Great to hear there was wind around for your holiday.

I am lucky to have two weeks here.. The water is warm and it is a superb place to learn about and tweak your kit.. try different size fins, downhaul and outhaul settings. I have sailed 8 out of 11 days so far! Using a Fanatic Falcon 113 (2012) and North Warp sails.. Mainly been on a 7.8m and 7.0m but had another massive afternoon today with a 6.3m in 25-30knot NW.. Interesting that I managed a 33.67 2 sec peak with a 7.8m and only a 32.27 with the 6.3m.. I guess the windier it gets the rougher the water! 18knot SE forecast tomorrow.. Can't wait! CC

Hi Itch.. It was a solid 18-22knts SSE.. I had a 7.0 with a 38cm fin.. Had some fantastic smooth flat runs and clocked a reasonable 32.27.. To be honest I should have taken the 7.8 again as I was very comfortable but not overpowered at all. It swung true SE but dropped off to about 12knots which was a shame because that angle is perfect here.. I would love to sail it in a strong SE! Can't complain as today had plenty of fast gybes and warm sun!.. Rest day tomorrow and another NE'ster booked for Friday!
Just while I am crapping on here I thought that I would mention that although many windsurfing mates have had their harness lines closer together than I have for many years.. I finally forced myself to go from shoulder width to about an inch apart.. I am now a convert.. From 7.8 - 6.3m The sails feel more alive and I have more control even in overpowered conditions.. I highly recommend you try it if you haven't already!!

Hi Ads72,

Yes we had a very enjoyable stay and all the mags are there for next person to enjoy, which will probably be myself another year. Watching K3 sail around that lake he sure makes it look easy. Yes I said to Walt who was staying down in unit 4 it just doesn't get any better then it is at the moment. Walt was the guy who made the gopro video of his stay last year. He was lucky to be staying this week as well.

Well done, nice little movie. The lake looks great.
Anyone knows how the Sandbar caravan park is ?
Will have to try before the end of summer !

We went camping south of Syd at Lake Tabourie and had all my big gear and kids rig, but the lake was unsailable (low water and hard access), much better on the wave side though, lots of guys down from ACT.

Hey LeStef,

We stayed on the opposite shore of the lake from Sandbar caravan park, there where other guys that where sailing there that stayed at Sandbar and bushlands campsite that are on this forum they may be able to fill you in more of there stay if they get a chance to read this thread.

sboardcrazy, tabou 118l & 125l and Windxtasy's glass sailboard pendant are a lot better then what we knock up out of quick drying clay and then the kids splashed some paint on it and there it is.

Kind Regards
Walt

Hi Walt,

Excellent job on the vid, and your grin says it all. You even manage to catch me wallowing in the shallows. The camera angle is good, I want to try and get one of those poles you attach to the back of your harness and get the view just above your head for another perspective.

Hi Hookedln,

If you want to camp you can't go past sandbar and get site No.7 ,right near the water so easy to get your board onto the lake.

Itch said...
Stayed at Sandpiper unit 7 and scored a extra bonus with about 25 windsurfing mags to read through.

I used to stay at Sandpiper in the early 80's. I actually learnt to sail on Smith's Lake on a hire catamaran.

Is there a direct contact for unit 7?

Hi PhilSWR,

SE works best from sandbar CP, and you are right there is a wind shadow in a NE but it is not a problem as it doesn't take long to get past the shadow when you sail towards Sandpiper units.
If the wind is up you cover this lake in no time.

Walt said...
Hi Itch,

Its always nice to of meet decent people like you and your wife and what a great time it was, just like you mentioned the lake is at a perfect level the weather was superb. The first week was great good strong NE winds and the second week was a mixed bag of NE to S and SE which in any case was all sailable directions. Yes the Gun as you have nicked named him was carving up the lake in any direction good to watch on his slalom gear.

Unfortunately as Chris K3 went out for another run from the shore there was this echoing thundering crack he snapped his mast. I never thought that a mast break would be that loud lucky he had spares and quiver of sails so out he went again.

Hey Ads72 you missed out but there's always next time.

Anyway hear is a sample of the conditions hope its ok.

Kind regards
Walt

Nice work Walt. Awesome. See you up there next year

Hi to all.

Just reading thread and as I hope to get to Smiths lake around the end of February and was wondering what conditions to expect,
I sailed there in about end of march 2011 and enjoyed about 3 or 4 days out of a week.
Any info about Area or expected conditions would be helpful, thanks
Video looked great
Also any flatwater sailing areas to the north would be great.
I have sailed at trial bay a few years ago
Kev

Thanks Itch
Will check in a couple of weeks
Kev

According to the weather station the lake is not open at the moment. It is close to being opened about 30cm off.

SalB said...
Just back from a 3 day weekend at Smiths Lake (staying at Sandpipers #20).

All up a fun windsurfing weekend in a beautiful spot

Hey SalB,

Nice to hear you had a great time.
I assume not many people there at that time, would of been very peaceful.

Kind Regards
Walt