Recommendations for light-wind wavesailing

[wm7203]

Here is the update. I have sailed the 2016 RRD Wave Cult Ltd., 104 liters with a 6.0 sail in lighter winds with faint whitecaps and a second time with my trusty 5.8 sail in stronger winds with more pronounced whitecaps.

When I sailed with the 6.0, I had a blast, one of my best sessions in ages. it all comes together with the 6.0 sail and that light board.

It is amazing what that board can do! I have only sailed it twice and am only getting to know it.

When I sailed a second time in somewhat stronger winds, I was cruising at first with my 5'8", but there were lulls, then then longer lulls, and the 5'8" did not quite cut it or pick up the wind the way the 6.0 did. In particular, the waves were big enough so that they tended to block the light wind, and then I was underpowered when trying to catch waves, which was a little frustrating.

Ideally, I like just enough wind so that I can comfortably get into the wave and then sheet out, but in this session the waves were passing me by, and I didn't have enough wind to maneuver about and get into them the way I had done the day before on the 6.0

There was a surprising difference between the 5.8 and the 6.0. Overall, I am highly stoked. Using this board has changed the way I look at sailing in marginal conditions. I had no idea they had made these kinds of advances in board technology.

I still have not taken out the Fanatic 9'1"SUP, but I installed the universal directly onto the board. It is really a small little boat that is kind of shaped like a surfboard. It will be interesting...

[windward1]

Hi Dogjohn,

You can launch at Pleasure Point, but finding parking and a place to rig can be daunting. I sometimes luck out and can go right there. The other situation is that on weekends there are more surfers and less open space to windsurf. Above all, respect the surfers. If for no other reason than they outnumber you, but also you do not want to destroy access for the rest of us.

I would suggest you check out the break at Privates which is about halfway between Pleasure Point and the Capitola Pier. They call it a wharf here as they do in Santa Cruz although that is really a misnomer in both cases.

Parking in Capitola can be daunting as well.

If there is a strong enough southwest wind, I most often go to New Brighton Beach State Park and launch from there. From there it is one mile to the Capitola Pier, two miles to Privates and three miles to Pleasure Point. As the crow flies. Tacking means it is a lot longer.

The old Malibu had a centerboard, albeit a small one. It did help when wanting to tack up the coast.

Sometimes the wind is only 4 to 6 knots at New Brighton, but picks up as you go west. It can be 7 to 9 at Capitola and 10 to 15 at Pleasure Point all at the same time.

If the wind is not Southwest, I would not bother sailing at this area which is called Soquel Cove. Southwest is sideshore (check out a map or chart). Even as the day goes on the wind will clock to the west and the cliffs mess up the near shore wind.

If you do launch at New Brighton remember to think about getting back as it is 2 miles to Privates. If the wind starts dropping do not try to eek out the last of it. Can be tempting when the waves are good.

That is the other thing. Privates is most good when the waves are from the south. If there is a really good south swell and the direction is 185 degrees or more and the tide is less than 2 feet wave breaks show up within 1/4 mile of your launch at New Brighton. Then it is really fun as you can hit on lots of waves all the way up the coast and back. Choose the best place and enjoy.

If the wind is not from the southwest, but more west, then I would go to Natural Bridges or Its Beach. Its is right by lighthouse Point opposite of Steamer Lane. Sometimes a nice swell comes in there. But it also can have a heck of a shore pound. Careful launching.

Natural Bridges is not really known for its wave riding as the breaks in the immediate area, such as sidewalks are short and crash right onto the rocks where people are trying to enjoy the tidepools. However, if it is a longer period swell it can provide some humps to play on prior to breaking or allow a short ride in the break. At Sidewalks try to be on the shoulder of the wave so that if you wipe out you might be able to wash up on the beach between the rocks at the Trailer Park.

There are also more breaks to windward including around the Longs Marine Laboratory which you can get to with the Malibu.

At Natural Bridges the lifeguards want you to launch near the windward rocks side of the beach. (The west end.) Avoid people launching and landing. I have even come in at the Trailer Park beach when there was just no safe room at Natural Bridges. You can carry your gear through the trailer park back to Natural Bridges. They are required to keep the gate open back to NB.

If Natural Bridges parking is full, I have parked on West Cliff Drive at Mitchell's Cove, halfway between Natural Bridges and Lighthouse Point. West wind is blocked by the windward bluff there at the launch, but with the Malibu, that is not a problem.

