'Good on you' for yesterday.
Im hoping for a decent go today after Ive creatively fixed a worn out mast-track lever.
In zero wind I can achieve good progress by standing in front of the mast facing the stern, as though half way through a tack, with feet well apart firmly planted on each rail, and then rock the board by alternately pumping down with each leg. The centreboard and fin, arcing through the water, push the board forward; much the same as the 'peddle powered' Hobie kayak. And its way easier than air pumping!
HaHa, I used to do that with my DivII!
Very effective means of getting home in a dying Nor'easter 
Select to expand quoteAyreForce1 said..
In zero wind I can achieve good progress by standing in front of the mast facing the stern, as though half way through a tack, with feet well apart firmly planted on each rail, and then rock the board by alternately pumping down with each leg. The centreboard and fin, arcing through the water, push the board forward; much the same as the 'peddle powered' Hobie kayak. And its way easier than air pumping!
Hmmm... I thought I had tried that and decided it didn't work. Obviously I'm wrong there. I'll try it again. Thanks!
Heading out about noon today into 10-20kn southerly. All welcome
See you on Pittwater
Heading out about noon today into 10-20kn southerly. All welcome
See you on Pittwater
Hooley Dooley, was that an actual race that we just had? Borderline I know but I'm going to claim it anyhow. There was a start, a top mark and a finish! Three boards!
Look out, there'll be no space to rig on the grass next time.
Hi Pittwater crowd,
Are you up for The Peter Loft Marathon, a fundraising sailing race from the Bayview Yacht Racing Association at the southern end of the Pittwater up to and around Lion Island in Broken Bay and back. It is about a 20km course going around Lion Island.
http://www.byra.org.au/peter-loft-marathon/
www.byra.org.au/template/docs/Peter%20Loft%20Marathon.pdf
I think you will have a few visiting long boards coming for the race.
See you on the course!!
Select to expand quote<div data-canvas-width="107.96640000000001">SAILBOARDS
<div data-canvas-width="731.2466000000004">The following yardsticks are provided for guidance for handicapping sailboards in mixed fleet racing. Mixed
<div data-canvas-width="437.5925999999999">fleet results involving sailboards are urgently required, as these yardsticks have not been reviewed for many
<div data-canvas-width="43.1102">years.
<div data-canvas-width="87.5982">Class Sail Area sq.m. Yardstick/Lightweight Yardstick/Heavyweight
<div data-canvas-width="350.7912000000001">International Raceboard(Flat bottom planing boards)
<div data-canvas-width="16.7">7.5 max 97 99
<div data-canvas-width="32.2704">Division II Round bottom, displacement boards open class
<div data-canvas-width="25.099999999999994">7.3 max 102 104
<div data-canvas-width="209.8240000000001">Division II Funboards pre 1987
<div data-canvas-width="25.099999999999994">7.3 max 107 110
<div data-canvas-width="76.0778">Open Class
<div data-canvas-width="16.7">93
<div data-canvas-width="151.15959999999998">Windsurfer one design
<div data-canvas-width="25.099999999999994">6.5 max 112 116
<div data-canvas-width="174.46600000000004">Junior under 16 any board
<div data-canvas-width="25.099999999999994">6.5 max 115
<div data-canvas-width="171.49460000000002">Under 13 years any board
<div data-canvas-width="25.099999999999994">5.5 max 127
<div data-canvas-width="745.6388000000007">Weight is the sailor's dry weight fully equipped including harness and safety gear. Heavy weight is greater than 81 kgs. In wind strengths consistently over Force 4 (15 knots) the yardstick for heavyweight sailors shall be the same as the yardstick for lightweight sailors.
Select to expand quoteaus368 said..
Hi Pittwater crowd,
Are you up for The Peter Loft Marathon, ....
I'm certainly keen! Having not done any official racing for quite some time, I'm entirely out of the loop as far as memberships and insurances are concerned. Can anyone tell me what I need to do to comply with the insurance requirements for this race? Also as an extension to that, does anyone know the various stuff I would have to comply with for the upcoming Worlds in Brissy?
aus368, are you connected with BYRA? I would be interested in talking to someone about the possibility of starting a Longboard windsurfer division in the regular BYRA schedule. It would no doubt be a small class to start but I also wouldn't be surprised if such a division grew at a steady pace over a year or two.
I am not connected to BYRA just planning to come along on my raceboard. As it is run by a club affiliated with YA you may need to be a member of any affiliated club, not sure if AWA affiliation is enough. I race at DAC where we are affiliated with both. I'm sure BYRA would be welcoming to a new fleet.
I'm about to rig up to get into this Southerly before it gets too testing for my novice Raceboard skills.
Was wanting to go around the Lion but that might be too adventurous - unless of course others join me
to practice for the BYRA Marathon Sunday 2 May.
Yesterday was more like 15kn at 13:30 fading to 5kn at 16:30.
Today should be a bit stronger, hoping to get another go shortly after sealing up a boom smash into my 'foredeck'
Good luck and fair winds to all venturing out in the Peter Loft Marathon tomorrow.
