A warning to anyone unfamiliar with Narrabeen Lakes - beware the invisible sandbars!
I went out there for the first time yesterday, marginal and patchy NE wind, underpowered on a 7.5. I'm finally properly powered up and going about 20kts when I hear the dreaded scraping sound from the 40cm fin. No time to unhook - about half a second later the board stops dead and I fly forward, still hooked in. I've never catapulted onto only-just submerged solid ground before and don't recommend it. Somehow I escaped with only a few cuts and bruises on one arm; the boom is written off but no other kit damage.
I now figure the yellow flag I had assumed to be a marker for a race that was going on is actually indicating the end of the sandbar...
The sandbar is obvious on the satellite view:
One bent boom:
HI sparky72,
Hard luck, but good to hear you came through the catapult with no broken ribs.
I bought the same brand boom at Christmas.
So did you buy another Prolimit boom?
Kind Regards
Walt
Welcome to Lake Dangerous. Its one of those places that you have to know or ask about to get the best of.
Where you sailed is the speed strip in a west to sou-weaterly and depending on the tide which is about 3 hours behind the ocean can be waist deep to ankle deep. Certain Roaches have clocked over 40 kinots there but you have to know where to sail.
The western end is the go in a nor-easter as it funnels.
Also in a SSE to SE the sand banks under Wimbledon island can have some very flat water.
Warringah and Pittwater council are and still arguing over to what to do regarding dredging etc but as most bureacratic wankers will wait until you bcan walk across without getting your ankles wet before anything is done!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the tips ka43.
I haven't bought a replacement boom yet Walt - to be honest I can't quite get my head around spending $300-odd on a whole new boom when 'only' the main section of the old one is damaged... My other boom takes sails up to 6.2 so I can still sail at least.
That darker weedy area to the bottom right of the above image (just out from The Esplanade) can get very shallow too, although it shallows gradually and usually the first thing you feel with your fin is the weed before grinding to a halt on sand so usually not as catostrophic...
I JUST HOPE YOU DIDN'T DAMAGE MY FAVOURITE BANK 
JUST KIDDING SPANKY GLAD TO HEAR NO BROKEN RIBS !
90% OF THE TIME THIS PLACE SUCKS BUT WEN U GET ONE OF THOSE BULLETS THAT COME THROUGH THIS JOINT ONCE IN A WHILE U GET TO LOVE THOSE LONG ISH RUNS IN A WESTERLY IN SUPER FLAT WATER .. MMM MM
A IS THE LAUNCH
B IS THE BEAR OFF POINT
C IS THE JYBE POINT
D IS WERE U PULL UP IF YOU GET A GOOD KICK N U GOT THE BALLS TO HOLD ON
FINS MUST BE SMALLER THAN 24CM TO GO THAT FAR AND THERE NEEDS TO BE WATER IN THE LAKE AND PICK THE RIGHT ROUTE
NOT RECOMENDED UNLESSS YOUR AT 37 KN AND U WANT MOOOOOREEE LOL
