INSIDE:
KAULI SEADI : : DIONY GUADAGNINO : : KEITH TEBOUL : : MITCH GINGRICH NORTH AMERICA’S WINDSURFING MAGAZINE
M A H A R G S ’ Y Z Z E WORSTER DAY EV
LS I A S & S D BOAR HE TEST PUT TO T RS E T A W E L I , CH S E LIPS V T A S W E K T C I S HO A’S C I R E M A H SOUT HITI A T M O R F LES A T S ’ Y N N A KAI LE B U R A : E D RIDE GUI
25
DISPLAY UNTIL JUNE 30, 2009
SPRING 2009 WINDSPORT.COM $5.99 US
Rider : Robby Naish Photo: S.Whitesell
09 FORCE FOR FORC CE CE 3.0 - 6.2
EQUIPMENT
SESSION 3.7 - 5.7
BOXER BOX BO XER 3.6 - 6.2
naishsails.com
RIPPER 2.7 - 4.2
ALL TERRAIN 4.0 - 7.0
naish.tv
OLD SCHOOL SCH CHOOL OOL 4.8 - 6.0
SPRINT 5.5 - 8.0
REDLINE 5.8 - 8.8
BOXER BOX BO XER ER SL STEALTH STEALT 5.8 - 7.0
4.6 - 11.4
GLOBAL SC SCOUT COUT MINI COUT MINI FREERIDE 2.5 - 15.5 RIPPER 4.6 - 7.2
0.8 - 2.0
WA
62, 72,
UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY
Whether you are a beginner, weekend warrior or an aspiring professional, Naish offers a full range of premium quality windsurf equipment that will take you riding to the next level.
INI PPER - 2.0
WAVE
62, 72, 80, 85
GLOBAL WAVE 70, 78, 83, 87, 98
FREESTYLE 90, 100, 115
ALL TERRAIN 85, 95, 104, 115
JUNIORS
55, 75, 120
SP
60, 80 95, 110, 128, 135
GLOBAL FREERIDE FREEWIDE 85. 95, 104, 115
120, 130, 140, 160
KAILUA
160, 180, 230
Pacific Boardsports LLC | 509.493.0043 | infotts@pacificboardsports.com
Forecast Fish-eye View
As a photographer swimming at Ho’okipa doing an on-water shoot, I’ve always wanted to take a good shot of the underwater perspective that I see when diving under the big waves. I tried taking a few, but with my camera set for capturing action just on the surface the resulting photos didn’t come close to capturing what it’s truly like. For this pick of Quatro team rider Camille Juban, I used a fish-eye lens and changed the settings to work underwater. It’s cool to see that you can just make out the sail’s outline overtop of his twin-fin board as he rides a wave. —Maxime Houyvet
Duh-na… duh-na… duh-na-duh-na. M. Houyvet photo
6
windsport
windsport
7
Features 50 Tales of a Teenage Waterman
Kai Lenny travels to Tahiti to explore the sites, sounds and waves.
58 Hot Waves, Chile Waters
Robby Swift, Klaas Voget and Victor Fernandez score perfect conditions in cold but uncrowded Chilean waters.
66 Exposure
Standout windsurfing photos from around the globe.
76 Board and Sail Tests
Windsport’s brand-new test format put to work against 5.8-m2 freeride sails and 85-litre waveboards.
88 Coldwater Wear Guide Extend your windsurfing season with suits, boots, hoods, gloves and underwear that is warmer than ever before.
On the Cover
Rider: Graham Ezzy Photographer: Quincy Dein “Both Graham and I were fed up with the day’s blustery conditions, but I swam out none-the-less. I took this image in one amazing moment where light, waves, wind, and talent all came together just long enough to create something special.” —Quincy Dein
contents one
Volume 28, Issue 2, Number 120
8
windsport
Swifty rides a dream. Carter photo
58
Hot waves, Chile waters
windsport
9
contents TWo volumE 28, issuE 2, numBEr 120
uPFrONt 06 Forecast: A fish-eye view 14 Launch: more toilet reading 16 Balance Point: letters and feedback 19 In the Wind: A beach-bum’s guide
DePartMeNts 36 radar maui’s morgan noireaux rips 38 In the Lab robert stroj creates the Fly 40 Quiver A board shaper’s dream gear 42 Guru Get in footstraps and waterstart in light wind 46 Move of the Issue A crowd-pleasing no-handed Flaka by Gollito 48 ride Guide: aruba How to enjoy this easy-to-get-to vacation spot 96 Getting real Cliff Cordy’s life is for the birds 98 Close Out Do you really want to get better?
Casey Hauser hucks a Grubby in Jeri, Brazil. Persson photo
10
windsport
Pic: Johannes Rodach www.yearning.de
WHY NORTH? NIK BAKER K66
The EGO of course! The concept wave sail of the future A completely new sail that takes the place of the classic VOODOO after 10 years in the range. The futuristic concept of the EGO is full of innovative features, extraordinary materials and shows the trends of tomorrow today! New CUTAWAY.CLEW plus CROSS.BATTEN.CONCEPT for real handling advantages. BALANCED.LUFF.LENGTH, a well-balanced ratio of luff and boom lengths, making the sail as compact as possible whilst maintaining good twist and maximum wind range. Specially designed and cut for RDM masts only to support the soft character of the EGO; and and and… Nik Baker’s sail of choice! Check out all features of the EGO on www.north-windsurf.com
CHECK OUT NIK’S NEW VIDEO ON www.north-windsurf.com
09 Ad 210x280 Ego EN New.indd 1
PWA CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPION 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
ISA CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPION 2005, 2006, 2007
ISWC CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPION 2008
27.02.09 18:08
7).$ 30/24 #/-
69
VOLUME �� | ISSUE � | NUMBER ���
PUBLISHER EDITOR SENIOR EDITOR ART DIRECTOR GROUP EDITORIAL MANAGER COPY EDITOR
Steve Jarrett Pete DeKay // pdk@sbcmedia.com John Bryja Dan Parsons Luke Fox Stephanie Lake
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ian Brown, Cli Cordy, Graham Ezzy, Mitch Gingrich, Francisco Goya, Jerome Houyvet, Maxime Houyvet, John Ingebritsen, Kai Lenny, Tom Lepak, Robby Naish, Randy Rhodes, Phil Soltysiak, Robby Swift
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGS
Sandie Allen, John Carter, Quincy Dein, Niels Patrick Geisselbrecht, Jerome Houyvet, Maxime Houyvet, Angela Hurley, Clark Merritt, Anna Persson, Benjamin Thouard, Darrell Wong
MAUI CORRESPONDENT
Patrick Bergeron
PWA CORRESPONDENT
John Carter
INSTRUCIONAL EDITOR
Andy Brandt
TEST EDITOR DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION DESIGN CIRCULATION AND PROMOTIONS MANAGER CIRCULATION AND PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR
Derek Rijff Evan Sue-Ping Michael Moore x243 Stevie Shipman Mike Fraser Mike Hartman Christina Raymond x252
CIRCULATION ASSISTANT
Ilissa Maiatico
ADVERTISING SALES AND PROMOTIONS
Rick Bruner 509.493.4930
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ADVERTISING SALES EVENTS
Matt Aiken x223 Jamie Reekie x230 Bill Jones, Peter Jones, Todd Elsley
CONTROLLER
Brian Jarrett
OFFICE MANAGER
Adam Jacobs
On occasion, our subscription list is made available to organizations whose product or service might interest you. If you would prefer not to receive such information, please write to us at the address below. Windsport magazine is an independent publication published four times a year —Buyers’ Guide, Spring , Summer and Fall—by SBC Media Inc., 2255B Queen St. E., Suite 3266, Toronto, ON, M4E 1G3 Ă’Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ë? ̙͕͒͗̚ Í•Í‘Í—Ě‹Í“Í•Í‘Í‘ Ëž ËâË? ̙͕͒͗̚ Í•Í‘Í—Ě‹Í‘Í—Í–Í— Ě‹Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ë? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĚśĂĄĂ“Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžË›Ă?Ù× Ëž Ă?ĂŒĂ?Ă“ĂžĂ?Ë? ĂĄĂĄĂĄË›ĂĄĂ“Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžË›Ă?Ù×
SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1 year (4 issues) $17.98 Canadian ($17.98 U.S.) 2 years (8 issues) $29.98 Canadian ($29.98 U.S.) 1-800-223-6197 E-mail: subscriptions@windsport.com
Â&#x2122; AViZhi :fj^ebZci iZhih Â&#x2122; 67@ 7dVgYhedgih >chigjXi^dcVa I^eh Â&#x2122; :mXajh^kZ ;ZVijgZ Hidg^Zh VcY K^YZdh Â&#x2122; >ciZgcVi^dcVa IgVkZa <j^YZh windsport
Â&#x2122; 6gX]^kZY <ZVg gZk^Zlh
CHANGE OF ADDRESS USPS PLEASE SEE PAGE 98
Attention postmaster: Send post office returns, change of address and subscription orders to Windsport, 2255B Queen St. E., Suite 3266, Toronto, ON, M4E 1G3. Publications, mail registration #40036843. Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index ISSN 0826-5003
Š Copyright Windsport magazine 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any materials published in Windsport is expressly forbidden without the written consent of the publisher.
Printed in Canada
launch
ARe GeAR TesTs FULL OF CRAP? regularity. Doctor’s recommend it; high-fiber diets promote it; Windsport’s new test format will help you through it. We at Windsport are not too proud to understand that our magazine will eventually end up on the top of the toilet tank—an important place in the life of any periodical worth reading. even Rolling Stone abandoned its larger format for a size that fits both the newsstand (the official reason) and back of the commode (what we believe is the real reason). As a result every Windsport issue can become a part of a reader’s daily life, whether it begins with an a.m.-Bm (bowel movement) or ends with a p.m.-Bm. At first a magazine finds its home in a place of prominence, like on a coffee or bedside table, where it can be frequently picked up and perused at the owner’s leisure. most of the issue will be covered, but it’s always the case that various smaller items and entertaining subtleties will be missed, perhaps because the owner subconsciously saves it for the issue’s next home: the john. As newer reading materials show up on the coffee table, Windsport is eventually relegated
to the top spot on the back of the toilet, placed above a variety of classic mags. To rule the tank and maintain this top spot, an issue must be able to keep a reader’s interest, whether they’re just dropping the kids off at the pool or settling in for a long session with Dr. montezuma. For this reason the Windsport equipment tests have been reformatted to fit the bill. Actually, maybe there is another reason. Over the years various people have stopped me at trade shows or events to ask why our tests don’t directly slam a particular board or sail. The honest reason is that we haven’t printed a review for a product that won’t shine in the hands of the proper owner. I know this is a politically correct answer, but the true mission of our veteran test team is to figure out who will enjoy each piece of gear most and to educate them on how to dial in quickly. The boring part of all this is that it takes a ton of words, and who has time to read an entire 1,395-word test introduction while sitting down for a short talk with mr. Hanky? let’s face it, it’s difficult to get through more than a few board reviews on the average trip to do some spring cleaning.
The answer is to present some of the equipment’s key performance characteristics in an easy-to-read graph. We’re not claiming anything new or revolutionary with this, in fact, Windsport used to use this exact approach back in the ’90s, and I apologize for our constipation on the matter. This graph is a great relief in its way to initially direct any windsurfer towards specific equipment that might be best for them. each graph is a starting point to help direct you more easily to the proper gear. Important performance characteristics and tuning advice is found in the head-to-head comparison section and individual full-length write-ups. I’m as proud of our testing program as a two-year-old potty-trainee showing off his first doodie to mom and dad, and now we have a better format to showcase the fruits of our labour to all, no matter how long you spend backing the big brown motorhome out of the garage (I’m sorry but this is my favourite on wiktionary.org). now, on your next trip to the can, if you happen to notice the paper roll is empty, feel free to rip out this crap-filled editorial and make good use of it, but watch out for paper cuts. BY pETE DEKaY
Filing some papers at work. Fraser photo
14
windsport
balance point LeTTeR OF The issUe I was 50 years old when I first saw someone windsurfing in April 1986 on lake Calhoun, minnesota. I was immediately smitten. soon I had a mistral malibu and rig. I spent the next three years trying to balance on that rolling log. The next step was to get in the straps. After another three years I discovered that if I point my toes then the board will not rail-upwind. yes, more success. now if I can only learn to jibe I may finally be
able to call myself a windsurfer. Thanks to the ABK windsurfing camp at south Padre Island, Phil money at Windsurfing Inc. and Derek rijff (my instructor), I am on my way to a full planing jibe. One important thing about the last issue: thanks for not putting the fabulous lady from page 19 on the issue’s front cover. I could not stand the sun fading any part of that picture. To me, there is nothing sexier than a female athlete. Talk
about being born 50 years to soon. I would give her my life savings. so, is that enough kissing up to win the Dakine T4 harness? I’ve been windsurfing for 24 years and my harness is six years old. bruce bieker, rogers, AZ
sasQuaTCH spoTTED
From that moment on I became not just the “wind dummy” from my friends, but also the “weed dummy.” Believe me when I say I’m very glad not to have a picture to include with my story. Weed fins work, but like everything in life, only in moderation. steve Mallet, Gatineau, Que. Thanks for the story, Steve. For sharing your memories of this embarrassing moment we are awarding you with a cool new Windsport beanie. —ed.
hot water over the section of mast covering the spigot piece. Hey, what can I say? I am a plumber by trade. I just keep slowly pouring the hot water over about a onefoot section above the joint and back down to the joint a couple of times. next, I tag a couple of bud’s to help me with the twisting and it pops apart fairly easily without beating it and possibly fracturing some of that precious carbon. I bought a used mast in Hatteras that the owner could not get apart. I took it back to the house and did the kettle trick and voila... I scored a nice 430 mast for $50. Just thought I would pass this along, and to tell you to keep up the good work on your mag, I’m lovin’ it. Craig stead, Ilderton, Ont.
