The Mattituck Yacht Club launch on the Great Peconic needs a lot of wind to work (such is the wisdom of the Wolf and company) but when it blows very hard from the south, then it is the place to sail. Steep starboard ramps in shallow water are its signature, and such it was on Saturday as the wind starved were treated to part one of a high-wind weekend. I started out on the 5.0, but the winds built so fast that I thought I was being clever when I bypassed the 4.5 and went straight to a 4.0 and my smallest board. When I shot off the beach like a rocket I felt like a genius.
Q: How long did that feeling last?
A: About five minutes.
The great fear in taking out a very small board (me on my 77 liter Fanatic, nicknamed “Candy 77”) is that you’ll be forced to shlog it, which could well mean swimming along side it. Such was my genius rewarded when the winds dropped that when a gust would allow me to waterstart, the ensuing lull would have me back in the bay within 30 seconds. As I was drifting well down wind I took advantage (I thought) of a sustained blast by heading back out into the bay, that I might somehow sail upwind and make my way back to the launch.
This was an error.
After shlogfest II I ended up about 200 yards downwind of the launch, deep into Bozo Beach territory. Mattituck bay beach front being what it is I had to do a fair amount of trespassing with gear to get around some piles before emerging from the shrubbery to the east of the launch parking lot, where everyone else was eating lunch.
The winds did come back up, but having been burned once I put my 5.0 on the 77 liter board and sailed overpowered (but relatively secure) along with the crowd.
One potential highlight during my walk of shame…I came upon a windmeter that reades waterfront southerlies on the Peconic (it was shielded from anything with a northern component.) I can’t speak for its accuracy, but it may be worth your time to check out EastEndWeather.com. I’ll be taking a look at it during future southerlies to see if it is useful to windsurfers.
(Photo by Peconic Jeff: Scott inbound and upbound.)
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