Jan 28

Bonaire Lac Bay

16

7.5 Retro, 6.5 Retro

MR118

Started out overpowered on the 7.5 Retro. Was sailable but took work. Rerigged to 6.5 - much more comfortable. Actually made a couple of jibes with the 6.5 sail. Not Planning but didn't fall in. I'm still waiting too long to switch feet location and flip the sail. Also, when I flip the sail, I tend to lean too far back before the sail has power.

Jan 25

Bonaire Lac Bay

14

7.5 Retro

MR118

Well powered out in the blue water. Daniel and I sailed to the farther part of the bay. The runs were about .75 mile long. Wind was more SSE which made these runs possible. Sailed a total of six runs. Still need to work on the timing of the sail flip and foot change on jibes.

Jan 24

Bonaire Lac Bay

12 -14

7.5 Retro

MR118

Reasonably powered - sailed most of the time over the sandy area off Jibe City. Spent time trying to get better at getting into the foot straps and worked on jibes. Made one or two. Basically, I need to be much quicker in reacting - much quicker in fliping the sail, etc.  Was heading from Jibe City area to blue water and slightly scraped the fin. Shaved a little off the tip, no major issue but need to be really careful on low tide.  Made a couple of good runs in the blue water over to the other side. Wind was more SSE - made it difficult to sail back to the car. Sailed for 60 - 90 minutes. Was exhausted.

Jan 22

Bonaire Lac Bay

10

7.5 Retro

MR118

Wind too light to plane. Practiced tacking and low-wind jibe. The low wind jibe was pretty easy, especially if you sail clew-first for a while. Tacking was much more difficult. I wasn't staying on the centerline of the board, I wasn't pushing the sail away as a counter-balance once I moved to the other side of the board, I sometimes stayed too long on the tip of the board causing it to sink. For tacking, I must move much faster than I was.

Jan 15

Bonaire Lac Bay

14 - 16

7.5 Retro

MR118

Wind came up about 4:30 PM. This combo was the perfect setup. Got a number of smokin' runs across the bay, blew every jibe though.

Jan 14

Bonaire Lac Bay

13

7.5 Retro

MR118

Reasonably powered and planing for a couple of runs then the wind dropped off.

Jan 13

Bonaire Lac Bay

17

6.5 Retro

MR118

Life for me is good!
Started out on the 5.1 but fortunately the wind died a little so rigged the 6.5 Retro. Also moved the foot straps to their middle position. Had a blast!! Got in some good ‘locked in runs’, even made some jibes (not at speed but at least didn’t fall in). According to the airport wind reading, the wind was about 20 mph while this was happening. Got a nice compliment from a German guy I was sailing with that I was the fastest person on the bay – not saying much since there weren’t a lot of us out – and that was before the pros showed up. One guy was on a 7.9 on his slalom board and he weighs maybe 150 – now he was smoking...

My ‘can I get home’ fear level is pretty much gone now. I’m sailing blue water across the bay. Today, the chop in the middle of the bay was maybe a foot  to 18 inches peak to trough.  Enough for maybe some chop hops in the future.

Jan 12

Bonaire Lac Bay

15

5.1 Race

MR118

Very underpowered. Did prove to myself that I can uphaul fairly easily, even a cam'ed sail. Board has plenty of flotation for uphauling. Also proved to myself that I can waterstart in deep water with this board - Clearing the cam'ed sail is a little harder because the board is so short I can't use it to rest the boom on...

Jan 10

Bonaire Lac Bay

22

5.6 Race

MR118

Overpowered.  I made the mistake of rigging a sail size too large and then the wind picked up to 25+ mph. I went out anyway, only to discover that this board handles SIGNIFICANTLY different than my old 'Gorge boards'. Water starting was OK after a couple of attempts but getting into the foot straps, especially the back ones took a little learning to keep the board from turning into the wind. Part of the issue was trying to keep from being launched over the front due to being overpowered while trying to figure this board out... I made progress learning and did a few runs fully in the straps and 'locked in' - this board can be FAST and loose because of all the planing area you are on top of the water/chop rather than slicing through it.

My last run I was bearing off the wind a little in order to get back to my launch site and had the %^$#$ scared out of me - got hit by a gust and I don't think I have ever gone this fast on a board, certainly not this fast and so close to out of control  . I clearly have some learning to do...Overpowered.  I made the mistake of rigging a sail size too large and then the wind picked up to 25+ mph. I went out anyway, only to discover that this board handles SIGNIFICANTLY different than my old 'Gorge boards'. Water starting was OK after a couple of attempts but getting into the foot straps, especially the back ones took a little learning to keep the board from turning into the wind. Part of the issue was trying to keep from being launched over the front due to being overpowered while trying to figure this board out... I made progress learning and did a few runs fully in the straps and 'locked in' - this board can be FAST and loose because of all the planing area you are on top of the water/chop rather than slicing through it.

Jan 3

Bonaire Lac Bay

17 - 19

5.1 Race

8'9"

Underpowered. Had a few gusts which gave good runs but mostly slogged in the shallow sandy area off Jibe City.

Jan 2

Bonaire Lac Bay

22

5.1 Race

8'9"

Fully powered. Practiced jibing at the launch site. Made some jibes but not planing. Either waited too long to flip the sail causing the board to stall out or tried to force the flip too early and backwinded. Part of problem may be doing too much of a downwind run before initiating the jibe. Next time will try to carve without running downwind at all.

Jan 1

Bonaire Lac Bay

20

5.1 Race

8'9"

Moderately to slightly underpowered except in the gusts. Made a jibe or two. Getting better about powering through the carve, keeping the mast close to my face. Just need to flip the sail a little earlier to keep the board planing. The fin release is working - fin kicked back a couple of time after hitting sand. Tide was low this afternoon.