Show 'em how it's done!
Select to expand quoteAdamAKC said...
Will any of you be heading out on Sunday?
Where do you launch from?
AdamKC,
Sorry for delayed response, hope you enjoyed the moderate SE winds yesterday. My repair to foredeck interfered with my desire to get out there.
Some launch from TaylorsPointRd; I launch from the SaltPanCk area. Down at the MonaVale southern end a good launch & rigging area is at BayviewPark opposite KingEdwardSt. SandPointLn at SandPt (southern PalmBeach) is also a good launch area. What type of sailboard do you have - in terms of ability to go upwind?
AyreForce1
Thanks for the info.
I have a Mistral Prodigy. I know it's not quite a longboard, but it does go upwind.
Adam,
We are keen for as many as possible to grow the Pittwater Longboarders 'club'. Maybe it should have been titled 'Pittwater Sailboarders' - but it appears to be working so we don't want to change our 'Topic' header.
From my experience, a Windsurfer OneDesign, in a moderate 10 to 15kn NEast or South breeze, takes about 2 hours (+/- 15min) to sail from Bayview to WestHd return.
The wind is of course quite variable along Pittwater's length; so it suits boards that have good upwind and downwind ability so you don't get stuck in a low wind area in an outgoing tide (especially up near the entrance headlannds).
Ok.
I'll watch this space to see when people are heading out. Hopefully can get down sometime.
Raceboard & D11 will be out about 3pm to 5pm today vicinity Scotland Is to StokesPt
What an awesome and unexpected sail that was! A nice steady 15 -18+ that then eased back to 12 -15, then 10 -12.
AyreForce, shame you missed the earlier stronger bit. I was a tad overpowered and thinking of going in for a changedown for a while there. p.s. You were sailing fast today!
Looks like a repeat is possible tomorrow and Friday! The autumn that thinks that it is still summer. No complaints from me!
Getting the jump on the potential for some organised racing next season, AyreForce and I have been talking through some of the possible options. I'm putting it out here to gauge the interest level.
I think that realistically, a continuance of the 'call it on the day depending on the weather' approach is doomed to stagnate and falter and never really have a chance of building. I think that a regular weekly race with a laid course, a starter, results etc.. is really the only way forward if we are to actually get races happening. Following on from that, the most direct and reliable path to this humble nirvana would be to jump on board with one of the existing sailing clubs in Pittwater.
Possibilities would be BYRA, Avalon Sailing Club, RPAYC, and perhaps even the Pittwater Cat Club.
I would personally strike RPA off as being a bit (erhem..) costly, and geared more towards other aspects. No worries.
Pittwater Cat Club is a very laid back and welcoming club, I've raced beach cats with them recently. Although we have only one hull, they might be interested despite some constitutional infringement. They race on Saturday's which clashes with The DAC so may not be the best choice. Other than that though....
BYRA and the ASC both race dinghy's around triangles on Sunday's, their membership fees are reasonable. Perhaps I'm mistaken but it's hard to imagine them turning away a new division that landed on their doorstep, if it showed promise of actually getting some patronage.
SO..... Who would be interested? I'd like to approach these two clubs with the idea. I'd really like to be able to say we have half a dozen interested sailors.
Guys? Girls? Now's the time. Speak up. yes/no thoughts/modifications praise/abuse...
I'm currently a member of RPA and have been for many years, but I agree it may not be the best (cheapest) choice for Sunday racing. They do run a very good winter regatta, 1 Sunday a month for 4 months may till Aug. This would be a good way to get started.
I would say BYRA would be a good choice. I know both BYRA and ASC would have storage issues but BYRA has better access and rigging area if driving your board to the club. BYRA has previously run WOD regattas and had a sailboard division for a short time. PCC has access/ parking issues at the best of times.
That's my 2c. Unfortunately because of uni workload I can't see myself doing any regular racing until a) I find a D2/ longboard and b) uni's finished. 
Another outside the box idea would be RMYC. They are always looking at getting a small boat program going, but in the long run BYRA or ASC would offer the easiest integration.
I'd be interested in Sunday's. The club that sets their course in the Main section of Pittwater ( Scotland Island, Longnose etc) would be better than the fluky Bayview course.
i'd be keen on the course in the main section of Pittwater for Sundays. The wind around Bayview might be a little too fluky for a formula board..
Hot. That's 4 interested. Myself, Ayreforce, Aus381 and seano.
I'll just let this idea mature a few more days on this thread to see if anyone else shows interest. Next week I'll contact Avalon Sailing Club and see how we go.
Nice one.
Select to expand quoterob134 said...
I'll in for the Peter Loft marathon tomorrow! Could be a good Raceboard fleet.
Rob - nice Exocet missile youve got there.
In our chat after the marathon you said you'd be interested in Longboard racing on Pittwater on Sundays.
Is BYRA your preferred choice should we choose to align the group with one of the local clubs?
