Hayling Duck Gybe

Submitted by gary on Sat, 17/07/2010 - 20:05

Nearly two months without a sail so I decided to chance a marginal forecast and head to Hayling for the afternoon. It wasnt the best day, being marginal 7m+ weather for most of the afternoon, but the wind did pick up towards the middle of the afternoon and we had a fantasic hour or so of full on planing conditions. I managed my first full speed duck gybe surprising myself at getting round. Didn't quite plane out, but I was happy with staying dry and getting round in one piece.

Nightmare journey, but good in the end

Submitted by gary on Thu, 27/05/2010 - 19:00

A good forecast with a little swell so Avon Beach was the spot of choice for me today. What a stupid idea. First day of the school half term and the M3 was an absolute nightmare. A journey that normally takes abotu 1hr 45mins took just under three hours... Worst of all, when I finally arrived at the beach, everyone was coming off the water giving me the impression I'd missed the best of the conditions. I rigged up anyway, after all I wasnt going to turn around and head straight back to London. Then the wind filled back in and I was happy. A good couple of hours with the sandbank to myself messing around in waist high waves. I stayed out until I could no longer hold the sail up.

Went to windsurf, ended up at a car show...

Submitted by gary on Sun, 16/05/2010 - 20:17

I didn't realise there was an American Classic Car Show at Hayling Beach to stay so was a little surprised when I turned up to see hot rods and class cars all around the beach. As the wind wasnt up to much I went for a wander around with the camera before hitting the water.
The windsurfing itself wasnt much to write home about, the gusts were fun and the lulls tedious but that was about it. I did help a fellow sailor suffering from a snapped UJ by sailing a new one out to him but other than that quite a forgetable session.

New Board - 2010 RRD WaveCult 75

Submitted by gary on Thu, 13/05/2010 - 19:44

A lovely new 2010 RRD WaveCult 75 arrived today for me. Can't wait to get it out on the water soon... Hopefully!

Hayling in the cold

Submitted by gary on Mon, 03/05/2010 - 17:41

The weather threw just about everything at us today - sun, rain, hail and most importantly wind. Lots of wind. With the wind coming from the North I headed to Hayling Lifeboat station to sail on the incoming tide. I arrived around 11am to a gusty 15 knots so rigged up a 5.8m. I decided to chance the smaller WaveCult 85L rather than a 110L FSW and I was on the plan most of the afternoon. It helped that the wind picked up. And then up again. By 1pm, it was gusting 35knots and getting a little stupid on the 5.8m. I pulled on the outhaul and downhaul and managed another twenty minutes or so but by then the cold was getting to me. My hands were in screaming agony and a final hailstorm just about finished me off.

First proper session of the year. No sign of trouble from the ankle, looking forward to some south westerlies and maybe some swell in the coming weeks. It's about time isnt it?

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