I would love to write you about a big crash with amazing pics and brag about how hard I pushed myself every windsurfing session but instead I will tell you a true story. If you ever go to shippagan, n.B., they will warn you about the sasquatch windsurfer and how everybody is afraid of him. It was the late ’80s and I had just bought my first weed fin. It was a flashy, fluorescent-green plastic fin common to those good ol’ days when the real Miami Vice was playing on Tv. everything was neon and bright. my new weed fin was mandatory for sailing during the middle of summer. still to this day big chunks, over 20 feet square, are floating around. We get some really weedy conditions. I tested the fin by sailing over boat ropes with good results, so I figured it was ready for the real thing. I said to myself, “Alright huge weed patches, here I come.” Fully powered on my 4.2 m2, I directed my board at top speed toward the weeds. The fin dug in and I immediately was thrown over the handlebars, landing in the middle of a 40-foot patch of weeds. The weeds were so thick that I was barely able to swim, but I finally made it to my gear. It took 15 minutes just to clear the board of all the weeds so that I could sail back to shore. On the ride back I realized that I was still covered in green weedy slime… I was the sasquatch windsurfer.
16
windsport
Girls rip
I was just reading the new issue and had to write to tell you how stoked I was to see a photo of a girl doing a bad-ass move. Those shots of laure Treboux [p. 10 and 30] are sweet and super inspiring. Ingrid larouche, Bingen, WA Today women are throwing some insane moves in freestyle and waves. We hope to bring many more to the pages of Windsport in upcoming issues. —ed.
plumBEr CraCKs masT
I was just perusing a back issue of Windsport magazine (which I really enjoy) and came across the article about stuck masts and a couple of methods of getting them unstuck such as the 2 boom trick or using your car. I have an alternative method, which has worked a few times in the past if you’re able to get your stuck mast home atop your vehicle. I just plug in the tea kettle and then slowly pour boiling
Send that nice cheque to Ashley Baxter. We hope that the Dakine T4 harness we are giving you will make up for you spending your entire life savings. —ed.
At Windsport’s ’s annual fall waveboard test in San Carlos, Baja, upon derigging we discovered that one of our masts was stuck solid. We lined up four guys on either end and twisted, shook and pulled for all we were worth but couldn’t get the thing to budge. Looking for more help from the Solo Sport’s guests, we turned to a group from Japan that had flown in to ride some waves. Four tiny Japanese women jumped in to help and suddenly the mast twisted free like it wasn’t stuck at all. Craig, your tea kettle idea sounds like a great solution, but my new favourite technique is to call on some Japanese women wavesailors (who just happen to rip). —ed.
WrIte
&
WIN
Hurry and e-mail your criticisms, compliments, stories and advice to letters@windsport.com for a chance to win a neil pryde Elite ii wetsuit. This top-of-the-line suit retails for $599 and is featured in our “Coldwater Wear Guide” [p. 88]. This is a time-sensitive contest so get typing.
Rider: Matt Pearch and Nik Baker / Photograph: Benjamin Thouard
committed since 1976
AD_Screamer_Action_215x280.indd 1
28.08.2008 10:10:20
Pure,, Simple, Fun.
Rider John Amundson; Image Bilderback Made by
Aluminum Fixed > 75”, 81” Vario > 56” - 70”, 71” - 85”
200 009 9
Carbon Uncut > 84” (~22.0 oz.) Carbon, Maple or Ebony Veneer
Amundson 11.0 Epoxy Sandwich 11’0“ x 29.5”>147L
Amundson 11.3 Epoxy ASA 11’6” x 29.5”>160L
Amundson 11.6 Epoxy AST 11’6“ x 30.0”>212L
ITW ISSUE 120
GEAR, ADVICE & ENTERTAINMENT
20
PEER PRESSURE
We let Kauli Seadi’s friends ask the questions
22
SWELL RIDES
Diony Guadagnino loves his ’88 Chrysler LeBaron
26
THE SKINNY
Graham Ezzy gets through a very bad day
34
HOW TO
Surviving a wipeout at Jaws with Robby Naish
IN THE WIND
WELLNESS MACGYVER HIGH FIVE SHOP GROM PRO TIPS INSPIRATION
Launching from Vela in Aruba. Allen photo
windsport
19
I T w
Peer Pressure
Kauli seadi gets grilled by thirteen fellow pros No one is making a bigger splash in windsurfing than current and three-time world wave champion Kauli Seadi. He has introduced new big-air moves, developed a unique and innovative new-school style of riding, and led the industry into a trend toward radical twin-fin waveboards. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s see what Seadiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tour mates and other pro-level windsurfers from around the globe want to learn from this talented Brazilian. words by Phil Soltysiak | Photo by john carter
20
windsport
Q&A Matt Pritchard: Besides the big money, what other factors came on the table for you to join JP-Australia and Neil Pryde? It was a big chance in my career to finally get supported by a brand that wanted to invest in marketing my name and my image together with their products so directly. That was the whole idea behind The Fly sail and JP-Australia Twinser Wave lines. Tine Slabe: Did the change of gear sponsors affect your style? There have been a lot of changes on my gear, and it has changed the feel in the way some manoeuvres are done. But I’m becoming more and more confident that these changes are affecting my style in a positive way and making me feel that I’m sailing lighter and better. Francisco Goya: What would make up the dream competition tour for you? It would go to locations with really nice and clean side-offshore wavesailing conditions, plus it would be warm. There would be judges that want to judge progressive windsurfing where there is no formula to win. Waveriding and manoeuvres with the best expression of style and connection with the waves count most. A
contest where you don’t try to be someone else but you try to create something that you personally believe is possible. Junko Nagoshi: What other ways do you train besides sailing? I do a lot of complementary sports, like surfing, stand-up paddling, motocross, paragliding, and tow-in surfing. These really give me new ideas for windsurfing and allow me to overcome any thoughts of limitations. I also do a lot of physiotherapy and proprioception exercises with Pilates to prevent common windsurfing injuries. Maarten Van Ochten: Why did you go for a professional windsurfing career instead of a professional tennis career? The tennis court is way too warm, and I was always breaking my rackets on the floor when I would lose. Greg Thomas: I can’t imagine how hard you must work to be a three-time world champion. What did you do to reach and sustain this level? As you know, Captain Greg, it’s a long journey reaching any goal in life and this tests how much you really want it. I never gave up on my goal no matter what rocks blocked my path. I think the way I
was introduced to the sport with the full support of my parents really made me go all the way and follow my dream without quitting. Getting to the level that I’m at now is just a matter of motivation. This is something that never changes. Just being in the water recharges my power, happiness and self-esteem.
