Got my gear, now what?

[nanmoo]

So Chris kindly hooked me up with a 155L Go Board, and a 7.0ish and 5.0ish sail (from memory, can't recall exactly).

The board came with a race fin and a shorter fin.

So what sort of wind (direction and speed) should I be watching for, with what sail and what fin to head out there and figure this out?

I live pretty much at Esquimalt town center, so I was thinking esquimalt lagoon is probably closer than Willows beach. Flex day on friday, so I am hoping to make that my maiden Voyage, pending wind but not storm.

Thanks for any Info.

[KUS]

pretty open to the world questions there, dood, but for now:

-best wind directions are indicated on the (colored wind predictions table) forecast pages at the top for each weather site
-Friday will be SE at Willows, probably best for you, but it is supposed to rock so smallest sail and fin u got there;
-don't learn at Esquimalt as current/tide, swirly unreliable winds have had some folks swim a fair bit, best wind there is S or SSW, not W or SW! also strong SE work and would be ok as they are onshore
-best places to learn in Vic are Willows on a SE, Elk Lake on a W, Island View on light SE, Cordova Bay (Agate Park) on a NE (cold tho), Pat Bay on W, Nitinat Lake on sunny summer days
-Caddy Bay works, is safe but is swirly, gusty

All the other spots have issues you may not be prepared for as a beginner. Don't sail alone, don't learn in winter, have a good suit, all that other good stuff

[thankgodiatepastafobreaky]

Esqimalt Lagoon is a good place to learn to windsurf. W247, my girlfriend and I learned there. The east side of the lagoon closer to the bridge end, where there is a little island is the best spot. you can actually stand in waist deep water which was good for learning to waterstart - on a west wind. The wind is gusty sometimes - which can be frustrating but you can't go anywhere or get stranded. If you learn to sail in there in the flat gusty water you will graduate to the ocean where there it is less gusty but more wavy and love it.

Wait for a strong west forecast, Good luck.

ps - do not drink that water even accidentally as there are many many birds pooping in there.

but if any kiter newbies are reading this, Esquimalt Lagoon is avery bad, dangerous place to kite. I learned to kite there by the skin of my teeth, and watched about 5 other people get rescued by coast guard. the gusts would come along and shoot the kite way back above your head, and then as the gust passes the kite falls out of the sky- sometimes after you've been picked up and thrown into the ocean .

[Sandy Beach]

I remember about 10 years ago, apres a windsurfing session in the lagoon, I got a skin infection on my neck under my rash guard from all of the bird poop. Pretty gross. The bottom is really mucky too, and you'd want to wear booties if you go. That was my last time venturing into that water.
It can get pretty stagnant in the lagoon, and Elk Lake would probably be a better place. Or, the ocean side of Esquimalt is okay too...there's usually lots of observers with binoculars and finger on the dial to call the coast guard, if you get in trouble.
Refer to the Wiki for Esquimalt Lagoon for more info.
Nitinat is by far my favourite place to learn.
Good luck.

[Sandy Beach]

Sooke Basin is a pretty good place to learn too.

[downwind dave]

i think you are in for a workout! SE in the lagoon should be relatively safe, probably the small sail/fin combo. watch a few how to waterstart clips on youtube to get you in the zone.

[windsurf247]

Big SE forecast for Friday. I'd try the lagoon. It'll be pretty big everywhere else and a SE is actually half decent in the lagoon. Don't go in the ocean there though. You'll get eaten by a giant log strewn shorebreak.

The lagoon itself will be dead flat and blowing straight offshore (towards Royal Roads). Just try to stay close to the beach and you should be OK.
At the lagoon on a SE, you want to try to sail parallel to the beach (perpendicular to the wind).

In a lot of wind, it will be hard to sheet the sail in. Here's a trick you can try until you get comfortable with sheeting in. Position your board across the wind (parallel to the beach) with the sail on the downwind side of the board. Hop onto the board and put your feet shoulder's width apart on either side of the mast. Uphaul the sail. Push through your toes to keep the board flat. Once the sail is up, place both hands on the mast (below the boom) and let the sail wave freely like a flag. This is called the neutral position.

Slowly tilt the rig towards the back of the board until you feel some pressure in the sail. You should start moving. Once you're moving comfortably, you can put your back hand on the boom and then your front hand if you wish.

You can steer the board in the neutral position as well. Lean your rig back or pressure your back foot to go upwind (towards the beach in this case); lean your rig forward or pressure your front foot to go downwind (away from the beach). In light wind, you'll have to lean the rig a lot. In heavy wind, just feather it lightly or you'll get yanked!


That should keep you busy.......for Friday anyways

I'd use the small sail and fin until you're comfortable with the basics. A big sail will be a burden at this point in the learning curve - especially uphauling Make sure you have lots of downhaul.

Good luck.
Rob

[nanmoo]

Well Friday just got pushed to Saturday, so hopefully the wind is still decent that day. Monday off now instead of Friday so I will also hope for good conditions then. I am pretty darn excited.

[BK]

I know what you can do with all of that gear....SELL IT! and buy a Kite Just kidding...

[nanmoo]

Well Friday was a bust, the wind came late, and the Wind Warning has already ended.

Hoping for some wind tomorrow now!

[KUS]

well, actually the wind was from 1030-1300 and the model was a bit off but you can still get a pretty decent sense (if not always 100% accurate in terms of timing) whether there will be any wind.....check the wind forecast table....there is no wind today, nothing really, and a chance of a SE on Sunday. Island View or perhaps super light Willows locally

Well, the 7 might work at Kook Street in the afternoon, there is a light SW right now 16kn.

[nanmoo]

So I was watching the wind today, and just after noon the leaves were a rustling at my house (Esquimalt and Admirals approx) so I figured I'd head out to Esquimalt Lagoon and hope for the best.

Got there around 1-130 and It was blowing a steady 10 to 15 knts. Which was way more than I expected, and with my 6.x sail, was maybe going to scare me a bit.

Nevertheless, I geared up (which still takes me forever) and got out there at the East end of the Lagoon. The tide was low and heading out, and the wind was out of the W / SW, so that was a bad place to start, getting pushed towards the bridge and the sand bars posing real obstacles. After a little while sorting out my balance I figured out tacking pretty well, and made it about halfway up the lagoon before the wind died more or less. The tacks weren't pretty, but I got going decent at times, and they worked. Was able to tack and change direction without dropping the rig, again it was ugly though, but worked.

All and all I was pretty stoked about how I did. Hoping for some wind tomorrow to go try it again!