Windsurfing & Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Michigan
July 21st
Wow all these great sessions happening unfortunately mid week lately. Brooke took the day off work yesterday and we travelled up to Rondeau Bay together, leaving home around 8 am with the temps already approaching high 80 something.
Once at the bay with winds blowing in the 20's we both rigged 6.5 and I on my 90 litre board and once in the water planned out immediately. I sailed farely well powered, progressing upwind for about an hour but soon I could feel myself losing ground upwind. I took a long blast across the bay, but as I neared the opposite shoreline I could feel the wind ebbing quickly, not even enough for a planning jibe at this point it was just get around and slog back. Once back to the starting point I could see the wind had backed off considerably, Brooke at this point had his kite pumped up and was ready to launch, which I did for him. A few more sailors had shown up by this time and were quite perturbed to have missed it, as it was only 11 am. A few guys started to go out as you could feel the wind beginning to come back a bit. I was dying of thirst at this point and took a small break for a bite to eat and some water.
It wasn't long before the guys that had gone out just a while earlier were planning and so out I went for another session. Around 1 I knocked off for a bit more water and something to eat again (amazing how fast food is used up in your system when you sail), then re-rig to a 5.5 and back out again for yet another fully lit session for about 2 hours. All in all great day again with at least 12 windsurfers and at least as many kiters. We knocked off and packed in around 4 and I am sure there were people still showing up after we left.
Views: 42
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Tom Janicki on
-
Don, your session sounded better then our session.Thursday, 7/21/2011, Metro Beach.
I loaded the van with 2 boards, 100 and 109 liter, 2 sails a 5.5 and 6.0, and one mast. A "Hot Session" over 100 degrees the hottest weather I ever sailed in. Wind Forecast looked very marginal. By 3:30 I rigged the 6.0 Panther with the 109 RRD and went out in with no promises from the wind gods. Got lucky and a slightly side off shore puff came in and got me up on a plane. Further out the winds were steadier with an occasional blast of super heated air. Flat water ruled and for some reason a lack of weeds.
Sailed for about an hour and then came in for to rehydrate and also changed down to the 100 liter RRD. Went back out for another hour in some overpowering hot blasts of wind. Pulled of 50% of my downwind 360s. Perfect smooth conditions for practicing that move, also got some of the occasional hot air blasts on the inside where it was full planning hero duck jibe city.
About a dozen windsurfers showed up despite the marginal winds.
Session: 3:30 - 5:30
Gear: 6.0 Ezzy Panther, 109 and 101 RRD FSW boards.
Conditions: Flat on the inside and flat on the outside.
Weather: 100+ degrees sunny, water, had to be 80+ degrees.
Wind: 0-25 from the SW-W and WNW.
Schooled: Another day of downwind 360s, batting 500 on them. Still not pretty but getting better. Also pulled off a lot of hero duckins on the inside with the occasional hot air blasts
-
Permalink Reply by Don Ferguson on
-
Good, glad to hear you got sailing anyway. My ducks are way better on starboard tack than port side, sounds like you guys are opposite?? We sailed so long and I was so tired I felt like a 60 year old last night,, errrr, wait a minute I am almost a 60 year old!!
-
-
I was up in Woodstock Ontario visiting four of my grandkids on Wednesday on the way back I did a stop over at Rondeau Bay, to check things out. Looks like for a change I had very good timeing as a storm was just moving off and I was able to get out and do a a quick one hour sesh on a 6.0. By the time I thought about trying the down wind 360's the wind had ebbed a bit but, and correct me if I am wrong, it does seem that you need a lot of speed and power to initiate the move.
Forum
Windsurfing Launches
Post Info, Directions, and Photos about Launches in MI and the Great Lakes
19 discussions
DaNews
Windsurfing Links:
Hit Count Since 4-7-2010
© 2023 Created by Brian.
Powered by
.ningbar {background-image:url("http://webdeveloper.com/animations/holiday/christmas/gifs/xmas_light.gif");background-repeat:repeat-x;}
div#xn_bar_menu:before{
content: ""!important;
position: absolute!important;
width: 100%!important;
height: 35px!important;
left: 0%!important;
z-index:9999!important;
background: url(http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/964749975?profile=original);
background-repeat:repeat-x!important;
top: 25px!important;}