to riding waves. It really has helped the most with the general overall control of my equipment.
Yoli de Brendt: What’s a bigger challenge, windsurfing Jaws or the conditions at Sylt? Both require a lot of training to be able to perform well. Sylt was extreme and [doesn’t have] the conditions that are natural for me. Riding Jaws is really dangerous, allowing for no mistakes, but I think I enjoy it more. In both situations you challenge two strong forces of nature: big ocean waves and strong wind.
Tatiana Howard: What is your favourite move and why? I really like the feel of the Tabletop Push Loop. I like the feel of being totally upside down over the gear; I’m all twisted up, but it still feels natural.
Graham Ezzy: How do you get ready for an important heat? I really focus on being sure that I have the correct gear to compete in the specific conditions. Then I just go out and try to just let it flow. Tyson Poor: How does your freestyle sailing help out your pure wavesailing style? I believe it helps a lot with my competition skills, but not as directly
Wyatt Miller: How many boards do you break in a season? It depends on the day and the spot. At home in Brazil it is very rare because it’s all sand beach, but at Ho’okipa on big days it can happen.
Jake Miller: You sail a lot in great conditions. What motivates you to windsurf when the conditions are non-motivating? It may be a hot chick on the beach or just the pure feeling of need to be in the water. Sometimes I just don’t stay for long, but sometimes you can be surprised that even when it looks like shit, it can still be fun. Whit Poor: What is the best wave you’ve ever ridden? Ibiraquera, Brazil, when the lagoon opens with the ocean and forms the perfect sandbar with a five-tosixfoot south swell.
Career Highs Seadi Remembers 2000: Advancing
2003: Beating Antoine Albeau in the last heat for the Super-X title in Fuerteventura.
2005: Winning my first wave event in Gran Canaria and ending the year as Wave World Champion.
2001: Winning the freestyle event in Fuerteventura, Spain. This was my firstever PWA event win.
2004: Competing at the Bercy indoor event in France against Robby Naish, and landing an Air Chacho off the ramp.
2007: Claiming the
through the trials at the Aloha Classic and beating Sierra Emory in a heat.
wave crown in an epic year that featured six stops, including a win at my hometown of Ibiraquera, Brazil.
M. Houyvet photo
windsport
21
I T w
Swell Rides
Photo by jeroMe hoUyVet
diony guadagnino’s ‘88 Chrysler lebaron a canary islands for nearly on Maui after living in the car a buy ly ate edi Two years ago i arrived l is to imm for any new Maui arriva ause it’s year. the normal routine or even semi-new car bec new a for d nee the felt e country hom my to in kahului. i’ve never ed par me here in the U.s., com for nt me uest inv t mo bes not the often becomes re val never looses its value and at . day h eac ch of Venezuela, where a car bea the th to vehicle to go back and for in great shape. able. all i needed was a 1988 chrysler lebaron a nd fou i g, kin loo of 00. $1,0 the end of a full day me t y cos in good condition and onl this car is still running, is
PRICe CHeCK
12
¢
Cost per gallon of gas in Guadagnino’s home country of venezuela.
22
windsport
I T w
Wellness
Heal Faster with R.I.C.E.
By Dr. Ian Brown (docbrown.ca) As windsurfers, we inevitably overuse or accidentally mistreat our muscles, tendons and ligaments over the course of the season often leading to painful bruises, sprains and strains. During your next session, should you get whacked by the mast or stuff an ankle into the bottom jumping off in unexpectedly shallow water, follow the law of R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression and elevation) to minimize pain and reduce recovery time.
AD
Rest: Reduce as much as possible or even stop using the injured area for 48 hours as this is a critical time for healing. You may need to stay off of a leg injury completely.
Ice: Apply ice for 20 minutes, every 3-4 hours during the two-day resting period. Use an ice pack or plastic bag of cubed or crushed ice that has been wrapped in towel.
Fraser photos
Compression: Support an injured ankle, knee or wrist using elastic wrap bandage or specifically designed splint. This may help to reduce swelling in the injured area.
Elevation: Sit back in front of the television while using a pillow to keep the injured area elevated above the level of your heart during the 48-hour resting period.
Quoted “Footstraps evidently represent a hazard, and action should be taken towards solving this problem. We suggest that either the footstraps be fitted with a release mechanism or surfers avoid using them.” —J. Witt, B. P. Paaske, and U. Jørgensen. “Injuries in windsurfing due to foot fixation.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
24
windsport
Windsport Mag.09_212,725x282,575
14.01.2009
16:20 Uhr
Seite 1
-10째 Celsius!
THE INGENIOUS DRY SUIT For single-handed putting on! HIGHLY ELASTIC BREATHABLE WITH FRONT ZIP M LY FRO
N LY & O
SIVE EXCLU
XA-10 hood
XA-10 shirt comfortable and soft on the skin
XA-10 pants for warm legs
ear nderw e u s a c ar -Flee t o we ideal amboo arm! B w with eeps super k
Please find further information on our Homepage: www.camaro.at.
