My Training Blog

6th October 2009 FIRST ATTEMPT

Dear All,

Well, it has been a while since we last posted an update, however, I assure you we have been busy!

Briefly looking back to September 2008, we had a pretty windless month with a few unusual westerly low pressures coming through and just one viable opportunity with SW winds which couldn’t be made. This was hugely dissappointing and forced has to wait for a new season.

Since that time much has happened in our lives:

1) My daughter arrived (now 1 year old!)

2) My brother’s son arrived

3) I folded my ankle in training

4) James folded his ankle in competition.

All of these factors caused further delays beyond May 2009 which was the original date for our planned first attempt. As we recovered our fitness and overcame the sleep deprivation associated with small babies through the summer months, we witnessed some incredible conditions with frequent sequential days of winds of F5 plus.

So there you have a brief history of where we came from. By late August, we were all back in peak fitness and ready on stand-by for the challenge. Waiting with eager anticipation we were frustated with the September winds (It seems the hurricane season in the Atlantic has been particularly poor for windsurfers this year…although you’ll note that the national news doesn’t make mention of the ‘very few hurricanes in the Carribean region’) and as the day light hours reduced we thought our window of opportunity would allude us for yet another year.

With literally days to go before the ‘on stand-by’ of the team was stood down (!), a reasonable opportunity appeared on the Big Salty weather forecast. It should be said that we were quite nervous about the conditions since it wasn’t a typical SW direction low pressure and the conditions preceding and following the target day were quite different running the obvious risk that the prediction accuracy may deteoriate.

Anyway, we had to go for it, the built-up to this event has been long and hard and the kind generosity of all our supporters has always been at the back of our minds. So there it was - the 6th October (my daughter’s first birthday!)

With everyone committed the action plan commenced. The support team headed over to Yarmouth the evening before with all essentials on board the speed boat since lack of water in Christchurch would prohibit the large boat from leaving berth. Meanwhile, the three brothers double checked all equipment and furiously ‘carbed up’ on any pasta we could lay our heads on!

That night we all slept badly - the nerves regarding dangers and concern over the forecast persisted. Waking at 4:30am after a broken night, I collected by bothers and Jim C (our return driver) just after 5am and headed over to Lymington where we were to launch heading clockwise.

We rigged in the dark under the headlights of the van and were lucky not to receive any heavy downpours during this time. At first light (7:10am), we called through to the support team and went for it. With light rain and SSW wind, the situation looked promising with all three of us up on the plane from the outset.

This start was a huge relief for all of us and from my perspective, it would just so good to get moving and relax into the job ahead. Within the first 10 minutes, I was thinking this is going to be fine at this pace…bring it on.

15 minutes later, I think some other sentiments crossed our minds. The wind dropped right off and the rain hardened and we were limited to an 8 knot headway coming into sight of the Lepe beach headland. After a brief rendezvous with the entire team we agreed to push on through into the Southampton water inspite of moving at such a pace. Our biggest concern was the lack of visibility and the fact that our slow pace limited our ability to escape the path of large vessels.

Thankfully our timing was good given all ferries appeared to be in port and one very large container ship was closer to Ryde. However, with the wind getting increasingly light and the rain still there, the wind shifted around and pushed all three of us further north. All of this sailing off the plane (and in and out of the harness lines) meant we were burning unneccessary energy and the lack of movement wasn’t helping heat retention.

As we closed in on Portsmouth the wind was still not favourable and we needed to make a careful team decision given the freight and ferry traffic in the area. We decided to land on a shingle penisula just west of the harbour mouth. On the beach, we refueled and checked the Big Salty latest weather forecast updates. The prediction was for a wind shift back to SW and pick-up to Force 5. This would have been perfect if it weren’t for the fact we would need to wait for an hour and half.

We waited…it rained, and then it rained heavier.

After around an hour on the beach and within constant contact with the boat offshore, it was clear we were loosing valuable time. The tide had now turned pushing the support boat back into Southampton water while on the drift. This was not good news, we were 2 hours behind our planned schedule to pass Bembridge point and we now had a situation of wind against tide and very little wind at that.

The situation became impossible and it was unfortunate that from such a confident start we became confined to a key decision in a less than salubrious circumstance, in the rain on a remote shingle bank. Needless to say, the attempt was aborted. We derigged and moved onto the boat and headed back.

In spite of this failure, we have learnt so much and this goes for the boat support team as well. I want to say thank you at this point to Andy and Jim L for their committed resolve to see the attempt through showing such enthusiasm in all their planning and support of the windsurf team throughout the day.

This IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY. We are still positive that this huge challenge can be overcome and we will try again in the New Year once the day light hours extend again, drawing on our experience gained. So with your support we will keep the Just Giving account open until later in 2010 when we will succeed.

