Thanks to the relentless work of the 'loadmaster' Jane , the family has finally made it to Elanda point for Xmas holidays



Now when you pack all the toys things get a little overloaded!!

Boat and bike for little Max
Kayak for Jane
Guitars for Xena
Just enough room left for Dads toys

Long boards , training boards and old school boards

Wagon full of sails and masts

What's missing?????

Where is the wind!! Good day for paddling kayaks

My mate Richard is down from Bundaberg and has spent the last hour telling me how good the wind has been for the last few days.

Forecast suggests I may get to try out the Phantom tomorrow.

Anybody else planning on a Cootharaba Xmas?? Come and say hello

Goals for this holiday....
Finding where the foot straps are on the board
Light wind tacks and gybes
Water start

All we need is some wind
Looking out over the water now - hardly any breeze , the pelicans are loving it

Cheers Jeff

Planing on getting up there next weekend for a couple of days Jeff. Save us a space lol

Man you look really packed for some fun Jeff

Shikes you have got a load of stuff you've covered every condition.

Mate your living the dream . That was our family camping spot growing up every sept . Two cars loaded up towing a corsair , 125 , a cadet and two windsurfers . enjoy the sailing .

Update- long!!
Thanks for the well wishes. Back at work for a few days to recuperate. :-)

I've been blessed with a NE wind pattern every afternoon. Been out on the water everyday.

Saturday on the Kona in the morning as a SOP 'sit on paddle' board accompanying Jane in the kayak. Had a go at SUPing - miss having the mast to hold onto - ended up either on my arsssss or running backwards off the rear of the board.

In the afternoon enjoyed the Kona longboard with 8m North Ram planing. Great to be back on lake Cootharaba. No luck finding the footstraps! Had my mate take it for a ride and said they were in a perfect intermediate position.

Sunday gentler winds so got game and tried my 8.5m Ka race sail. It was a magic afternoon. Planing for most of it and then enjoying the gentle glide as the winds dropped off in the evening. Last sailor off the water. Evening only spoilt by a momentary laps off concentration as I catapulted the boom into the nose - another repair needed. Getting over keeping the Kona pristine as it is now obviously very secondhand!!!

Monday Ne were much stronger. I could see all the slalom boards out over at Booreen. Thought I'd try the 155l Go with 7m sail - didn't take long to feel trashed and back to not understanding how to use the Go successfully. The usual - off the plane on the plane out of control accelerating down wind cycle!!!

Changed to a 5.7m and was no better! Every time I sheeted in and started it planing it would flare up like it didn't have enough mast foot pressure and go into a swerving back and forth out of control nose up cycle and then I'd catapult over the front!!! Very despondent with it and myself as I can't seem to reliably get it going? One bright point was I found my feet stomping on the footpads as I wrestled with the board.

Returned to beach after fighting with it for a couple of hours and decided to burn it!!

Fixed the Kona instead and cut up some floor matting to make a nose protector :-)

Tuesday Ne little less than Monday.
Was going to maiden the Phantom 377 taped a life jacket to the nose as as a temporary protector however I chickened out as the wind came up quicker than expected.

Resolved not to be defeated went out with the GO again using a 7m sail. I don't know what was different but I had a blast!!!!! I was probably overpowered as it was all a handful but nothing beats being on the plane and accelerating into oblivion and beyond. :-).

Found I didn't have strength or skill to fully sheet in or bring mast back to stop the inevitable accelerate in a downwind curved trajectory only gaining controll by falling off and restarting
:-(

Now able to get my front foot easily into the strap even before I hook in. Even more joyed at needing the foot to be in the strap to maintain some control. Tried the back foot position but it was too inboard. Not sure if it's a technique question but I couldn't get enough pressure on the front foot to keep the board from turning downwind. To keep some directional control I had to have my back foot pressing hard on the outside rail - my goodness did it get up some speed across the chop then :-). thought I was flying.

That was how the afternoon on the Go went - lots of opportunity to practice catapult control. However all worth it with blasting run after blasting run - very intoxicating. Catapults are getting less painful as I'm sheeting in as I go over and finding I'm not landing on the boom as much - ouch!!! Lots of bruises still!

My mates were out on the Kona with a 5.3 sail Too Small I said!! Was I in for a surprise. It was beautiful to sail. Sheet in, on the plane - simple, soft, in control and no man handling the rig?? Maybe I'm going out with too big a rigs to cover up poor technique? So much to learn!

An absolute blast of an afternoon.

Enough for now - lots more to tell plus photos

Cheers and all the best
Jeff

I agree high volume wide board's are tricky when windy mate especially as they usually have a big fin to deal with. I reckon you'll find a smaller board much easier to find the footstraps and assert control over.

