Tuesday 22nd June - Windsurf *** - The Dip at Felixstowe – mainly could but no rain.

Fin – 24.94 knot max, 22.61 knot ave., 5.95 knot hour, 15.93 knot mile, 25.76 km.,14.90 knot alpha.

F2 Zantos 295 with 36 fin and Tushingham Lightning 7m.

Actually, got my best session of June but then again, I didn’t have to try too hard as it has been a very poor month, I get an extra star for not breaking anything and no rain with even a little sun at times so win win:) A few were going to the River Stour at Bradfield early to make the most of high water but with no foil or foil board I had to give that a miss. Not a bad thing really as NE can be a top direction for my local venue The Dip especially around low water. With NE wind picking up to around 20 knots at eleven this morning and with my exercises done I left Mag painting our front room I headed to the beach and had it all to myself yet again! I didn’t make the same mistake today by rigging my crappy 7.8 I went for my favourite Lightning 7m, sadly on its last legs and would snap up a 2009 Tushingham Lightning 7 and 7.8 if I could find them! I got two boards ready, the 133 Xantos and my favourite Ride 282 at 115 lt. as the wind did not look overly strong? The sun even managed to come out as I left the beach with a more favourable tide today, I sailed about a mile and half out in what was a huge sea, well powered aiming for kite beach by the golf course. I actually overshoot it by a mile and ended up pas the shingle bar in Bawdsey bay which looked a nice spot but as I was out by myself decided not to explore here further so started back sailing through the messy Deben entrance, always sets the heart racing that! The next run in I ended up in the Deben in nice flat water but lost the wind so headed out again and sadly the wind dropped so I headed in, shame really as it was a very promising start! Decided to have lunch just as Swainy appeared with his kit with the wind now well off, it was just like yesterday, if you check Landguard weather you will see that the wind was all over the place in both direction and strength! Nick Swain then turned up with his 100-lt. wave board and 5.7 and went out, not great with the wind he this direction but at least it keep me and Mark entertained on the beach, luckily he managed to get back too. Andy Mexome then turned up for a foil but the wind was still all over the place so we had a good catch-up chat trying to work out what foil to get next, especially with the poor design of the Slingshot fuselage I probably need something better made, it’s just deciding what??? Shame really as I love sailing the Slingshot, just not very reliable and you are just waiting for it too break! We had sat on the prom for ages getting cold chatting, Paul Michal had turned up with his wave kit now but didn’t look likely that he would use it. Then the wind turned back NE and picked up, Nick was quickly out going well in a super flat sea so I joined him with Paul quickly rigging his 5.2! I then had the best 15 minutes I have had at Felixstowe this year, some lovely runs out to the red and white bouy, there was some steep chop beating out but it was good fun sailing back and got 24 knots for the second day running and even managed over 13 miles for the first time this month! Sadly, it was short lived and disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived catching Paul out on his small kit leaving him with a nice long walk of shame! Looks like that’s it for wind, roll on July with fingers crossed for some warm, breezy days with my repaired foil board and a new foil whatever one I get????

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