This next time around we will go counter-clockwise as per our original plan given some technical benefits I won’t explain here.

Finally, I’d like to extend a thanks to:

Penny W - for lending out the Isonic 111

Jem H & Wouter - for their continuing support and patience with the awesome RRD X-Ride and rigs.

I’ve attached a .jpg image on our route below, alternatively, please feel free to navigate to ‘The Challenge’ tab and zoom in on our GPS route for yourselves.

Thanks again to all our supporters and watch this space, once the season opens up we’ll make sure we stay busy keeping you all up to date with our training regime for our 2nd attempt.

Simon

Sunday 21st September

Well…not best pleased about the weather this month in run-up to the event. After months of consistent wind there’s been a positive wind draught this month. For that reason, I decided that on top of swimming and running I needed to get some water time of some sort, and so, out came the Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP).

I launched at the Captains Club on the river Stour in Christchurch and decided to take a route up river. It was a beautiful early evening with sun low, soft colours on the water reeds, coupled with the sound of cricket chirps on the tranquil air. I’m sounding quite romantic aren’t I (?!) well don’t worry, all the niceness was interspersed with the odd rumble of a motor boat exploring upstream passing me by.

I travelled 2.6Nm round trip and it was a great experience to be recommended, I attach the route as proof that water based training continues (Ignore the evidence in my GPS trace where its evidenced I came across some friends on the river and we stopped at the Captains Club for half a pint on the way home - not part of the training regime!

Sunday 7th September

Well after yesterday’s windsurfing, it was time to get the training back on the even keel and use the right kit! There was a gusty westerley coming off the land so I rostered Tim to join me which was great result - it was time to try something different, I decided to trial windsurfing with ski googles on. I figured that after yesterday having spent 2 hours with a net windspeed of ~40 mph in the eyes I needed a solution for the event given we’re going to be spending so much time at sea.

Now I’m not sure about setting a new fashion but this was more like survival mode - it took me back to the ’80s where the legendary speedsailer Fred Haywood was partial to the wearing of odd looking googles. Anyway, to cut a long story short, Tim, after recovering from a fit of laughter as I appeared in full attire, decided to follow suit. It worked really well all in all, kept the face warmer and free for spray; with an Autumn hoody I decided to wear as well I had a real snug feeling that gave me perhaps a false sense of security!

Talking of false sense of security, in this shifty force 4-5 we managed to sail 4.3 miles out to sea (before you ask we did have mobile phones with us) and you can see from the attached image we were further south than the needles and closing in on Old Harrys Rocks.

It was a short sail in the end since the wind died off but the experiment with the skiing googles was a definite success and ‘in’ for the trip. Oh, one final thing, check out my top speed, at the point in the trip that it was recorded I did suddenly accelerate in a strong gust but I’m not sure I achieved the recorded speed it looks like an inconsistency with the GPS - thoughts on a postcard!

Total Distance = 19.888 Km , Average speed = 22.04km/h [11.9Knots] , Total Time = 54 minutes
5 bests’ average = 50.09km/h [27.05Knots]

Best Speed no.1 = 74.47km/h [40.21Knots] (21.0 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.2 = 45.39km/h [24.51Knots] (25.2 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.3 = 44.59km/h [24.08Knots] (24.8 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.4 = 43.1km/h [23.27Knots] (23.9 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.5 = 42.91km/h [23.17Knots] (23.8 meters in 2.0 sec.)

Saturday 6th September

Following a run and a swimming session on Thursday and Friday respectively, I decided to join James at the FatFace windsurfing competition, Hayling Island. I turned up with good intentions to compete but those quickly deteriorated when I saw the course (which didn’t really catch my fancy) and with the prospect of increasing wind on the horizon I decided to hold my nerve, stay close to Jame’s decisions and wait for the right time to act. It worked in our favour - the wind picked up to a strong force 6, keeping my eye on the mobile phone given my wife is hitting full term in her pregnancy I rigged up the 4.7 and headed out with James, shortly joined by his fellow Big Salty team rider Jamie Hancock. The conditions were ripe with good waves coming in and increasing in size. There were opportunities to launch into big maneouvres in front of the spectators on the beach (which of course I left to James and Jamie!). 2 hours later in these cross-onshore intense conditions punctuated by huge gusts and even huger air time I decided to retire and return home to my wife leaving James to prepare for the night compeition where he was representing Ezzy Sails. He came 2nd in the semi-final but was not so fortunate in the final - great effort though.

Monday 25th August

Superb session today - good distance, met with Tim half way upwind from Avon beach. Additionally, Pete and Johnny managed to get out on the water an join us too. The wind was a good solid Force 5.

