Well done to Chris B - Ian R - Jacques and his mate with some very impressive PB's

A real up and down day... was thinking of changing UP to a 5.8 - then it went nuclear...

I think at my light weight I need to drop down a board size.

Thanks Steve T for rigging tips.. I'll put some cam spacers in

Thanks Jacques for finding my shoe in the pitch black !!

Thanks Alan and Paul for helping me de-rig

See you all in 2012 for some more fun :-)

Half way through rigging up it really started nuking and it was a battle keeping my kit secure. It was during this squall that Chris B's rigged kit somersaulted across the car park during a sudden wind shift - the jammy sod escaped with only a scuffed fin / boom!

I went on the water once the squall had passed and initially struggled to get going as there was now hardly any wind. The wind did return, built gradually and was a bit up and down for the remainder of the session. The first run was a real magic carpet ride, the course was like glass, sailing it was super easy and although I was underpowered on this run it gave my peak of the day - 40.32kts. All my other runs were within a knot or two of this and all-in-all I had a really good session. Came so close to quite a few of my PB's but unfortunately not enough so none claimed.

It was great watching the fast guys putting in some serious runs so expect some big numbers - its when you watch these guys sail it makes you realise how much there is still to learn.

Thanks Paul.B for the help de-rigging - really appreciated :-)

Really didn't need more time off work, so couldn't believe there was another 'best day ever' forecast for today. Figured I'd go work early in the morning and keep an eye on the updates leaving as late as possible. (thanks Howie as ever!)

In the end I had to go! Arrived at Kirby at 1pm very excited having had the van blowing around all the way from Leicester and constant reports on the radio of wind damage and closed roads, tiles off roofs etc. And sure enough it was honking and had already swung around to a good direction. So took a gamble and rigged the 4.5m

The wind promptly dropped to a Force 4..

It did as expected though and started to fill in. I was perhaps a bit optimistic expecting it to nuke, but I really thought today was the day.

As it was I had one fully powered run (during the rain squall) and managed my best 10sec run ever at 46.38knots on a fairly square course. Desperate to get another run in quick, I decided to sail straight back upwind and found I had to tack my way up through the strongest wind of the day. It didn't trouble the 4.5 and maybe if I'd waited 20 seconds I'd have gone quicker on the run with the broader angle? 

Anyway. The 4.5 with 17fin felt super fast. Trouble is I need a 1 in 5 yr storm to get it out the bag again. Not surprising perhaps as I was fine the other day on the 5.0 when it was gusting 60..

I've found the 17 to be even more solid through the chop than the 20. I haven't had a single wipe out during the last two days. Can't wait for a day when I can really test the maximum wind range of this set up, but it could be a bloody long time waiting. Glad I took the small gear out anyway, I've learnt a few things, and it's surprised me how fast it's gone whilst 'underpowered'.

Bit bummed I didn't make a 45+ average, sailed until it was pitch black hoping for another squall but it never came. Should really have gone atleast 5.0

Congrats to all the pb'ers, great to see everyone frothing. And well done to Jaques who I'm pretty sure has smoked us all as usual.

 

Morning session with SW wind direction.

Post this porttack session seperatly as i learn a lot about this spot in the 3 days i sailed here. Many times the locals told me that the other course with SW is not working as the wind doesn't fill in because of the mountains. Actually when walking down the course we thought the wind was super steady, strong enough and not gusty. On the water it felt strange, very short accelerations and no high speed in the same wind angle than the starboard course. 

What i also learned about West Kirby. I compare this spot with La Franqui as you can sail here all day and facing different water and wind conditions during the day.

Yesterday the wind was steady and strong, the course broad. This means the water has no time to calm down as the wind is haugling all day long. The broad angle was not the main problem, but the water conditions. Today it was different, the wind was up and down, these kind of weather conditions can be record breaking. Everytime when the wind dropped, the water in the laked calmed down and became super flat. The dark clouds gave us a sign the next wind was coming. Its all about perfect timing and make sure to make 2 or 3 runs in 10 minutes before the water gets wild again. Like this you have two positive things, perfect (broad) angle in combination with flat water. Something to think about.

So steady wind and steady angles are not good for record breaking speeds in my opinion. La Franqui is exactly the same, mostly the wind is up and down during the whole day.

After yesterdays Arctic hard core conditions I had a feeling today  had a chance of being pretty good. The wind swung round from WSW to WNW about 1pm and then slowly eased its way back  to a Westy, wind strength was then up and down until about 3pm when some  50knot  squalls came thru, reckon Thorpy could of handled another 10knots the way he was sailing.

Nice to have Jacques VDH here to give us all a good beating, his board looks jet propelled sometimes, and Wouter some massive PBs CONGRATS to all.

Personally I couldnt get into the 44avs maybe equipment or just plain knackered.

Another GREAT DAY.

Thanks Paul and Cathy for a great week. x

Morning session, used it to get dailed in on this spot. Made the runs the "other way". 

Scary slingshots into the chop to get some desent runs in but it wasn't fast.

Happy i went in the morning though because it always takes me a lot of time to feel confident on a new spot.

BAM! Several Pr's, about .........time!

Super stoked on the numbers but just missed the magic 80! Happy there's some progression again. And i'm pretty confident that there's more to come. Also super happy with the max display of 89.44!

Want to thank Jacques for the trip and all the english addicts i met on this 2 day trip.

Doh !   It said max display of 43.15 but the 2 seconds split only 42.93

OH well still a PB so I've still got sumert to smile about especially  after seeing all my kit fly down the car park at easy 50knots !!!!   shame I was'nt hooked into it at the time

I got away with a scuffed boom & a ding on the fin...Hardly a mark on the board so I should thank my lucky stars about that.

Anyway !    It was still a classic day with PB's falling all over the place... You know it was good when Jacques Van Der Hout gets a Max PB.  ! ! ! !  Thorpy, Ian R & Wouter all showing personal best times. A very well done to all you guys.

Big Big thank you goes out to Paul B for lending me his fin, & Alan Jones for taking some brilliant pictures for us to ponder over....... & neva forgetting Howie for some perfect forecasting

Right !!!!

Do I wanna go faster ???? YEAH

Repost for 2012 British GPS Speed Championships