Session 27-07-12

Stithians is a strange place in a northwind. The gusts are more sustained than any other direction, but  the lulls are just as long. In conditions like this, I’m thankful for the high volume of the isonic 135. The runs were short as I was sailing the width instead of the length of the lake. Being out of practice, it seemed I was settled in the strap, then had to get out of them to gybe.

 After my second outing on the isonic, I’m becoming less inclined to sell it now. (on ebay atm, I’m salivating for a Tiga hyper-X) I have sailed Matthews Exocet 76 wide slalom board and the 2 are like chalk and cheese. The isonic is a steady eddy in ride characteristic, where the exocet is dancing on the tail, not in a bad way I hasten to add. It still feels secure. Sadly I wasn’t wearing a gps, when riding the exocet. It would have been an interesting comparison. I suspect the speed difference will be negligible, there are plenty of ways to skin a cat and Starboard and Exocet go in different directions on these designs.

Johnny Vapor re-headed a 63 course fin down to 46.5 and I re-shaped it, so it was less stiff in the tip. What was pleasing was there that there was no singing or sudden spin out. It went like shit off a shovel up wind, while pushing hard on it, I achieved a 27.5 max. Which I was more pleased than the 30 max.

I’m still unsettled on the downwind runs. I’m ducking and diving between being locked in and then standing up. Time will heal this I hope.

Spent a lot of time setting up the mast track position and harness line length as well. I’m still not happy with the set-up, but it is with a soft twin cam freerace sail which was coping admirably in the gusts. The addition of a couple of carbon battens would make it even better imo.