Total Distance = 51.033 Km , Average speed = 18.34km/h [9.9Knots] , Total Time = 2 hours 47 minutes
5 bests’ average = 50.31km/h [27.16Knots]

Best Speed no.1 = 50.56km/h [27.3Knots] (28.1 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.2 = 50.41km/h [27.22Knots] (28.0 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.3 = 50.31km/h [27.16Knots] (27.9 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.4 = 50.21km/h [27.11Knots] (27.9 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.5 = 50.05km/h [27.02Knots] (27.8 meters in 2.0 sec.)

Sunday 24th August

The wind came through for a short period, before turning offshore as a large dark cloud came overhead. Not particularly quick or lengthy session.

Total Distance = 15.515 Km , Average speed = 13.94km/h [7.52Knots] , Total Time = 1 hour 6 minutes

5 bests’ average = 38.83km/h [20.97Knots]

Best Speed no.1 = 39.33km/h [21.24Knots] (10.9 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.2 = 39.32km/h [21.23Knots] (10.9 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.3 = 38.64km/h [20.86Knots] (10.7 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.4 = 38.53km/h [20.81Knots] (10.7 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.5 = 38.32km/h [20.69Knots] (10.6 meters in 1.0 sec.)

Sunday 10th Aug

Wavesailing place holder

Friday 1st August

A relatively unique opportunity offered itself up - James, Tim and I were all available for a change to windsurf together. (See photo in the site). Again an evening sesssion while the light lasted. You can see from the track where we’ve gone up and down in the same spot for the camera man (Thanks Gregg!). At the end of the evening we went for one long blast out to sea which was inceredible - on the way back the sun was setting and the light was a pinky red and we were all silhouetted black as we raised north west back towards the beach and the setting sun.

Total Distance = 27.460 Km , Average speed = 19.32km/h [10.43Knots] , Total Time = 1 hour 25 minutes

5 bests’ average = 44.58km/h [24.07Knots]

Best Speed no.1 = 44.73km/h [24.15Knots] (24.8 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.2 = 44.67km/h [24.12Knots] (24.8 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.3 = 44.61km/h [24.09Knots] (24.8 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.4 = 44.5km/h [24.03Knots] (24.7 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.5 = 44.4km/h [23.97Knots] (24.7 meters in 2.0 sec.)

Tuesday 10th July

Another windy evening and it was time to put some upwind practice in. I decided to windsurfing up to Boscombe pier and back. The diagram shows the larger upwind tacks during which time I passed close to various yachts where we exchanged the usually friendly wave.

It was a slow sail but good training since the wind was quite shifty and attention had to paid to tuning the pointing. Return back at dusk.

Total Distance = 31.354 Km , Average speed = 22.6km/h [12.2Knots] , Total Time = 1 hour 23 minutes
5 bests’ average = 44.83km/h [24.21Knots]

Best Speed no.1 = 45.32km/h [24.47Knots] (12.6 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.2 = 44.93km/h [24.26Knots] (12.5 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.3 = 44.82km/h [24.2Knots] (12.5 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.4 = 44.55km/h [24.05Knots] (12.4 meters in 1.0 sec.)
Best Speed no.5 = 44.55km/h [24.05Knots] (12.4 meters in 1.0 sec.)

Saturday 5th July

Incredible…yet another windy weekend, how is this possible?! While everyone else is whinging about the weather this summer, windsurfers around the UK are in heaven, who needs Hawaii?!

Another planned sail with Tim from Southbourne around to Mudeford Sandbanks and back. The big difference on this sail was the tuning of the kit, namely;

• 1 cm more downhaul - this had the effect of making the sail far stiffer and responsive to gusts. To avoid too much leech exhaust I ensured there remained plenty of camber in the sail through limited boom outhaul
• Much higher boom for better upwind pointing - in such well powered up conditions, this was having the effect of preventing excessive mast flex and ensuring the centre of effort and the leech exhaust stayed ‘locked in’
• Slightly longer harness lines (variable length) on the downwind run to keep up with Tim.

I have to say, Tim’s board is supperior to mine and in spite of a fin of 40cm (versus my 34 cm) his downwind speed is phenomenonal. O.k. so here’s the rub, it won’t happen again - Tim got back up wind from our most down position ~10 minutes before me, that was over a 11Km distance: I need a bigger fin!! We can not have that situation occuring on a near 8 hour windsurfing excursion around the island…

Total Distance = 42.649 Km , Average speed = 15.32km/h [8.27Knots] , Total Time = 2 hours 47 minutes
5 bests’ average = 51.38km/h [27.74Knots]

Best Speed no. 1 = 51.71km/h [27.92Knots] (28.7 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no. 2 = 51.48km/h [27.8Knots] (28.6 meters in 2.0 sec.)
Best Speed no. 3 = 51.45km/h [27.78Knots] (28.6 meters in 2.0 sec.)