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Forums > Windsurfing   New South Wales

downwinder

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Created by powersloshin > 9 months ago, 13 Feb 2013
powersloshin
NSW, 1732 posts
13 Feb 2013 6:45PM
Thumbs Up

Anyone interested in a downwinder please submit. Milsy wants to do Newcastle Botany and I am scared to go alone with him

Also it would be interesting to hear tips from people that have had the experience, personally i find it very hard to control the board with strong winds and deep angles.

raftcrew
NSW, 31 posts
13 Feb 2013 7:24PM
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Its actually not as easy as it seems. Also depends if you intend to wave sail on the way. When I did Soldiers to The Entrance it was a long haul, took a few hours, but we were wavesailing the whole way. It was a looong time ago, and I remember it being great fun, but smashed by the time we finished! - something about always heading off the wind, even on wave gear. Definately overpowered by half way down.

Its been mentioned a few times by others in another thread, but if you set off at 2pm or so, it will almost always get windier a few hours in, so picking the right gear needs to be thought through as well.

Im definately in for something of that size!!

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
13 Feb 2013 7:54PM
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Start small, going from Kyeemagh to Dolls Point would be a good downwinder to start with.

Milsy
NSW, 1176 posts
13 Feb 2013 8:41PM
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hey,,hows it going powersloshin, i hope your getting plenty of sweet sessions, yeah, powersloshin you should do what moby says, if you want a bit more exhilaration, la perouse in a n to nw, thats good open water runs across the mouth of the port, its a bit eriee, ha, pittwater, palmy, you can sail over other side, whale bay, or over to lion island, then up to umina, once youve done these, we will talk,,, goodluck, there good sess,, the la perouse one is off shore in that direction, so maybe go with someone, its actually pretty flat on the inside around yarra bay,,, also to do something like this you would have to be fit and confident to sail for a few hrs, no breaks or rests,, but really its not that big a deal, just hugging the coast in a three quarter on shore wind, probably just sitting about 500m to 3k off the shore, ive done similar, for me i like doing this as more of a light wind cruise, 5 to 18kts, swell cant be crazy big, its not flat water blasting but more off an old school cruise from a to b,,,ha, goodluck man, get martin to hit palmy with ya, but the la perouse sess is a sweet feeling

powersloshin
NSW, 1732 posts
13 Feb 2013 9:29PM
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yes, you and Mobydisc are right. I crossed Botany a few times, went to Kurnell from George's river, Doll's Pt and Kyeemagh, but it's nothing compared to a long trip, should start with a shorter one. But these things need more than one person and 1 car...

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
13 Feb 2013 9:39PM
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How about the next weekend we get a seabreeze we organise a downwinder at Botany Bay from Kyeemagh to Dolls Point? All we really need are two cars, one at the start and one destination.

It would be something different to sailing in the same place all arvo. It would be pretty safe. If anyone gets an equipment failure, the worse that can happen is they will end up on the beach somewhere.

It would be a big step to a downwinder off the coast. Best to do it when the swell and wind isn't too strong and somewhere where there are no big headlands. Downwinding down one long beach would be best to do it.

stehsegler
WA, 3479 posts
13 Feb 2013 7:48PM
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powersloshin said...
Newcastle Botany and I am scared to go alone with him


That's a very very long way and the only wind direction it would work in is a NEer. The wind is pretty variable over that stretch. Some areas get barely any wind while others would be crazy windy.

I would recommend you start small. Perhaps try La Perouse to Cronulla in a NEer. Make sure you wear a life vest, bring a flare and a phone in a water proof bag.

Be prepared for lots of big debris floating about. I have once hit a tree floating of Bare Island nearly taking off the nose of my board. Also beware of the migrating wales at certain times of the year. I once helped a friend sail his race boat from Rushcutters Bay to Pittwater. I think we spotted about 6 wales along the way. One of them directly in your path.

