and get home before the rain!

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