Not sure on where is best to sail on a Northerly but am glad to hear you got back in ok GoMaui! I'm sure at some stage we have all over estimated the conditions and/or underestimated our level of skill.

Sorry to hear that you got a fright today, but glad to hear that you got back in safely and that others were alert enough to keep an eye out for anyone in trouble in today's strong conditions. Much credit to your rescuers for looking out for you.

I had to hobble in today - after sailing overpowered with a 4.7 - then the mast popped out the top of the sail as I hadn't rigged it properly. Luckily I wasn't too far out and managed to sail it in.

Good safety principles include always sailing with others and if in doubt ask a buddy to keep an eye out for you; wearing a bouyancy aid and helmet; never leaving your board - even if the rig drifts away - the board will float you, the rig won't; avoiding sailing in an offshore wind or where if something breaks you won't drift back to shore relatively easily - ie not down to Rye or across to Altona; checking the gear for wear and making sure it is rigged properly (a fail on this one for me today ); making sure others know where you are and when you are due back etc; having the right gear for the conditions - if in doubt ask others; and having a warm enough wetsuit in case you end up spending time out on or in the water. Many people won't do all of these depending upon conditions, experience, fitness etc and there are probably others I have left out. But if you follow most of these you should have less to fear.

It sounds like you did the right things and should have drifted down to the Sandringham breakwater - not good for the gear but at least you'd be back on dry land safely.

In Northerlies you can sail at Rye, Williamstown, Geelong and even Lysterfield Lake. Have a look at Google maps of the bay and see where is onshore. Green Point would usually be Ok in less extreme conditions and not going out too far, especially if you know you have at least one other sailor to look out for you.

Ah, nothing like a scare to stash away in the diary to recount to the grandkids.

Unfortunately, Green Point is probably about the best spot on the eastern side of the bay in a northerly, although it looks as though it was still pumping through at Rye today, which would have been safer but a bit of a drive.

My best piece of advice is always try to stay upwind of most other sailors and don't go out further than where most people are gybing. Otherwise you're on your own. Go too far downwind or too far out the back, and you might not be seen.

I would find it hard to believe that any competent sailor wouldn't go to the aid of someone that they see is in trouble. Apart from being one of the laws of the sea, it's just what we do, and that's one of the things that makes this sport special.

At 30kts+, today would have been (a hoot) quite challenging, so don't feel bad about not handling the conditions. Best thing to do isn't to be scared of Green Point, but at the next opportunity, ask if anyone is prepared to keep an eye on you for a while. I've done exactly that when getting back on the water after shoulder injuries (on several occasions) Or even better still, contact me to arrange a "business meeting". Happy to leave the office whenever I can. Watching it fron the office window ain't quite the same.

PS. Silly, silly me. I've just read your profile and found out that you are female. Ay carumba. You will have absolutely no problem getting anyone to look out for you. Chivalry certainly is not dead in this sport, if you don't have any objection to reaping the benefits of it!

Go Maui

Do not let this event scare you from getting back on the water.
Instead use it as a safety valve for the future. Know your limits and sail to that. Practice your water starts and sail in close on heavier days until you feel comfortable then go further out.
Personal choice, and I know it looks uncool, but wear a PFD on the heavier days. I am past looking cool and I wear it every day I go out light or heavy
Jump back on the horse!!!

an get back on that rocking horse my friend like what old salty says windsurfing is the best sport in the world

The great thing about Inverloch is that you sail in Anderson's inlet and it is shallow and quite narrow as there is a large sand mould in the middle at low tide

windwarning said...

i did not know there was a current there. thanks for telling us i am going to look out for it myself next time i am there. i went to rye and the wind was crap as i should of went to the city. i hate rye the wind allways swings around to sw real early in the day and you cant sail strong off shore winds there. lysterfeild is safe but gusty as. was the wind blowing on shore at green point when you got caught out there in the current ? sounds like your board was the problem with a bigger board its alot easier to sail back. i got caught at inverloch once in a real strong current its so scary.

There isn't a current that can notice, there is however a 35kn of wind... it blows you downwind - same effect, different cause. The wind was cross-shore, maybe even a few degrees offshore.

A bigger board is not the solution - in that wind strength, a smaller board is easier to water start and it stays on the water rather than catapulting you over the rig.

i got there later in the day had to take me cat to the vet i got a picture of a guy while i was rigging up looks cool but it was not to sail.

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PS. Silly, silly me. I've just read your profile and found out that you are female. Ay carumba. You will have absolutely no problem getting anyone to look out for you. Chivalry certainly is not dead in this sport, if you don't have any objection to reaping the benefits of it!

haha, your post is cool MickeyS with melbourne been the land of single man he is right. we are all single and would love to lend a hand to a lady windsurfer anytime. i did the same mickeys i posted thinking it was a male then read it after and thought g a female windsurfer.