Interesting Observation

jp5 · Joined: 19 May 1998 Posts: 3394 Location: OnUr6

I too enjoy the year round stoke of the east coast crew. It takes some pretty big brass ones to put on a dry suit and sail in 30-40kt winds when there is snow on the beach!

spennie · Joined: 13 Oct 1995 Posts: 975 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

jpbassking's right but he forgets that sometimes here in SoCal temperatures can plummet into the low 60's, causing us to wear our 3/2 fullsuits, and sometimes even (ugh!) booties. Why, just the other day I had to put on a flannel shirt! Brrrr!

justall · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 442

Good to hear from you over here, Spennie. You've got it exactly right ... It's all about the sailing!

Some of the reasons for the focus, in my opinion: If I can't get some action, I like to hear that others are. I like to think about how wind and tide data I see online match what the post-session recaps say ... building knowledge for future sessions. I like to encourage others to come out if I think a specific day, time, and location look particularly good, as I hate to see a fellow windsurfer miss a great session. In many of the locations I sail, there are few, if any, other windsurfers on the water (or they are a launch or two away), so getting folks to converge on a specific location leads to some fun discussions on the beach, a chance to race / raise your game, and also another sailor to go get help if you have an equipment failure (when I've sailed across the Chesapeake Bay, I've always ended up doing it alone ... and wish I could have had some company in case I end up in the water as a cruise ship / tanker comes through). And, support chatter/activity on iwindsurf.com rather than just Facebook.

I generally use the Windsurfing Discussion forum for equipment and technique questions.

Has been a good Fall over here ... though have already been using the 4/3.

mat-ty · Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 7850

Cold weather has its good points. Empty beaches, free parking , and a lot less traffic. I am perfectly comfortable down to the low forties, especially in the fall when the water is still relatively warm...

spennie · Joined: 13 Oct 1995 Posts: 975 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

Seems like you guys have a lot of different spots to choose from, too. I live north of L.A. about a 1/2 hour, and sailing spots are limited. Within 2 hours of my house we have Seal Beach, Cabrillo, Topanga, Leo Carillo & Surfer's point, Cabrillo being the only reliable spot, and only in the summer. However, the San Francisco Bay Area has about a zillion places to sail, and is covered under the same Forum. I guess you guys just have your eyes on the prize, as the saying goes.

mat-ty · Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 7850

DrWind · Joined: 17 Jul 1994 Posts: 467

Boardsurfr.

You are right. Many windsurfers tend to focus on spots which have been around for years. I myself tend to try to find that hidden secret spot. With Google Maps and Bing one can do much more scouting around looking for such a spot.

Combining that with the high resolution forecast models (HRR and RUC)you can determine, where to go and when.

"Town Neck" for example looked like it had potential (and probably was the spot to be.) But I was off on the timing. I arrived at the peak of the Nor'easter's intensity with 60-65 mph gusts and lightning to boot.

Lars

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

justall · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 442

allen · Joined: 13 Aug 1996 Posts: 237

Spennie,

East Coasters don't get to sail as often as we do. They rely on fronts in the spring and fall and get pretty windless summers. It's not like SoCal where you can sail Cabrillo 40-50 days in August/Sept. Hence, the talk is about getting wind as opposed to which Race Board made me go 32.3 knts instead of 31.9 knts.