Saturday 2nd July - Windsurf ***** - The Manor at Felixstowe – sunny and warm.

 Fin – 26.69 knot max, 24.58 knot ave.,, 17.85 knot hour (year PB), 22.02 knot mile (year PB), 92.57 km (year PB)., 16.99 knot alpha.

F2 282 Ride with Tushingham X-15 7m and 36 fin.

After missing out on my first foil at Levington with my new Starboard kit, I was given the wrong fuselage so could not use it and after I had worked out where all the bolts go, there were so many different sizes too, gave me a headache but the day was not wasted as fitted my new electric wheel on my mountain bike, cant wait to give it a try, Mag loves hers:) The forecast was good today, sunny, warm with a good 20 knot breeze from the SW, several options open for today and I was not sure where to go until eight this morning! Option one, meet up with Jason at midday at Wrabness on the Stour, two meet up with Robert at Levington or stay local and go to The Manor early to make the most of low water. With the wind already gusting to 20 knots early I decided to stay in Felixstowe and head to The Manor arriving at Squiz Lane just before nine with loads of parking, warm sunshine with a good breeze, the perfect fin day:)The 115lt. F2 Ride was soon on the beach and I took a chance with my much-loved Tushingham Thunderbird 6.5 which proved ideal until the wind eased off around 12.40 but I was knackered by that point so called it a day! I did go for my full wetsuit as I do drop in regularly but could have easily used my shortie. As with most session I start off going for a fast first hour, I am actually leading the fastest hour in the UK for the year on the gps-speedsailing site and was very pleased to get a years PB of 17.85 with tow other PB,s for n/mile and distance sailed, so a pretty much perfect day:) At the Ma1nor I usual do at least 8 runs out the mile and a half to the Wadgate post, in fact I did more the first session being out nearly two hours covering over 30 miles, really good to as the Wadgate break was working well today:) There is a half mile or so shallow sand bank when approaching the post with some breaking waves and an area of really smooth water to the left, with wind against tide you had no trouble staying upwind either! If you sailed right to the post the water did rough up making gybing harder, I did have one run out to the shipping channel about 2.30 miles out too and gybing right by the beach was easier even if the wind eased slightly there! I had been out for around hour an hour before a few more sailors ventured out, probably only 3 or 4 more, a low turnout of such a lovely day, I did go for a fast mile before my snack but it was not easy as the sea was lumpy in places. The break was very welcome but after a drink and a nut bar and banana plus I took a few pics of the fantastic sky, some amazing clouds over the docks too I headed out again. Doing some mellow runs to add a few miles, I only called it a day as the wind eased and I didn’t want to be stuck out to sea! Shame really as I was so close to 100km but never mind, about as good as Felixstowe can be and home by 1.10! With Mag out I decided to do my exercises in the sunny back garden and wait to have lunch with Mag.

Looking light tomorrow and for several days now which gives us time to give the bikes a try and hopefully getting the right fuselage next Tuesday – perfect day :)

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