Punching out through onshore waves (e.g. Duluth)

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Tighe
Posts: 5274
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:06 pm
Location: Here, Now

Punching out through onshore waves (e.g. Duluth)

Post by Tighe »

From: Coach
Skill_Level: advanced (solid water-starting, good jibing)
Date: 08/29/02

I, too, have felt the pain of trying to get out in Duluth in that relentless shorebreak. I hate to see so many guys go up there with limited success. Finally making it out in those conditions can be one of the most fulfilling sailing experiences you'll ever have.

Lessons

Here are some tips for getting out that will hopefully difference.

1. WALK out as far as you possibly can. This gives you the most room to bear off for speed when you first get up. Most people I see are getting tangled up 10 feet from shore, you can walk quite a ways out...

2. Do whatever you can to get on a plane and stay on a plane.

3. DON'T 'try' to get out. Patience, grasshopper. Think about beam-reaching and going fast as much as you can while not running into shore. When you see a break in the waves AND you have some wind, start heading up a bit.

3a. When you are at home on flatwater practice going upwind smoothly and with speed.

4.'pre-jump' the waves when you hit them (planing). as you approach a wave bear into it at the last second, pull the nose up (basically lift you hands (and the rig)) and jump/ollie the whitewater. You MUST head into the wave a little. As you come over the top start to bear off and almost head with the backside of the wave. Do NOT put pressure on the fin until you are well-clear of the whitewater or you WILL spin out.

5. Wait for openings and only try to go over waves you are pretty sure you can pound over. Yes, if that wave is only 2ft but breaking on your board, it will knock you off your feet. Carve downwind a little until it breaks THEN punch through the whitewater.

I hope that helps. Those are the things that go through my mind when I've sailed Duluth. I've talked with Randy and other people, and I believe they pretty much do the same thing. I can even schlog out through the waves now, the trick is getting used to riding over the whitewater whether you are planing or not. Planing is obviously preferred. :-)
Chip
Posts: 308
Joined: Fri May 09, 2003 5:06 pm
Location: Duluth

Post by Chip »

Add to that -

A. Don't let a mushed wave catch you square on the rail. Twist your board up and over or the board will be swept out from under you.

B. When you go down in the shore break (not if), bring your rig to windward with you. If your rig goes down to leward and the next wave gets to it before you do, and you are in 3 to 6 feet of water, the wave will break your mast.

C. If a critical wave is approaching you... run away! Don't try to go through it - reach off, get away from it and try further down the beach. Sometimes it takes a mile of beach to make it out through the shorebreak.

D. Even though the wind appears to be dead, sqaure on shore, one tack is going to be favored. In 99% of the cases it will be port tack.

E. Examine the shoreline and wave pattern before you go out. Look for rips. If you fall in a rip current area, (recognized by large, unorganized waves going in every direction - but not breaking) you may have difficulty get up or out of it. Many people have gotten quite exhausted in this zone. Without going into detail, read up on rip currents and how to swim to safety from them...

Chip

Chip
Chip
Posts: 308
Joined: Fri May 09, 2003 5:06 pm
Location: Duluth

Post by Chip »

On big days (above 40 MPH)

Don't try to go outside. The sailing is better on the inside of break zone when it is that big anyway. Sail within 200 feet of shore on the flat between the mushers. It makes a great speed zone with increadible flat water. If you need a little air, poke out to the edge of the break zone to find a ramp. Be carefull of rips and sandbars. The sandbars and rips get especially acdentuated when the waves get bigger
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