Roger303
NSW, 161 posts
13 Feb 2013 11:22PM
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A few summers ago my crazy brother sailed his Hobie 18 single handed from Pittwater up past Newcastle to Port Stephens on Christmas Eve, arriving well after dark. On boxing day he shoved the boat off the beach and sailed back to Pittwater in a massive NE'r, full sail.(he previously circumnavigated the globe in a 25ft steel home made thing) He didn't bother bringing any fresh clothes for Christmas. Nutter.

bel29
311 posts
14 Feb 2013 1:50AM
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Not sure whether this topic is even serious but there's a massive difference between open water sailing and sailing on Botany. In the other topic on crossing Botany bay guys are commenting on how swell can build up in the middle of the Bay. Rest assured that that's nothing compared to what you'd face sailing on open water...

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
14 Feb 2013 7:32AM
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bel29 said...
Not sure whether this topic is even serious but there's a massive difference between open water sailing and sailing on Botany. In the other topic on crossing Botany bay guys are commenting on how swell can build up in the middle of the Bay. Rest assured that that's nothing compared to what you'd face sailing on open water...


I'm serious about the topic, thus recommending caution. I used to sail in the ocean a lot but that's a while ago. Open water sailing a different level to bay sailing especially if the wind and swell picks up. There would not be many people capable of windsurfing from Newcastle to Botany Bay. That is a major undertaking.

There are many big lakes and bays around the place that are perfect for downwinders.

Milsy
NSW, 1176 posts
14 Feb 2013 9:37AM
Thumbs Up

hey, ha, your brother is a hell man roger,, now, everybody settle down, look if you think sailing from one point to another in an enclosed body of water is a big deal then i dont think your ready to tackle the ocean, ive sailed all over bot, heaps of people have, its no big deal to me, i would never think sailing from keemaugh to kurnell warrants a mention, but its ok and i think well done if this is something your working towards for yourself, as i said if you wanna work some confidence up in terms of sailing away from where you started, then botany is a good safe option with some long runs, if you want to get some confidence in the ocean........sail the ocean, its no big deal, its all windsurfing, the only real challenge of the ocean is the break, once your out past it, youve just got rolling swell to deal with, the further you go out, the more the swell changes direction, making it easier to bear through, personally, im pulling out of sailing with you guys, it appears people think its too big a deal, me, ill do it when i feel like it, pfffff," rest assure nothing like what youd face in open water", get real man, what are we gunna face? the worlds end,,,,,, although i do agree with stelsger, i have had problems with whales, there not malicious, but there massive, slimy and scary,,,,, powersloshin, moby, you guys should challenge yourself, sail all over bot, ive sailed with both you guys, your both magnificent and can easily do it, the only real concern is broken gear, everybody breaks gear, ive broken gear about 2km out to sea, in the middle of botany, canton, la perouse, still here and still happy to sail away from shore, my concern for you powersloshin is your gear, but in bot, its ok, theres land alround you.......this is something that really is no big deal, im sure when windsurfing attracted more people, braver people, they would be sailing from bryon to sydney, alot of my local heros have all done some long big sessions, ****, ol pete and me regulary sail from canton to entrance, ill tell ya a sweet run is start at keemaugh, and all the way out the heads at la perouse in ne, back your skills boys, in boxing terms you cant always work the bag, its time to start doing it for real, start easy, perhaps mundine, ha goodluck, c ya soon

actiomax
NSW, 1575 posts
14 Feb 2013 11:48AM
Thumbs Up

I would b interested if I can find time I've got a 6 seater truck could fit all boards in back as 1 vehicle I hope I'm fit enough & my gear would last night

sboardcrazy
NSW, 8072 posts
14 Feb 2013 12:07PM
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Roger303 said...
A few summers ago my crazy brother sailed his Hobie 18 single handed from Pittwater up past Newcastle to Port Stephens on Christmas Eve, arriving well after dark. On boxing day he shoved the boat off the beach and sailed back to Pittwater in a massive NE'r, full sail.(he previously circumnavigated the globe in a 25ft steel home made thing) He didn't bother bringing any fresh clothes for Christmas. Nutter.


