With Andy Brandt's ABK Clinic canceled due to COVID-19, I took some time off work to enjoy the best season winds at Sherman Island. July is usually the most consistent time for strong winds.
Sunday, July 26, 2020
My week of windsurfing began on Sunday, July 26. After waking up at 05:45, I drove early to Sherman Island, arriving at the Sherman Island County Park at 07:30. I parked my van and started rigging (as a couple windsurfers beat me to the water).
I rigged an Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail with a Fanatic 105-liter FSW STB with a 30-cm fin. The tide was still flooding when I hit the water at 08:15 (but it was scheduled to start ebbing at around 09:30.) At Sherman Island, the best windsurfing is usually reserved for Westerly winds on an Ebb tide. An ebb tide ensures easy sailing back (without fighting the strong current and the wind).
I had a fantastic one hour of windsurfing, but the wind started to weaken a bit, and I decided to return and change sails to a larger Ezzy Elite 5.7m. Once rigged, this new sail made a significant difference in the rest of my sailing.
At about 10:30, I was exhausted and decided to return home. I de-rigged my gear, stowed it in the minivan, and returned home, arriving at about 13:00.
Here are a GoPro Hero 7 Black video highlights of my windsurfing session:
Here are a GoPro Hero 7 Black video highlights of my windsurfing session:
Monday, July 27, 2020
After waking up at 05:45, I drove early to Sherman Island, arriving at Sherman Island County Park at 07:45. Monday's traffic was much heavier than Sunday's.
When I arrived, I was surprised to be among the first early birds in the parking lot. No one was even windsurfing, and the wind was strong and gusty.
After some hesitation (at being the first there), I rigged my Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail and set up my Fanatic 105-liter FSW STB. I was one of the first windsurfers on the water at 08:45. Although the river was still flooding (until 10:00), I had no difficulty returning. The wind was blowing about 21 knots with many gusts.
Here are a GoPro Hero 7 Black video highlights of my windsurfing session:
I sailed until 11:15 when I quit for the day. Although I made many jibe attempts, a successful jibe still eluded me.
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
After waking up at 07:45, I ate a decent breakfast (toast with pastrami) and drove early to Sherman Island, arriving at Sherman Island County Park at 10:15.
When I arrived, a few vans were parked in the Sherman Island County Park parking lot, but no one was on the water. I did see a few kiteboarders and wing dingers racing on the water.
I rigged my Ezzy Elite 5.0m (since iwindurf.com was reporting speeds of 20 knots) with my Fanatic 105-liter Freestyle Wave. The tide was still flooding but about to ebb at 11:00.
I started windsurfing at about 10:45 and was fully powered on my Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail. Despite the flooding tide, I had no problems returning to the launch area. As the tide turned to ebb, the water calmed down a bit, so returning was much more accessible; the wind gusted up and down, and I had some speedy sailing sessions throughout the day.
At about 13:00, the wind picked up so much that I switched windsurf boards to the Goya 84-liter quad. The quad-fin Goya would handle the additional wind better. It did! I felt more in control riding the Goya, though it was much harder to get it planned.
On one of the runs, I crashed and hurt the pinkie on my right hand. Ouch!
Here are the GoPro Hero7 Black video highlights of my windsurfing session:
When I arrived, a few vans were parked in the Sherman Island County Park parking lot, but no one was on the water. I did see a few kiteboarders and wing dingers racing on the water.
I rigged my Ezzy Elite 5.0m (since iwindurf.com was reporting speeds of 20 knots) with my Fanatic 105-liter Freestyle Wave. The tide was still flooding but about to ebb at 11:00.
I started windsurfing at about 10:45 and was fully powered on my Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail. Despite the flooding tide, I had no problems returning to the launch area. As the tide turned to ebb, the water calmed down a bit, so returning was much more accessible; the wind gusted up and down, and I had some speedy sailing sessions throughout the day.
At about 13:00, the wind picked up so much that I switched windsurf boards to the Goya 84-liter quad. The quad-fin Goya would handle the additional wind better. It did! I felt more in control riding the Goya, though it was much harder to get it planned.
On one of the runs, I crashed and hurt the pinkie on my right hand. Ouch!
Here are the GoPro Hero7 Black video highlights of my windsurfing session:
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