Wind Journal for Berend de Boer -- Saturday May 28, 2005 , 1:00p-3:00p -- See All

1st session in 2005
Sailed at Auckland, Coniver Grove
Wind from the W (knots)
        lulls: 10
        average: 10
        gusts: 15
Rated a 7 of 10

Board: BIC Nova
Sail: NP Saber 7.2 2005
Suit: Short sleeve.
Air Temperature: 17 C

Finally some wind I could take advantage of. We haven't had a lot of wind the last weeks in Auckland, and if it picks up, it's usually for a few hours.

The wind picked up around 11:00, but unfortunately my son Auke had said he wanted to come as well, and he was out shopping. So we didn't get to the water until around 13:00.

Some nice gusts that allowed me to plane at reasonably fast speed, but the lulls were too long. I think I got the footstraps right now. Too bad you need shoes in Auckland, because of all the sharp rocks. I prefer bare feet. But after some serious cuts, I was convinced. But the contact with the board isn't what it was before. And harness line position is still something I struggle with. Especially when I raise the boom, it doesn't feel right.

A nice thing was that I tried to do the carving jibe for the first time. The Pro Secrets DVD had a tip that seemed to me a tipping point: move the back hand down the boom when jibing. Did a couple of those and on one of those I almost didn't stop. Obviously a lot of work to do, but for the first time this was quite encouraging.

Interesting that I seem to learn a lot at this place. I also learned the beach start here. I think this location has two things going for it: it's not deep, and the chop is not very violent.

And the sea is still warm. Amazing. The water in my pool already hurts when I put my hands in, and I'm still in short sleeves out in the harbour.


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