Cripes that bad enough in a 32 ' yacht!

powersloshin
NSW, 1732 posts
14 Feb 2013 1:25PM
Thumbs Up

I think any downwinders/crossings in Botany can be handled by singles, all you need is to allow enough time to come back tacking if required, and make sure to do it in onshore conditions. A pfd would be the minimum needed, a mobile phone would also be extra security. For long rides in the ocean I think one should also have flares, possibly a marine vhf or even epirb (which I can get from my boat equipment). Then water, energy food, rope, extra strong rig. And the most important is to take off in the right conditions. How far you can go depends on the level of fitness and ability, but you will never know if you don't try. So I think if anyone is interested we should aim at a shortish run in the ocean for starting. Something like Coogee beach to Kyeemagh is about 10 miles, Manly to Botany about double....

JBFletch
QLD, 1287 posts
14 Feb 2013 12:58PM
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sailing from ramsgate/Kyeemagh to kurnell is no problem for a decent Bump and jump/slalom sailor.

i dont know why theres talk of a car??
as mentioned in another thread, i do the crossing a lot.

if you launch near, hollywood you can make it back no probs.
Ok its not a full down winder, but a loose reach both ways is pretty nice.

I'm in the planning process of doing brisbane - sydney for charity.

just not sure what kind of gear to do it on...

Rus13b
NSW, 271 posts
14 Feb 2013 2:00PM
Thumbs Up

This is a great idea. I have always wonted to sail from birubi, north end of stockton beach, across to nobbies in a howling westerly. Its about 25km & a dead straight run across or off the wind depending on Nw or SW.
What about doing it in a southerly, be ready when it hits & go before it gets ugly & its uphill but down wind lol.
swansea to red head for a short trial then a central coast beach to caves or swansea. caves to merewether bar beach. there is so many possibilities. I'm in for a ocean spin.

Milsy
NSW, 1176 posts
14 Feb 2013 3:12PM
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hey,, goodluck jb fletch, thats a great idea, i sometimes dream of sailing around australia, bringing the missus and circumnavigate the coast, camping, staying in some of the better places for a while, ha, it would take forever, wind direction and strength would be hard to rely on, different everywhere, but goodluck man, its a great idea,,,, yeah, in the eighties, ninties, people used to sail everywhere, with the better gear now, people prefer to overload and blast off, high perfomance,,, thinking about it, lake macquaire would offer some big enclosed sessions, probably better on formula, bryon and crew go all over that lake,,, a good one for some confidience in the experience, and can just rely on yourself, dont need to move car, is palmy, go out pittwater side, then sail around pittwater a bit, then out the heads at broken bay, then come in at palmy beach, then go back ha, sometimes you dont need much wind, but you can still find yourself feeling sweet sailing around a headland or something, the open water situation can feel real humbling, especially for the basic free rider,me, but its good, it brings all your spirit out and thats why remember those sessions much more than the sess you broke thirty etc,,, good luck all, to infinity.................. and beyond!

wendell
NSW, 147 posts
1 Mar 2013 2:37PM
Thumbs Up

Rus, you might want to check your protractor on that Birubi to Nobbys run in a NW - SW. Even in the best case, where the stations are reading NW (they're always more like WNW up there for some reason) the best you could hope for at the end of your first reach, even if you were trying to point upwind, would be something like 10kms directly downwind of Nobbys. New Zealand here we come ...
It would be great in a NE though for a wavesailing downwinder - slightly offshore at Birubi then gradually to nearly straight onshore at Stockton which is 30 kms away on the same long beach and across the harbour from Nobbys. It'd be okay done in reverse in a southerly.

