Friday 12th August - Windsurf **** The Manor at Felixstowe – sunny periods and warm.

Foil – 18.34 knot max, 17.13 knot ave, 11.29 knot hour, 16.99 knot mile, 24.28 km., 11.29 knot alpha.

Starboard Freeride 150 and a Evolution Freeride foil with a Tushingham Storm 6.5.

Fin – 25.04 knot max, 23.63 knot ave, 13.28 knot hour, 18.77 knot mile, 27.00 km., 13.55 knot alpha.

F2 282 Ride with Tushingham Storm 6.5m and 36 fin.

Another breezy weekend here in Felixstowe our 5th in a row, with a few sailors going down to The Manor at midday to give the tide a chance to drop a bit which gave me a chance to do my exercises in the garden. I then headed down to Squiz Lane with fingers crossed I could park but I need not have worried as got in easily. The sea looked pretty smooth with the wind marginal so I set up the foil board and rigged 6.5 meaning I could swop to the fin if the wind increased! I then had over an hour with some nice long runs, I stayed close to my launch beach in case the wind picked up, it was a little up and down, in fact it was like that for most of the session! The sea was fairly smooth to start but the wind increased the sea lumped up, I was faster than yesterday but it was quite a bit windier, then the 6.5 was too big so I decided to head back for a bite to eat and decide whether to rig a smaller sail to continue foiling or take the fin board out for a spin? As I rarely fin these days, I went for that option despite the sea picking up now, I wanted to try for a fast hour, not easy as it really lumped out by Wadgate Post, I had 4/5 long runs out trying short bursts going broad but I am definitely not as fast as I used to be, my knees are not great and the Tushingham Storm although a lovely strong sail is not as fast as the Thunderbird I think. The wind then eased down and I had to land for a few minutes which messed that hour up:( Back on the water I got several more runs but the wind had picked up, gusting to 25 knots and was getting knackered as I had sailed over 30 miles in challenging conditions, I decided to call it a day. I then changed and headed out with the camera as there were several out winging, foiling and finning, there was even one kitesurfer too! Supposed to be breezy again tomorrow too so might have another short session:)

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