Great reading your posts everything you're going through is a normal transition to footstraps caterpault stage if your ever down the goldcoast I have a 130 litre for sale u can try. Just pm me

tonymatta said..

Hi Jeff, I think your own assessment is correct. If you feel out of control then your sail is probably too big for your skill level. As your mate showed. The kona can do it all. Changing boards all the time will just confuse you more. See you at the club in the new year.

Hi Jeff

Totally agree with tony you are chopping and changing to much on your gear, you need to pick a couple of boards and get used to them , also some of the old board like the f2 you have mast tracks and footstaps much further forward which will just feel very different to the newer style of boards. Same with your sails changing for 8.0 to 8.5 is pointless use sails with about a metre gap between them . (don't forget the boom height liked we talked about last time)

have fun mate

Good day on water today

Went out this morning with training board and 5 m sail to practice tacks and gybes

Must say without a harness I feel like a beginner with my balance shot to pieces.

I've been watching videos on getting the foot moves sorted etc.. Still a long way to go with doing turning maneuvers.

Afternoon Wind came up - nice and predictable

Ok I wanted to go out on the Go with a 7 m sail but heeding advice I went out on the Kona with a 5.7m sail. My mate went out on a futura 122 with 7.4 sail ( same weight and age :-) )

I couldn't really get the Kona planing - odd little puff was good but cruising was the go

Decided to come back in and upsize. Went put with the 8.5m race sail. Now I had some oomph

Intersecting the difference between the Kona and go when powered up. The Kona wants to turn upwind and slow down when I put weight into harness and drive my front foot. The Go is opposite wanting to bear downwind??

The Kona felt a lot more physically tiring for most of the session - this was addressed a little by moving harness lines forward a little

I'm having trouble sheeting in when I get going. I feel like the larger sail is really addressing a poor technique issue. To sheet in I feel the increase power and acceleration but the board bears up into wind - this is fix is little by trying to get the sail forward.

Richard reckons it's a foot placement problem - I'm putting too much pressure on the rails as I sheet in?

I can get front foot occasionally into Kona strap but without any real purpose - if I straighten my leg to drive forward u just bear up into wind!!

Had a kind windsurfer stop and give some water start coaching out in the middle of the lake. Got a couple of water starts under way - little by little small gains are being made. He was on a 150l fanatic with a 8.5 sail. Went screaming past me as I was getting started. Didn't get his name - thanks mate help and coaching was appreciated.

Lots to learn!

Happy to be able to handle the 8.5. Richard said his 7.5 was only just enough sail for the conditions on the 122 fatura.

Lots of gear on 'Jeffrey Point' now Chris and Karey have turned up with more boards and gear to add to the collection :-)

We ran out of starter equipment this arvo as we have a few beginners making good progress and wanting to get out in the stronger winds.





Boards and sails everywhere

Cheers Jeff

I thought I was following advice to take out the Kona??

As per Tonys advice above

Why the Kona and not the Go? As above I can't seen to get the Go going with smaller sails.

Race sail?? That's what came with a package I purchaced. Must admit I have made some inappropriate purchases. My only excuse is keenness and a struggle to understand what is going wrong or right. .

I was worried that sharing my journey here I would sound like a complete tosser.

Still want to get the Go going reliably - when it works I pinch myself to believe the joy I'm having. When I can't get the Go going the Kona is a reliable ride.

Your reply has been long and considered. Any suggestions on the specifics of getting into the straps plus dealing with the Go Accelerating downwind as I get it going? Specifics would be good. I am listening.

Cheers Jeff
Feeling suitably dismissed!
If I'm using forum inappropriately let me know

Hey Mate,

Apologies if you felt put out. Just keep it simple and as easy as possible. This is a bloody tough sport / activity to master, and we all know that rush to do more and more. But alas, there are many people that have sailed for 10 yrs plus that still struggle to jibe or tack successfully.

I like to set a goal for each sail, work on that skill early, then after I'm happy I've achieved a level, I then just hang out and have a blast.

I would suggest in the new year you maybe hit Simon at BC up for some lessons to go over the gaps that you may be missing, or to work on the things that you are struggling with. Nothing like having someone work with you.

Hope this helps, and keep working at it.

John340 said..

Jeff,

Taking you issues one by one in no particular order.