Coincidently, I attempted my first downwinder for about 20 years on Sunday. There was a wave breaking just inside the heads at Port Stephens (Shoal Bay), about head high breaking in deep water, doesn't happen often, I've been wanting to sail it for many years. We played in that for a while (onshore wavesailing and an incoming tide so we wouldn't get sucked out the heads if we broke something) then headed off on a downwinder. Intended destination was Salamander Bay where my friend lives, 9kms away in a straight line. There's a shallow sand bank off Nelson Bay (the town) which is dry at times, you can see it on Google Earth, though you might want to check some of the historical images because some shots show it better than others. It's about 4kms inside the heads and it had a smaller wave. At times ocean swell gets in at least as far as Corlette. So we were intending to have some waves to play in on the way down. Short version is we didn't get far but it would have been good.

JBFletch
QLD, 1287 posts
1 Mar 2013 2:01PM
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i want to organise a proper race from palm beach (norther beaches) to botany.

foot flat to the floor, ledge to lancelin style.

would be awesome, except you'll have to start with a 7m sail on the northern beaches and then you'll need a 5m in botany.

im keen if anyone wants to trial it tho

evlPanda
NSW, 9204 posts
1 Mar 2013 6:25PM
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Mobydisc said...
How about the next weekend we get a seabreeze we organise a downwinder at Botany Bay from Kyeemagh to Dolls Point? All we really need are two cars, one at the start and one destination.


I'm in. PM me etc.

Only trouble I've found in open ocean with a large swell, even close to shore, are the wind shadows. It can be surprisingly difficult to get going again if you muff a gybe. You sink down during the trough, where there's absolutely no wind, then as the swell arrives you really sink sink, like drown, and then BAAAAM! Too much wind!!!. Repeat.

wendell
NSW, 147 posts
1 Mar 2013 8:03PM
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What are you objecting to Mr Red Thumb? If there's an error enlighten us.
Surely not my protractor joke? No-one is that delicate.

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
1 Mar 2013 8:20PM
Thumbs Up

wendell said...
What are you objecting to Mr Red Thumb? If there's an error enlighten us.
Surely not my protractor joke? No-one is that delicate.


Don't worry about red thumbs. People have different points of view but sometimes cannot articulate their view.

Distance sailing offshore in a howling westerly would be a very risking proposition. The wind gets stronger the further offshore you go. The swell gets bigger. If you break equipment or suffer an injury, next stop could be your last one.

AUS4
NSW, 1274 posts
6 Mar 2013 8:25AM
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With the poor quality of windsurfing equipment now days you will need a chase boat if you are doing a coast run.

WindWarrior
NSW, 1019 posts
6 Mar 2013 10:22AM
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Have sailed Shoal Bay to Bagnals Beach a fair few times now as a downwinder.
Works best in a Nor Easter and as Wendel pointed out, there can be some little bump and jump action along the way.
You basically work out how far off the wind you want to run... then simply point and shoot.

Have completed the downwinder on a range of boards and sails but always in a nor easter.

109 lt freestyle board with 5.4m wave sail and then again with a 4.7 wave sail
95 lt wave board with 6.2m wave sail
85lt wave board with 5.4m and 4.7m x 3 (three times)

I'll try and dig out an image of one of the tracks


Birubi to Stockton would be great in a nor easter as mentioned by Wendel.
Solid wind all the way with some great waves to play in along the beach... also you would never end up being to far off the beach for those concerned about breaking stuff.

Easy enough to get a 4wd support vehicle to accompany down along the beach (as long as its not a super high tide)

stehsegler
WA, 3479 posts
6 Mar 2013 8:43AM
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JBFletch said...
i want to organise a proper race from palm beach (norther beaches) to botany.


be prepared to sail quite a bit off shore. Having done this stretch on a racing yacht a few times I can tell you the is pretty sketchy close to shore. There is also a drop in the strength of the Seabreeze the further out you go.

Perhaps pick a few beaches along the way as emergency landings... the most iffy part would probably be Manly to Bondi. There is pretty much no way to get off the water along that stretch.

