Where We Sailed Today

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Most guys at Berkeley on Thursday around 150lbs were using 5 meter sails from 3:30 to 5PM. Lots of guys sailing around way overpowered not able to jibe or even waterstart on 5.8's.

ERROR!!! · Joined: 26 Feb 1998 Posts: 170 Location: East Bay

Here's what the construction site looks like this Summer, with the relocated, rocky road, as they finish strengthening the levee. Good weekend sailing with a double ebb tide and warm river water at Sherman Island.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Steady light today at Berkeley.
Anything from 5 meters to 7 would have worked just fine
Really clear water, as I could see the bottom go by even up at Lordships down to Kite beach and into the shallows near the docks.

dvCali · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1314

Absolutely great day at Stick. Who knows what the sensor was showing because nobody was at the beach (besides Ellen! Welcome back!!!).

The southwest was on, you had to get out about 300 yards but then it was all the way to Sierra Point. Almost perfect 6.6 conditions with the Patrik 100. Close to Sierra point was totally flat and I hit 30.7 knots without even noticing: power of flat water. Then as the afternoon progressed it got choppy to very choppy close to the harbor. Wind must have been a good 20-25 (knots) in the gusts. Very Happy

Only thing: I was the only one out!!!!!!!!!

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Congrats on the 30+ speed times!
Have you posted higher speeds on your narrower boards?

dvCali · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1314

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Should you be trying a smaller fin for those powered broad reach's?
I've been using the Speedster 100 (65 wide, double cutouts), with a 32 Phoenix on a 6.7 Gaastra Cosmic, and it holds in nicely. Meaning, a 30 would be faster on a broad reach, and more difficult to drive upwind.
Old days, for speed sailing with narrow boards, everyone used low aspect, wide base, straight leading and trailing edge, fins of around 7-9" maximum sizing, similar to a wave fin, but no curves in the outline. 9" would be for the 235 lbs guys like Ferris Hamilton and Bob Bogdanovich. I used mostly 7.25 to 8" length speed fins, even on wider boards of around 56 cm with 36 cm tails.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

I always take the bottom cam out of a 4 cam wide sleeve sail, so it rig's easier and rotates in much less breeze. Sometimes, I take out the bottom and the top cams.
I have 3 generations of WARP North slalom sails, like '02 narrow sleeve, '06 wide sleeve, and '09 wide sleeve in 5.8 sizing. Yes, one is a 5.7.
I find for topspeed sailing, my freestyle North 5.8 (might be a Style) is every bit as fast as those slalom sails, much lighter and easier to rig of course, and give up nothing in upwind on a slalom board. Stability is about the same, when both are rigged an inch past MAX.
Key is having a sail with a foot that lines up with the deck of the board.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Sherman 4-6:30, nice 5.6 weather, JPFSW84, 100% planing except when trying to shed the floating weeds by tacking/stalling, nice inside jibe above the learning cove and below the kiter's.
Died around 7:30 or so.

Arrgh · Joined: 05 May 1998 Posts: 864 Location: Rio

Two miles upriver and the story is a bit different wind wise, tho same weed problem. Wind comes up at 5, last hour of flood. 5.5 with Black Project Freeweed 28 shedding all the bad stuff. At 6 switch to 4.7 with MFC SC Weed Wave 25, Tabou 3S 96. Still blowing when I left. Great day!