Friday 7th October - Windsurf ***** - The Manor at Felixstowe – sunny periods.

Fin – 27.06 knot max, 25.17 knot ave., 15.26 knot hour, 21.2 knot mile, 45.63 km., 14.68 knot alpha.  

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

With another day of wind forecast and after several sessions on the foil of late I decided against an early morning session at Levington in the hope I could get out on the fin in the afternoon?  I hear it was very good too! This plan gave me a lay-in, exercises once again in the sunny warm back garden with 20 knots from the SW blowing constantly. Early lunch then I headed down to the Manor, checking the carpark first to see if anyone else was sailing as its nice to know there are other sailors about. Chris Stephens was rigging 5.8 so things were looking promising especially with the sea looking fairly smooth at this point! Back to Squiz Lane to park.  My F2 Ride 282 was soon on the beach with my favourite 6.5 ready to go. Buoyancy aid on, spares rucksack on including a mast foot, harness line, rope and my waterproof VHF radio which I wear every time I sail:) Launching around one my plan as usual was to go for a solid hour by doing runs out to Wadegate post with a large fin fitted as it was wind with tide! If anything, I was a tad underpowered when I set off and it amazes me how quickly things can go wrong, 1111m offshore I hear a dull snap, look up and my 4.60 mast had broken on the join:( I drop in, turn and spend a few minutes trying to water start, then try uphauling hoping to sail back to shore but that was impossible with the top of the sail flapping at 90 degrees! It was too far to swim; I was in no danger as the wind and tide was slowly taking me up the coast away from the shipping channel, so it was time to try my VHF radio for the first time, I have been carrying it for several months now but luckily have not have to use it until now, fingers crossed it works??? After stating I was a windsurfer with a broken mast in trouble off Felixstowe a couple of times, I heard the reassuring clear voice of the Coastguard at Humberside I believe:) We calmy exchange details, that I was OK and in no danger and vey soon the inshore lifeboat from Harwich had been launched. All I had to do then was sit on my board and wait for their arrival which probably took no more than 30 minutes since I first made the call. I was pleased to see them arrive as the sea had become pretty rough but I could sit on my board OK and was soon safely onboard the large inshore boat with a crew of four including two ladies with one at the helm:) After asking if I was OK I de-rigged my sail before starting the bumpy ride back being absolutely being covered in spray, exciting really, my third ride in a lifeboat in 40 years of windsurfing! They could not land me at the bay I launched from as there was a sea fisherman so went to the next one. After checking out the conditions it was deemed safe to let me and my gear ashore, with some skillful boatmanship I was soon safely ashore with the kind help of Chis Stephens to be met by the local lifeguards who had arrived in their 4 x 4 and helped me carry my gear back. I was surprised to see Mag waiting for me at the end of the prom on her bike after getting a message from Andy Mexome saying I was in trouble. So, drama over, accidents happen at sea, broken masts happen all the time, I had taken lots of safety precautions and at no point was I in any danger but I can’t thank the RLNI enough, they offer an amazing 24-hour, 7 day a week service and are always happy to come out in all sorts of weather to help – just first class:)

With all that excitement over, the wind was still 20 knots so I returned to my van for my 4.30 mast and was soon ready to try again with fingers crossed I would have no more disasters! The set up was OK for the wind but to be honest it was one of the worst seas I have sailed in, horrendously lumpy! I managed 25 miles trying a few broad runs, but challenging is the word I would use - good fun none the less! I was surprised by the stats at the end of the session with a 27 knot max. 2 knot ave., and a 21.42 knot mile and I even managed to stay on for a good number of my gybes always pleasing as I rarely sail a fin board these days!   

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