Hi all, I have sailed Woodies once, and am planning another go. Mission date: Thursday 28/10/10 9.30 ish, fellow adventurers welcome.
Any tips and pointers on:
Tide and depth:
launch site:
best wind:
watch out for:
share with us all a good story:
You don't want to know about white pointers at woodies but I will give you some tips!
Tide needs to be about .8m to get in close to the bank but even then needs a small weedie (26 or less) due to the weed beds.
Launch site is from the car park at the west end and sail round or sail to the north and walk across the spit.
Best wind is 25+ because most of the kites go home. Needs 20+ to make it worth going on to the run on the North side but fun can still be had on the West side in less just not a good speed spot.
Watch out for kites. Most days 20-30 on the run few of whom look before turning or doing some dangle trick. Makes the run a dodgem course. They also come right in to the bank so running close to the bank often not possible.
Wind on the run is offshore so will be a hard swim if you break something on the outside. Also very choppy at the top end of the run where you gybe. Do not go too far down the bar as there is a big wind shadow leading to a swim to get back out to the wind.
Stear clear of the tugboats and tankers else they will send a red topped boat out
to chase you
The Tankers will let of some steep faces and chop
Gearbreakage means a long 2-3 hour swim/drift.