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Well, I broke down and bought a new board to replace the Screamer. I worked OT for a week to pay for it. Today was the first day out on my new Starboard Carve 111.
The forecast was full of "gale force gusts, tie down lawn furniture and trash can lids", etc, etc. Never quite reached that, though. In fact, it was quite flaky. The weather was nice -- sunny and in the 80's, water almost 70. SHORTIE!!
I sailed at Bird Island Basin. It was pretty windy when I got there -- John on his 5.0 and Mike on his 4.8, Worldwinds Don explaining how overpowered he was on his 5.7. Those are a few guys I know fairly well and can judge what I should rig based one what they are doing. I put up my 5.4 Ezzy Infinity.
To try something new, I took the two cambers out of the Infinity. It looked a little different rigged up w/o cams.
Since I was on my 5.4 and the weeds at Bird aren't at all bad right now, I used the stock 32cm Freeride fin that comes with the board. My next smallest fin is 39 cm anyway, which I felt would be a bit too big.
First run out felt awful. Everything was out of whack. I spent about 15 minutes adjusting and flailing, getting catapulted a few times. After awhile things started to feel better. Just to make sure, I came back in to put the cambers back in the sail, just to rule out that as a problem (it wasn't the problem). I also tweaked the sail a bit and went back out.
After another 30 minutes I finally started to figure out the board. Because of the outboard straps, it's a little different getting in them next to the old Screamer, which looks like a speed needle by comparison. The straps, even though they come with the little metal twist-stoppers, still twisted. Yes, I have them tight. I just wish manufacturers would bite the extra 6 ounces and put double plugs for each end of the footstraps.
The non-skid was excellent, the deck foam stuff was superb. The wide area near the back is great for balance in jibes. There must be an extra 6 inches in front of the back straps compared to the Screamer, so I had a nice wide stance when jibing.
Jibing is easier. I'm not an excellent jiber, but I can tell this board is going to make it easier. For one thing, it's width makes coming off a plane a lot harder.
The board is a lot lighter than the Screamer -- probably 5 pounds. It is also very lively. I wasn't used to it at first, so it took a little extra paying attention to keep it steady.
Small chop is no problem, but the stock fin really sucked. It could take no back foot pressure at all. According to the "charts" a 32cm fin should be perfect for a 5.4. Hopefully my conversion of my 14" weed to Tuttle will help this. It was the first non-weed fin I've sailed since getting back into windsurfing in August, so maybe that had something to do with it, too. Or maybe I just like an oversized fin, especially in the flaky wind.
The wind was marginal -- I could have gone up to my 6.6, but there were three meter gusts and I didn't feel like re-rigging. Consequently I schlogged a bit. I was only powered up for about a dozen reaches. The whole time I was praying I wouldn't spin out, because I could feel the fin starting to break free. I spun out a couple of times and it's disasterous. It really goes when it goes, like a skateboard sliding down a railing. So, I eggshelled it around for awhile, never really accelerating like I felt I could. Every time I went for it I could feel it wanting to break out.
The board was fast to plane -- much, much faster than the Screamer -- however I haven't wired the technique for it yet. I'm all out of control and often kill the plane as I'm getting back into the straps. I had similar problems with my big Seatrend Allstar 70, so I'll have it down in another session. It has everything to do with how far the straps are out on the edge.
I couldn't tell if the board was fast, partly because of the fin and potential for side-swiping the sailor 20 yards to leeward. It was lively, but I didn't really have the time to tell if it was a blazer. I don't think it's going to be the fastest thing around, but that's okay. At the end of my dozen good reaches, I sent it into some nice jibes. The Screamer had a reputation for being easy to jibe, but the Carve is much better. If I can have some decently fast reaches followed by a tight jibe, I'm good.
That's it -- maybe more tomorrow, the weakened Norther is due to hit in the afternoon.
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