TGale (7976km):
2042 days ago South Arm Neck Beach, TAS, AU Was hoping for a bit more wind, especially with the MXR on for the shallow-water near the road. Getting used to the 107, it really gybes so much better than the old 115 and planes sooner ( ), like it. IS107, OD7.0, MXR 24.
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Barry (24372km):
2041 days ago Stanley, TAS, AU
It was nice to be back at Stanley, but there seemed to be barely enough wind.
Thought I was lucky to have enough power on my first run. Started my second run and was just nicely powered starting to accelerate, when I got lifted out of the water, catapulted, face planted on the boom and crashed through the sail. Fortunately my helmet took most of the impact. Surprising because it was really just an ordinary gust. Crashed in about the same place where I crashed through a bigger sail in more wind about a year ago. (Way overpowered then, so that was no surprise). Also same place where I got within half a knot of 40 knots about six months ago.
Reflecting on a crash at Portso about 5 years ago. Roofs were being torn off houses. I could see swirling turbulence like mini tornadoes come across the sand, I thought I’d have 5-10 seconds to brace for impact. But almost immediately I got smashed from behind, the top of the mast speared deep into the water and I went from about 34 knots to a dead stop in about 2 metres. My shoulder still hasn’t recovered properly from that one. A doctor looked at it and asked if Id been in a car accident. Yep, that was dramatic.
But today’s crash was really just a powder-puff gust. There’s been dozens of times in crazier weather when I’ve been expecting some drama in the middle of some pretty nasty gusts. It’s a bit embarrassing to get smashed by a powder puff.
No harm done really, it was an old sail due for replacement.
iS90, 6.2 OD, 34 volt.
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