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Is this the weather for Kona One?

 
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nodak



Joined: 13 Nov 2012
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 9:35 pm    Post subject: Is this the weather for Kona One? Reply with quote

My forecast calls for following forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Breezy, with a southeast wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.

I sail a long board, Kona One with a smallest sail being a 6.5 Retro. Should I even consider going out in this kind of wind with the Kona One?
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GURGLETROUSERS



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 2643

PostPosted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 4:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is not essential Nodak to use a big sail on a longboard. You could use a small one, even down to 3.9 in a real blow if you wanted to.

It was standard practice in the early 80's, on the old big heavy polyethelene longboards, and they still flew in gales. (literally, if careless! Laughing )

There is a big difference between what is optimum and highly desirable, and what is actually possible. A sail is a sail is a sail, and the wind blows them along!!
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joe_windsurfxxx



Joined: 29 Jun 2008
Posts: 67

PostPosted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

you obviously realize the DANGER ...
AND you have the equipment question
my long board stays at home after about 20 mph winds
me, at 100 kilos in a light wind area - my smallest sail is a 6.3
in the winds you describe, i hope for on-shore and i practice - control, water starts, etc
on a sunny day with those temps and on-shore i have had GREAT sessions
butt NOT with a long board
they say it can be dunn with the KONA - since it is a hybrid
please be CAREFUL if u go !!!
helmet ?? not alone, etc ....

addendum - also - depends greatly on chop and/or waves !!!

& http://www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=11117&uid=92
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wynsurfer



Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 940

PostPosted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 7:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's not so much the wind speed, but the sea state that matters. If you had a sheltered harbor or bay with flat water I'd say ok. I can handle a 6.5 in 20-25, but if it's rough a 5.0 works better. I would not want to be out on a 6.5 in 30+. I would definately look into getting a smaller sail, maybe 4.5 - 5.5.

Once I sailed a 12 foot raceboard with a 5.3 starting out in 10-18 winds expecting 15 -25 [forcast]. After sailing up wind a few miles , the wind suddenly picked up to 30 with higher gusts! I had to sail back on a broad reach in very rough conditions. That board mowed through the chop with great control, secure, but scarry fast! This was the late 1980's, so I know that longboards can and do work well in high winds. I made it back ok. I believe I thanked God many times as I returned safely to shore. A very dangerous situation for an inexperienced sailor.

One never knows what the wind is going to do. Forcasts are often wrong.
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Sailboarder



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 656

PostPosted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, it should be considered and it's fun. Kona's wind limit for races is 28 kts.

Like with any board, the question you really need to answer is : What happens if something goes bad, where will I end up?

If the answer is no problemo, consider the following.

As slinky said, board selection is really linked to sea state. Sail selection is mainly wind based, but sea state is important too. Your weight will obviously dictate selections too.

I'm 220#. I've sailed my 7.5 in 20kts average with gusts to 28 kts in a protected bay closeby, flat water. It was scary fast in the gusts. I was mostly overfinned, fighting the 46 cm down, as it was quite sucessfull at trying to get out of the water under me! Never fell from this tough. I've been later out in similar conditions with a smaller 40 fin and everything was great.

I've also sailed a few time with my 6.0 and the 40 fin on lake Champlain in 20-25 kts. The wind is stable there and most times, you see nice 2-3 ft organized swell. The Kona is good and fast in these conditions. You have to tune things right to make sure you can sail well in both straps. The speed is great, but it can get tiring as the board flies over the chop and you have to provide shock absorption. In these conditions, it's much easier to waterstart.

Another closeby spot has a lot of chop. I don't like the spot from maybe 17 kts and higher because the chop prevents early planning and bounces the board around when on the plane. Not fun for a Kona.
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konajoe



Joined: 28 Feb 2010
Posts: 517

PostPosted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nodak, how do you do in 15-20 with that setup?
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nodak



Joined: 13 Nov 2012
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love conditions just under 20mph and can sail well in them. For higher wind I tune my gear according to conditions, scaling the fin size down to 39-40cm for 5 - 6.5 m size sails. A 7.4 sails calls for a 42cm sail, etc. There's no way the stock 46cm fin will stay in the water with a sail less than 8.5 m. I'm 180 lbs.

I only keep my Kona One at our lake (6 sqr. miles surface area). No sense for board any smaller because winds are off shore and I need the center board quite often to get upwind. Water is choppy.

Here's a glimpse of our weather patterns during late summer and early fall. Frustrating that it gets too windy to sail.

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DanWeiss



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 2296
Location: Connecticut, USA

PostPosted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nodak, I've sailed the Kona One with a variety of sails down to 6.6 in both very light and pretty huge (30 knots with chop). All with the Kona One class fin.

The board can handle it and is very fun to sail even if you fall b/c you can either waterstart or uphaul. Be aware that the padded deck seems like a nice cushion but crashing onto a large board hurts more simply b/c it cannot move out of the way to reduce the impact whereas shortboards can do so.

Safety seems to be the best question. Do you have a leeward shore, or can you sail safely in side shore? Are you sailing alone? File a "flight-plan" with family or friend with a fail-safe time after which they should call authorities if you don't reach them first.

You should keep the centerboard installed to prevent a geyser shooting from the centerboard well. Also, consider reducing fin size of you can, and move the mast foot commensurate with the sail size. A guide to exact mastfoot locations for the Kona One One Design sails can be seen here:

www.flickr.com/photos/bradsegla/8671070045/in/set-72157633300023895/

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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 5:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

one of the biggest benefits to me in florida is that long boards allow for the largest wind ranges for any sail. i have sailed the 11'5 in tropical storms with offshore winds of 12-38 with a 5.8 sail with great success. in similar applications with a 5.2, i've been far from happy.

the original kona one fin was 40-42 cm, and was narrower in chord. it provides the best upside wind range for the kona one. it did not give up much on the low end, provided the wind was planing strength.

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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You get your ass on the water. The only way to learn how to apply one's sailing-overpowered textbook knowledge is to get out there and sail overpowered. I got back and forth on a 240 liter longboard with a retractable plastic fin in winds well over 40 mph on a 3.7 for one simple reason; it was that or not sail. You just do it, as long as there's no risk of being blown out to sea.

When in doubt, sail. None of us learned to enjoy a 6.x sail in winds averaging over 30 without trying. Now my primary limit to sailing my 6.2 is a 21 mph average (that's out east; corridor sensors are calibrated quite differently); any weaker and it's not worth the effort to me.

As for helmet, I wouldn't sail in 5 mph without one. It takes only one unconscious moment to lose enough consciousness to lose one's life.

And forecasts are almost never accurate.

I could go on productively for a few pages, but I won't.
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