i'm breaking up with berkeley....

[windsrf]

Tony,

Minor correction: when I started swimming you were behind me, but fairly quickly bypassed me, so clearly much better technique/stamina!

At that point, I was figuring maybe 2 hours swim (my record established many years ago, and hoped never to revisit!), but then the puff came and I was able to uphaul and make it back to about 200yds east of His Lords - so one final brief swim component. Overall, maybe 1 hour elapsed time.

Didn't dare look back as I knew that would quickly end my very difficult slog effort. My ML board is maybe 105L, so at least I had a chance, although not quite as stable as my 144L Xantos - plus I'm notoriously balance-challenged. However, I did see the sailboat heading your way and then saw it laboriously sailing back, indicating probable tow - plus you were no longer out there when I finally landed at His Lords.

Also, I never pay too much attention to the kiters as they are probably powered by the Dark Side anyway.

Looking forward to SAILING again with you soon!

David

[chibichibi]

here we go again, berkeley ramps from 4mph to 20mph in under 20 minutes. wonder if she'll last more than an hour this time. either way, i wish i was rigged up and ready at HS Lordships right now.

[windsrf]

For some strange reason, I think I'll pass.......

David

[andymc4610]

Damn 1-2 hour swims....I complain (to whoever will listen) if i have to swim a hundred yards to and or from the wind line.

I had two buddies who were making a swim At the OR coast one made it the other got pulled out to sea. two hours later, made peace with his maker the copter found him. lost all his gear....

[noflyzoneallstar]

So what are people's preferred swimming (with gear) techniques?

I've picked up some great pointers from the duck jibe thread. So how do you swim in long distances while minimizing drag and not cutting your feet off on the fin? Push/pull? Arms/legs? I want to be ready when I get the opportunity. Only long swims I've done were after broken masts where I was able to package up the remaining gear, lie on top of it and paddle back in.

[tswei]

David, the reason I was able to pass you was I carry a pair of Speedo Aqua Fitness Gloves in my safety pack.

http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/2032.htm

They're small, cheap, and make a huge difference in efficiency. While we were out there I was doing a calculus. If I didn't make serious progress before getting fatgiued or getting even a little cold, I would have ditched my sail, dropped my harness, removed the mast base and paddled back on top of the board. Luckily the CSC monitor that fetch of water. If this had happened at 3rd or TI more than a mile offshore, I would have definitely sacrificed the rig to make it back safe.

Yesterday was the first time I've used the gloves, but I am sure glad I had them. Plan C would have been to make a call on my marine radio.

Tony

[windsrf]

Ah!! Tony, now I don't feel quite so inadequate!

My worst situation was at Cabo Pulmo this spring, about a week after the expert Gorge sailor died. I blew through a KA sail (issues!) and found that with no leach it is impossible to slog - at least for me. This was about 1.5 miles offshore. Tried the self-rescue approach, but the only thing that saved me was good safety gear (life jacket) and buddy system. He went and got a panga to come for me. Lessons learned included wearing full suit to avoid hypothermia even in "warm" waters after over an hour immersion, don't go so far out, and try to carry fins sort of like Tony does. Paddling in against chop/swell/current from that distance turned out to be not possible - at least at my age. By the time I was pulled into panga I was shaking (maybe 1.5 hours of work, but not anywhere as easy as swimming at Berkeley!). So not convinced that ditching rig is that much better, unfortunately - I did ditch sail there, but retained mast/boom.

At Berkeley I know I'll always make it, and that's well proven, unfortunately. There's really zero current to fight and I'm always very well dressed. Plus, I use parallax of shore marks to confirm progress which gives hope. Third Ave and TI are quite a different matter. I'm reluctant to sail 3rd without buddy for just that reason. I find even Pt. Isabel to be much more difficult to swim in - broke mast base there once.

As far as technique, I hold board or uphaul line with one hand and basically "walk"/paddle with other arm and feet, with sail dragging. Probably mostly like a dog paddle. I've tried side stroke, etc, and too hard to manage for me. However, very slow/steady is important too. So keeping warm is essential. Helmet and hoody/rash guard also protects head and keeps ears from being slapped by chop.

No problem for me at all yesterday, even without Tony's "enhancements".....

Just would have taken me longer.

David

[beallmd]

In case you've ever wondered; Pyramid lake is a huge body of water and gets nipple to shoulder high chop in mod winds (20-25 mph). SO, i went out tues June 10. Ran out there as I live nearby, rigged ever so quickly and went out on smaller gear. Well, the sailing was great for about 10 minutes; BIG Swell etc. Then was dying, made another run on a bigger board then swam in as it toatlly died. so much so that the sail becomes a drag weight as it keeps falling off the board. Of course, once on shore it soon came up enough to at least slog in if you could catch a start on a gust. I sail there about once a year but it can be quite fun, cold though-like the pacific this time of year.

[tswei]

David,

Your rig and harness are a huge drag while trying to swim. As the boat was towing me in, i held onto the booms with most of my body in the water. The drag on my harness was such that I couldn't hold on for more than a couple minutes at a time.

If you can get most of your body out of the water and there's no other components dragging, I think you can make pretty good speed, like maybe 1mph as opposed to 0.3 mph. Self rescue technique was developed in times of the original windsurfer where you had tons more volume. Keeping a mast and boom and maybe sail on top of anything less than 120 ltrs while paddling would be very difficult. My life is worth more than a rig, even if it's 100% carbon.

[bosie]

Tony,

If you're who I think you are, you have uncanny timing. I thought I was a wind jinx, but given your history of getting as far from your launch as possible before the wind dies completely, maybe you should rethink where you sail. The Delta doesn't have the on-off switch that seems to plague Berkeley/Pt. Isabel when you're there (and the swims are generally shorter).

Love the webbed gloves -- great idea.

Andy