VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I was at Esq Lagoon yesterday to look at the beach sculptures (amazing!) and the wind was pretty much west, off-shore 10-16 or so, but was surprisingly steady from the middle to the E end. I was thinking of this thread walking the length of the spit both ways. I'd guess mostly 12-14. It would have been no trouble for a floaty WS board and I think a kite could have worked the lulls without Hindenberging. My 112 l and 7.0 rig would have worked for sure. Flat water looked ideal for getting used to the foil!

A steady 12 and flat water is pure bliss on the foil. Wish there was a sensor anywhere near there.

Esquimalt harbour anemometer is maybe 1 km away from where you sail

Yes and i checked the graphs for yesterday i might have underestimated the upper end by a few knots. It was gusting 17 to 19 between 5 and 7 pm and i was there at 6. The lagoon atea is a few knots more that tbe harbour usually. Definitely an under-used venue.

Hmm I'd have thought in a westerly that the harbour sensor wouldn't give an accurate reading.
Being steps from the car is a major bonus with foil gear, I still haven't figured out a graceful technique to carry it in one piece.

Here is how the master himself does it on Maui! Thank you Robby Naish! I watched him carry it like this all the way from the beach to the Uppers parking lot. Would help being taller if you want to avoid stubbing your toe.

grantmac wrote:Hmm I'd have thought in a westerly that the harbour sensor wouldn't give an accurate reading.
Being steps from the car is a major bonus with foil gear, I still haven't figured out a graceful technique to carry it in one piece.

It's a pretty good proxy. If I see it gusting to 15-16 I usually go pump up a 12m for a fun kite-drift-kite session.

Ray that looks like a taller mast that I metre or maybe it's just perspective cuz it's uphill on the beach and closer to the camera. Still looks like a good way to cut your foot in half. Stubbing your toe? You could shave on the trailing edges, amputation actually more likely. I'll make two trips if I get one!

Robby is a shorter guy so maybe it just looks long? I will say that from the place the saiil rests on his head is the perfect balance point to make board and foil seem weightless. He did not look to be struggling with this technique at all!

My neck is happy with a two piece carry to the shore, then I flip the board and hold the foil mast while trying to keep from dragging the nose. Both my foil and board are heavy.

But I was out last night in 12-15kts with an old Naish 5.5 and having a great time. Early 2000s sails seem built to foil, tight leech and mono. I think I might add a cam to that one and possibly a few tube battens.

Got a chance today on the ocean side of the lagoon. Yep Esquimalt harbour sensor is a good proxy in NNE but the lulls are DEEP. Definitely nuke and puke but at least you can see the gust coming, bit better way out in the channel from the harbour.
Fun enough on a foil, super easy carry, dead flat and zero kelp.

Very tempted to try some hammer down slalom action in the lagoon at high tide in a SE.

-Grant

You'll find that SE rarely make it this far. It's often howling SE up Haro and blowing light NE from Esquimalt to Race Rocks. That said when it happens it's usually 30+ and pretty fun.

Really not much chop for 15g25 today so probably putting the hammer down on an uphaulable slalom board wouldn't be out of the question on the outside in a NE.
I just wanted to race a few cars....