Feb 17

Bonaire Lac Bay

15-18

6.5 Retro

MR118

Well powered. Getting better at jibes but still not planning jibes. I am waiting too long to flip the sail.

Feb 15

Bonaire Lac Bay

15

7.5 Retro

MR118

Well powered to at times overpowered in the blue water. Today's highlight: made about 80% of my jibes including one that was almost a powered jibe. I think the key was focusing on the foot transition yesterday helped in completing jibes today. Sailed for about 1.5 to 2 hours in two sessions. Got tired by the end of each session but was able to recover in about an hour to go out again. Side note: some guy was snorkeling in the middle of the blue water channel wearing a black wetsuit, black hood. Fortunately had a red snorkel. He was lucky there were not very many sailors out today...

Feb 14

Bonaire Lac Bay

18-20

5.5 Retro

MR118

Well powered. Made most of my jibes although they were not planning. Getting the feel of the foot transition so next is doing it sooner and flipping the sail sooner. Sailed a solid hour, rested an hour and sailed another 30 minutes. Was tired at that point.

Feb 13

Bonaire Lac Bay

10-12

7.5 Retro

MR118

Got on a plane in the gusts but 10 knots was not enough. Ended up slogging back from the other side of the bay - demonstrated that the MR118 is the correct board for these conditions.

Feb 6

Bonaire Lac Bay

13-15

7.5 Retro

MR118

Well powered. Got some good runs, even made a couple of slow step jibes (a first with the 7.5 sail). Wind picked up later in the afternoon to about 17 knots and was overpowered.

Feb 5

Bonaire Lac Bay

18-20

5.5 Retro

MR118

Well powered in the blue water. Jibes are starting to connect. Starboard jibes I'm making but stepping and flipping too late. Port jibes are hit or miss, I tend to wait too long to step and am not as careful when I step on where my weight goes.  I tracked Taty Frans across the blue water - kept up with him but of course, he was on his freestyle board and didn't know we were racing :-).

Feb 2

Bonaire Lac Bay

17-19

5.5 Retro

MR118

Still good setup for this wind but chop in the middle of the bay was starting to make control an issue. My ankles were sore after sailing because of trying to control the board. I raised the boom a couple of inches in moved the harness lines together a little. Next session I will raise the boom again and narrow the harness lines a little more. Raising the boom did increase the leverage on the mast and therefore the feeling of control.

Feb 1

Bonaire Lac Bay

15-17

5.5 Retro

MR118

Good sail for this wind. Comfortably powered. Confirmed that sail size effects my jibes - made most of my jibes with the 5.5 sail. Not fully planing jibes but at least I didn't fall in. My basic approach was to carve the jibe, end up breifly sailing clew first and then flip the sail. I could see where a narrower board will be nicer if the wind gets much stronger - chop height picked up so did some bouncing around. On the other hand, maybe this wide board will make chop hops easier...

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.