Spock Technique

Yesterday I had a beautiful morning session at Port A on 4.7. Nice wind but no real waves to speak of.

Back at our place, enjoying a cup of char and watching Disney Channel, I checked the wind and it was still blowing 20. "Wanna head to Bird?"..."Yep". So we headed over there at 3ish and it was super good. Sailed my 5.6 Riot and 98L freestyle board, worked on spocks and finally got video of me making some. Yay!

It took me foreverrrrrr to start getting spocks. It was literally two years between my starting to make vulcans and spocks. I had good slide but was completely incapable of getting the board to spin the second half of the move. This was one of my better attempts:

And then I discovered the secret. Two words - "F2 Rodeo". Oh my goodness does it know how to spin! So that's my tip if you are getting vulcans but wrestling with spocks. Buy a Rodeo. You deserve it.

Wave Board Test

My last trip to Punta San Carlos in Oct 2011 I sailed a bunch of boards. I rode most of the quatro board range (Quad KT 83, Quad LS 85, 84 Twin and Quad LS 75) plus a goya quad 84. It was an interesting experience and helped me to better understand what I am looking for in good down the line wave sailing conditions.

I took the LS 75 out on a waist high 4.2 day. I actually own one of these but have hardly sailed it. There is no doubt it rips with a super nice drivy bottom turn and cut back. However, its smaller size requires more energy when slogging (I am about 80kg) and I seem to get a lot more waves with a bigger board.

Quatro LS 75 (Clark Merritt photos):

The 84 Twin was a bit of a disappointment considering it's reviews. I expected it to be fast and loose (fast rocker and twin fins..) but it actually felt kind of sticky when accelerating on the wave and the other boards turned so much nicer. Saying that, it planed up nicely when heading out and it was the only board I managed to vulcan.

Waiting to go on the 84 Twin:

The Goya felt a size bigger than the other boards. It did everything very well but it didn't 'feel' exciting enough. Not to sound arrogant but I had the impression the board would be perfect for an intermediate wave sailor.

The LS 85 was nice. I spent most of the week riding it. Definitely my favourite until I stepped on the KT 83:

Wowzers!! Me likey! It has bottom turn drive and top turns like the LS75 but the extra size helps keep your speed for more radical turns. It also seemed to go from zero to full speed instantly. I want one.

Early Planing Technique

A wind advisory had us heading up to Lake Belton for the second time in two weeks. After some rigging shenanigans I had missed the best of it. The key to having fun was making the most of the gusts with early planing technique. I still remember those wise words from a french windsurfer who could plane in the lightest of gusts.

"Mike, early planing eez like making love to a beeutifull woman."

"You start by gently caressing zee boom. Feel zee wind filling zee sail. Push through your toes, gently thrusting your ips. Stroke zee sail in and out, pumping it arder and arder and arder until the boards speed starts to build and build and build. When you feel zee sail pulling arder and arder and arder, gently insert your feeet in zee straps. Now you are planing and reddy to ride er."

Minds Wide Open Review

We spent the weekend in Austin at Brian and Lauras place. Had a fun 6.0 session with the Millers and Mark at Temple Lake Park. We also watched Minds Wide Open on the big screen.

There is so much to learn watching windsurfing movies of this caliber. For example Brawzinhos girlfriend makes him eggs, toast and smoothie in bed! But she really needs to clean the stove top. Phillip Koster lives in a tiny little white house on a deserted beach. And if you take the time to watch the outtakes you even see Gollittos bum!

So, is it good? Definitely. Buy it. It's not the best though. Lars Petersons 'Free Your Mind' still takes top spot. Will anyone ever top Lars dancing on the beach with girls in bikinis to bad euro dance music?

Cold Cut Combo

I had a modest increase in vacation days this year and decided to use them to maximize my days Texas wave sailing. YEEEE-HAWWWW!!!. Today was on the lower end of my temperature tolerance:

Yes, it says 46F. Cold. Strategically falling in was the key to keeping the extremititties warm, as the water is toasty in comparison.

I cut my time between Port Aransas and South Packery. Great combo, quite powered on 4.2 and sailing solo at both spots. Port A was small but clean. Once I had scrubbed off my excess energy I headed to Packery which was a little bigger, I hung out opposite El Constante.

Packery is the better choice when the waves are small or the wind has a little West in it (works well in 350 to 359 deg). It's a weird spot though. You can sail around for ages amongst junky mess and then just before you decide to give up, the best wave ever will start breaking right in front of you...

Cold, Windy and Waves!

Looking good for Port A tomorrow! It's gonna be cold though. Brrr...



Weak Forecast

Forecast as of 3:24 am CST on January 4, 2012
Synopsis For The Middle Texas Coastal Waters
A weak to moderate onshore flow today will weaken tonight ahead of a weak cold front. The cold front will move into the nearshore waters Thursday morning and weaken. Areas of fog and patchy drizzle will be possible nearshore and over the bays tonight and Thursday morning ahead of the front...along with a chance of showers. A weak onshore flow develops Thursday night and strengthens to weak to moderate levels through Friday. A weak cold front is expected to move across the area on Saturday with a weak to moderate offshore flow developing in its wake. Weak winds then shift back to onshore by Sunday night.

So, will it be weak then?

Saint Martin

Just back from family holiday in Saint Martin with the 'possibility' of some sailing...

Managed to sail 5 out of 7 days, 3 on 7.2ish, 2 on 6.3. Checked out the Vela centre in Orient Bay and Jean Seb Lavocats place in Le Galion. Le Galion is the moon shaped beach in the centre of this pic, Orient Bay is the bay on the left. Spectacular, no? Hope that kid doesn't step backwards.

Both spots are fun. Le Galion is paradise and the owner is super enthusiastic.

Jack practicing getting in the footstraps.

I thought this was cool. On west side of island near Marigot.

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Julie planing at Le Galion on 6.3 and Freewave 105.

You can drive round the entire island in 1-1/2 hours. It is half french and half dutch and the two halves are remarkably different. The dutch side has big hotels, casinos and strip clubs. The french side has a more traditional feel with excellent food and drinks.

Great place for combining a family holiday with a spot of sailing. BUT only if you're ready for lightish winds and big gear. Based on one week of sailing I would add 5 mph to the observed wind in here, subtract 3-5 mph from the computer forecast.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas day sail at Vela Orient Bay, Saint Martin. Cruising on 7.2 and 130L JP excite.