Thursday - Coyote makes reparations (fwd)

From: Kirk Lindstrom (kirk@hpmsd3.sj.hp.com-DeleteThis)
Date: Fri Sep 10 1993 - 07:37:10 PDT


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From: Kirk Lindstrom <kirk@hpmsd3.sj.hp.com-DeleteThis>
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Subject: Thursday - Coyote makes reparations (fwd)
Cc: pat_petruno@sj.hp.com-DeleteThis

Editor's comments to KenP's report and some additional info.

> 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 had a great Wed on 6.1/9'3" switching to CFlex (my wider 8'8"
sinker) when the wind came up. I was even able to slog this combo
back to the beach when the wind shut off. VERY glad I didn't sell the
CFlex as it is now my "light wind wave board".
 
> 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.
>
Generally the case. The Tiga257 is very wide compared to my very
narrow RKT and then our 30+ Lb wt difference accounts for another 0.5
meters.

> 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

I had to slog/swim thru the swim area to get out and then continued that
way to the flight path where I met-up with Ken. I knew the wind was
good outside and would be able to get upwind once on a plane and there
was enough wind at this time to plane back in once powered.

> 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.

It was GREAT out there! At times, the gusts were blowing spray off
the swells. The 5.1 SW Race handled it like a champ and I was plenty
comfortable on the RKT. I had no trouble going upwind outside, just
every time I'd come in to see if it was better inside it was too light
to get going and it took forever to get powered and I'd end up way
downwind and had to do the whole routine over again. Maddening
comming in well upwind of people planning out and ending up 1/4 mile
or more downwind....

> 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.
>
I would have been happy with my 4.6 or even 4.1 Rev outside. The best
swell was shoulder high. At times there were very smooth, Alka-Seltzer
like sections similar to under the N. Tower at Crissy where I could do
some amazing upwind speed runs.
 
> 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.
>
The RKT cut thru the chop like a hot knife thru butter. Only the
biggest of swells that broke on me while comming in would cause
trouble as they push/bash me and the rig sideways if I wasn't paying
attention. I was getting air in both directions and only crash landed
a few times. Sailing that far out in that much wind with a FIberSnap
boom was a cause of concern, but I figured that is what my taxes pay
the Coast Guard for...8-)

> 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
                                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I cared, but was having too much fun to let it stop me. I just made
sure that I was far enough upwind when I pointed towards shore that I
could hit the jetty by the time I left the windline.

> 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.
>
It was like that all day: Powered than off. I'd come in, start a
jibe only to sink and slog trying to go back out. It was like hitting
a wall of "Dead Air".
 
> 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.

Well, I really shouldn't sail that board in flood tides when it is
light inside like it usually is at Coyote....
>
I gave up all hope of making it back to the beach so I headed straight
for the breakwater which made getting in "fairly reasonable" considering
the fun I had. I will have to experiment with a higher lift fin for the
RKT when sailing in flood tides: Ken was faster upwind and could point
higher upwind overpowered while I was very comfortable - once I'd bear
off it was like hitting a turbo, but this doesn't get you back to the
beach!

> 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"

These are GREAT!

Kirk (resting my arms today) out



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