April is considered one of the most consistently windy months for the Bay Area, but it hasn't completely delivered on its reputation, thus far. Mostly light/marginal winds in between huge storms. I think in the last 30 days I've used my 5.3 in marginal conditions more than I had all of last season. It seems like I'm seeing more and more large slalom gear being used around here than I ever have before.
It's almost like we're in an extension of winter, with just as many , if not more storms than we saw during the normal "storm season" of November through February. Storm sailing can be a mixed bag, but yesterday was full-on power in Half Moon Bay.
Sunday morning was a big, nuking session.
I'm always hesitant to rig a sub 4m sail, because it's a sure way to kill the conditions, but yesterday it just built after I rigged my tiny 3.7. Fully sheeted-out survival planing in the gusts with a iddy biddy sail. One doesn't need to go fast to get air time, just scoot along, throw your gear forward into a ramp and "voila", you will be floating through the air for a few seconds. Sure, it's fun. Just a different kind of fun.I long for the steady 4.2/4.7 April days of last year, but I'm a windsurfer. I'll take what I can get.
Thanks George for the video and graph capture!
1 comment:
thirty gusting to forty five...that's always comfortable.
:)
The (expensive) trick to making sub 4 meter sailing more fun is to have a very short mast...370 the longest, 340 ideal. "WHo want's to spend money for a mast they won't get to use that often" is one way to look at it, "who wants to get comfortable in nuking conditions" is another.
I bought a 370 when they were exotic. Now 4.0's rig on them...the next time a pile of $ falls on me I'm gonna get a 340.
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