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Forecast all week had been calling for 20-25 both Saturday and Sunday, so we were all psyched. But, Saturday came and went with only lightweights on big sails doing much planing.
I went out early Sunday, as that was when it was supposed to blow, but it looked like a repeat. I was just about to start the car to leave when John showed up. We decided to check out a spot we'd heard about on the bay, near the TAMCC University. About the time we left the sun started poking out. We drove over there and looked and came back. When we arrived back at Grassy, Mike was already there and planing on his new Ezzy Infinity 6.0 (same colors as my set, too!).
The wind was SE, which was odd this time of year, I'm told. It also didn't look like much because it was really side shore and we were in a shadow, so I was about to rig my 7.8 when Richard Bradshaw came over and said he'd be on his 5.0. I am about 70 pounds heavier than Richard and no where near his caliber of sailor, so I rethought it. Good thing! I was planing and overpowered on my 6.6 most of the time, and we had a fantastic time. I was in my full suit but was way too hot. It was easily shortie weather, maybe even shortie-optional. One kid was out in just trunks, but I prefer to be a little warmer than not. Still, the suit was way too hot.
I worked on my jibes, which still aren't as good as I want. I can turn okay, but I can't plane all the way through. Chip and I raced a few times -- he mostly beat me. Jeff was practicing some Vulcans and duck jibes and such. I didn't see him pull any off, but the water was pretty flat.
All-in-all it was a good day, but a bad ending. The wind died pretty quickly and a few sailors on sinkers and 5.0's had to hoof it in -- Sail Repair Bob was way offshore and upwind past the island in the deeper, wavier area. He had quite a hike.
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