Hey Macroscien
(wind is a 10 minute average) (gust is a 3 second peak) measured 5m above the surface by the BOM official station :
Yesterday it was :
................Temp Dir Wind Gust
17/06:03pm 22.6 NNE 19 29
17/06:00pm?22.7?NE?20?29
17/05:30pm?23.9?NNE?22?30
17/05:00pm?24.6?NNE?23?32
17/04:30pm?24.5?NE?27?33
17/04:00pm?23.6?NE?26?33
17/03:37pm?24.2?NE?24?34
17/03:30pm?24?NE?26?33
17/03:00pm?25.1?NE?23?32
17/02:38pm?25.3?NE?24?34
17/02:30pm?25.2?NNE?26?34
Day before is was :
16/05:30pm?22.8?NNE?20?27
16/05:00pm?23.2?NNE?22?29
16/04:33pm?23.1?NNE?24?34
16/04:30pm?23?NNE?23?32
16/04:00pm?23.1?NNE?26?32
16/03:31pm?23.3?NNE?22?32
16/03:30pm?23.3?NNE?22?30
16/03:00pm?23.5?NNE?21?31
16/02:30pm?24?NE?20?30
16/02:26pm?24.7?NNE?20?30
16/02:00pm?24.2?NNE?21?29
16/01:30pm?22.8?NNE?22?30
16/01:00pm?24.6?NNE?20?27
So
Wednesday an average 10 minute reading of 21.8 knots, peak gust of 34 knots
Thursday an average 10 minute reading of 24 knots, peak gust of 34 knots
Wednesday I was healthily powered up on a 4.5m2
Thursday I was healthily powered up on a 3.7m2, maybe a couple of few second lulls I wasn't, but a couple of gusts I couldn't really hold on (bouncy ocean didn't help though admittedly)
So 1 knot more and it would have been enough for you to get up and going on your 8m2
I would have loved to have seen that
I have seen macro sail plenty of times on his 8m in 20 knots plus. Saw him today on his 8 when I changed down to a 4.7. It's nothing to do with mistaking kph for kts. Simply, he's just mad.
Interesting thing is that I was sailing at KFC on Thu when Macro was there. I weigh 85k and was on 98l Naish with 5.9 Loft o2 and 28cm stock fin and was planing constantly. I could see that Macro was smoking down wind with his 8m North sail but was struggling a bit upwind and did look overpowered, which is probably the reason why. It's a nice feeling to be powered up sailing up wind.
Personally I think it is much more enjoyable to sail with a smaller rig if you can and I envy those sailors with the technique to do that in all conditions.
My plan for KFC was to get one way at speed and going back hard climbing slowly up wind ..
but because fin is too small for the sail ( 42 cm) I couldn't get easy up the wind without instant spin out
just a bit more pressure on the fin and slide to the side so I needed to take it slowly one way
on another hand at the Train when the direction is right (reaching both way at equal angle) I could get both ways without spin on this small or even smaller fin 37.5 cm Black Project.
I used to go for trainning with the rs:x gear (9.5m and 66cm fin) in 30 knt and as soon at the training session was finished jump on my wave gear (4.5m and 72 L board). Same guy (69 kg), same conditions, same spot but complete different gear size.
It is definitively possible to sail with an 8m in 25 knt. If it is the best choice is another question...
I remember having more fun on my wave gear than the rs:x in 30 knts
I also went with my big slalom gear (9.5m and 135l board) in 25 knts wind. Clocked 29 knts 2s speed downwind and spend 1 hour trying to come to shore Haven't done it again since.