I've never sailed there, but stood somberly on the bank as others flew around having a ball. And yes they all had weed fins, looked mandatory to me.

Mobydisc said...

I windsurfed there today and the weed is pretty thick till about 50 meters from the shore. Have you ever used a weed fin? They are much larger than conventional fins. Even if it's very windy the smaller weed fin will probably work. A 21cm weed fin is quite small.

I got a Makini one and havent tried it yet. They are quite chunky & they say they go upwind well. Thats the size they said to get for my 95 ltre + 4.2m sail..

Mobydisc said...

I windsurfed there today and the weed is pretty thick till about 50 meters from the shore. Have you ever used a weed fin? They are much larger than conventional fins. Even if it's very windy the smaller weed fin will probably work. A 21cm weed fin is quite small.

What do you mean by thick..lying on the surface in ribbons, growing up from the bottom and you drag through it..?
Was it any good? How strong was the wind and was it consistent?

Thick as in seagulls resting and defecating on it. Big clumps. Unless something is done the shoreline is going to turn into a fetid, stagnent, decaying mass of foul smelling weed, dead animals and other detritis.

I pity the people who live across the road. The place stinks. However its a good place to windsurf on westerly and southerly winds.

Mobydisc said...

I windsurfed there today and the weed is pretty thick till about 50 meters from the shore. Have you ever used a weed fin? They are much larger than conventional fins. Even if it's very windy the smaller weed fin will probably work. A 21cm weed fin is quite small.

So further out than 50m its ok?? or crap until you get really close to the shore?

Not looking promising at the moment.. I think i should have gone yesterday..

i will be there , you can give me some pointer :)

Were you there today? I was out from 1 - 2pm..Bit rusty..embarassing..Stuffed first few gybes as I couldn't figure out where the wind was coming from.. Even held onto the rig too long before flipping and got flattened when the wind came from the wrong side..Never had that happen before!'
Got my act together at the end and finished on a good note.
Borrowed a weedfin and wasn't happy with my upwind performance but it was gusty. Used the 125 + 6.6m . The regulars said it was crap but I enjoyed it although got a headache now & painkillers tonight..Need to get out & sail more to keep my body up to it.
Getting in was gross as Moby says but after that not bad & a new experience flying along in dead flat water. Found I could concentrate on trying to figure out how to trim my sail better for upwind etc without the chop bashing me around.
Looks like I'll be a regular in the Winter W. Driving time is the same time as to get to Valentine but easier drive dead down the freeway then just off ramp & straight along.
Not as pretty or clean as Valentine so its still my favourite.
Hopefully I can get the planing gybes going well there although I suppose they'll fall to pieces when I hit chop..

Yep, so true, it is great place to experiment and try stuff out, it takes no time or energy to get going again after a fall.

I was out on the Sunday and enjoyed it. I had a few great runs on the way back to the beach, went out into the deeper water and raced along the waves (well wind chop!). It was pretty quiet and I'm not too sure what happened to the regulars, they have all probably become a bunch of tea-baggers

Back to the original question about fins, yep a weed fin is pretty much necessary now. Occasionally the beach is cleaned out and it is possible to use normal fins....but that very rare....and definitely not now, on Sunday the weed was even occasionally sticking to my weed fin, I think Mobydisc will verify a spinout I had. As for size of fin, though whilst 21cm is perhaps not ideal it not stop you going out for a sail, if worst comes to worst then you can walk back upwind, it's not that deep. My personal preference with weed fins is to go bigger than normal, the large amount of rake does not generate much lift, plus it does make the board feel 'soggy' and less responsive.

AUS666 said...

Yep, so true, it is great place to experiment and try stuff out, it takes no time or energy to get going again after a fall.

I was out on the Sunday and enjoyed it. I had a few great runs on the way back to the beach, went out into the deeper water and raced along the waves (well wind chop!). It was pretty quiet and I'm not too sure what happened to the regulars, they have all probably become a bunch of tea-baggers

Back to the original question about fins, yep a weed fin is pretty much necessary now. Occasionally the beach is cleaned out and it is possible to use normal fins....but that very rare....and definitely not now, on Sunday the weed was even occasionally sticking to my weed fin, I think Mobydisc will verify a spinout I had. As for size of fin, though whilst 21cm is perhaps not ideal it not stop you going out for a sail, if worst comes to worst then you can walk back upwind, it's not that deep. My personal preference with weed fins is to go bigger than normal, the large amount of rake does not generate much lift, plus it does make the board feel 'soggy' and less responsive.

Regulars said they were sailing Budgewoi lake.

It was a NW so I'm guessing down the southern end somewhere..? Someone else might know better.

Just need some wind now !!!!!

Dezza said...

38" - what size sails will you use that with? I have a 30" weed fin and wondering if I need bigger for 6.5m sail?

38cm is a big fin, I run a 26cm weedy for my 6.2 and 6.7 in a 110L board and it's more then big enough. The 26 also works with a 7.2 in my 120L but a little sensitive to back foot pressure, I have a 30 that works perfect with the 7.2....I really think your 30 is big enough.

Jase

Lets see if seabreeze is working this time.I tried to answer before but it wouldn't let me..Yah! It does..
My 125 Tabou comes with a standard 44cm fin .I go out in 5 - 18kts with it & a 6.6m. I wanted something equal to the 44cm and Makani recommended that one.Its really thick so should work well.

I've never known anything else. I switch to a 30cm when it hits c 20kts.