Anyone who braved yesterday's conditions can call themselves a windsurfer. Brown shorts weather in the gusts.
Jeffs efforts can only be applauded. John handled the conditions with aplomb.
I got smashed around a lot.
Today was MUCH better, went sailing with John over at Bongaree in the morning in 5.5 & 6.0
Jeff Adam and I sailed sandstone point this afternoon and we had much more success in the 15-25 knot conditions.
Im tired after all this sailing 
Rigged a six, changed to a 7.5 and then the wind kicked in. 
Adam was out there planing, in the harness and in the foot straps, amazing considering he's only had weeks of sailing.
Jeff was was out on the carve 131 and 7.5 and revelled in the conditions.
Sadly we we all had to give it away and went home.
Select to expand quotejirvin4505 said..
Breakthrough day today.
Been working on and off in getting a handle on the 131 Carve for few years (callout to Tilldark for the board - thanks).
Had it on the back burner until Tony had success with it last trip to Cootharaba and raved about how good it felt
I couldn't get it going - something in my technique would cause it to start snaking out of the water as I ran downwind trying to get it on the plane
With yesterday's big winds I got it going in obviously overpowered wind and Knarly water conditions but never really got locked it and flying with control
Well today ....Got its skirt well and truly lifted
The big winds predicted didn't develop while I had a window to sail (kids to collect. )
Went out on shallow incoming tide with a big weed fin and 7.5 sail Ezzy lion. I could get into plane on long downwind runs but never felt powered up or could make upwind ground when on the plane
After coffee and debrief with Pete I went back out with a 48 fin(bit limited on small Tuttle sizes). Wind had started building again and it all became easy - wahoo
What i have learnt to do is let the board run much deeper off the wind and not load up the fin. Keeping pressure in the sail as speed developed and then a shove forward and it's away 
A few good long planing runs in the straps - a couple of peddle to the metal experiences 
Now I know it's early days - always a keen beginner- but I'm not sure where the carve fits in with regards to sailing experience. It wasn't the hiked out on the rails blasting experience that I get on the jPSLW and Stingray with powered up big sails driving the fin. I had to be carefull not to overload the fin on the carve - Pete says lots of weed around?
Did loose the fin a couple of times but managed to get off it and bring it back.
Ended up on same sail size as Pete (usually a metre bigger) happy about that.
Very happy- just love the sport 
Great Read Jeff Woo Hoo
Great effort Jeff, Pete and Adam. Are you guys on a rest day today or sailing this arvo?
Great afternoon at Turners Camp. Gentle winds - flat water
Coffee and Xmas cake with my mate Pete after a lovely time getting my fat boys board going
Life is great - Couple of solid runs in both straps.
147L 94 wide 242cm long - have I now officialy ridden a shortboard??
Cheers Jeff
Select to expand quotejirvin4505 said..
Great afternoon at Turners Camp. Gentle winds - flat water
Coffee and Xmas cake with my mate Pete after a lovely time getting my fat boys board going
Life is great - Couple of solid runs in both straps.
147L 94 wide 242cm long - have I now officialy ridden a shortboard??
Cheers Jeff
What's that Jeff - you look like one of those real windsurfer dudes - How cool is that AND IN BOTH STRAPS. I feel like have been left behind mate your progress has be been exponential.
What fin and sail combo?
Cheers
Morgan
Hey Morgs you can't trust me yet - no video evidence
Yep feel that I'm making progress. Able to get going on the carve 133 and now an official shortboard - time to learn to turnaround?
The board is early Xmas present from my beautiful Jane
It's an upgrade?? from the jpSLW. Thanks to Waterloo-Starboard ultrasonic - fat boys board so I can plane when all the go fast boys are waiting for wind
Well I exaggerate - don't really get going any earlier but I get going
It going to be a great summer at Elanda
Cheers Jeff
Ps fin was 56cm - used it as it was low tide, pointed upwind well when I got going. Sail Ezzy 8.5 - had to use it instead of my 9.5 as I left big boom at home
Of course Pete was out on 8.2 and having heaps of fun on his Thomomen XL course board - he's an inspiration
Doesn't he look good with that supersonic?
we got to turners camp low tide and Jeff didn't have his boom for his 9.5 although the wind was 7.5 at the time 
so we rigged 8.5 Ezzy Panther for Jeff and I rigged a 8.2 Ka koyote for me to try as a replacement for my 8.5 retro with the busted 490 mast.
When we first went out the wind was perfect, some huge gusts and a couple of lulls but altogether powered up 8 meter nor Easter conditions.
John was across the passage sailing an Ezzy 7.5 on a jp superlight and flying.
Jeff got on that supersonic and he was away like a startled gazelle........in control and looking fast!
the turns weren't too flash but once he got going again he was really going.
