nice rite up glad some ones getting some wind looks amazing spot i can remember the boys talking about it wen i was a kid back in the uk one day I'll come join in
on all accounts the direction was a fair few degress away from best, but the wind was howling. It took 3 or 4 guys to hold a sail down to derig! To quote my mate who was there he said he wanted to change down but couldnt even get the sail out of the back of the van. Now this is a guy that happily takes a 7.8 out in 25+knots and a 6.3 in 40+!!! He was on a 5.7 and wanted to go to a 5.4.. Another one said even a 4m would have been as effective as a 5 in those winds, perhaps even more so.
Even the Dutch guys said they were impressed with the acceleration - and balls that a couple of our top guys had. They spanked us in terms of 5x10 average due to their ability to get up to speed quicker and without bearing off as far. A couple of the UK guys - Steve Thorp especially were flying out into the death chop. If you look at his GP3S posting he talks about it. We are still waiting for one other to post who usually does very well........but he has not posted yet.......hmmmm.......what does that tell you ;-)
Thats Pete "the Matrix" Young in the photo, just after he got so close to the wall he took an inch off his fin! He did say that his outhaul may have slipped - was still a 43knot+run. He is an outstanding sailor, I sail with him every day when it is windy and feel privileged to be able to, you can learn a lot when sailing with people of his calibre.
Unbelievably he is not sponsored at all yet he holds the record at the original home of speed surfing - Portland Harbour. He uses whatever kit he can, and gets speeds up there with the best. Just goes to show you can spend 1000's on new kit, especially fins, but it is still 99% skill.
Can you show us a google map of that location? It is hard to picture what the "lie of the land" is. Is the wall a breakwater? Amazing that you can sail so close to it.
If that link doesnt work google west kirby marine lake.
It is like a boating pond with a sea wall, the tide is really big there, at least 5m so when it retreats you are left with the lake and the sea wall/path that you can see in the pictures. At the bottom of my article there is a link to Ant Bakers photos where you may be able to see more.
If that link doesnt work google west kirby marine lake.
It is like a boating pond with a sea wall, the tide is really big there, at least 5m so when it retreats you are left with the lake and the sea wall/path that you can see in the pictures. At the bottom of my article there is a link to Ant Bakers photos where you may be able to see more.
So is the wall like a dam, to keep the water in as the tide retreats?
Yeah its like a dam, water level stays up most of the time and any leakage is replaced when the tide breaches the wall on really high tides. Pretty magical place and perfectly set up for the wind that comes in off the Irish Sea.
What a d1(k I am! I have never been I have to admit, but cannot wait to go, my excuse was it was 3am and I am on strong painkillers I do remember sitting there thinking how the hell deos that work in a WNW though, and how was that picture taken there, all the angles are wrong....... Sorry for the mistake anyway
looks amazing spot i can remember the boys talking about it wen i was a kid back in the uk 
