Received: by zonker.hpl.hp.com (1.37.187.4/15.5+IOS 3.14) id AA09962; Fri, 10 Sep 93 02:59:23 -0700 Date: Fri, 10 Sep 93 02:59:23 -0700 From: Ken Poulton <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Return-Path: <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Message-Id: <9309100959.AA09962@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> To: 72017.461@compuserve.com-DeleteThis, Barry_Patrick@hp0000.desk.hp.com-DeleteThis, Fred_Sporon-Fiedler@hpctg.desk.hp.com-DeleteThis, Walt_Menge@hp5400.desk.hp.com-DeleteThis, amulhall@pyramid.com-DeleteThis, andrew_pham@umacmail.apldbio.com-DeleteThis, cleland@cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, cord@hpoemb.sj.hp.com-DeleteThis, coussens@hplgcc.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis, geisinger@admin.fhda.edu-DeleteThis, ghs@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, hahn@gigantor.nas.nasa.gov-DeleteThis, hartman@fanatic.EBay.Sun.COM-DeleteThis, jackg@acrux.xilinx.com-DeleteThis, jlabat@us.oracle.com-DeleteThis, kenb@hpinddu.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, kenf@netcom.com-DeleteThis, kirk@hpoclpa.sj.hp.com-DeleteThis, lenb@Eng.sun.com-DeleteThis, luigi@paris.berkeley.edu-DeleteThis, matt@cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, mfabrega@raynet.COM-DeleteThis, missimer@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, pyramid!west!fariborz, schofiel@hpldsl5.sid.hp.com-DeleteThis, schuh@ra-iris13.arc.nasa.gov-DeleteThis, sjn@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, westes@netcom.com-DeleteThis, wind_talk@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Subject: Thursday - Coyote makes reparations
=========== Thu 9 Sep 93
Wednesday was such a bust (that's a joke, son) that I decided to
go Thursday as well. One of my better executive decisions of late.
I got to Coyote about 3:30, guessing 5.0 from the whitecaps I could see
from highway 92. I rigged 5.2 with my Tiga 257. Kirk came in
complaining that his 5.1 and ChallengeFlex combo was bouncing all over
on the chop. I suggested his RKT seemed like the ticket to slice
through the chop. It seemed likely however, that one of us would be
unhappy - between our weight difference and the RKT vs 257 difference, I
would call for about a meter larger sail size for Kirk than I.
I did okay for the first half hour, planing nearly off the beach
and zipping around in the big chop near the swim area. I finally found
Kirk where he usually is on the RKT - way outside and way downwind. The
wind steadily rose as we went out - about 3 miles out, I'm getting
overpowered, while Kirk says "I'm going further out so I can get
upwind". I sailed all the way back in and rigged down to a 4.7.
I knew a 4.2 was the right call at the moment, but I could also see that
the fog was going to pass us by and cut off the wind.
After going to the 4.7, I went out and had a ball! About 1 mile out
there was a windline and the wind got real strong when you got in front of
the approaching "river" of fog. It was pretty awesome to look upwind
and see the fog approaching so quickly. Best of all was the swell - we
were getting pretty regular 3' swell with nice steep faces. I got lots
more airtime than ever before and actually landed most of them. The
Tiga 257 is not real light, but it seems to jump well and it does a
super job of cutting through the smaller chop. On an epoxy slalom board
my ankles would have been hamburger after today but they feel just fine
now.
As the fog went by about 5:30 I decided this was too good to leave,
so I stayed out on the edge of the fog bank. Once the fog front passed
by, the wind died down under the fog, but stayed good in a band about
1/2 mile wide along its edge (about 1.5 miles from shore). I knew the
wind was dieing a horrible death inside and I didn't care. About 6:00 I
finally decided to make my run for the beach. I was able to plane
about half way, slog another quarter and then it got to be too light.
Since I was still well upwind, during the lulls I put up the sail in
a waterstart position and power-drifted downwind. When a gust would come,
I'd waterstart and slog for a ways until it died again. After
only about 6 of these cycles I made it back to the beach at 6:30.
Meanwhile Kirk (remember Kirk on The RKT To Fremont?) was finding he
could go upwind way outside but lost it all as soon as he came in at all.
He finally landed on the pocket beach halfway out the harbor breakwater.
He walked back, and then drove off to pick up his equipment, muttering
something about my sub-optimal ideas about board choice.
Ken Poulton
poulton@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
I've been waiting to use this one:
"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter silvered wings
...
I've chased the shouting wind along and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air."
-- John Gillespie Magee Jr., "High Flight"
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