After about an hour the wind started to drop.
We both had to contend with a bit of slogging but the gusts were still worth it.
I had boom problems so changed booms and the wind dropped more.
It was pretty well flukey after that so we had coffee.
Jeffs and his new board have all the attributes to provide some potentially seriously good sailing this summer.
My new second hand KA 8.2 fits on a 460 and will save me buying yet another new mast.
Select to expand quoteDwbh said..jirvin4505 said..
Great afternoon at Turners Camp. Gentle winds - flat water
Coffee and Xmas cake with my mate Pete after a lovely time getting my fat boys board going
Life is great - Couple of solid runs in both straps.
147L 94 wide 242cm long - have I now officialy ridden a shortboard??
Cheers Jeff
What's that Jeff - you look like one of those real windsurfer dudes - How cool is that AND IN BOTH STRAPS. I feel like have been left behind mate your progress has be been exponential.
What fin and sail combo?
Cheers
Morgan
Looks great Jeff! Now you've upgraded, are you interested in selling your JP SLW? Am looking at one in WA so it's all good if you're not interested, but thought I'd ask. Otherwise, hope to see you at Jeff Point over Christmas. Cheers mate, Jack.
Hi Jack
The Slw in WA looks awesome - good price also
My SLW - will hang onto it as I transition. Must admit a bit of a queue for it when i sell. You would think there would me more around given how much we enjoy these boards on lightwind days.
I did read in UK that if your good at getting going a large Isonic will do the trick. Me I need all the help I can get
Cheers Jeff
Yep watching the forecast. The promised wind in the morning has gone and I'm on afternoon shift
This afternoons sailing was unfortunately on a falling tide but fortunately on strengthens winds.
Adam was trying out his brand new funster for the first time and it reminded me of Jeff trying out his supersonic yesterday for the first time- great runs, spectacular crashes and tiring uphauls.
John pad, on the other hand was trying to come to terms with a bigger sail in the gusts. Long runs, spectacular crashes, and tiring uphauls
I had another session working out how to tune my new second hand koyote 8.2 a bit Tiring with the low tide and a weed fin.
We all had success and we all fun.
Select to expand quotewaricle said..
Tomorrow looks good for a large ultrasonic or a smaller carve 
Select to expand quotejirvin4505 said..
Hi Jack
The Slw in WA looks awesome - good price also
My SLW - will hang onto it as I transition. Must admit a bit of a queue for it when i sell. You would think there would me more around given how much we enjoy these boards on lightwind days.
I did read in UK that if your good at getting going a large Isonic will do the trick. Me I need all the help I can get
Cheers Jeff
Thanks Jeff...see you at the lake mate. Cheers, Jack.
Another lucky day today, I rigged a 6 m sail to sail off woorim beach and before I even put the boom on the mast broke.
John was with me and said " how lucky are you that that didn't happen half way out to the shipping channel"
i am indeed very lucky.
it was a 80% sunshine 460 and it broke right at the join on the base of the insert, the top was ok.
so I rigged again and we went out but there was still a pucker factor happening and I only had a short session.
John makes it look so easy out there in that swell and slop.
Hi Adam sandstone looks good tomorrow. I'm in afternoon shift and need to be Southside in the morning.
I'm sailing off RQ beach from 9ish
Cheers Jeff
It's Southside manly harbour where Royal Queensland RQ yacht club run the learn to windsurf program
Desperation sailing after hanging around for real estate agents I finally made it to the water with the tide well and truly on the way out. The wind was 11-13 with gusts of 15
Rigged a 8.2 and a 40 weed fin on the naish 140, had one run across to the jetty and on the way back the fin bottomed so fitted the 20 cm weed speed and went back out till it bottomed out 
Hi its been a while since I updated my progress.
Put together a video on todays sailing with John pad and adam roofer at Phillip St Beechmere.
Hard work today, which came as a bit of a reality check after the lovely flat water sailing I had earlier this week.
Chasing the wind -4 different venues this week.
The video is made so that i can get some feedback on my style - lots to work on 
It came about after joining in a discussion on the iwindsurf forum. Discussing Front Foot First FFF or Back foot First BFF.
I've got a foot in both camps. Main issue is I feel ive adopted BFF as a defensive strategy and would like to be FFF.
However still getting the odd catapult when I FFF as compared to BFF. The problem is getting the rear foot safely in after FFF.
Received a few the hints and tips.
-Lower Boom
-Get out off the rail
- Stop looking at footstraps and harness hook.
-Practice Front foot then Back foot without hesitating (much per Guy Cribb pdf)
Doing my best to take them onboard and realign a few habits
Dropped the boom 3" - gentle does it- I'm at the lower side of 3 on the ezzy cutout. Tried even lower but very uncomfortable.