I T w
The Skinny
Words by Graham Ezzy | Illustration by Don Jackson
my very bad day
It is my fourth day back on Maui from being away at school in Princeton, New Jersey, and my day goes from bad to worse. At noon I arrive at Ho’okipa to rideable waves, but the wind is light and slightly onshore. Levi Siver rigs up first, and I follow him out. After falling on a Wave 360, I find myself pinned underneath my sail on the infamous Ho’okipa rocks. Through some rock-hopping and swearing, I haul my gear back up onto dry land. As I examine the board I am borrowing from Lalo Goya, my boss
26
windsport
at Quatro, I discover a small crack on the rail. I’m upset, but I’m not going to let it ruin my day, so I grab my other twin-fin board and head back to the water. As I happily run to the launch at full speed, I stub the skin off the toes on my right foot. The black blood oozing from my toes looks nasty and painful, but I’m still determined to have a good session. But just as I am about to launch, heaving raindrops begin to fall, killing the wind. I sit in the car with my bruised body and bloody toes and wait. Finally the sky clears and I head
back into the water. After crashing on my third wave, I manage to hit the side of my knee on my fins, slicing the skin open. When I looked down, I see white flesh and spots of red blood and know I need stitches. I jibe on a wave and head for the beach. I put some gauze on the wound to stop the bleeding and derig my sail. Somehow my shirt has disappeared, so I drive downtown in just my surf shorts. I’m hungry, so I stop by Jamba Juice for a smoothie before heading to the emergency room. I unknowingly
push the straw through the bottom of the Styrofoam cup, so orange juice and frozen yogurt leak from the hidden hole. When I get in the car, I realize the smoothie is spilling everywhere, but I can’t find the elusive leak. Of course, the more I examine the cup, the more smoothie juice spills all over the carpet of my dad’s car. When I finally get to the hospital, shirtless and covered in orange smoothie and blood, I feel relieved. After what seems like an eternity, a nurse takes my heart rate and says, “I should take the gauze off the cut to look at it, but I’ll just guess what’s wrong.” I’m then carted off to a temporary room, and a nurse cleans the laceration, props my leg up for the doctor and leaves me to wait. At some point during the hour that I’m sitting there, an unshaven man wearing nothing but a hospital gown and dark sunglasses walks barefoot past my door. As he passes, he stops, turns his head to look at me, folds his arms across his chest and challenges me: “What are you doing here?” I stare at him in mute disbelief as he walks away. I feel ready to enter a sanatorium when finally the doctor arrives and stitches me up. I finish my day by driving home, at which point I start laughing hysterically at how my day has gone before promptly falling asleep. The moral of the story is that the ocean, like life, is unpredictable. I’ve been surprised by monster sets at Ho’okipa, by barges in the Gorge, and by violent taxi drivers in Newark, New Jersey. Luckily, as windsurfers, we have an advantage in life because we face the capricious whims of nature on the water every session. And are the worst sessions not the best stories to tell afterward? I can’t wait till I have another bad day so that I can talk and laugh about it. That being said, please don’t remind my dad about the spilled smoothie in his car.
I T w
Wind Motivated Performance Oriented Quality Driven
MacGyver
Five-minute Board Repair
words by Derek Rijff Just like using a Band Aid to protect and cover a small scrape on your body, your windsurfing board needs something in the case of any minor cracks or dings. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always have time or the materials on hand for a full permanent repair, so here are some tips that can help get you back sailing as quickly as possible. Fraser photos
AD
Remove the vent plug and let the board cool down in the shade before applying any repair material. This will keep air from trying to escape through the damaged area and allow for a better sealed repair.
Repair material should be Epoxy resin-based, like Epoxy Solarez and Ding Stick. Many off-the-shelf epoxies and surfboard repair kits (polyester resin-based) will melt the inside of a windsurf board.
After applying any goo-like repair materials, cover the area with Saran Wrap or any clear plastic, which will allow you to work and smooth the goo into position. Leave covering on until repair is dry.
Stay away from fixing your board with duct tape or surf wax, as they will not be 100 per cent water tight under pressure. Plus, surf wax creates a mess for whomever does the permanent repair later.
vocab E.F.M. Euro-friendly manoeuvre Any move that gets windsurfers of European decent very excited. For example, any trick with a pirouette.
Hans lost points for landing an E.F.M in the Freestyle Frenzy semi-finals. Origin: North American freestylers.
ContaCt: info@hansensails.com â&#x20AC;˘ Website: www.hansensails.com store LoCation: www.calcupevents.com
28
windsport
Vela_WindSportAd_032509_Mech.qxd:Layout 1
ARUBA
BAJA
MAUI
3/25/09
3:59 PM
JERICOACOARA
Page 1
PUNTA SAN CARLOS
CABARETE COCHE LOS ROQUES MARGARITA ICARAIZINHO
LOW PRICES GUARANTEED!
COOL PLACES
Take your sailing to a new level
FRIENDLY FACES
...on the ultimate windsurfing vacation! GREAT GEAR
PRO INSTRUCTION
CALL NOW!
1-800-223-5443 VELAWINDSURF.COM info@velawindsurf.com F EATU R I NG
B OAR D S and
RIGS
I T w
High Five
Phil Soltysiak’s Five Top 5
Phil Soltysiak in Jericoacoara. Persson photo
Bands? Puddle of Mudd Foo Fighters Shwayze Dr. Dre The Beatles
30
windsport
Books? To Kill a Mocking Bird A Long Way Down It’s Not About the Bike A Time to Kill Red Storm Rising
Movies? Zoolander Snatch Claim The Departed Anchorman
Websites? continentseven.com windsurfcanada.com can-9.com facebook.com kayak.com
TV shows? Prison Break 24 Hockey Night in Canada The local news The Weather Channel
AerotechWSFma09
1/6/09
3:48 AM
Page 1
i t W
Shop Grom
sailworld’s Kaylen ballantyne According to Jim ballantyne, owner of sailworld cape cod and father of this upand-coming windsurfer, “kaylen has been stoked on windsurfing since age five, when he started to ride with me on my board. later, he improved rapidly by initiating sailing games amongst his friends. now i am proud to say that he brings that same enthusiasm to the shop as our windsurfing instructor.” Age: 16 | Home: cape cod | Work: sailworld | Boss: jimbo | Specialty: Freestyle | Best sail: worldsails surge | Best board: starboard kode | Proudest moment: winning at the 2006 cape cod Freestyle Frenzy | Favourite launch: little harbor | other sports: skiing, bMX racing, mountain biking and surfing | Food choice: My Mom’s | Gaming console: Xbox 360 | Website: youtube | Best movie: Shooter and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift | tv show: The Simpsons | When will you out-windsurf your dad? in about a year | Heroes: dad and Mom
Kaylen poses. Ballantyne photo
Pro TIPs: FRanciSco Goya’S advice on WaveSailinG Besides having fun and cheering others around you to push their limits, here are some concrete tips to improve your waveriding.
32
windsport
Ride often. it’s no secret that the easiest way to improve is by sailing more.no matter what the conditions are, you have to put in the hours.
