Re: is the coast windier?

From: Jim Paugh (James.Paugh@Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis)
Date: Wed Jul 05 1995 - 17:53:57 PDT


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Date: Wed, 5 Jul 1995 17:53:57 -0700
From: James.Paugh@Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis (Jim Paugh)
Message-Id: <199507060053.RAA02450@jalama.Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis>
To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
Subject: Re: is the coast windier?
Cc: andy@excelsior-71.Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis
X-Sun-Charset: US-ASCII


> From: andy@excelsior-71.Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis (Andrew Davidson)
>
> Last year I had Haut shape a board for me. At the time I told him I
> mostly sail at coyote point, but really wanted to sail at waddel
> more. We agreed the board would be a "high wind" board, and that given
> my size 190#, an 8'8" would be fine. My question is, I never seem to
> be able to use this board. This year I have taken the board out three
> times at coyote and slogged two of those times. So my question is "is
> the coast winder then the bay in general"?

I would say, generally the coast is not windier than the bay. But both
have slightly different "peak" seasons. The coast's windier season is
during the spring, when fronts can bring very strong winds along the
coast. This can also create strong winds on the bay, but not always.

The bay has the advantage of the coastal mountains, which create venturi's,
which accelerate the wind. The coast doesn't have this, so it is much more
dependant on pressure differentials caused by cold fronts, and the jet stream.
There's a more technical discription of what causes the wind on the coast and
the bay, which I'm not the best person to explain. But generally, the bay has
an advantage of the wind funneling through gaps in the coastal range.

>From personal experience, I've found that I tend to be powered more on my mid
5 meter and down sails on the bay, where as on the coast, most of the time,
I'm marginally powered on my 5.8. This has been the case mostly for this year,
and it has been a flukey season at best. I'm 225#s, so most were on 5.0s to
4.7s when I was on my 5.8. Someone may dispute this claim and I certainly sail
more on the bay (daily) than on the coast (weekends), so it could be that I've
just missed all the wild days on the coast.
 
> For some reason I got the impression that the biggest sail this board
> could carry was a 5.3? Does anyone know how board size and sail size
> related? I have a 6.2 race sail, I wonder if it would work?

If your 8'8" is a glass wave board, the 6.2 is probably a bit big for
it. Also, I've found that my race sails aren't very compatible with
more wave oriented boards (especially if the tail is thined out). Race
sails are designed to work on a board with volume in the tail, so you
can get back and pump the sail to get the board planing. Wave boards
need a sail with good low end power, to get them out of the hole (more
typical of wave sails, not race sails). Your mileage may vary here, I
don't know the exact construction/design of you 8'8". Best way to figure
this one out is, try it :).

> Finally, is the problem my fin? I have a 12" wave fin on it now?

If you're having problems getting it planing, try putting a
pointer/slalom fin, more in the range of 13". This will make a big
difference. On my 8'10" bump/jump board, I run a 13" pointer for
flood tides (6.3,5.7 race sails or 5.8 wave sail), and a 10" Boyd Airborn
fin for ebb tides (5.8-5.0 wave/convertable sails) on the bay.

Just my 2 cents worth.

~Jim
__________________________________________________________________
Forsyth 9'2" slalom, Forsyth 8'10" bump/jump, 8'6" Clam Sandwich
Rushwind Race Sails (6.9-5.0)/Rushwind Convertibles (5.0-3.4)
Height 6'8", Weight 225lbs (James.Paugh@Eng.Sun.COM-DeleteThis)
__________________________________________________________________



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