Measured my lines against my arm. Easily fit my elbow and fore arm in with 1/2" space above my palm - maybe a little long 30-32".
Much easier to hook in and less tippy toe when i get going. Had much more space and freedom to manoeuvre on the board when getting on the plane.
Now to address why I have boom high - weight on the rail when Im planing. Re read Guy Cribb pdf on stance and practiced getting into his suggested bum out position. Seemed to work with lower boom- able to get the board flying.
So back to practicing FFF then getting back foot in. I can FFF - need help with BFSecond.
So yes much practice and timing needed. Crashed and stalled a lot today. Can see some improvements.
Did some runs with back foot out.
The wind developed to overpowered later in afternoon. Decided to test myself with being in control in overpowered conditions. Reverted to BFF - so much power I was getting onto plane just by sheeting in while pointing upwind. Went very much better than yesterday - wahoo. Got the board flying across the chop, weight down low - simply exhilarating 
.
Unfortunately battery had died - no video.
Some footage 
of todays efforts
Welcome back Jeff - good to see
Nice right up and great video mate
It must be the year - I too am struggling with back straps - moved them in to get in the habit again
Cheers
Morgs
I agree Morgs, I suggested same to Jeff yesterday arvo. My new board has a pulled in tail with a lot less volume so I leave my rear straps inboard for stability and creep my feet back out of the straps if I really want to load up the fin.
Thanks for the feedback Morgs and John - much appreciated
Spent a couple of days rest going back through the youtubes on getting stance correct and how to FFF then BFS
Hey Jeffery.
That video you have above is the one I found helped me the most. Particularly when I was struggling to find the back strap on the formula board at Christmas time.
I was initially trying to keep the board planning and smooth and found that if I missed the split second slip of foot into the back strap, I would dip my heel or lift my weight to try again ending up being catapulted, time and time again. Body was too upright and found it was a small margin for error.
Taking the advice of the video, what I am doing now if front foot in as shown, point upwind a fair bit, drop my body weight, rig forward, back foot straight in then immediately bear away a down wind. I do stall a bit doing this and it might require a few back hand pumps, handy if you can do it on the back of a bit of swell too.
Main thing is it feels much more safe and stable. Very few catapults due to back foot now, as the rig is depowered briefly and not trying to pull you forward. Really helps the confidence.
Hope that makes some kind of sense?
Thanks Brad. Thanks to the PMs offering support.
If the wind would settle down a bit i may be able to get some decent practice in. Blown off the water 2 days in a row.
Haven't really found a solution for gusty 20knt choppy conditions.
Reviewing the footage - Choking the boom = I hold my arms too wide on the boom and wear myself out pulling on the boom.
I have been paying more attention to harness line placement so that i can relax more.
Footstraps Feedback = move them in- yep will do. After looking at my feet in the stingray straps- time to show the old board a little love and replace the straps. Put them inboard - yes.
Went out again this arvo (thanks to my beautifull wife Jane for doing the kids run) Blown away again. Took my small board out.
It was all i could do was hang on for one run. Gusty offshore. Couldn't get started in the wind-shadow - bum sailed out to the windline. Only to discover i had probably rigged 1 or 2 metres too big. Didn't get comfortable enough to practice anything much. It was all I could do to make it back to shore before the tide and wind took me away.
Work is going to interfere with sailing over the next few days. Time to reflect and recover.
So have you figured out which one to stick with Jeff? The carve, the exocet or the mistral?
What's going on Jeff last time I saw you sail you were smashing it on a big Isconic at Lake W!
I may sound like an old woman aka broken record here.....
Stop changing your gear over! Your slowing your progress up so much by changing boards all the time, different boards behave massively different to each other, and some require slightly different techniques to get the best out of them, you looked much better on the 2nd board, sting? It probably suits the bumpier water and stronger winds also.
The tips as above you have been given are spot on, hang 'out' off the board not 'down' off the lines, it's not kitesurfing!
There is no debate about which foot first, front front front... it's the front foot mast pressure that does everything for you, you can easily sail without the back foot in all day if you like, but not visa versa. Back foot first is an extreme wind start small boards.
If you feel like your getting catapulted a lot , check that your rigged correctly, downhaul, and also that your sail isn't too big for the conditions.
Sunday looks windy , WW is at GB good place to sort out the bits and bobs, and flat water normally.
Had a great day at Golden Beach at the Windwanderers meetup. Good to share the vibe with fellow windsurfers.
Went out on my lightwind gear. The wind filled in and and ended up a little overcooked however had fun getting there.
Had my battles with the tide getting going at times.
If you can make it from bank to bank and don't fall off its a premier venue.
Loved the flat water.
After a week of falling off practicing Front foot first FFF I decided I just wanted a day of blasting and working on my stance.
Enjoy....
