5 categories

Fangy reported good conditions for testing the ground effect proto. So gathered at S bend with him, Stroppo and Jamie.

Wind up and down, but a lot of down, and ups weren't very. So rigged the 6.6, no choice of fins, I've only made 15s so far.

Everyhting felt wrong to start with, mainly because in my enthusiasm to get the beast in the water I forgot I'd removed the rear strap, and didn't notice it missing until I started to rig it. After fiddling with mast track and adding a back strap and moving the front starps back, it started to feel half reasonable.

Managed to gybe it as long as I kept the board flat, any attempt at foot steering ended up going in a straight line.

Got a 26 on it, with the board sitting very flat, I either need to shift back strap to the very back of the board, or reduce rear lift somehow.

Wind had picked up so decided to change to the 53cm board with Keefs 17cm delta, as a comparrison, managed the 28.6 in a gust, but then the wind started to drop again and I was only getting 26s. (see what you mean keef, that 17 works well with the 6.6, I was thinking it was more a 5.8 fin)

So at the moment 1 - 0 to conventional board against the ground effect thingo. But haven't given up yet, this is only it's first outing.

3 categories

Koombana Bay, WA, AU

Starboard Formula HWR, Reflex3 10.7m, 70VMG

Great fun sailing K Bay today. I raced the nacras today. Very happy to nail the start and be in front at the windward mark. Then the the wind filled in from a nice 15-20knts to a fully lit 18-25(in the gusts)knts. The down wind legs were challenging to say the least but great fun. In the end I could have been nicely powered up on a 7.8m. I learnt heaps about  high wind FW today. Stoked.

One happy Bender!!

After a late lunch I wandered  out to S-bend to revue the fleet. The fleet, at that specific time, was not at all fleet but, as things picked up to about 12-13 kts, progress was starting to be made. Rigged a 7.8m2 with flying topsails and a 24 Delta.  I had decided that I needed to sort out the problems that I have with the Delta viz : spinning out at speed. With that specific danger in mind and mindful of my poor technique I had chosen a particularly easily digested sandwich before leaving home and my fears were justified when I saw Capt'n Calm put to sea with the same number of Deltas as he had footstraps. Somewhat bemused, I had a quick peek in the manual which showed that I wasn't anywhere near that level of capability and that 4 straps and 1/2 a fin would be just fine for me.  As soon as I had a nice combination of speed and chop, sideways she went.....lots more practice needed. Returned to harbour to replace said Delta with 28 weedy. Better progress was made thereafter and, happily, mostly via the sharp end.

Therefore Capt'n Calm, Fangy and Stroppo were supplying the afternoon's main entertainment whilst I provided a "slow-moving and slightly rotational obstruction" on which they could vector their runs. I had not been entirely convinced that the distractions of calf-depth shallows, areas of delicious weed and aggressive blue swimmer crabs were a true test for these experienced seafarers so I thought it might be helpful for them to further sharpen their navigational skills by trying to predict, and necessarily avoid, my erratic progress. Stroppo went past me like an F-111 with fully lit burners and, Siren-like, guided me up onto a lovely little, and slightly-submerged, beach. After a short rest, with prayer, and having checked that the stern of the F2 was still attached to whatever it's supposed to be attached to, I occupied a more deserted shipping lane as the wind strength increased to around 15-18 knots.

A great afternoon in beautiful surroundings, in warm, yet slightly nibbly, water and in good fast-moving company. Only spoilt by my forgetting, yet again, to turn off the GT31 before leaving for home and thereby corrupting the readings. No posting. Damn, I'm getting forgetful. Sorry Capt'n. I've let the team down. Do I have to be lashed to the grating again? Ooooohhhh! Goody goody.

For the record 24.46 kts. 

3 categories

I dropped a line to Calm HQ that there was enough a chance the GET ( ground effect thingo) could be christened today. As a result I was joined at S Bend by captain Calm just after lunch. Stropoo and Wazza followed soon after.

The GET was on display and the astute amongst us were impressed with not only it's slightly insane looking appearance but also the economy of footstraps. In a typically cunning piece of planning, Cap'n Calm had decided there was no real chance of overloading those wicked looking little Deltas with back foot pressure  when there are no footstraps.

Myself, well I was worried I was going to snap a mast. After Ed's efforts (FNQ mob - sorry Kel for blaming your earlier) with his rather robust pole dancing technique I had jinxed myself by saying that I had never done any pole damage during one of my routines. I know that everyone will say that is because I have exceptional skills and extraordinary grace and timing when dancing the pole, but even so I could not help feeling a little trepidation when I threw the QE II, KaRace 9.4 and sika'd Delta HC 24 into the drink.

However any thoughts of my pole promptly disappeared when once again the crabs near the shore took up arms. I don't know if it's spawning behaviour, but they make no attempt to run away,  they just stand and fight. So once again I received a number of encouragements to move along.
 
The wind was pretty light for the first hour or so, 12 knots I would have guessed and pretty holey as well. But there was enough to be planing most of the time. I decided some cruising was called for so I set a course for South Yunderup and broke out the deckchair. This went swimmingly until I was about as far from the car as I could be when something broke and ended up in the drink holding the boom. Oh crap I have broken my mast. I am so red thumbing every post  Snags ever does on Seabreeze in retribution for this foul deed he has inflicted on me.  

After a bit of disentangling and swimming I get around to surveying the damage. And then I feel guilty for slandering the Sausage man. My mast is intact, my boom is intact however the boom rope has broken. With a bit more floundering and cursing things are sorted out with some Nanna like crochet work and I am back in business.

A band of showers came and went and the wind settled and picked up a knot or two. It was a big ask of my remnant dDelta 24 to deal with the QE II flying the 9.4 but it was too much fun in the weed to consider changing. The water was its usual smooth and indeed most of the chop was provided by Nanna Stropoo hauling his carcass around the place at his usual demigod like speed.
The GET appeared to working okay as Captn Calm had enough juice to power down the weed bank. In fact the only disturbing thing about the afternoon was once again Wazza demonstrating some commonsense and calling it quits before he completely wrenched his shoulders out of their sockets. ( this was not going to happen because of wind strength, rather the fact that his shoulders are held together with bits of dental floss and sticky tape at the moment)

 A great fun session with the lads was brought to an end as Saturday night social engagements started to loom large. But not before pronouncing that today was definitely a Top Ten Fangy Day.

Glory Holes, Australind, WA, AU

Just a short note to say, great to be back, 

thanks Mike for sorting..

Go the M.M.