Inversions and Explosions

I missed the big winds Wednesday, but the bay lit up again shortly after noon at Sebonac Inlet, and a crew was soon on it, sailing 3.7-4.2 (excepting a short misguided period when we rigged larger sails during the first huge lull.)  Scott, Jon, Bill, Bruce, CD, the Wolf, Peconic Jeff and a trio of kiters were all on it.   A friend of Jeff’s stopped by to express her interest in learning to windsurf…we looked out over the water as gusts ripped off the tops of waves and said “today isn’t the best day to start.”

The wind was up, the wind was down, the wind was way up.  Fortunately the gagging periods were short.   The crazy overpowered moments were short too (Shinnecock Inlet recorded a gust of 55…we probably caught 45 at that instant).   It was serious bump and jump…if your dentures weren’t glued in solid, out they came.

Anticipating the pounding with glee, Scott brought out a new piece of high-wind gear:  an inversion machine.   Get clamped into Dr. Kielt’s contraption, hang from your ankles, and let your spine and back muscles stretch and recover from all the flat landings and high-G jibes.

I tried it.  Felt great!   Particularly after my kapow.

Fully lit on a 4.0/77 liter board on port I was having a great time holding it all together (barely)…that crazy perfect zone when you’re at breakneck speed, totally focused to avoid catching a rail and getting slammed…when I heard a sound.

A bad sound.

It couldn’t have been more than a fifth of a second…that sound.  I’d never heard it before, a mid-pitched sharp scratch that said “something is about to break right now.”   I spent one tenth of a second guessing what (the boom was my thought) when there was a loud SNAP and I got slammed forward into the water.   “I broke the mast” I thought as I untangled myself beneath the sail.  On the surface my board was ten feet downwind, so I swam after that, then returned to the rig, which was not broken at all.   The clip holding my uni had released.

I use a two bolt Chinook with the sliding retainer clip.  I’m very, very careful about making sure the thing is properly seated (been sailing with them since the mid ‘90’s with never a seperation…not one) but during my sail switching (4.0, 4.5, 4.0) I had removed the uni to adjust mast track positioning, and obviously I’d rushed the reseating of the uni during the last tweak.   I won’t make that mistake again (I knock wood as I type!)

The waves were such that I needed to drift in to the shallows before I could get the uni back into the board.   But I finally did, and so sailed back from my high speed flip to invert more gracefully on shore.

(iWindsurf records quite the gust at the Shinnecock tower...probably 10mph higher than what we'd get on the deck of the bay.   Meanwhile CD hangs out whilst Scott, Bill and Jeff take a break.)

Comments

[catapulting_aaron]

Good times. You know, I've had friends have issues with the 2-bolt chinook bases not properly staying clipped and getting rig detachment on a few occasions.

Makes me think there really is no silver bullet. Just pay as close attention as possible to whatever mechanism you glue everything together with.

[Michael]

I've been using the two bolts (along with many of my friends) for ages. My conclusion is that the only time they don't stay clipped is when they weren't clipped in the first place.

Any base can be misconnected. The good thing about the twin bolters is that they ain't gonna separate from breakage or bolt loosing...one bolt might, but you know right away.

[Tonywind]

Mike, did you guys switched to 4/3 wetsuits?

[Michael]

Yes Tony (for those who have them...I blew my heavy wetsuit out a few days ago). The water is well above "ice cream headache" temps! I need to pick up a new heavy wetsuit asap...my drysuit was too hot frankly.

[scott k.]

4.3 suit was actually a little too warm with the great sunshine we had.no gloves and 1/2 the time no hood.two days in a row of nukin 4.2 all day,im wasted!

[ned crossley]

Reminds me to "Pause" and "Check." Thanks Mike for sharing.

That happened to me way back when in the Gorge in '88 before I had 2 bolt plates...didn't tighten it enough! Rig in hands, board going down wind, middle of river, and minimal skill. Did manage to re-attach...lucky and sail out of channel. Whew!

In rock climbing, the basic is assemble something...pause...check the final product then move on. This "pause" and "check" will save the day" many times over.

Ned