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 AA09193; Mon, 20 Jun 1994 12:18:37 -0700 Return-Path: <Daryl.Huff@Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis> Received: from Sun.COM by hplms26.hpl.hp.com with SMTP (1.36.108.4/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1S) id AA00720; Mon, 20 Jun 1994 12:20:33 -0700 Received: from Eng.Sun.COM (zigzag.Eng.Sun.COM) by Sun.COM (sun-barr.Sun.COM) id AA02836; Mon, 20 Jun 94 12:16:01 PDT Received: from hangtime.Eng.Sun.COM by Eng.Sun.COM (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA03460; Mon, 20 Jun 94 12:01:09 PDT Received: by hangtime.Eng.Sun.COM (5.x/SMI-SVR4) id AA10355; Mon, 20 Jun 1994 11:59:03 -0700 Date: Mon, 20 Jun 1994 11:59:03 -0700 From: Daryl.Huff@Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis (Daryl Huff) Message-Id: <9406201859.AA10355@hangtime.Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis> To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Subject: Re: Tubamancha kit X-Sun-Charset: US-ASCII
> > > 4. Stainless steel mirror (avaialble at surplus stores). This is the single
> > > best way to attract help from shore during the daytime.
> >
> > One needs instructions on how to properly use these mirrors. It's
> > easy once shown, but there is a technique.
>
> What is the technique?
It's simple...sight a target you expect to rcv the reflection.
Take the hand not holding the mirror and hold it horizontally in a
way that your palm faces you and the target is immediately opposite
your finger tips.
Start a reflection on the palm of your hands. Sweep the reflection
out over your finger tips at the target (which is just beyond
your finger tips) and the target should be able to see it.
Whether they see it or not depends on whether they are looking, but
the technique insures you have done your best.
Note: if you don't get a reflection on your hand, it isn't going to
work so try something else. This will obviously occur when the sun
you and your target are aligned in such away that you are in the middle.
Of course mirrors have notorioulsy poor performance at night :-)
>
>
> > > 6. 30' of towing line (do not use dacron downhaul line...Nylon is better for
> > > towing)
> >
> > This is true, but it is likely overkill for towing a board.
> > First of all, most boats can put the board aboard. If they have to
> > tow, there's very little friction - the sail has to
> > come out in any event. Polypro would be a better choice
> > because it's a whole lot lighter than nylon, it floats (nylon sinks)
> > and therefore is more accessible if needed by the PIW and tends
> > to stay out of props. For heavy, hi inertia objects like a deep
> > draft boat, nylon is unquestionably the better choice, for not
> > so for boards. I question even having a tow line because the
> > boat owner will either put the board aboard or have his own line,
> > but I am open to reasoning.
>
> The tow line is to help one windsurfer tow another windsurfer.
> Unfortunately, in sub 4.5 conditions, this proves almost impossible to do,
> judging by the first-hand reports printed here.
>
Even so, I question the use of relatively heavy nylon
for this application. It seems like nylon is overkill. Whether
the towing of one board by another under sail is feasible is something
of which I am unknowledgeable. (Sail *boats* can be excellent at
towing under wind conditions.). I guess it boils down to how you
feel about the extra weight (especially when wet) and the fact that
nylon sinks. Polypro is lighter to begin with, sheds its water quickly
and floats. Again, I would never recommend polypro for general boat
towing, but I don't see problems for board-board or boat-board towing.
Both deteriorate in the sun, however, polypro is worse. This won't
be a problem if you keep it in a pack.
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