Tuesday 18th July – windsurf **** The Dip – Felixstowe – sunny
F2 Ride 282 with Tushingham X-15 7m and F2 Xantos 310 with Tushingham Lightning 8.5
25.28 kt. max., 23.94 kt. ave., 11.97 kt. 22.38 kt. mile, 53.1 km., 14.80 kt alpha.
The easterly wind was supposed to build from about midday which was a bit of a shame as low was about one so the morning would have been better, wind against tide too but the wind didn’t play ball:( Arrived at The Dip at midday with Michael Galbraith going nicely with 7.5, with my 7.8 out of action I had to pick between 8.5 or 7 and went with the 7 and 282 as the wind was building with the sea super smooth. I planned away in flat water but was way underpowered and lost a couple of groynes and I have never seen so many lobster pots just everywhere, perhaps we can stop him putting them in front of the windsurfing area. In fact, there are way too many pots from The Dip to The Fludgers many poorly marked with metres of line floating making picking your way in and out difficult:(
I then quickly rigged with 8.5 and the 310 which was much better but wind with tide didn’t help, still I had a nice couple of hours in the warm sunshine, sadly not fast and it’s a pig to gybe. With only a top speed of 24kts it was going to be a slow day. I beat up to kite beach and helped a kiter who had been separated from his board. Speed buddy Peter Cutts turned, it’s the first time we have sailed together this year:( hardly surprising as we have been away in the campervan more than we have been at home! With his Lightning 7.8 and ancient F2 soon clocked up over 26 kts!!! So, I had some runs on the smaller kit again and added a knot to my max but was way underpowered. With the tide now high the sea became very messy so called it a day. Nice to see several out midweek including Mark Smalling, Chris Stephens, Ian Clarke, Nick Cadge, Mark Davis with Mark Swain coming down late.
Might be some wind for most of the week so could be good if the thunder storms move through!
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