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My second time ever at Oleander was much better than my first. First day I was underpowered and struggled going out a lot (this happened again today a bit). I wasn't the only person with a better day. My friend Elly had a much better time than her first experience.
Evan, Elly, Thomas and few out of town friends sailed together today. I pulled out the Carve because I thought it too light at first to use the smaller F2 Wave, though I intended to pull it out as the day progressed. I never did. The Carve, though a bit big for the conditions, just EATS chop. I sailed the F2 yesterday and thought it more difficult in even the small King Ranch chop. The bay chop on the Carve was perfect.
The part I had trouble with was getting going heading out. I kept rounding in to the wind and fighting a lot to not go in the drink. I had enough wind to get going, but the board always rounded up. This was a big problem last time I sailed Oleander, too, because the chop going out tends to come at you at a 45 degree angle, though the wind is mostly side-shore. I asked around after I was done, to find out what to do, and I think I'll be better next time, but it was frustrating. The worst part was that I was so tired from fighting going out the first 200 yards each time that I was too tired to pull of a decent jibe, so I would fall off a plane and have to fight again, or I'd have to waterstart. Once going back in, the chop lines up a lot better and you can fly up and down the swell and chop, and that is where the Carve just excelled. It was the biggest board out there, no doubt, but it was not a problem. I'm going to definitely buy a good high wind board with a lot of vee to replace the F2 in a year or so. The F2 is slashy and fun, but so is the Carve, and it's a better ride, IMO.
I had my best jump today. I had a few, but this one I hit, floated a bit, then landed perfectly -- pointed a little off the wind, smack, no spinout, big smile.
I also had a big wipeout. Evan was coming at me and I tried a jump -- actually, I can't remember if I was trying or not, but I ended up in the air about 2 or 3 feet and went for a nose-first landing. I pulled it off, twice. First by pearling the Carve's nose in the next section of swell, then pearling my nose on the sail. Man, what a slam! My eyes where still open when I hit, it happened so fast. I remember seeing murky water, then hoping the swell wouldn't flip my sail over on top of me and get me tangled, as I was still harnessed in. It didn't, though, and Evan stopped to make sure my mast and boom and ankles were okay. I waved him off with a smile and managed to get back for a break.
This was an important moment, though. One of my biggest hurdles for jumping is just this: nose first crashes, where the feet don't always come out of the straps. They did this time and besides a totally minor slap-red right arm, I was entirely unscathed. Add that to my good jump, a tail first landing, and my confidence grows. I hope to one day be the guy looking down at the tops of other sailors heads!
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