Perhaps start small and do Newport to Long Reef or Palmy to Long Reef. That's not too far.

Boris
261 posts
6 Mar 2013 2:28PM
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pffft. downwinder? I do up-winders.
Tacked from Melbourne to Devonport in a southerly.

Borris
5 posts
6 Mar 2013 3:54PM
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Ah Boris I see your early release for good behaviour must have come through.
I take it you have to wear the ankle monitor and stay 500m from any school or playground again

I thought your recent incarceration and well constructed, good natured and dare I say 'helpfull' posts were too good to be true.
I guess they were monitoring your computer use from the pedophile wing.

I think you may have got yourself confused with EyeMhardcore based on your last post.

Boris
261 posts
6 Mar 2013 4:30PM
Thumbs Up

Borris said...
Ah Boris I see your early release for good behaviour must have come through.
I take it you have to wear the ankle monitor and stay 500m from any school or playground again

I thought your recent incarceration and well constructed, good natured and dare I say 'helpfull' posts were too good to be true.
I guess they were monitoring your computer use from the pedophile wing.

I think you may have got yourself confused with EyeMhardcore based on your last post.



Ah dear cousin Borris. Pedophile jokes? Really?
That money that aunty spent on remedial school really hasn't paid dividends yet has it?

Whats tomorrows lesson? The letters 'G' and 'H'? Or "how many colours do apples come in?"

As for EyeMhardcore. As if. That dude (or maybe female) wishes he was me.
He makes irritating posts that are highly controversial. I bring the community together with insightful dialog.

wendell
NSW, 147 posts
6 Mar 2013 7:53PM
Thumbs Up

Good work Warrior.
I didn't realize you were such a Lake Wally!
You can see that bank off Nelson Bay I mentioned, where he has stopped for I assume a play in the waves. Was there any ocean swell on the bank that day or just wind chop?
You could do that Port run backwards in a westerly too. The westerlies in the Port are probably the best in NSW. (But sail Birubi if possible!)

Count me in on that Birubi to Stockton coast run.

Borrris
2 posts
6 Mar 2013 8:16PM
Thumbs Up

Boris said...
Borris said...
Ah Boris I see your early release for good behaviour must have come through.
I take it you have to wear the ankle monitor and stay 500m from any school or playground again

I thought your recent incarceration and well constructed, good natured and dare I say 'helpfull' posts were too good to be true.
I guess they were monitoring your computer use from the pedophile wing.

I think you may have got yourself confused with EyeMhardcore based on your last post.



Ah dear cousin Borris. Pedophile jokes? Really?
That money that aunty spent on remedial school really hasn't paid dividends yet has it?

Whats tomorrows lesson? The letters 'G' and 'H'? Or "how many colours do apples come in?"

As for EyeMhardcore. As if. That dude (or maybe female) wishes he was me.
He makes irritating posts that are highly controversial. I bring the community together with insightful dialog.



You are both tools. I'm the only one with style.
Please stop dressing like me and having the same hair style.

stehsegler
WA, 3479 posts
6 Mar 2013 10:38PM
Thumbs Up

Boris said...
Borris said...
Ah Boris I see your early release for good behaviour must have come through.
I take it you have to wear the ankle monitor and stay 500m from any school or playground again

I thought your recent incarceration and well constructed, good natured and dare I say 'helpfull' posts were too good to be true.
I guess they were monitoring your computer use from the pedophile wing.

I think you may have got yourself confused with EyeMhardcore based on your last post.



Ah dear cousin Borris. Pedophile jokes? Really?
That money that aunty spent on remedial school really hasn't paid dividends yet has it?

Whats tomorrows lesson? The letters 'G' and 'H'? Or "how many colours do apples come in?"

As for EyeMhardcore. As if. That dude (or maybe female) wishes he was me.
He makes irritating posts that are highly controversial. I bring the community together with insightful dialog.



talking to yourself again?



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Forums > Windsurfing   New South Wales


"downwinder" started by powersloshin