My Worlds 2016 started promisingly; was about 35th at the end of day 1; and felt confident that I could improve from there; but alas failing to compete in 5 of the 15 races (the strong wind Thursday; and ripping the clew area on two borrowed 9.5's and being too f slow to rerig the 8.5 and get back out to the start!) So faded to 45th. But I'm optimistic that it's only up from here.

Awesome Sunday! Map of approx. path.

Cleared the SaltPan moorings at 3:30 pm and headed on starboard tack into the gusting nor-noreaster. North of Scotland Is I rotated the centerboard up about 5cm to prevent the 8.5m forcing round-up back-slams. Struggled up to the lee of LongnosePt where I could maximize the downhaul & outhaul, harness lines further back, mast all the way forward, and tacked eastward across towards the AvalonSC. Thinking it's too late to go back and change down to a more stable RSX 8.5 or even the BIC 7m; I tacked north railed-up and started to gain some reasonable momentum and a bit of confidence; at times well overpowered, and occasionally stomping the centerboard right down to maximize pointing through the 10 to 15knot sections. Past the shifty gust and lulls between WestHd and Barrenjoey the breeze moderated to a safe level enough to push on to LionIs. Decided to round it from the western end - but this left me with a hairy downwind sou'easterly broad reach over the very lumpy swells, heading eastward of the Barrenjoey Lighthouse. Pulled away into a dead square run, rocking & rolling down the swells until halfway between Barrenjoey & WestHd; then turned south-east with the gusts onto the plane. Adjacent the red & white channel marker with the strengthening breeze, at full stretch into the back straps and flying confidently back down to Avalon. Gybed well before the Avalon moorings and heading westward past LongnosePt was able to bear away with howling gusts, planing at max Raceboard speed for a good half kilometer, gybing back at the outer edge of MorningBay, into another beautiful fully powered broad reach all the way to be at the outer edge west of SaltPan at 5:05pm. Zero falls, zero sail drops - Stoked!


Scotland Island wind recording 08/01/2017 pittwaterweather.com.au


StokesPt wind recording 08/01/2017
And yes, about time I get a GPS app so I can review the exact route and speeds.

3:30 to 5:30pm from SaltPanCove to about 250m short of Barrenjoey-WestHd & return, in 3 to 8kt ENE with the 9.5m on the Phantom377
Hopefully BYRA's PeterLoftMarathon up and around LionIs on Sunday 7 May will score a bit more wind. Might have another practice session tomorrow in the forecast 10-15kt northerly. Hope to see you out there.

any chance you can start posting videos,longboards are more popular than you think.

dbmgreen,
Beaut. I need a sparring partner. You can easily delude oneself in regard to performance when practicing by yourself. I'll be practicing hopefully every 2nd week through winter. Saltyheaven might join in on his D2 with 8.4m. There's 2 other serious (yes Bartonius I did say serious) raceboarders living in Avalon - they're rusted on Dobroyd Aquatic racing members, but would also join in occaisionally through winter.

The NSW Raceboard program last season had 8 regattas (approx every 3rd week) from September to March: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/New-South-Wales/201617-NSW-Raceboard-D2-Series?page=1
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/New-South-Wales/2016-17-NSW-Raceboard-Series-Final-Results?page=1#lastpost

In regard to mixed fleet racing, BYRA's marathon results http://www.byra.org.au/peterloft2017/racing-results/
give a bit of an indication. Would be good to have a comparison with 29rs also. The VYC yardsticks are well out of date - they were based on 7.5m sails and no upwind pumping (and maybe no downwind pumping?).

Contemplating 8.5m or 9.5m for perhaps a LionIs & return Sunday. Say 10:00 to 14:00.
Anyone keen to join in? Longboards or Formula.

29 May 12:15-15:45 Indicative Path

dbmgreen said..

AyreForce1 said..
Beautiful afternoon sail on the Raceboard from 16:45 until sunset. Doesn't take much wind with the 9.5m to get it to rail-up and cut a reasonable line to windward. (perfect except for the mozzies while unrigging in the dark)

Hey, I'm a member of RPAYC (live in Belrose) and have just aquired an Equipe and 9.5 Race Sail. Happy to get out on the water with you. Winter is a bit of a no go cause of skiing every weekend, but come October, happy to get out on the water with you.
I could also talk to the comittee about adding RBs to the Sunday racing, they are very open to this, have recently added a WETA to the fleet.

Anyone one got any suggestions about where raceboards fit in amongst mixed class dinghys on windward leewards? ie: are they close to 29ers or lasers?

I know it's an old question, but the official YV yardstick seems roughly OK. I think the Open Raceboard is at 92 which is about the same as a 505. It's a bit harsh in 7-15 knots but not too bad, and probably too easy at the extremes if you are pumping. I assume from the age they would have been created using big rigs and no pumping but using Division 2 boards, and around the sort of dinghy course that the yardsticks are created for that would be a potent set of gear.

Bit of a fizzer. 1345 to 1545 8kt gusts but mostly less than 5kt. Bartonious Maximus & I think Lady Sarah were fleet racing on the big cat and scored reasonable wind early but I had to pump and rock and roll to drift home. Beautiful sunny arvo though - roasted in the wettie.

This time 4 sure! Couldn't make it to DAC today but Sunday looks promising for a bash upwind to the Lion (and maybe even further). Have semi rigged the RB & 9.5 tonight in the hope of getting on the water around 9ish if the wind cooperates.

Rigging the 9.5 now for a good arvo sail from 13:45

Perfect arvo on Pittwater. Launched just after 14:00 into the fresh SSE. For a while the 9.5m was way too much - even for my soft winter weight. Duffed a couple of wobbly tacks, requiring one long drift pull-start, and another, finally with a successful water-start. Pleased to say nil falls - the gear is all intact, and the epoxy kit can stay in the box. Had some edge of control downwind speed runs and some nice on the edge, in the groove slices to windward. Returned to shore at 16:15. A good warm-up to shake off the cob webs for the start of the racing season. Stoked!

Good morning all,

I know there are a couple of Div II guys sailing out of Pittwater, so thought you might be interested to know that there will be a 2 day Div II regatta hosted by Gosford Sailing Club this coming weekend (30-Sep and 1-Oct - 2017).

All Div II boards accepted, at this stage only small numbers expected (4-8).

Rigs up to 9.5m allowed (but whatever you're comfortable with) - 3 sail sizes allowed for the weekend.

I'll post the notice of Race later today I hope, just waiting on confirmation from the Race Officer that it meets his requirements.

It's been a long time since there's been any Div II racing in Australia, so hopefully this is the start of more to come.

John.

Team Gosford - I hope to make it up there to support your regatta - and perhaps chase you round on the RB. I'll chase up Jethro & Salty Heaven in the hope that they might also be interested.

Had a day off work today but my optometrist appointment at 1pm, and my lack of practice rigging the RSX 8.5, resulted in a late 5pm launch from SaltPan into the 10 to 20kn NNE. Back at the wharf right on 6pm. Apart from two backflops getting in out of the moored yachts - nil falls - so again the RB remains undamaged.

A very enjoyable sail - had it all to myself - not a single other sailing craft out there - just wish I could have had an extra 2 hours.

Will be launching at about 13:15 with the 9.5 on the RB. Wind South tending SSE, and stronger than I had expected - but I need to get used to being overpowered upwind with the 9.5 so that I have full planing power downwind
and perfect sunshine!