First blast

26th May 2009

As I was falling asleep I could hear the wind slowly starting to fill in. I went outside and the warm wind was not making my attempts for sleep. As this would be my first outing since I have arrived in Leaucate.

As soon as I woke up I was out of my bed filling my belly with alpen and tea. Matthew had texted saying it would be around 20 knots. This would be good for a first outing. I was on what I will call the teleski lagoon. I don't know what its called but it's a big lake. I was blowing around 15 to 20 knots. Temperature was around 70. So things were looking good after a few days of no wind.

I took a couple of pics of a guy going well on a Gaastra sail. It looks to be around the 4.5 4.7 size. I decided to drive around the different locations to see if the bank I mentioned in an earlier blog post. Sadly it was way too broad. So it was a case of going back to teliski lagoon. The wind was increasing all the time. It was now around the 25 knot mark, So I was wondering what kit to rig up. With the advice from a chap from the UK I went to the teliski centre again. This was located at the windward bank of the lagoon.

A French chap luckily spoke better English than my French. He advised me to rig a 4.7 for my size. (he was on a 4.1) Looking at the conditions. I said I was thinking of rigging my 6.0. He shook his head and said. “This is not possible”. I said I was on slalom kit and he still said non!

Being the kind of bloke that takes advice I rigged my 6.0 C4 speed sail, my Manta 59 with a C3 28 Venom fin. As I was getting my kit off the roof. A German guy pulled up and rigged his Pryde 5.8 with and RRD slalom board. I felt better with my decision. As he was using a trailer he was quicker to rig than me and was on the water where he got blown away. After this I was brimming with confidence on my sail choice. (not)

All suited up I made my way to the water. The first run out was fully power, but to try and prove a point to my French friend I bore off onto a beam reach. It was just too windy and choppy to go for a full broad reach. Pleased with the way the set-up was handling in such extreme conditions. (gusts of 30 knots plus) I went for a broad reach going towards where I rigged. This was the only flattish area and I caught a lucky gust. The French chap went to the waters edge and asked how fast I went. 36 knots I replied. He nodded and said good good. This was my fastest run of the day. I just could tuck under the bank after that so it was a case of just hanging on in the gusts on a beam reach. Very demanding conditions for sure.

The Trevantine (hope i spelt it right) wind is inherently very gusty. Going from 10 knots to 30 plus in an instant. But the gusts are sustained. It's just a case of waiting for them. The 6.0 was the choice as I needed the extra sail area to get off and in shore.

The C4 Demon worked excellent in the gusty conditions. Not once was I struggling sail control. Even when over powered. The C3 Venom 28 was the size to have in these extreme conditions with the 6.0. When fully powered it tracked superbly. The Manta 59 gives a feeling of confidence that I haven't felt with ant other slalom board. I can almost feel the V on the double concave biting into the water giving you more confidence to push it harder. I dont know wether this bottom shape is as fast as say the isonic but it certainly gives more confidence in chop. Almost wave board like.

As I finished the wind went foooking crazy. For sure the gusts were hitting 45 knots. My wetsuit box full of kit was blowing down the car park. If this wind keeps up tomorrow I will drive up to Gruissan Plage to try the speed strip there. From the pics I have seen of the place it could be very special.