Candlestick Speed Record Potential

[spanker_jeep]

I have no doubt that a sailor with the proper gear, would have set a speed record. It was so windy spray was blowing off the white caps. This was all afternoon, not just a few hours!
It started as a pretty mellow afternoon. 5.5 and 105 liter floater for all the holes.
Then all hell broke loose. Rescues and the whole "9".

Have a look at the video, see for yourself.

http://vimeo.com/917905


<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="225" data="http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=917905&amp;server=www.vimeo.com&amp;fullscreen=1&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color="> <param name="quality" value="best" /> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="scale" value="showAll" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=917905&amp;server=www.vimeo.com&amp;fullscreen=1&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=" /></object><br /><a href="http://www.vimeo.com/917905/l:embed_917905">Windsurfing Rescue,</a> from <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/user389977/l:embed_917905">William Hilow</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/l:embed_917905">Vimeo</a>.

[christianpiepers]

I was there with proper speed gear but the conditions were not suitable for top speeds , just for demolishing your gear because of the nasty chop, so I didn't sail there.
The wind strength was OK but the angle too broad, extremely gusty.
In my humble opinion candlestick is not the perfect venue for setting very high speeds ( over 40 knots I mean )

I have been looking for other flat locations in the bay area all day but without succes. Anybody some inside information ? ( with flat I mean dead flat, so behind a dam or in a channel ... )

After setting the US peak GPS record last year december to 45,3 knots it's about time to do better

It was a very frustrating day for me today, coming back from a speed session at Eureka yesterday, finding perfect wind conditions finally after 6 months of waiting, but no good spot to sail for records.

Greetz,

Christian Piepers NED-131
info@christianpiepers.com

[ctuna]

They have a very special speed pond and custom equipment. I haven't heard of anything like that in the US. I was there at Candlestick today to watch everybody that went in get spanked. And there was one rescue by the Coast Guard .When the Stick gets windy its rough and gusty. The only place I know around here thats somewhat flat with heavy winds is San Luis downwind of heavy weeds.

[npure2001]

You missed the low tide at Palo Alto this afternoon. Was superflat (Tiger's flat on a 4.7 day) yesterday with 8 inches of water around 5pm. There was about an hour of very flat conditions before it all went dry to inches. Today was the same just about an hour later.

Cheers,
Gabor

[christianpiepers]

Thanks guys, but I'm not familiar with all your spot names: San Luis I could find but where exactly in Palo Alto do you mean ?
Isn't there any really flat spots in the eastern bay ( close to a bank e.g. but still depp enough to not demolish a 400 dollar fin of maimum 1 foot ! )

About speed gear, I'm originally from Holland and only do speedsailing nowadays (since drugs are legal with us we have to get our kick from something else, so we mostly sail high speed )

My equipment is only based on doing that ( also see http://www.christianpiepers.com ) and therefore I cannot go out in extremely choppy conditions like today at the spots I visited without surely breaking stuff.

Thanks anyway for your comments, i appreciate it and hope we wil meet sometime out somewhere ( I can easily be recognised by my sailing style; going high upwind and extremely downwind with a huge crash once in a while .... )

[vmaher2045]

Try Bethany Resevoir by Liveremore near Byron. Really windy all day in the spring with flat water. Won't be able to set a record over a long distance because it's so small, But I'm pretty sure there is no where better to set a peak speed record.

[aaron1234]

The best speed spot in the bay area that I have seen is inside Bodega Bay at Doran beach by the coast guard station. Its a low tide only spot but really flat and the wind cranks regularly.

[windsrf]

Great video - and nice Chicago track. Was that an orange sail flipping madly to the right of the orange CG zodiac?

I was out in only 25mph avg at Pt. Isabel, but hanging on to my 5.6 Hansen for dear life at times due to slight rigging miscalculation. Had fun but cut session short to save body for tennis match today.

With regard to the speed sailing question, it wouldn't have worked at all yesterday, but I still think that the ideal Bay Area speed spot is behind the jetty that runs sort of WNW from Brooks Island -- near both the Pt. Isabel and Marina Bay launches in Richmond. Needs high tide and SW (or thereabouts) winds, but fits the prescription otherwise, as the jetty is LONG and low, with only ripples to impede your progress on its northern side. Shows on most maps.
David

[fearlu]

Back in the day when there were organized speed trials they were held at the O'Neil forebay of the San Luis Reservoir near Los Banos and on the ocean side of Doran Beach Park in Bodega Bay. The one we held at Candlestick was pretty lame since (as noted) once it goes ballistic it's no longer good and flat and safe. Not that offshore at Doran is "safe" on speed needles without a back-up plan...

Go to San Luis Reservoir in June at the crack of dawn if you want your GPS readings to go up. Or, make the trip to Lyle, Washington and ride the Klickitat Rivermouth.

[spanker_jeep]

The rig and board getting rag dolled were abandoned. I guess the Coasties gave him a choice "your ass or your gear".

I launched with that guy and we were both on 5.5s The rig was new- new mast and sail. The board was an Excocet 102lt. A damn'ble shame.