1. Different boards:
- Phantom: A great board in anything under 15kts. Its great fun because you can sail all points of wind, i.e. working to windward, reaching and downwind. Don't be afraid of the 9.5. Its a great sail in 12 kts. The skills you will learn on the Phantom - railing to windward, tacking, gybing, reading the wind are really worth while
- Go: A very good entry level board. Its a really stable platform, easy to plane, gybe and tack. It is best fun in anything under 15kts. It is less technical to sail than the phantom and for that matter the kona. Thats why you like sailing it. If you like sailing it, then sail it. The idea is to have fun.
- Kona: Similar to the phantom, but with less volume so will need a bit more wind to get going.
2. Sail size
All three boards above can be sailed in +15kts with the right sized sail. I weigh 88kgs and use the following sails for the wind speed:
<14kts: 9.5
12 to 17: 8.5
15 to 20: 7.6
17 to 22: 6.4
+18: 6
I measure wind speed and calibrate to sail size. The above wind ranges work for me.
3. Rounding up into the wind on the Kona
You are rounding up into the wind on the kona when you try to get into the footstraps because as you step back to get in the footstraps the sails centre of effort moves behind the centre of resistance of the board, which pushes the tail downwind and hence you head up into the wind. How do you fix this? Can you move the footstraps forward? Also tilt the sail diagonnally to windward and the nose of the board to push the nose downwind. Once you start bearing away you will gain speed. As you gain speed and get up on the plane, then ease your feet (front foot first) your feet in the footstraps. if you bog down then the footstraps are too far back, or there is not enough wind for the size of sail.

Today's forecast is light winds in the morning and 15+ this afternoon. Take one of the long boards out in the light winds this morning and the Go in the afternoon. Choose the sail size to suit the wind speed. Ask what other sailers are using.

Good luck and have fun

John,

Jeff is a beginner. He needs to learn how to sail and develop technique, not be changing rigs and boards. Do you guys actually remember what it was like to learn this sport?
Why would you advise a beginner who has yet to master the basics to change boards based on the wind strength?? Furthermore you want him to move from a modern stable platform such as the go to a longboard style such as the Kona???.. No wonder people struggle to improve at windsurfing, when they get advice like this.

Glad to see the red thumb brigade is out. Tap away little monkeys.

Warning lots of predictive text errors in this - will edit tomorrow

Thanks for the input plenty of points to consider

A little history. Started 3 xmas's ago and have spent most school holidays except for winter up at the lake. I get out inbetween hols as much as I can - keen!!

The 155 Go a stable platform??

After I made progress on my starter board 220! Fanatic viper (early planing in harness) i started researching my next board (keen) a 155l Go became available on Seabreeze I bought it based on all the recommendations I've read on these forums.

With anticipation and excitement I started trying to emulate on the ago what I could do on the viper - no success. When under powered it was all I could do to a schlog around on it.
When I took it out in higher winds it would get on the plAne and take off with me totally out of controll. So the dilemma back to the big trainer board or persist with the disappointing time I was having with the Go??

I also had the frustration of being at the lake with the wind gentle and me schloggoing around watching my mate on the longboard make something usefull of the day. I wanted quality time in the water. Hence the purchase of the Kona - I still get a thrill recalling my first day out on it up on the plane, lively under foot smiles allround.

Plus I was as to get sailing in softer winds - time on water vs waiting for the correct conditions

Through all of this my disappointment with the Go haunted me - beginners board fail for me!

So who could blame me for wanting to try it again after a lot more time on my basic board and the Kona?? So a couple of weeks ago (Kona waiting for a nose repair) I got the courage to try it out again. Successfully planing with a 7m sail at Sandstone point (posted a blog on it) hence the desire to get more success with the Go.

So I'm here at Cootharaba if the wind is gentle do I sit on the beach and wait for stronger winds for the Go? No!! I'm here to work on skills - I take the Kona out.

Do I put on hold the fun and exilleration I've experienced with the Go?? Please don't say wait your not ready - help me understand (thanks for advice I've received) I may get some where with this 'beginners' board.


To confuse things even more I had 2 great afternoons on an old F2 comment in 20knt winds! I had already failed taking my beginner boards out in those strength winds.

Suppose I'm saying I did initially start out with a stick with one board and then progress to next obvious board strategy and had disappointing and discouraging time. Now I can say Ive have had joyous meaning experiences plus TOW that wouldn't have occurred if I didn't try alternatives. ie if it's blowing 20knts at sandstone point next week do I sit at home because I know neither the Go or Kona is going to cut it at my skills level? However already finding out I can use the F2 in those conditions nothing would hold me back from going out.


Enough of the ramble....
Update went out late today on the Kona 7m sail. Gusty northerly winds. Not the greatest session. Would have like a bigger sail to handle the lulls. Did find the front footstrap in a purposefull fashion at times. However the session felt like I was muscling the board and sail all the time - nothing was smooth.