So that is a thumbnail of info on in-town. If the waves are not huge, there is no reason that you cannot windsurf Davenport or Waddell. Winds are usually lighter in late morning, early afternoon and pick up mid to late afternoon. For light wind sailing, go early.

W1

[windward1]

wm7203

Do not hesitate to pump that sail to catch those waves sliding underneath you . Do not let them get away!

Really, a little pumping sometimes one short pump, sometimes three will increase your wave catch manyfold.

W1

[wm7203]

Windward 1, that is an amazing compendium of sailing spots! I have surfed just about all of those spots and sailed a few times at Natural Bridges, several times at Davenport and countless times at Waddell Creek. My equipment when I lived there just got me into trouble the few times I tried sailing on the East Side at Pleasure Point and at Capitola.

I one time tried to paddle my sailboard out to the windline at Pleasure Point, as it was whitecapping on the outside but calm on the inside. That is, I rigged up, put the board in the water, and tried to swim out with it to the windline. Big mistake. I drifted into the Hook, with head-high waves and light, unsailable winds ... and lots of very pissed off surfers looking at me as if they were going to kill me if I lost my board in the lineup. I somehow held onto it through a set, and then the current took me far out to sea well offshore of Private's and Trees. I then discovered that the surf had broken my boom. I had to jettison the sail and paddle my board in at Trees, where a small crowd assembled to see how I was faring. By then the surfers weren't so angry with me (besides, I am a surfer too). By miracle, a day or so later a windsurfer found my sail intact, washed up on the beach, and he posted a sign, and I was able to recover the sail! This is a true story!

But that was on my fiberglass board. This new board is so much lighter, and with the 6'0 sail I was waterstarting, planing and sailing in surf and well past the surf with ease in marginal winds. It has opened new horizons for me.

Perhaps there are other windsurfers like me who no longer live in high-wind areas, and who do not understand the progress they have made?

PS: I have never pumped my sail, not even once. Also, I ordered two uphauls, but they did not arrive. I was able to waterstart without a problem both times I went out, but would have strugged with my fiberglass board I will still use the fiberglass board because I love the board, but only on high-wind days.

[windward1]

wm7203,

Good story! Glad you got your sail back.

Where do you live now?

Yeah, The Hook can be treacherous. That south swell when huge, but far between sets can really give one an adrenaline surprise when a monster set decides to appear out of nowhere!

I broke a mast just down from there at Sharks. I think I pitch-poled my rig while sailing completely overpowered in a winter storm south wind.

I know your a virgin, from what you state, but you have got to try pumping. It pays off big time in marginal conditions when wave riding. Plus, just like in surfing, get your weight forward and move it back as the board picks up the wave.

W1

[dogjohn]

Windward1,

Thanks a lot for the great information. I will bring my surfboard too so depending on the conditions and crowds I will decide what to do.

I heard that Private's may become a public access beach in the near future. Do you know about that situation? I would consider buying a key but it doesn't seem worth spending $100 if it'll be public access soon.

[windward1]

Hi dogjohn,

Certainly wise to bring your surfboard.

The Coastal Commission is fighting Privates being private. They usually win their battles given the power that they have.

It is still not that long a paddle or sail to get there from Pleasure Point or Capitola or New Brighton. Well maybe at 1 mile and 2 miles it is a relatively long paddle.....

W1

P.S. I saw somewhere that Privates had a guard that was letting people in at $5 per person for day use. I do not know if that is true or not. Also do not know if it was a key holder trying to make a few easy bucks.

[manuel]

Light wind has the advantage of keeping the waves as pure as they can be. There's no cheating with the sail so it forces us to leverage wave power.

For me the main challenges are:
1. Cross the break (super tough in side-on)
2. Find the right drop-in spot
3. Ride the right wave

1. It's all about ultimate off-plane balance! So practicing in light winds is a must to acquire the various skills (see video below).

2. With little wind, it becomes even more important to drop-in at the perfect spot, the learning will be exponential as a little too far and the wave doesn't pick us up, a little too deep and ouch!

3. On a big day, it's disappointing to finally make it through but ride a crappy wave and watch the buddies enjoy the nice set behind me!

I have been working on a video to show how to climb white water, it will include planing and non-planing, side-on and side conditions. It's a lot of work but am excited about releasing it soon!

In the meantime, I think this one is appropriate to the subject, enjoy!