Widen your stance. i find riding with the front strap all the way forward and the back strap all the way back improves my ability to surf the board.
customize your rig. Play with the sail’s tuning settings along with boom height and harness line length to make it feel right to fit your style.
Widen your straps. Make the footstraps big to the point where you can press with your entire foot on the deck rather than just with your toes.
Use a smaller fin. Place it forward in the box to the point that you spinout on the bottom turn. this will make the board really loose and fun.
I T w
How to:
Survive a Crash at Jaws By Robby Naish Honestly, Jaws still scares me, but it’s a rush. The danger is it’s a lot of water moving with a ton of energy. Just being in the wrong place at the wrong time will get you pummeled as I was years ago (pictured). Here’s what I do when things go bad.
1. You’re lucky if you have time to
think, but at least take a deep breath and get as far away from your equipment as you possibly can.
2. If you feel yourself being sucked up the face, prepare for the impending drop over the falls by trying to relax. Prepare for impact by covering your head with both arms in a semi-fetal position.
Marcos Perez Hidalgo. Exocet photo
Inspiration
4. Once you stop tumbling, quickly by John Ingebritsen
Longboard’s MAKE ME SKUNK PROOF With my Exocet Kona and a little help from some local weather sensors and webcams, I’m confident that my drive to the beach will never again be in vain. Skunk proof, that’s me. Long boards like the Kona have no longer made me a slave to planing winds. As a wavesailor, all I look for is side-to-side-onshore winds of five10 mph and a waist-high swell to have a great time in the surf with my duck-tailed 11’5”. I know this goes against the grain of most folks who believe that short and light equipment is the be-all and end-all. If Florida had reliable trade winds then I wouldn’t have needed to explore this idea of “going big.” The reality is that most windsurfers don’t live in ideal wavesailing locations so we make the most of what we have and have fun doing it. Longboard wavesailing is something I started doing for a lark back in the mid to late ’80s. It was more longboard cruising in the ocean with an occasional waveride when everything fell into place. I dropped longboarding a few years later, switching over to shortboards and harnesses around 1989. And so did the sport. Back then hundreds of people were windsurfing at each local spot and the shortboard stoke didn’t seem like the trap that it would later become. As I progressed in the sport, I sought out
34
windsport
3. Next, get your arms out to break away from the whitewater. Sometimes you just get pounded down deep and out the back with no tumbling… just a long, dark swim to the surface.
the challenges of wavesailing, which eventually led me back to longboards in order to get more sessions in Florida’s fickle winds. In 2004, I found myself in the middle of a conversation with Aerotech’s Steve Gottlieb and Exocet’s Patrice Belbeoch about ideas on how to make windsurfing more accessible again. The only answer that would provide a renewed interest in windsurfing was obvious: longboards for everyone. But how can a designer and company make this happen? Belbeoch talked about the prototype duck-tailed boards he was developing for the 2008 Olympic class bid. Later, he cooked up a marketing campaign and rolled out the Kona program, targeting the recreational sailor instead of the Olympic racers. Success was at hand with the original Kona, and Exocet has now expanded the line to better cover all ranges of conditions and sailing styles. A lot of people with good shortboard wavesailing skills run out of steam when we don’t get planing conditions. They rarely ever show up at the beach unless the forecast call for gale-force winds. I believe more of these sailors should try longboards in waves to become better all-around and to lessen the skunk factor for this precious time when you get to breakaway from the workloads of life.
swim to the surface. This will be difficult as the aerated water pulls you back down. Hold your breath and stay as relaxed as possible avoiding the impulse of blowing out your nose.
5. Upon surfacing, breath out and immediately in again as another wave may hit. Waves break anywhere from 12 to 20 seconds apart. If a wave is breaking, swim down to get under it. 6. Always be prepared to save yourself. If there is a break in the sets swim out of the impact zone to the channel. You can never fully rely on someone coming in and getting you on a Jet Ski.
J. Houyvet photo
radar
Morgan Noireaux Words and photo by Jerome Houyvet.
Age: 14 | Sail number: HI 101 | Specialty: Wave Home: Maui | Heroes: Kauli Seadi, Levi Siver and Keith Teboul | Sponsors: Neil Pryde, JP-Australia Morgan Noireauxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents moved from France to Maui to live a windsurfing and island lifestyle just after he was born. He has grown up playing in the ocean, and at age 14 Morganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s typical day sounds like paradise for a teenager. He studies through an Internet school every morning and then goes to the beach to sail or surf along side the best riders in the world. He is now training hard to perfect his Goiters with the goal of traveling and competing on the PWA tour in a few years.
Going big at only 14.
36
windsport
Photo: A.DDeMari DeMaria/C a/Cano anonn
Tailored sizes.
Volume
75Lts
80Lts
85Lts
90Lts
95Lts
100Lts
105Lts
110Lts
115Lts
120Lts
Size
235x55cms
236x56cms
237x58cms
238x59cms
240x60cm
242x62cms
244x63cms
246x64cms
248x66cms
250x68cms
Fin FreeWave 2009 MFC 21 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 22 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 23 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 25 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 27 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 29 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 31 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 33 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 34 G-10 CNC
FreeWave MFC 34 G-10 CNC
Fin box US R·S·S 3.7-5.4 Weight 6.2 ± 6%Kgs
US
US
POWER
POWER
POWER
POWER
POWER
POWER
POWER
4.0-5.7
4.2-5.8
4.5-6.0
4.7-6.3
5.0-6.5
5.0-6.7
5.2-7.0
5.4-7.5
5.8-8.0
6.3 ± 6%Kgs
6.5 ± 6%Kgs
6.6 ± 6%Kgs
6.8 ± 6%Kgs
6.9 ± 6%Kgs
7.0 ± 6%Kgs
7.1 ± 6%Kgs
TEN TENTHS LTD Westport, Wisconsin • rrd@tentenths-ltd.com • 800-473-1153 • www.robertoriccidesigns.com
7.3 ± 6%Kgs
7.5 ± 6%Kgs
Available also in X•tech™ technology
in the lab
Kauli Seadi, Pieter Bijl and Robert Stroj. Neil Pryde photo
Neil Pryde’s
Robert Stroj words by Pete Dekay Originally from Croatia where he studied naval engineering, Robert Stroj started making sails at Monty Spindler’s ART design loft in Italy in the 1990s. He was offered a designer position with Neil Pryde in 2000 and moved to Maui, where he still works today.
