photodad2001 Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 So I finally get a group of my snowboard buddies to come out to the lake to try some windsurfing and the conditions are awesome... for an experienced sailor. 25-35 mph winds, 85 degrees, sunny, water temp was a bit cold at 63 degrees, but the sun really helped. So I get everything rigged, while all 4 of my friends watch impatiently, the whole time making comments like, "this better be worth it", and "this seems like an awful lot of work". I'm like, "ya, thanks for helping out". So I get it rigged and carry it, again by myself, the remaining 20 ft. to the water. There were a couple windsurfers I knew sailing a few hundred yards away and they are way advanced. Nestor, originally from Peurto Rico, has been doing this for over 20 years and was catching 4-5 foot airs off the chop, Walt about the same, and Ken, well, they are all way better than I am with my 2 years of experience. My friends knew I'd only been doing this for a couple years so I ventured out and was doing pretty good. I got on plane, hooked into the harness, skipping along just like the other guys, until I find myself in a bit of turbulence (Dayton, Ohio, not Hawaii) and soon I'm going over the handlebars about 500 yards away from shore. (the lake itself is only about 700 yards across) That in itself wouldn't have been so bad, but I must not have attached the mast foot securely to the board's mast track, because while I'm still hooked into my harness, I'm watching my board blow off at about 5 mph down wind. I unhook and realize I can't catch up to my board by swimming so I find the closest point of shore and head straight for it. (Mind you my rig is left behind) So, I have a couple hundred yard swim in to shore through 2-2.5 ft. chop, walk several hundred yards down the shore to retrieve my board, come back to the place where I came ashore, and paddled back out to retrieve my rig. It was too choppy to reattach the rig to the board so I had to paddle back to shore dragging my rig with my feet. After I reattached it I sailed back across the lake, again about 200 yards downwind from where my friends were all watching with their arms folded and I performed the walk of shame upwind. Approximate duration of the event, just over half an hour. Needless to say not one of them were willing to give it a go. 2 of them did say they would come out and try it in milder winds, but I got a hands down "never in my life", from the other 2. I did perhaps get a tiny bit of respect for surviving the whole ordeal and not drowning or losing any equipment. I forgot to mention I was not wearing a lifevest and freshwater isn't as boyant as saltwater. I was drained for about an hour after that and on my second attempt I made it across and three-quarters the way back before taking the plunge. This time my rig stayed attached to my board so I got back up and sailed in and that was my day. They were all impressed with the speed though so I guess I didn't look like a complete loser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxguitarist Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 I've failed to attach my mast base securely to the board too. Man that sucks to fix in the water, especially with a formula board where you have no chance of holding it on edge in any depth of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin A. Posted April 29, 2009 Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 At least you didn't lose any equipment. I needed to call a diver friend one time to retrieve the mast from my Sunfish when I capsized and the mast torpedoed to the bottom of the lake, sail and all. The lake is only about 50' deep, but too deep for me to go. SCUBA friends to the rescue. How's that for embarrassing? Stupid old boat. Hey, if some of your friends still want to try it, you should put that in the win column. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggerwrangler Posted April 29, 2009 Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 I will go anytime you want. grew up on lake michigan in holland. I have been launched many times I even was launched onto a moving jetski.. That hurt like hell and scared the heck out of the rider. one of the many broken wrists I have suffered. most embrassing part was getting towed by the coastguard and then given a ticket for reckless something can't remeber. 16 years old another time is was trying to be cool and do this a sweet jibe coming into shore at a high rate and caught a heavy gust as i was in the middle of the turn and the tail dragged splat right in front of a whole bunch of girls they laughed and laughed broken tail sigh no recovery that day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photodad2001 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I will go anytime you want. There's a group of us that goes to the Hydro-bowl (Eastwood lake) in Dayton, Ohio. CJ Brown (Buck Creek) in Springfield is another good lake nearby. Here's some video I took at Eastwood this year. (I just used the video function on my point and shoot camera, no zoom, no camera shake option, pretty rough really, but it's all I