Since I had no time to go to France to take the mistral during the we, because of family commitments, I did not miss the chance to take South West wind at Andora, Liguria (Italy) on May 12, 2016. The day was very exciting, with many different faces.

Windsurf session: Andora (Liguria, Italy)

Leaving Milan, I give a check to Capo Mele windmeter: already 20 knots are on at 9,00. The day is going to be a good one.....

 

In Genoa, the sky is still closed, but the wind is already SW (rare that the Libeccio arrives up to here: another good sign). Heading to the west, as it often happens, the sky opens, and we go towards a beautiful sunny day. We arrive to the spot at 11.45. It 's always nice to return to Andora, and find so many familiar faces, a people of "doing-nothing" (for windsurfers is a compliment!), which always appears here, out of nowhere, when the forecast is good. But as I heard saying by someone long ago: it is a sport that takes your mind....

 

 

The wind is stiff, but does not seem strong, near the shore, while off it already looks good, with the sea that foams. Wonderful sunny day, warm, at least when you are sheltered from wind. In the air, you can smell scents of spring flowers and pine trees, shaken by the wind. Ecstasy. And I think that in Milan, there is a gloomy day ..... And it's from the beginning of the week, that it is so.....autumn like atmosphere.

I wait a moment before deciding the sail. At the end, during the first part of the morning session, all of us, more or less, go wrong with the sail. Fortunately, I do not rig the 4.7, as recommended by someone, but I go out with the 4.2!

 

Technical data of the session

First session time: 1 hour (from 13.00 to 14.00). Second session time: 1.45 h (15,30-17.15)
Wind on average 25-30 knots, gusting to nearly 40, in the morning; 25 medium, rare gusting over 30 kts, in the afternoon. South West direction. Shorebreak maximum of one meter. Wave off, up to two meters. Warm water. Air temperature about at 20-23 Celsius degrees.

Me: 72 kg
Board: Tabou 3s 2009 86
Sail: Ezzy Tiger 4.2 - Ezzy Panther 2 4.7.
Wetsuit: 4/3 mm, barefoot, finally.

As soon as I enter into the water, exceeded the first 100-200 meters, where the wind is a bit less strong, I'm quickly aware that off with the 4.2 It's a survival job.... Some rides are even beautiful and funny, with some nice jumps; but others are to be managed with the 4.2 fully open.
Like others, even better than me, will confirm later, in this morning session, maneuvering is really complicated, offshore: when you just bear away, and you open the sail to jibe, the wind rips it out of your hands.

 

 

I often meet my friend Norby, who came to try his new Goya One 95 2016 (a freewave), and a Goya Custom Quad 74, 2016. I recognize it in water for its unmistakable Gaastra IQ ...

 

I resist for an hour, with some returning to the beach to breathe, then I definitely stop ashore. I have to take a choice .... To rig the 3.7, or to resist with 4.2, tightening the downhaul and outhaul? I choose to rig the Maui Sails Legend 3.7.
With the Ezzy 370 mast is not easy to find the right trim, giving the sail a good fit. The Ezzy masts are constant curve, but slightly flex top, and Legend, in my opinion, would take a full-constant curves (at the boom, I see the mast flexing too little). However, at the end I can find a good compromise.

But when I go back to the beach, the wind seems ..... dropped .... I hesitate a bit .... But then I realize that I would go to suicide ... Riders do not get planing even with 4.7 now.... (of course, those with my same weight). Skies is covering in the inland, and this is probably the cause for wind dropping.

 

 

I chat a little bit with my friends at the beach.

After half an hour, a miracle happens, and it determines the positive turn of the day. After rain and humidity has fallen in the sourrandings, the sky behind us takes to open up a bit, and the wind rises again, but above all now it becames well spreaded! I take the decision: I put away the 3.7, and I rig 4.7.

 

 

I am back in the water at 15:30, and it is a different story. I am always with the 86, but now the wind is nice, and with the 4.7 I get palning without much effort .... 

Now, in the water we were in a few (10-15). On one hand, it's nice, because we have all the sea for us; on the other, it is a pity, for those who missed the best part of the day. When returning, I try to play a little with waves (in this, the Tabou 3s is very funny). In water, there are also some Slalom riders (Amarotto, Brunetti, and then also the Pwa athlete, Matteo Iachino comes for a photo shooting).

 

 

The afternoon session is really relaxing. I get out of the water at 17,00.

 

I undress and unrig with calm. Sun shines again, and sky is blue. It is a very good time here at Andora.

 

 

So with my friend Pino, we decide to extend our pleasures, and for dinner we go to "Trattoria Stella" at Masone (near Genua): tagliolini with ragù, or with pesto, ossobuco, fava beans, pecorino cheese e salami....

 

 

So, we are back to Milan for 22,00, but we go to sleep with a smile on our faces! 

 

Aloha. Fabio Muriano 

 

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Video of the session.