Where do you design the sails? Most of our testing and development is done on Maui. Our prototypes are computer cut and built at the Neil Pryde Design Center, which greatly reduces the time between receiving feedback and making a new, ready-to-test prototype. With typical wavesails, we can test in one afternoon, and plot and build a new prototype for the next day. How were you involved in Neil Pryde’s signing of Kauli Seadi? Prior to signing the contract, we
38
windsport
met with Kauli in Hong Kong to discuss his style of sailing and find out what kind of sails suit him best. We discovered his need for constant drive in the sail, especially through his bottom turn, as well as the idea of keeping the sail as compact as possible while maintaining a short boom length. This is where the idea of bringing the compact clew concept to the wavesails first started. This concept allows us to shorten the luff and bring the sail area closer to the rider without increasing the boom length.
What was really exciting for me is that Kauli is looking for very different characteristics in a wavesail than what Jason [Polakow] is after. Jason looks for extremely neutral sails that totally depower when waveriding, and he uses the power of the wave to keep speed of the board, just like in surfing. With the Fly, we really started from scratch to create a very special and unique wavesail. As soon as Kauli was signed, he came to Maui and we fully concentrated on its development.
What was it like working with Seadi in developing the Fly? Kauli is extremely articulate when explaining sail performance, so it is usually easy for me to understand what changes need to be done to design to get the characteristics he is after. While he is not the rider who will discuss the changes in terms of specific luff curve or shaping modifications, he is able to explain sail behaviour very precisely, which is the most important part of test feedback. In addition to judging the sail based on its feel, he also films himself waveriding with different prototypes and then we analyze how the different sails influence his riding. This was a very interesting and eye-opening process. For example, we had a case where one of the prototypes felt really good, very light and forgiving in the hands; however, after analyzing the video, we realized that a more powerful, slightly fuller prototype actually made him ride much better and keep consistent speed through his bottom turns as well as off the top of the wave. Do you get much time on the water? In general, I try to go sailing about twice a week, especially during winter when wave conditions are good and our wavesails are being developed. Can you share some proud design moments? First, I am really proud of the winning history of the RS Racing Formula sails. These big sails are very technical to design and their performance is closely related to design details, making them a real showcase of sail technology. Also, the success of RS Racing sails, with Antoine Albeau dominating the PWA and getting the overall speed sailing record. What was special about Antoine’s speed record is that it was not only the fastest windsurfing sail, but it was the fastest sail in the world of any kind. Now with Kauli winning the wave title, I have had my designs winning in all disciplines, including Formula, slalom 42, freestyle, supercross and now waves.
quiver
Keith Teboul’s Toys of choice
Words by Keith Teboul Photo by Jerome Houyvet Why is my gear is so important to me? Well, each piece is specifically designed for my own personal style of riding. From my surf and towboard to my windsurfing board and sail, I have spent endless hours testing each piece of gear in this photo and these are the ones that allow me to go places I’ve never been before.
Quatro Twin-fin board This 7’4” is an extension of me on the water. It’s pure pleasure to ride.
Goya Guru sail quiver The first line of sails designed around my style of sailing.
Quatro 5’8” towboard It’s shaped for six to 15-foot waves, and is the best compromise between speed and turniness.
Quatro 5’10” surfboard It’s 18.5 inches wide and 2 3/16 inches thick, and allows me to surf where I want on the wave.
Keith and Chika.
40
windsport
@Sd]ZcbW]\ /RO^bOPZS S\bSR ;O\ScdS` ]`W OdS O\R /ZZ ^c`^]aS e T`SSabgZS aOWZ cUV @SORg T]` `] WRW\U O\R bc[PZS `
guru Words by Randy Rhodes | Photos by Angela Hurley
getting strapped with Ease 1
Planing in the harness can be one of the most exciting things we learn in the early part of our windsurfing career. Once at this stage, most windsurfers begin to think about moving their feet all the way back over the tail of the board and into the footstraps. Let’s look at how this is done. Before attempting to put a foot into a strap make sure you are planing comfortably in the harness and your stance resembles the No. 7. This is where you can draw one straight line from your front hand to shoulder and another from your shoulder down to the front heel. Now it’s time to move back on the board. Slide your rear foot towards the tail until it hits just in front of the strap. Sliding the foot back, instead of picking it up and stepping back,
2
allows the board to remain stable and flat on the water, helping to maintain speed. Next, slide your front foot back until it is just in front of the front strap. Now that both feet are right up against the straps it’s time to think about getting your feet into them (photo 1). Getting into the straps can be a little tricky as moving your feet around on the board can make it unstable causing you to quickly lose speed. While still planing in the harness with a good No. 7 stance start with the front foot. First, shift your weight in the harness onto the back hip. Now, without looking down at your feet, gently pick up your front foot and slide it into the front strap (photo 2). Once engaged, make sure your arms and legs are extended and your weight is fully committed to the har-
3
ness; this will help you to regain any lost speed. Now you are ready for the back strap. Once you are comfortably planing in the front footstrap it’s time to go for the back one. While hanging in the harness, gently shift your weight forward over your front hip. Be sure to keep pushing with your toes so the board remains flat keeping its speed. Now, once again without looking down at your feet, slide your back foot into the back strap. Once there, extend your arms and legs back into the No. 7 stance and hold on for the ride (photo 3). Randy Rhodes and Angela Hurley teach at Worldwinds Windsurfing at Bird Island near Corpus Christi, Texas.
Random Quotes on Footstraps from Corpus Christi, Texas
“The foostraps aren’t there to trip you up, they’re there for a reason.” —“Trucker Bob” Conace, Corpus Christi, TX
42
windsport
“I can’t sail without them.” —Kent St. John, Longmont, CO
“Don’t leave home without them.” —Gary Speck, Ingleside, TX
“Stop the launch… strap in.” —Kevin Barry, Hunt, TX
“Getting in the straps for the first time is heaven.” —Peter Meszaros, Winnipeg, Man.
Outer Banks
VACATIONS WIND
20 Days A Month.
WATER
409 Square Miles Of It.
COMFORT Over 550 Vacation Rentals.
Hatteras Island is the premier destination for your next windsurfing getaway. Stay with Midgett Realty - the windsurferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice for comfort after a great day on the water! Go to www.midgettrealty.com OR call us at 1-800-527-2903. Find exactly what you need for your perfect watersports (& family friendly) vacation.
