The second part of Weymouth Speed week turned out to be a very light wind affair with little more than enough to drift around the bay, frustratingly though white caps were starting to show as we packed and headed for home. That might leave you thinking it was a non-event, to be honest I don’t think I’ve been in more need of sleep by the weeks end.
Ant Baker and I were running a speed clinic, I’ll confess it looked more like a non starter right from the outset, by the time I took a few pictures last weekend any chance of speed had slipped by, but that’s were Ant’s no wind approach kept the team entertained.
It’s easy to sit on the beach moaning about the lack of wind but it was easy to see the change in confidence as Ant took them through his course. Back in the day we didn’t have so many instructors but the desperation to get out on the water gave us a similar grounding. The big difference today is the short board drives everything; we don’t even have big boards to practice on.
Not living near waves and having tried SUP stand up paddling on flat water I haven’t been able to get excited about them, but watching these guys I can see a good reason for getting one. Sure it’ll be good to have light wind alternative, but I think windsurfing’s big gain is being able to teach a mate.
Even with this new enthusiasm the wind finally ran out leaving the evening entertainment to take over, now this is where it got a little difficult. I’d arrived in Weymouth with all good intentions, even had the bike in the van for that extra bit of healthy living, but this is Weymouth Speed Week.
If you’ve never been then get yourself booked in for next year. It maybe the spiritual home of speed, but this is just as much about friends as blasting across the water. Day or night this is about people, the lack of sleep wasn’t due to early nights, but if that’s not your tipple then you’ll just spend the days in side-splitting laughter with the boating fraternity.
Affectionately known as the crankies those at the helm of these craft seem a little unhinged, but as the week passes you’ll come to realise that they are the true stars of Weymouth. Sure many won’t even get down the course, but it’s these out of the box ideas that bring us all back year after year.
