I got my first batch of aluminium FangyMkII fins. They require a fair bit of attention to get them from fresh out of the mold, to smooth enough to try out, but having got one ready for a test run, I was itching to get it happening.

I fired up the car and checked that gauge that points to the petrol bowser. Apparently this is important to do. It is also important for Huey not to play silly buggers. Before lunch the breeze was nudging 20. At lunchime, just after I finished rigging the Duct Tape 6.6 on the Barge, Huey had lost focus, and for the next couple of hours it was frustratingly gusty. By afternoon tea Huey applied himself to the job at hand and the breeze was quite good. Unfortunately, that meant I spent most of my sailing time pretty badly underpowered. On the flipside, the tide was high enough that I could use the Hook, and by mid afternoon, deep enough to allow me to whack in a FangyMkII in the slot. 

 Initial impressions of the MkII are very encouraging for me. Firstly, the lift is prodigious compared to the MkI( which is closer in shape to a conventional Delta) The penalty I suspect is, the drag is far greater. More testing will paint a better picture of the fins behaviour at speed, but the two stand out features I have noticed so far; the fin produces turbo whistle. There must be some funky harmonics going on, because once you pass the high twenties there is a low pitched whistle that increases with speed. Built in speed genie!

 Secondly there is a noticeable vertical thrust. On my max speed run, the Barge was lifted clear of the water to close to where the fin leading edge began. Given my weight and the Barge as well, this is no mean feat. How much of this is down to the fillet and how much from the span wise taper on the chunky foil I don't know. I am keen to see the result at higher speed - is it self levelling or will the leading edge cavitate? Stay tuned…

 The fin was sooo much better in the chop than the MkI that I was totally relaxed in the moguls at the river mouth. Normally chop and Delta shape, means lots of concentration and effort to avoid spin out. Speaking of spin out, I tried everything I could to get it to let go, but it held on happily. I have a feeling the board was a little stiffer when gybing, and harder to throw over, but it stayed planing out the other side for longer and was more forgiving with dunderklumpen weight transfer.

 I am really looking forward to more time with this fin and fine tuning it some more, but the last hour today produced a defo Top Ten Fangy Day. Off to the movies withe the sprogs now.

er

Peel Inlet, WA, AU

Good conditions again . Did not seem to be best out of it. Never the less an enjoyable sail with lots out.

Glory Holes, Australind, WA, AU

iso 86 5.5m, evo 11 , 26 mxr 

Gusting up to 28kts and high tide.

I really struggled and never got settled with the conditions today, the sail was twitchy as, tried more downhaul, less down haul with no success, Great to meet Lunny and catch up with Noel.

Glory Holes, Australind, WA, AU

Peel Inlet, WA, AU. CA52/GPS6.0/VectorWS23.  Wind was pretty lumpy, but still a terrific sail out with the usual suspects. Was on a mission for a little bit more, but it wasnt to be. It was "just one more run" for the last hour, hence the distance. 3 stats made my top 5 table, so happy with that.

Got home to Dardanup a wee bit late, with a yummy roast leg of lamb on the table. Thankfully my wife is a saint and I have been forgiven!

   Peel WA AU    

  A bit of a scoot out at liptons & a bit more at point gray.  Thougt I'd try a different sail for a change,...  a code:red 4.6, with the

 SX-R58, and elmo60/17cm,....  and things went well, considering the size of it,... & the wind.   I found my key, I thought Id lost

it out in the watter,..  lucky!!!    

2 categories

Tabou Manta 54cm, NP RSR E7 7.0m, Pepe Weed 23.5cm

Fueled up the car thuis morning whilst out on chores duty so as I wouldn't have to be the Trifecta of trudging.

Down at Liptons there was not a parking spot to be found so claiming "Locals rights" I just parked in the middle of the road. Everybody was waiting around for this humungous cyclone forcast for this arvy and discussing how to depower 4m sails it was going to be that windy.

