Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Good Time at the causeway

Early this morning the Jensen site wind history showed 23 - 27  mph out of the SE. I planned to sail around 11:00 and the wind died accordingly as a big rain cell developed. I talked to Ron and he made it out early on a 90L with a 6.5 sail, he said at times he was overpowered.

Yesterday I sailed at noon, wind was out of the ESE, very sunny and it looked dead at the causeway. I could see white caps way south and a kite was up. So I rigged a 7.0 with a huge fin on my 118L bic to get me out there. I caught several gusts and made it to the wind line. Dorian told me their were a lot of weeds out there, and their was. I had to head back and put on a weed fin. It performed great, I was able to motor through big mats of sargaso weeds with no problem and sail over some thin water as well. No wonder Art uses this setup.

I sailed again after work from the west island, by this time it was heavily overcast and the wind was building. Brandon and Mitch were there. I rigged my 7.0 again on the same board. There weren't any weeds on the west side and the channel was fairly clear. The best time was blasting up and down the channel and between the spoil islands.

Saturday the wind was ENE and mostly sunny. Ron and I rigged 9.0 and 8.5 on formula boards. We were well powered and cruising from bridge to bridge. With the big sails you could sail close on the east side in flat water, it was great. When I got back to the causeway Andria, Tom and young Dave were rigging. I went out a second time sailed south under the bridge and cruised the flat water in the channel and between the spoil islands.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Sunday the wind was out of the SE with a mostly sunny sky. Ron and I rigged 10.0 and 10.5 on formula boards. It was pretty good sailing. The only down side was weeds and chop from boats and jet skies. Canadian Dave and Dorian were finishing up when we headed out. Art was at the House of Refuge the whole time on a 7.5. I can't say I was sailing any better than Art but why did I require 3 more square meters of sail? Maybe because I was raking weeds with a 58cm fin.