andyatos
Well-Known Member
Although I've windsurfed this area quite a lot over the years, I've never sailed a dinghy there.
The wind was light south/southeast when we got there. We got tired of waiting around for it to switch to the west/southwest so we rigged and I helped Greg get off the dock and into the clear past shallow water and a thick bed of eel grass as it was pretty much dead low tide and a minus tide as well.
I took to the water minutes later but as soon as I sailed up to Greg, it went completely quiet. No wind. I suspected that perhaps a wind shift was the cause and sure enough, you could see a wind line rapidly approaching from the southwest. But in minutes it was blowing 15-18 and in 20 minutes over 20 with white caps.
This strong air put Greg pretty much in survival mode so we sailed back towards the boat ramp where I pulled up to some floats that were anchored 75 yards off the boat ramp, tied myself off on one then caught Greg as he made his approach on the other side of the float. We then had Greg lower his sail and tie it up and then I towed him in his Sunfish back to the boat ramp where I cast him off and he paddled the rest of the way in. I kept sailing in the strong stuff.
But within 10 minutes, the wind started to back off more and more so I suggested to Greg that he put on his wetsuit and keep sailing. He did and by the time he was back out, the wind was at a nice 10-15.
This was only Greg's 4th day of sailing ever. I think he's got it... except when he dropped the tiller by accident and his Sunfish did 2 quick tacks in succession all by itself before he could get a hold of the tiller again!
Here's the video.
- Andy
The wind was light south/southeast when we got there. We got tired of waiting around for it to switch to the west/southwest so we rigged and I helped Greg get off the dock and into the clear past shallow water and a thick bed of eel grass as it was pretty much dead low tide and a minus tide as well.
I took to the water minutes later but as soon as I sailed up to Greg, it went completely quiet. No wind. I suspected that perhaps a wind shift was the cause and sure enough, you could see a wind line rapidly approaching from the southwest. But in minutes it was blowing 15-18 and in 20 minutes over 20 with white caps.
This strong air put Greg pretty much in survival mode so we sailed back towards the boat ramp where I pulled up to some floats that were anchored 75 yards off the boat ramp, tied myself off on one then caught Greg as he made his approach on the other side of the float. We then had Greg lower his sail and tie it up and then I towed him in his Sunfish back to the boat ramp where I cast him off and he paddled the rest of the way in. I kept sailing in the strong stuff.
But within 10 minutes, the wind started to back off more and more so I suggested to Greg that he put on his wetsuit and keep sailing. He did and by the time he was back out, the wind was at a nice 10-15.
This was only Greg's 4th day of sailing ever. I think he's got it... except when he dropped the tiller by accident and his Sunfish did 2 quick tacks in succession all by itself before he could get a hold of the tiller again!
Here's the video.
- Andy
