Re: San Louis Weeds

From: boehm@mri.mri.com-DeleteThis
Date: Fri Apr 08 1994 - 08:26:47 PDT


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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 08:26:47 PDT
From: boehm@mri.mri.com-DeleteThis
Message-Id: <9404081526.AA01521@sun57.mri.com-DeleteThis>
To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
Subject: Re: San Louis Weeds

Based on my experiences last year at San Luis:

 1. It is certainly true that the level is much more important when
    the weeds are heavy, which gets worse later in the year.

 2. Last year I sailed in August when the level was around 217. I think
    the level reported by the talker was incorrect, however, at least
    according to a friend who is on the patrol there. The depth was
    sailable, but the weeds were unbelievable.

Tho some might say the weeds are disgusting, and certainly falling in
them can be repulsive, they also provide a truly unique experience,
because they dampen the chop, and shelter the surface from the wind.
If you think San Luis is flat without weeds, you should try it with
weeds. One day last August I sailed in 4.0 weed-choked conditions, and
there were spots where the water was like glass - I mean you could see
your reflection as you skimmed by at 25 knots. The weeds also seem to
make the water much more viscous, so you feel like your board is glued
to the water in a high speed jibe. Very ego boosting. This is an
experience unlike any other - but don't even think about it without a
weed fin.

One day last year, before I got my weed fin, I agreed to meet my friend
William at San Luis after work - and he said he would loan me his spare
weed fin. I got there before him, so I went out with a wave fin.
Incredible bummer! I could barely hang onto my 4.0, but I was moving
about 2mph - nowhere near to planing. I fell about 10 times going 1/3
of the way across the lake - you should try waterstarting with 30
pounds of weeds hanging from your booms (and slime all over your
body). Eventually I came back to shore, about 200 yards downwind.

So, I hiked back to my van, and figured I'd drive over to the board,
pack up, and leave - cursing William all the way. The van wouldn't
start - dead battery. Just about that time, as I was wondering why I
took up this godawful sport, William shows up smiling. He jumped my
van, gave me the fin, and I proceeded to have possibly the most fun day
of the whole year.

We went back the next day, and had another blast. There was one spot
where the water got really glassy - I guess it was especially weedy
there. Whenever I'd approach this spot, I would speed up as the
surface got smoother, then suddenly be slowed by a jolt as I hit the
weeds - like running over the rope in the swimming area at Coyote. I
learned to compensate by sheeting out and generally relaxing just
before the jolt. My morning session ended abruptly when, exhausted, I
just didn't bother adjusting for this spot, and the jolt of the weeds
ended in the most violent catapult and faceplant I have ever
experienced (and I assure you I have experienced many). I arose dazed,
pained, and bleeding from the shin, and then had the joy of
waterstarting with the aforementioned 30 pounds of weeds on the boom.
Well, it was a wonderful day nevertheless.

The following week, I went back, new weed fin in hand. The wind was
howling, but the damn fin wouldn't fit into the finbox. Weed fins have
such a strange shape that it just wouldn't go - I had to borrow a
hacksaw and cut a notch in the fin before it would fit. So, be sure
you try the fin in the board before you go - you may not be lucky
enough to find a hacksaw.



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