Surfladle

 Here we go again, another five days done and the Weekend begins now, as it’s Friday!

I know I mention the weather a lot but we are now into mid-April and still we wait for Spring to begin. Last Monday was great but it was back to the Norm by Tuesday! The days may be longer but I ‘feel’ little improvement over the last 3 months temperature wise.. how long do we have to wait? If you feel the same way, don’t look at next weeks forecast as it’s not looking any better. However, what is better is that currently we have a chance of wind this coming Sunday! All forecasts agree on Southerly in the morning and swinging to West by late afternoon, it’s just the timing and the strength that they disagree on. More about that in the Weekends Weather but let’s see what else is happening?

 Are you ready for this.. Hue and Cry are playing at the Ropetackle on Saturday evening! If you were not around in the eighties you won’t remember these two Scottish guys ‘arriving’ with their first real hit ‘ Labour of Love’. It was a good number but I was never quite sure what the Plaster of Paris was all about ( in the video). You Tube link below if you can’t remember them and hope they’re just as lively on Saturday night (just checked the tickets and there was only one seat left but it could be yours!).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CYZ6q7Wr9c

 Sussex Yacht Club are running their SUP Taster Sessions again and they have space this Sunday (at the moment). Price is £30 but that includes everything you need apart from footwear (old trainers are fine) plus a hot shower at the end of it. Booking via Eventbrite for Sunday and sessions thereafter https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sup-taster-session-syc-tickets-419559121627?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

 And then on Sunday, Brighton and Hove Albion take On Manchester United in the semi finals of the FA Cup .I don’t follow the football but I know a lot of you who do will be torn over which to choose , football or water time (or am I kidding myself.) . The latter has been rare with winds from the ‘right direction’ in 2023 but I guess it will come down to the forecast on Sunday Morning . TV coverage starts at 4pm and the Tide is High at 14.17hrs on a 6.1m, so as the wind is stronger in the morning (allegedly) and with it being a 6.1m tide (launching will be fine even with an onshore wind as low water is at around 8am)  get up early and do a morning session, pack up by 12.30hrs, home for a shower (or a drive up the M23!) and then watch the game. Simples! However, it goes I hope it all goes well! So not a great Watersports line up but we just need a little heat to get things going again.

On the kit front, nothing to mention re. Used kit arrivals this week and for the first time since the beginning of March, no piles of boxes containing the New 2023 Stock either  (not that we need any more stock as it’s pretty crammed in here at the moment!) . We did however have the new Ensis Inflatable Wingsurf package come through the door, which may well be of interest to those looking for an easily transportable Wingsurfer, either just to learn on or as a light wind craft sitting in the back of the car, just waiting for an on-water opportunity to arise.  

The Rock’N’Roll Air is the inflatable version of their well-known R’N’R composite boards. Ensis say the Air has the same ‘footprint’ on the water as the composite, so in theory it should react in a similar manner, which will be great as World Champions use R’N’R’s! The 145lt is the board to get going on, as you will have plenty of stability, especially when using on freshwater locations (you lose 15% of the crafts buoyancy / literage) and a nice soft deck to kneel on as well, should the knees be feeling a bit done ‘in. It’s also lighter than a composite, so not so painful if it ‘nudges’ you or the kids and more resilient to dings than composites, possibly caused by the kids! The long carbon plate which the foil mounts to ensures that the ‘spongey’ feeling the first inflatables suffered from is decreased, as their plates were really small. This means that those slight little trimming movements you make get to the foil far faster (less time lag) which will make it far easier when learning to control those first ‘lift off’s’. That’s also where the Trackster foil is designed to help out. It’s a foil designed to give early lift and total ease of use, so don’t expect it to be the fastest thing on the water but do expect it to get you and your family foiling ‘fast’, which is just what you need. Now for the cost of this fun..  

Price for the board and foil is.. £1845.00 for the 1700 foil and £1875.00 for a 1900 option. Information on which foil should suit your needs is on their website but we have opted for the 1700, as see it as a good size for most conditions.. and it’s now in stock as I said (it’s on the New Website but not on our old.. not too long now). More info at https://ensis.surf/product/rocknroll-air/We have new Wings on offer so we should be able to get you on the water with everything for under £2400.00.

 And now, the Weekends Weather!

Saturday, we are assured by Guru and the Met that the winds will be from the East / Sou East direction all day, running at 7-10kts. Max Temp is given as 10°C and overcast, with a small chance of rain in the evening.. we shall see. Tide hits High at 13.42hrs on a 6.3m..so it could be good day for a River Paddle!

Sunday.. hmm.. well Gurus forecast says 17-22kt Sou’ Sou’ West during the morning with rain, then turning more to the Sou’ West in the afternoon but dropping back to 10-15kt, with a lesser chance of rain. The Met say 10-18kts Sou’Sou’West until late morning and then going to the West for the afternoon, staying at 10 -18kts. I do hope Guru are right! Temp is a little better at 12°C.. must be due to warm rain! Tide is High at 14.17hrs on a 6.1m, so paddling and foiling on the river are possible.

And that’s that for this week, except to say a big Thank You to Jan Green. Jan is an airline pilot who is also a DJ on Mid-Sussex Radio and occasionally drinks at the pub that I’ll be walking too later this evening. My wife and I (sounds posh) were chatting with Jan last Saturday night, so as we were leaving I jokingly said ‘don’t forget to give Surfladle a mention tomorrow’ and blow me, Jan apparently did give us a very good mention.. well thank you Jan! You can hear her wonderfully relaxing pilots voice between 10am – 12pm on Sunday mornings at Mid Sussex Radio on 103.8FM.. or if you are lucky enough to have Jan as your pilot the next time you Fly!

I hope your weekend goes exactly as you would like it to and the weather is better than they say! I like it when they get it wrong, in our favour.

I’m here all day Tomo and 10-4.00pm Sunday.
Cheery pip.