Sun 19 Oct - Hamworthy

[Keith S]

Great day. Warm, sun and wind.
Wind very up and down in the morning but filled in later. 6m Storm on 104 Syncro. Overpowered a lot of the time but then there were the wallowy lulls. So just had loads of downhaul. Mast track a bit further back than normal because it was really choppy, almost wavey.
Rob, Graham, Grenvil, Neil and Martin Hill also enjoyed the day.

[Matt]

A great day at Newton too. Mild enough for a the summer suit still, windy and classic Newton waves with big rolling swell outside. 5.7 and 110L board worked well for me with the extra float helping out in the lulls. Loads of windsurfers out and no kites. J&L also out along with a few other familiar faces from WSM. Brill.

[Graham_U]

A good day at Hamworthy yesterday, with a decent turn out from the Nomads and locals for the unofficial diversion from the official Nomad's trip. I got on the water just after 11, and gave up sometime after 4 with a few rest stops, the wind was a little up and down but filled in by mid afternoon and was blowing hard even when I left. It was one of those days when starting two hours later would have probably put me on the right kit, but as it was my new second-hand 5.7 Storm was too much at times, but by then I couldn't be bother to change down which would have probably have improved the session no end.

I spent most of the session on my new second-hand baby Rocket 115L instead on the normal 125L. Its also a bit older so is quite a different board that took a bit of getting used. Its not got the double concaved hull of the bigger board that cuts through the chop and is less stable in the gybes, but being that bit lighter and flatter it jumps much better and skims over the top of the chop in a pretty fast way. So there was lots of holding on and hoping in some of the massive gusts out in the channel.

I did give the Kombat 97 a run which was better suited to the conditions beyond the boats. Unfortunately this play time was interrupted when I went to help a guy who had broken his boom mid-channel. Not a lot I could do on the Kombat so when another lad stopped by to help I went back to get the more stable Rocket see him back safely once he had swapped sides on the boom.

[Bob Iles]

Certainly a lovely day with the sun shine and warmth in mid October. At my skill lever it was more survival sailing rather than sailing in my comfort zone. Never the less an enjoyable day out.
Bob

[Adrian]

Went to Brean again - started as Saturday with no to little wind - going from 28 mph to 17 then 11 mph in a few seconds so chose my 12.0 but the wind disappeared completely for a bout 15 minutes but then just switched on and I was well powered up for the first hour but then had to change down to my 10.0 - think 5.0/5.3 windsurf size - and was still well powered - waves were big very steep and very close together - really challenging plus the same buggies to negotiate Power was essential and a good session but not for the faint hearted.

Adrian

[Gren]

First sail of the year - yes I know pathetic, should do better ..........
Loved the venue, never been to Hamworthy before.
First trip with the Nomads, positive experience all round, advice on location, tides, wind and even breakfast ! Extra support and advice at the beach.
If I could add a rigging monkey to have a range of sails available the second I get back to the beach and a beer to drink while they put all the kit away when I've finished it'd be perfect.
Conditions on my limit of comfort, survival sailing in the strong bits and hard wobbling in the big lulls.
Sun burned and aching all over - surprised at how heavy a cup of tea is today.

Note to self - need to improve strength, fitness and get more TOW.

Gren.

[Graham_U]

I forgot to mention the fan club that gathered around Gren's old Screamer. Though not sure it was the best choice for the first sail of the year in these conditions!

[Bob Iles]

Forgot to mention the kiter I came across just inside the moored boats, with out his kit! Luckly a yacht stopped to pick him up as I could not do a lot apart from going to shore and phoning for help. When I got back to shore another windsurfer had picked up the kit and was concerned where the kiter was. He had infact been dropped off at the marina and re appeared at the beach some time later.

[Graham_U]

I went back for a second helping in the post hurricane winds on Tuesday, as the roadworks over the next month or so could make getting there too difficult. It was not a great session, started off on my 115 Rocket with 4.7 which was just right on the first run all the way over to Long Island and back, a bit of a wobble out as there was some N in the wind and a Lull just off Arn with some significant wind Swell coming from Wareham. Unfortunately it just got manic from there on, the next run was a real struggle, so I change down to the Kombat97 which was OK, but the wind range was do dramatic that the gusts were impossible for anything but hanging on but there were still a period of wobble. I did consider changing down to the 4.2 (my smallest but my rebuilt XTRish Power extension was playing up and needed some work to release before I could change. I had taken my new(to me) Kombat 85(first time I've fitted 3 board inside the car), I decided the Lulls in such a wind range would be too much for me on this occasion.

Sean, one of the locals was also out and he is a lot bigger and better than I, had changed down to a 4.0 on a 87L which lasted about one run before giving up saying something was going to get damaged. Although it was not really cold, I was starting to lose feeling in my feet and so decided to give up before I made Sean's prediction came true and I damaged myself or the kit. In the time I was out, at least 3 other locals arrived, had a go and gave up.

I was probably on the water for less than an hour, which is my shortest session ever at Hamworthy, but the journey back one of the longest at a little under 3 hours. As well as all the roadworks, and getting into the evening rush hour traffic, the A350 was also closed South of Longbridge Deveril due to an accident that required a 7 point turn and some cross country route finding.