Received: from hplms26.hpl.hp.com by opus.hpl.hp.com with SMTP (1.37.109.8/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1) id AA16693; Thu, 16 Jun 1994 10:21:31 -0700 Return-Path: <westes@usc.com-DeleteThis> Received: from uucp9.netcom.com by hplms26.hpl.hp.com with SMTP (1.36.108.4/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1S) id AA28894; Thu, 16 Jun 1994 10:23:27 -0700 Received: from localhost by netcomsv.netcom.com with UUCP (8.6.4/SMI-4.1) id KAA19172; Thu, 16 Jun 1994 10:17:27 -0700 Received: by usc.com (NX5.67d/NX3.0M) id AA00716; Thu, 16 Jun 94 10:14:40 -0700 From: Will Estes <westes@usc.com-DeleteThis> Message-Id: <9406161714.AA00716@usc.com-DeleteThis> Subject: Re: lucky to be alive today To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Date: Thu, 16 Jun 1994 10:14:40 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <9406160927.ZM6982@corsair.esd.sgi.com-DeleteThis> from "Robert Novak" at Jun 16, 94 09:36:23 am X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL23] Content-Type: text Content-Length: 2117
Wow, sounds you suffered the ultimate doomsday scenario for a windsurfer, or
at least pretty close.
Facing the middle of the channel and the arch in the San Mateo Bridge,
where were you located? So that the rest of us know, where is this
maintenance boat located?
If you were really concerned that the tide would change on you quickly,
why didn't you swim toward shore, at least until you got out of the channel
and onto the mud flats (I think the border for the channel is right around
where the channel marker is located). The tide is a little less there
because the water is shallower.
I've read in one of the local windsurfing guides that the vicinity of the bridge
itself has a lot of pilings. Are these distributed uniformly along the
length of the bridge, or are there more in a particular area of the
bridge?
'Robert Novak says:'
> 4. tether the mast to the board.
I've always wanted to do this this, but any time I try the rig starts to
twist the line around the mast base, and it ends up restricting how much I
can turn the mast. What is the proper way to do this?
Based on discussions we have had on rec.windsurfing, I get the feeling that
this board-running problem isn't the only danger in sub-4.5 wind. There
are reports of the entire rig tumbling end-over-end in really high winds.
To be honest, in 3.9 conditions I would almost be tempted to tether the
*board* to my *leg* the way a surfer does. It would be dangerous if you
needed to ditch the rig during a big jump, but maybe you could get one of
those retractable dog tethers that would autmotically go out 30 yards when
stretchted. Then you could fetch the board back in once you landed. But
at least you would never lost the board.
Does anyone know where you can get one of these retractable dog tethers?
I've seen them in mail-order catalogs, but I can't remember which ones
now.
> I'm so lucky that I was able to get to the bridge before the tide changed.
I would say you are just lucky, period. A very scary story.
-- Thanks, Will Estes Internet: westes@usc.com-DeleteThis U.S. Computer Saratoga, CA 95070
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