I need to celebrate another successfull waterstart (no tippy toes on the bottom) so flew the sail, positioned the board and lofted up onto the board however the powered failed half way through and I was left like a monkey hanging from the boom with 2 feet on the board. Not wanting to quit I put the front leg down and did my best to keep everything balanced ( funny sailing with your booty dragging in the water) next little gust and I was up - rocketing down wind.... Got to let the power off sooner as I come up. Proud of myself - managed to regain controll and sailed onwards - wahoo!!!!!

So I am kicking some goals :-). Some experienced windsurfers here giving me a hand, good to have a debrief :-). Decided I need some one to one time and going see if I can find some instruction up here at the lake. Anybody available? Can provide board and lodging on the foreshore. Probably will seek out somebody when I get back to Brisbane.

Put my little Ezzy gear together this morning for friends 8yo son - spent a couple off long sessions on my training board - that's the 3rd beginner to get started these holidays on my gear :-).

Went and visited the wind wanders sausage sizzle at Noisaville - what a hot day to do sausages. Had a great chat. Cleared up some misconceptions I had about the club - kind of felt i would fall between the cracks. Not absolute beginner and not ready for GPs or slalom racing. However seems there may be a place for and old fart like myself :-)

Aside OT ... Proud dad today _ my 9yo son crewed in a sailing boat at the Heron nationals and finished it all with a great big smile.



Cheers Jeff
Se winds have arrived. Hoping for a great day tomorrow

Hi Jeff

Congrats on the water start woo hoo can't wait. I am really enjoying you forum and trying to make some sense out of the advice.

I too went to Wello yesterday on my monster Mistral Pacifico 200L and decided to step out on the edge and go for the 6m sail. I think that was a mistake - (been doing the sport for around seven weeks now) I am not at harness stage or foot straps yet and I am pretty sure I was overpowered for my skill set. It was all I could do to hold onto the thing and keep it in a straight line in the gusts (but seemed really fast - was Fun). Whilst I can beach start every time at Golden Beach - I don't seem to able to achieve this at Wello to save my life just ended up smashing my knee into the mast - ouch! Again it felt like too much sail for my skill level.

Here is a good laugh, even I laughed at the time - I thought for my last run (I was smashed - fitness will come) i kind of realised by then the sail might be too big so great opportunity to try and get my 105 kilo's out of the water and try a water start - that was a good idea lol - did manage to get myself out of the water in a horizontal position was trying to figure out how to get vertical and in the process sped past the board still horizontal to the water and landed somewhere out the front board totally pointing the wrong way - will work on that another time funny as though.

Will be going again today, I am with you very keen to progress as quickly as possible to get past this beginner stage. I have one more week annual leave remaining to get to the next level.

Keep up the good work Jeff and have fun - I will be reading to see how you go

And congratulations on your sons achievement at the Heron Nationals

Cheers
Morgan

Hey Jeff,

great to hear your enthusiasm. We also have a Kona, my wife has been learning on it. They are great fun at the lake when the wind is light.

I must admit I have taken it out a couple of time by necessity not choice in 15-20knots and found it to be really good fun. It has quite an unusual hull shape for a longboard, it opperates more like a large slalom board in high winds.

Everyone sails slightly differently so here are my tips based on the same board in higher winds

1. Try and keep the weight off your feet and driving down the mast foot as much as possible, generally via the harness. This should stop the thing rounding up all the time.

2. Make the footstrap very large so you have no headaches getting in and out

3. Personally I ditch the centre board all together in higher winds. Others may not agree.

4. Bigger boards can hold bigger sails in strong winds, dont go for too small a sail. You will need some horsepower for this big girl! The bigger sail will also help you to stay off your feet.

5. Pretty sure there are a range of footstrap holes. To start with maybe go as far forward and use the inboard options to start with. As you progress you will go further back and further outboard, especially if you run a larger fin.

I am round at boreen point (AUS 689) happy to give you a hand anytime, have a trailer loaded with junk down the front each day. I am teaching a bunch of kids most days, always good to see the look of excitement on thier face when they "get it" for the first time.

Never sailed a GO so cannot comment, sometimes the slightly shorter wider boards dont handle the lake chop quite as well as a Kona. Everyone is different. My son only weighs 25kgs so the rules go out the window!

cheers

Bart

Edit. I see copy and paste from notes has added heaps of ???? Will edit later...

