Sailed at Auckland, Bucklands Beach
Rated a 6 of 10

Wind from the W (knots)

lulls: 8

average: 17

gusts: 25

Board: Starboard Carve 99 2004 Wood
Sail: NP Saber 6.2 2005
Fin: Drake Freeride 320
Suit: Short sleeve.

The short sleeve was perhaps a bit optimistic. Had to do a lot of waterstarting. It was high tide when I came, so not a lot of places where you could stand. First time in ages with the Carve 99. Had to relearn that the board only works with both feet in the footstraps, else it just slogs. With feet in the footstraps it takes off. Speed was a bit scary, my BIC Nova isn't as fast as this board by far.

Had a lot of trouble to cross the ferry lane. Couldn't really get upwind. But after a while got the hang of it, somewhat. In the footstraps and sail nicely locked in. But I think I need a new fin, the old one looks quite battered.

Other people didn't seem to have any trouble going upwind, or whatever direction, but it probably helps if you can jibe, saves a lot of water starts.

In the end I was so tired that I thought I couldn't make it back. The wind had picked up, and it was quite a fight to stay in control, no way I could go down wind. I detected that at the nothern point of Bucklands Beach you can take off as well. So I got out of the water and tried to a few houses there to see if I could make a phone call. No one home. One old lady was working in the garden and when I asked her if I could make a phone call she responded if I could not ask someone else.

But walking there I felt a little bit better, my legs didn't ache so much, and the wind had died a little it seemed. So I decided to give it one more go, blasting to the sand bar and from there to the sheltered beach. From there I could walk back up north and get my car. I got to the sand bar allright, walked east to its tip, 50 metres or so, and then I took off to the beach. But a big last landed me squarely in the water. Tried to swim back to the sand bar, but the currents were extremely strong there, no way I could swim back. Luckily no ferries were coming, and I received the energy to turn the sail and waterstart. From then on I slogged to the beach without incident, luckily not hitting any of the moored yacht.

Put the board on the beacn and walked back the 500 metres North to get my car.

Not really happy with this performance. First time with the Carve of course, and didn't make any of the jibes. I didn't try that many as I was just exhausted from my initial attempts at getting upwind. Next time I'm going to launch from that the North of Buklands Beach. Much safer, no ferry lane to cross and much easier getting back. And should take more care of the tide, I need a lower time so it's easier to stand and rest a bit. And I need to get the jibes locked in of course. Hopefully there will be enough wind the coming months to practice more this board.