Looking at the conditions the 7 looked the go with the only compromise to the foretold cyclonic conditions I chose the small board (again) with a bigger fin as Sammy wanted to knock out a naughty.

Spent most of the arvo over at Pt Grey Definately not on my Pat Malone this time as all and sundry were over there including a few kiters.

There was some nice wind but I couldn't line up a gust with my run for love nor money, still got some nice squirts.

Couple of stingrays on the point including one large one, got stung by a mongrel devil fish in the soft arch of a toe.

Fun times, made even better with the fantastic curry my beloved had cooking all day when I got home. Thank goodness I didn't run out of fuel.

Huge congrats to Noel and Rob on their PB's

1 categories

Wind didn't quite deliver but I really enjoyed today, had a nice play at Pt Grey, there was even a bit of oily streamers on the water in places.

Rigged the 5.4 in case wind did pick up and plugged into the 48 with the 21 cm 40/55d fin. Planning to change down to the 43cm board if wind picked up.

So started off trying alphas, interspersed with the odd bearoff. Wind slowly increased but I was having alpha trouble today, couldn't get everything to line up. Good gybe poor runs, good runs poor gybe. Good gybe and runs, too wide!

Had two 35kt runs, one in liptons one in Pt grey, the Pt grey faster by 0.1kts

But the good gusts were just too far apart, to intice me to stay out longer and increase my numbers.

And yes Steve, Pt Grey is better whith a high tide, but I was still touching bottom in the shallow when off the plane.

I'll post the watch data later. (as always these numbers are from the GW52 on my head)

So here's the watch

2s 35.565, 5x10 33.952, 1hr 15.219, @ 24.443, NM 26.772, and distance is only 85.65 because I reset it after lunch and it missed out on the 16km I did earlier.

1 categories

Peel Inlet, WA, AU

Another fun day at Lipton's!  Lots out having a good time. I wanted to take the speed board out for a spin, although it was a little small with the 6.0, I did get a couple nice gusts. Stayed out as late as I could, with SMS09 doing some alpha practice.

F2 Missile, 6.0 HSM GPS

2 categories

EDIT: Want to Thank Shano frm CST who generously made me a pouch/pocket for my bouyancy vest, great for carrying spares, very creative, Shano is very clever at making things, look him up for Shade sails, camping accessories and windsurfing accessories.

Liptons, Happy for Sammy and Strech today. Mistral Speed 55/95  TR9 6.3m Pepeweed 22/48

Liptons again I know I know.. what can I say.. you work where the money is, you sail where the wind is!! I really miss the other spots like Fangy and Hardie but they is no weeds there anymore and less wind. My 2 choices on the weekend, Safety Bay kites max pack or Liptons mmh 

I was craving for some quality sailing, nice and calm, forecast was looking 16-18 going to 20 all morning, so went early wanted to play A and Hr all together, called few mates to join me but all busy.. Hit the water a 10.30, it was just beautiful, nice stable gentle breeze, first 30mins was perfect sailing along, the following 15 was nicely powered, by 11.15 I was fully lited at time overcooked that I had to bare away, had to finish last 10mins of the HR at Pt grey coz on the Dark side was hell of chops. My last run of HR end up on the sand bank of Pt Grey where I crashed my A in 1 foot of water. I end up with a 36.6 display and a bruise on my left wrist, lucky enough no gear breackage!! (can see on track, sand patch) 

Went back to shore, had lunch, swap board and fin to speed, more downhaul, and waited few hrs for the wind to pickup more. It cam very slowly in a very guty state, sometime waiting for enough to be able to stand on the board. Was going to try some NM wiz the Muppet but it was too gusty, run oput of wind half way down . Morning session was way better in wind quality. Surprised no one else was there, just Doddi came and checked 

Great to catch up with Stretch (which sailed like a king, he was even more starving that me for a good session ) and the usual local suspects. 

Well done Stretch and Otts for the PBs 

SB85L, 23,5 LSW mod - RSR5.8 - Misty47, LSW21 (this fin is amazing, had it for years, completly diff that the rest of the serie )