Sunday 27th June - Windsurf **** - River Stour at Bradfield – mainly cloudy.

Fin – 23.40 knot max, 21.70 knot ave., 10.32 knot hour, 17.87 knot mile, 75.68 km.,14.81 knot alpha.

F2 Zantos 310 with 44 fin and Tushingham Lightning 8.5m.

Even though my oil gear is out of action, my board is currently being repaired and I haven’t made up my mind on what foil to get, stick with the Slingshot which I love despite the dodgey fuselage or swop to the better made Fanatic??? I headed over to the River Stour to make the most of the moderate North Easterly. With high water at Mistley at 2.48 I decided to get there early as you can launch a fin much earlier than a foil, my plan was if it was light I would sail my longboard up to Harwich to see if I could see the Classic Yachts racing or if windy take the big shortboard out? I arrived first just before 11, quickly followed by fellow fin sailor Jason. There was enough water to sail and what looked like a good breeze straight down the river so forgot about the longboard, rigged my 8.5 and was first on the water on the 310 Xantos. I was out for ages by myself as I slowly beat towards Wrabness much slower than on a foil, not helped the fact that it could have been a little windier! I hoped for more wind in Holbrook bay but it seemed lighter so went ashore to take in the scenery, still overcast with the sun not making an appearance until much later! A few foilers had now sailed up but the wind did not look overly strong and I was wondering if I could get back, OK? I need not have worried and had some nice runs back, I had been out over two hours and still had not fallen in, must be improving although the big board helps! Time for lunch and to get a few pics, the car park was pretty full with an even mix of fin and foil with a couple of wing learners, the jury is still out for me about winging, I could see it would be fun in some waves perhaps? Then with the tide now turned and the wind turning from E to NE making the water flatter I did several more miles in front of the launch beach but sadly the wind was a little up and down but ended up doing nearly 50 miles so can’t have been too bad:) Gradually people called it a day and I was what I thought was last off the water but when I went ashore several sailors were looking for Mark Davis out on his foil. They spotted him down near Wrabness, he made it back OK but had a nightmare walk in through the deep mud, not to be recommended! But at least he got back OK. Then meet my favourite baby Indie down to watch her Dad foil, sadly did not get to see one of her world famous smiles but she was tired and the sun was in her eyes, perhaps next time, she is a star:)

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