el nino

so it's looking grim if you need to plane to enjoy windsurfing.

I've got a 9'8" sup and a 5.8m for the 0-8 knot days so more than covered for the light stuff.

the el nino thing has me wondering.

I used to think we would get more wind during la nina years but I've been taking some notice the last 5-6 years and it seams the neutral years tend to get the good winds.

bom has recently released a forecast for a strong el nino so the sub tropical ridge will sit further north than normal. ie. what we are getting now. lots and lots of highs, no rainfall and fine conditions. they are predicting possibility of strong droughts.

looking at the models there seems to be no let off in the lack of wind for the next few weeks at least. I wonder whether the STR pushing north means we will get more westerlies this year as the lows can venture further north.

time will tell I guess.

12.5m is a serious piece of cloth.

unless you are on the race course i think it's overkill. i found anything bigger than 10.5m overkill on the formula gear for general sailing. going bigger won't get you planing earlier. changing fins will.

actually even an 8.5m and the right fin will plane as early as the 10.5m, just won't go to windward as well or as deep off the wind.

try some different fins.

food for thought more than anything.

yeah seems to be the thought for you guys,

not so sure for us.

0-10 look after the kids
10-15 try to plan a head for a sail
15+ lie to the wife and go for a sail

I've always associated el nino with good NE seabreezes.

I want to build one of these for my light wind setup:

I'm with you togalog,

I'm really enjoying the light winds and perfect weather at the moment.

mountain biking with the kids, windsurf lessons with the kids, surfing, suping, supsailing with the family....... every weekend is an adventure. the surf is better in light winds so it is all more fun. all of those slalom heads with the old 5.8m sail in the garage you don't use.... buy a sup and go wave sailing.

lately I'm scanning the forecasts for 2-3ft 5-10knot SW winds. yeah!!!!

a few months back I was at Peregian Beach catching waves with my 5.8m sail long after the kiters kites had fallen from the sky.

Yeah same Tagalog we went supping at Currumbin Gold Coast Saturday and Sunday. The lagoon was crystal clear Saturday, loads of bait fish and over a hundred chopper tailor just lolling around in the lagoon. Was spectacular, never seen anything like it there before (so many fish that is ) plenty of suppers though great to see so many out enjoying the sport.

everywhere on the sunny cost at this time of year is one shade away from green island so it's beautiful.

cross offshore is more fun because the sail is powered up the whole ride and the power increases as the apparent wind does. it's a faster ride with real top turns. on the way out cross off is a broad reach for jumping.

cross onshore is slower and the sail losses power during the transitions especially the top turns which are more carved because the sail is kind of in the way.

when the wind is onshore it makes the waves mushy and when the wind is offshore it makes the waves stand up longer. so an offshore light breeze is perfect for the waves. onshore breeze also makes the waves bigger and closer together which for us occasional wavesailers is harder to deal with. plus getting out in an onshore breeze is way more difficult so you spend a lot of time getting messed in the shorebreak.

you can go anywhere. beach breaks can produce quality waves. I've had many many postcard perfect session along in beach breaks. the difference between the reef and the beach break is the length of ride usually. depends on the wave and the swell direction.

Caloundra bar with an incoming tide from a SW-W is cross offshore
Pincushion with an incoming tide from SW-NW is cross offshore
Mudjimba during a southerly is cross offshore-crossshore
Neil St in a SE is cross shore.

they are the pick locations for the southern end of the sunny coast. you can go anywhere when the wind is 5-10knots because you are catching waves the surfers are chasing.

the points can be a problem due to swirling winds. even in light 5 knot winds if it's swirling around from a point you're better off ditching your sail for a paddle. very occasionally you can find a point that gets a natural cross offshore effect in a SE wind.

on the gold coast. there are a few very good options as well.

Many thanks Gestalt" I'm sure you've just saved me many hours of driving and frustration..You should knock up an atlas. I'd buy one" cheers togalog"