Offshore at Cabrillo
December 22nd, 2006
Sailed Cabrillo yesterday and had an OK session. It was absolutely raging on the outside, but the wind direction put the windline WAY offshore and inside of that line would have been a long series of schlogging tacks to get back UPWIND to the beach. Really weird. I was there with some really advanced sailors and they all agreed that the outside was pretty much unsailable with the wind in that direction. We looked at a few other launch sites up the coast where the wind came up to the beach, but didn't find anything reasonably close by where we wouldn't be gambling with our gear to clear a very nasty, rocky shorebreak.
The wind direction made the inside of Cabrillo sailable, so we all put in there and hauled ass around on flat water for a few hours until the wind totally died. I started with my 7.5 retro max-downhauled and had a lot of fun (everyone else was on sails in the 5's), but in the gusts, my board just wouldn't stay on the water and I was getting pretty overpowered (went pretty fast though, gonna get a gps for next season). I ended up re rigging a 6.4 for the rest of the afternoon. After riding my formula setup for a few months I've come to like being really powered up, but with a slalom board under me I had a great time on a smaller sail. The wind actually came up again in the evening, but I was packed up by that time and had almost had my fill. I'm going hunting again today. I think I'm just going to load up my formula board and a 9.8. Don't want to mess around with that whole non-planing side of things.
Maybe I'll throw a 90 liter stick and a few smaller sails in the car just in case. This also may or may not be the year when I buy a windsurfing van. You've seen how I pack my camry...
- Dan
December 23rd
It gets better.
I went back to Cabrillo yesterday with my formula board and a 9.8. Big surf on the outside so I put in on the inside. Once I got away from the beach it was blowing very steady in the low teens. I was the only sailor there, so instead of reaching back and forth where people usually sail, I went exploring - way downwind, around a few corners, past the terminals, and into the channel. Coming back was great with a 70 cm fin under me - drives straight up wind. Lorenzo showed up just as I was getting back to the beach from my first outing. As he and I were heading out to sail together, the wind got spotty, so I limped back to shore and packed up. It picked up just before dark and I left with my headlights on and Lorenzo still hauling ass back and forth.
The other sailors at Cabrillo on Friday were Julio, Carl, and Leo. Ryan was the only other sailor there and he was there when we arrived. I've sailed with Julio before and he pops some pretty impressive freestyle moves.
I'm pumped for Isabella this spring... let's hope for a good season of wind.
Best,
Dan