have) <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2MfKOQnTlo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2MfKOQnTlo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powdahbonz Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I was out sailing one spring, late March or early April and it was still cold enough that water was freezing a bit on your rig when the winds were howling on you-steady 25-gusting 30-35kts. Was wearing my drysuit and had been trying to get my duck jibe down, lost my footing and managed to snag my ankle seal against my mast foot or uphaul connector. Didn't realize until I had been in the water for a bit that I was taking in water. The extra weight made things a lot more challenging, particularly on a low volume board. Couldn't water start-trying to stand and uphaul. By the time I made it back in, I felt and looked like the Michelin man(never thought wearing my wetsuit underneath would be a bad idea). Literally had to crawl onto the beach after being about .5mi offshore. Last time I was out that early and in a dry suit. The hypothermia was a pretty strong reminder- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photodad2001 Posted May 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 I was out sailing one spring, late March or early April and it was still cold enough that water was freezing a bit on your rig when the winds were howling on you-steady 25-gusting 30-35kts. Was wearing my drysuit and had been trying to get my duck jibe down, lost my footing and managed to snag my ankle seal against my mast foot or uphaul connector. Didn't realize until I had been in the water for a bit that I was taking in water. The extra weight made things a lot more challenging, particularly on a low volume board. Couldn't water start-trying to stand and uphaul. By the time I made it back in, I felt and looked like the Michelin man(never thought wearing my wetsuit underneath would be a bad idea). Literally had to crawl onto the beach after being about .5mi offshore. Last time I was out that early and in a dry suit. The hypothermia was a pretty strong reminder- That's a long way to be out in those temperatures especially with a low volume board. I've been out maybe half that far and had the wind die out on me. Had to pump the sail back to shore. Now, I didn't do this, but a my friends Nestor and Glen went out in Ohio in late February (I was probably at the mountain) after the wind had blown the ice off the lake, air temps around 40 and water right about the freezing point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powdahbonz Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 It's where the wind was and it sounds far but it's safer than you might think. But then again, taking on water like the Orca in Jaws, changed my comfort and I was not feeling relaxed. Don't have any video footage. I am looking forward to trying a couple new rigs this summer-I was given 2 FREE Sailworks sails by a surfshop owner and I am psyched to try them out. Filled in the size gaps between by North Speed Spider and smaller, high-wind rigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photodad2001 Posted May 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 It's where the wind was and it sounds far but it's safer than you might think. But then again, taking on water like the Orca in Jaws, changed my comfort and I was not feeling relaxed. Don't have any video footage. I am looking forward to trying a couple new rigs this summer-I was given 2 FREE Sailworks sails by a surfshop owner and I am psyched to try them out. Filled in the size gaps between by North Speed Spider and smaller, high-wind rigs. I'm still building my sail quiver. I currently only have a Hood River 7.0 and an UP 8.4. I had a Hood River 5.8 and a Fanatic 6.2 but I gave the 5.8 to a friend who only weighs a buck twenty-five and could get more use out of it and shortly after the 6.2 developed a huge tear. They were both about 10 years old. Not a lot of use for small sails around here. I also had a Neil Pryde 4.5 RAF that I gave to a girlfriend and wish I had it back, the sail not the girl. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishrising Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 I've been thinking about getting a helmet for sailing. What helmets have you guys been wearing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powdahbonz Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 can't say that I feel like I need helmet protection here. If I was in an environment like Hood River or lots of wavesailing, perhaps but never felt the need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photodad2001 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 I've been thinking about getting a helmet for sailing. What helmets have you guys been wearing? Pro-tec makes water helmets (I think they are actually for wakeboarding), but I just use my pro-tec skate helmet if I think the conditions suggest one. You're not going to hit your head on anything except your rig so I only use it in gusty winds where I might get laid flat when I'm not expecting it. Some other guys I've seen use Kayak helmets. I've never seen a windsurf company produce helmets to tell you the truth. Dakine makes an impact vest that doubles as a harness that looks pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.