11 March 2020
El Medano 2020 day 5: Unexpected action on the water
Wave Clinic with Colin Dixon, day 4.
Prediction was for too little wind. But on arrival it seemed there was some wind.
Someone with a 7.8 just went on the water and was planing easily.
The plan was to practice with big boards on jibes and tacking, so for me: train tacking again.
Took a big, but not ridiculously large board, form TWS, unfortunately I missed out on the Goya Bolt 127.
RRD Firemove 120 with Duotone E-Pace 7.8
Get out and was planing. At first the harnesslines were too far back, but after a few adjustments they were good.
I could almost always plane. Set ran quite fast, and ridiculously good upwind, had to sail really deliberately downwind.
My goal was to practice "short-board tacks" so then you have to do them too. Quite tricky when the weather is so nice to make well-planing jibes. The tacks were getting better. Tips from Colin really help. But my footwork and hands work need a lot more practice, that has to go blind in correct order and fast. Mostly hands work, mast hand to the mast opening, sail in front and then old sail hand to other side of the boom. What I'm doing now: When I focus on the boom: boom to boom directly or focus on the mast so that I'm going to grab the mast with the old sail hand. Both don't work at all. I was able to make already something like 75% of the tacks, not bad for me, but 1 went very well. In the swell even, felt so stable. So that's how they all have to go: practice.
After an hour, I had to stop to catch Monique who arrived today. Delicious sailing.
In the afternoon the wind decreased, so we went to watch videos from the other days, very instructive to see the mistakes we all make. Most made mistake: Arms not stretched in jibes, tacks or waveriding: stretching the arms and bending the knees.
Lesson 4: With waveriding and lots of moves: stretching arms and bending the knees.
El Medano - Playa Sur
11:15 | 1 hour | Wind: E |
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Board: | RRD Firemove 120 Ltd | |
Sail: | Duotone E-Pace 7.8 | |
Sailed with the original fin At first, bit of trimming the harnesslines, but then the set worked good. Footstraps not too big, worked well, could easily plan, a lot of control, speed felt good. Nice sailing. Walked very easy upwind. |