Still enjoying my time at Cootharaba?
I had a little break back at work for 5 night shifts?
Managed to forgo sleep and had a quick afternoon visit back to the lake (too hot in Brissy to sleep) to help my mate Drew maiden his 295 phantom (Thanks SB buy/sell and Ulf). Winds were Ne - often have trouble predicting correct gear and end up in over my head out in the middle fighting my way back to shore against the chop and wind.?

Decided with Drew we would have to have a phantom appreciation afternoon - had a great blast out to the middle and the usual overpowered fight back to shore. But hey! an afternoon on the water with my mate has got to be better than a day fighting tiredness and sleep depravation back in Brissy? ? It was a loong drive back for the night shift!!!

Came back up to family on Wednesday for 5 more days. ? Met up with my friend Denton (here for a week or so) who is very encouraging and useful with input. Denton sailed the Go a last Xmas and gave it a good wrap - yes I've been trying to understand/come to grips with the board for a year - I know.... old fart, slow learner ;-)

Went out in arvo (winds 11k SE ? at tewantin)with 7m sail. Frustrating 2 hours! ? The board always hinting at getting onto the plane - some short runs. Just enough to keep me plugging away. ? Decided after 2 hours, tired and emotional that this isn't windsurfing and was ready to put a chainsaw through the board! ? Met Denton on the way in and he said lets give it another attempt in the morning and offered to come out with me. ? I texted my mate Richard (packing the trailer for a couple of days here) "add chainsaw".?

Went out Thursday morning (11k 7m sail) with Denton and much of the same - little more success when the gusts came through. Denton took the rig for a ride and reported setup was Ok, mind you he is 60+kg and I'm 90+kg. ? He reported that i look like I'm doing the correct stuff to be planing ? Anyhow had enough short runs on the plane to think I may make it.?

Just as I came it my mate Richard arrived and after hearing my bleak reports, winges and enquiring if he had the chainsaw and should I use a bigger sail? - said. "Jeffrey! its 7m weather you just need to keep working at it". Ok coach :-).

Went out in afternoon (10k at tewantin, 10-12 at shore, 7m sail). Richard rigged his 122 futura with a 7.4 and advised me to stick with the 7 on the Go. ?

After 2 despondent runs back and forth with just hints of getting started I decided this isnt fun and went back to shore to defy my coach and put on the 8.5 sail. ? Beach start onto the plane- 2 successfull runs back and forth - I'm in love :-). Even if I did go over the handle bars.?

? Richard came in and said "Jeffrey what have you done?". I replied "either it's this 8.5 or the end of me and the Go as schlogging back and forward isn't teaching me windsurfing on the plane". He took the Go for a run (similar weights 90kg+) planing away and back. ? Stopping often to make adjustments, final pass was in foot straps, on the plane, leaning back, hands in the air :-)

Reported - it's a lovely board for these conditions, the sail is appropriate and wonderfull!
- boom was way too high
- harness way too far back
Even stating it was a much more enjoyable ride than his futura 122 as it was a little underpowered.?
Given his earlier dismissal of the board as crxxxp!! This was some admission - acknowledging that he was learning a lot about modern boards and how to make them work. ? (his favorite board is old style Tiga narrow board - 30+ knots club)?

Wow what a difference a balanced setup makes (again a case of not knowing enough to make the correct adjustments)
Lifted the boom a touch (I'm taller) and had a successful afternoon enjoying the gusts as they came through. ? Spending enough time on the plane without catapulting to actually play with foot positioning. I still couldn't get into the straps - Richard said probably needed more wind.?

Highlights of the afternoon - I got the super light wind planing award - yes!
- I had the longest run. From Booreen side of Elanda to mill point "wahoo". We had decided to call quits and get the longboards out but a gust enticed me... Wind on and off, on - out on ? the boards edge in the gusts - in under the boom with bent knees in the lulls - managed to get well upwind - none of this accelerating downwind and catapulting stuff for me - What a stoke!!!

Had to wait ages for Richard to catch up- heard him mumbling something about rigging a bigger sail ;-)

I then had a downwind planing run (first for me in controll) back into Elanda and was ready to call it quits - what another gust - another run towards boreen :-) :-).?

Well it was on for the return run back to Elanda - last one in shouts beers :-)

I got an early start and accelerated away - fell off (trying too hard) and watched Richard and Drew pass me. ? Drew doing the long board glide and Richard schlogging. ? I was back up quick (deep water starts improving) and managed to catch a gust overtook Richard and Drew and blitzed it (concentration+++and focus+++). First back to Elanda! - am I making progress? Do I deserve a beer?

Pause..... More to come?

Cheers Jeff?

Brilliant. You're a great story teller. Can't wait for the next instalment.

Only one tip, try the bigger fin when you use the 8.5. I match fin size with sail size.