Just rub it in why dont you lol.

Originally we were on 8.5 but then went down to 6.5

well i tried to have a go on "smaller" gear.

Home at 3:00pm, white caps everywhere - seabreeze site for Hay point recorded a steady couple of hours of +20 knots with gusts up to 25kts.

I hit the water at 3:30pm with a 101l and 5.7.

- right on 3:30pm, the wind is now at 10-15kts. One run and I went back and got my 170l board and plod around sailing clew first and stuff.

ian, yep first time but probably should have been on a 4.7 quite a few times before this. Have been rigging with the 'go big' mantra for a while so it was kinda nice to feel just comfortable.
I feel for you in these canberra doldrums.
Tomorrow I'm taking an smh journalist out windsurfing. Of course he's never done it before and the forecast is for 20-30K SW!

Bluedog76 said...

well i tried to have a go on "smaller" gear.

Home at 3:00pm, white caps everywhere - seabreeze site for Hay point recorded a steady couple of hours of +20 knots with gusts up to 25kts.

I hit the water at 3:30pm with a 101l and 5.7.

- right on 3:30pm, the wind is now at 10-15kts. One run and I went back and got my 170l board and plod around sailing clew first and stuff.

It's been frustrating up here the last week or so with the wind so far round to the south. Readings look good from the weather stations bit it's so inconsistent on the water. If only it would get around to ESE, then we would have solid 25 knots.

Stehsegler,
Most of the time I am on my own, there is one other capable sailor on the island who is just starting to get back into it. He has just bought a board from buy/sell. There is one guy who i have taught. He is just now in the straps and harness and loving it.
Between now and September we will get 20K and over probably on average 4-5 days a fortnight. The wind gets more consistent than that in July & August.
The waves in the background are on the reef and are cross/off in the easterlies which are more prevalent in the summer. As I am not a wave sailor it is hard to identify what is the sailable wave. There are a few other waves that might be sailable apparently according to people that know...
In the winter season the island quietens right down. I have a restaurant over here and we close that until September. The island is really good in the winter for windsurfing and we are trying to push it as a destination for mainland sailors in the doldrums.
Right now there are package deals to the island valid for travel anytime between now and mid september. With 5 nights accomm and airfare $600. Airfare is usually $650 alone. You should come over for the LHI Windsurfing fortnight. Or just come over and do some sailing and see for yourself.
Interview over!

FormulaNova said...

Hi Tim. I guess at this point I need to start thinking about what size gear to bring to Lord Howe in August.

What sort of wind strength would you expect in August?

What sails have you been using around that time of year and what size board would you use?

The smallest sail I have is a 5.4m, but I weigh about 96kgs, so for me that needs something over 25knotts to get going.

Yeah, and is a rash vest and board shorts okay for that time of year? I think I might have to buy myself a helmet just to keep my ears warm!

Hi Dale, last year was in the 25-35K pretty much every day. i was on 4.7, 4.2, 5.0. We had one day of 6.6. i weigh 72kg. If it is really nuking I would say there would be a spare 5.0 lying around because us shrimps are going to be on 4.2!
Boards i was on was 77L FSW & 84L FSW. Ian was on his 89L supercross.
You will need a steamer. 3/2 is plenty warm enough. Water temp is 18-20 degrees.
The helmet does keep your ears warm! i have just started wearing one as I'm most often out on my own. I really don't notice it at all now and it's a great sun protector.
Let me know if you have more questions.

hey lordhowe,

thanks for all the info! hm... very tempted to head over there for a trip... a mate is trying to convince me to go...

Tim. You lucky bugga. Great place eh. Taught myself to sail on the lagoon back in the mid 80's. No one else around then either. Might have to make the effort and get over there for a big holiday one day.

Hausey said...
except maybe for a break right upwind of the photos called Grinders...

Didn't mean to imply that you could sail it any more S than S/SW.... there is nowhere on the lagoon side that you'd enjoy sailing once it goes round to this direction.
Basically LHI lagoon and reef is good from NW round to SW (best direction)..... at a squeeze S/SW

Just got out my LHI map and I'd say, if Tim's 3rd photo was taken from the clubhouse, due south is bang on centre screen. The Windy Point anemometer is on the end of the runway which is at the water's edge just off screen to the left. Would that be right Tim?

Sounds like you got tied up with other things today, the wind looked good. I got the feeling last year that the Windy Point anemometer, from an on-the-water prespective, reads a little lower than the one at Sydney airport.

lordhowe said...

Hausey said...

Hausey said...
except maybe for a break right upwind of the photos called Grinders...

Didn't mean to imply that you could sail it any more S than S/SW.... there is nowhere on the lagoon side that you'd enjoy sailing once it goes round to this direction.
Basically LHI lagoon and reef is good from NW round to SW (best direction)..... at a squeeze S/SW

Hi Andrew, SSW on the lagoon is very sailable. The photos from that day are SSW and that was a very steady breeze. LHI lagoon is good from the following diections - W, WSW, SW, SSW, E, ESE. Even if the wind is S you can still sometimes sail it. Don't mean to come down on you man but after 6 years on the island I feel pretty much in the know about the lagoon. If you're talking waves I'll bow down to your better judgement! It would be great to have another sail together out there.
This link is the anemometer on the end of the strip in the lagoon, as you can see the direction goes round to the S but trust me, you could have sailed all day today.
www.bom.gov.au/products/IDN60801/IDN60801.95995.shtml

Hey Tim

After 6 years you should know! All I remember is having a ****ty time when the wind went too South.... but it's probably worse with a kite anyhow when it swings off the mountains....

Have fun tomorrow!

Adios