1-800-527-2903 www.midgettrealty.com
Hatteras Island, North Carolina
guru
Board Upside-down Waterstart
1
Words and Photos by Andy Brandt
2
3
Although learning the lightest wind waterstart possible is hard work, it’s a very useful skill that can get you out of some really tough jams. I have taught this lesson to many students and the ones that stuck with it will tell you how useful it actually is. Practice this skill when the wind is light while in waist-to-shoulder-deep water. You will drift a fair distance downwind while trying so make sure you have adequate space. Start by turning your board upside-down and pointing it straight into the wind. This is necessary to prevent the upsidedown board from sheeting the sail in accidentally causing you to
4
lose control. Clear the sail from the tip of the mast and swim down underneath the sail to the boom. Next, drop the front hand to the mast below the boom (half way between the boom and mast foot) and the back hand to the foot of the sail. You should be able to fairly easily balance the rig from this position. The lower your hands on the rig, the more power will be available from the sail, but the harder it is to keep the sail balanced. Balancing the sail, like a geometric triangle, is key. If the sail leans too far forward or backward it will be impossible to manage. Use the backhand to sheet the sail in and out with a
5
light touch (i.e. feathering) to keep the sail flying in the light breeze. With the sail balanced, place your feet straddling the mast on the board’s centreline (photo 1). The board is still upside-down so this should be far easier than trying to put them on the top. Tilt the sail slightly forward by pushing up on the mast and sheeting in the backhand. The board will turn downwind powering up the sail (photo 2). Stay tucked in a ball as the sail rolls you up and over onto the board (photo 3). Do not try to kick the board right side up; it will happen in one motion. You, the board and sail will all roll over together.
Unfortunately the last part is the hardest: transitioning from a squatting position on the board to standing (photos 4-5). Stay squatting and lean the sail back to the board’s tail to turn upwind. Stand up using your leg muscles and release both hands from the boom. Immediately catch the boom with both hands in your normal sailing hand position. This is easier than trying to move your hands one at a time as there seems to be a greater chance of the sail getting away from you. Go to abkboardsports.com to sign up for a clinic by owner-instructor Andy Brandt.
Top 5 Uses for the Board Upside-down Waterstart 5. Light wind
When there is barely a breath of wind in the air making it too light for a normal waterstart, this technique will get you up.
44
windsport
4. Conserving energy For crashes where the board flips over but you still keep the sail flying, try a board upside-down waterstart with your hands on the boom.
3. Sailing sinkers
If you are persistent in the need to sail a tiny sinker board, I promise that this version of a waterstart will come in handy one day.
2. Wavesailing
This is a great skill for aspiring wavesailors to learn as there is often not enough time between waves to fully reposition your gear.
1. Gambling Win money off fellow beachgoers by betting them that you can waterstart when they think there isn’t enough wind.
-YOUR ONE STOP SHOP IN MAUI FOR ALL THINGS WIND, SURF AND KITE-
The most complete rental fleet on Maui. CALL our expert staff to book your equipment for your next vacation on Maui. Regardless of your skill level, Naish has the right gear for you! Located on the historic North Shore of Maui. Just Minutes from the Airport and Kanaha! 111 HANA HIGHWAY KAHULUI/MAUI/HI INFO@NAISHMAUI.COM
naishmaui.com
808-871-1500
E S N O P S E R C I M A N DY .. d rider become life-like.
E]did 8gZY^i/ 9VggZaa Ldc\
EXCLUSIVELY AT
Rig an performance greater ts. than the sum of the par
Loft Lip Wave 4.7 2009: Planchemag 2009 wave tests- The ZVh^Zg id g^\! hd[iZg ^c i]Z ÆIV`Zh ndjg WgZVi] VlVn# I]Z A^e ^h Y edlZg XdbeVgZY id di]Zg [gdci! l]^X] \^kZh V adi d[ Xdcigda Vc an i]Z bdhi [dg\^k^c\ hV^a d[ gdWVW ^e ^h e I]Z A gdje# c ]^h \ hV^ah ^ cdi Ò cY Vcn# <gZVi kVajZ [dg i]^h iZhi# A^b^iVi^dch4½ lZ gZVaan Y^Y n VcY Xdb[dgi# I]Z A^e LVkZ bdcZn½ hZchVi^dcVa heZZY! hiVW^a^i cYh d[ lVkZ XdcY^i^dch# A^e VYVeih id V bVm^bjb d[ Y^[[ZgZci `^ LVkZ ZVgch ]ZVgii]gdW" 6<6>C Ç Loft Lip Wave 5.2 2009 Wind magazine 2009 wave tests, The gjiVa^oZ i]Z higdc\ l^cYh i]Z A^e lVkZ YdZh cdi W Æ:mXZaaZci kVajZ [dg bdcZn# :kZc ^c VeegZX^ViZ ^ih ^c Vaa XdcY^i^dch# L]^aZ hjgÒ c\ lZ g^YZg# 6 hiVWaZ hV^a! [Vhi VcY Z[Ò X^Zci bdhi d[ VkZ ^h ZgVW^a^in ^h ZmXZaaZci# I]Z A^e L hd[icZhh VcY ^ih [dg\^kZcZhh½ bVcZjk bdcZn# jZ [dg d[ kVa ] V adi V^a l^i ^XZY h Vaa! V \ddY eg ^dch! i]Z A^e LVkZ ^h i]Z hV^a id Wjn# ½id \d l^aY ^c V adi d[ Y^[[ZgZci XdcY^i ZjigVa^in# Z! Z[Ò X^ZcXn! hd[icZhh! jhZ gVc\Z! c Eajh" eg^XZ! ]dbd\ZcZ^in! l^cY gVc\ B^cjh" cdi]^c\ id gZedgiÇ
loftsails.com
making moves Gollito’s No-Handed Flaka diablo 1
2
5
6
The way that Jose “Gollito” Estredo throws this move, the term No-Handed Flaka really doesn’t give it justice. It starts with more of an aerial Boomerang into Flaka, but that makes it sound like an E.F.M. (see Vocab on p. 28 for definition).
9
10
46
windsport
Photos by Niels Patrick Geisselbrecht
3
4
7
8
11
12
windsport
47
ride guide
aruba’S FiSherMan’S hutS
7
WordS by ToM LePAK | PHoTo by SANdIe ALLeN
OFFSHOR
E WIND
5 4
3
2 6
Aruba is a destination that everyone in the family will enjoy. Windsurfers of all ages and skill levels will love the strong offshore trade winds that blow consistently from late-december through August. Non-windsurfing kids and adults will be kept busy by the shopping and endless activities the resorts provide as well as giving windsurfing a try with a fun group lesson at the vela resort. There is no better way to hook them on the sport you love.
48
windsport
The Fisherman’s Huts at Palm beach is the most popular windsurfing spot in Aruba. It’s known for its sunny skies, warm emeraldgreen water, long sandy beaches and lots of wind. Hotels from all price ranges line the beach within walking distance of the windsurfing centres, so you never have far to travel to sail, eat, party or sleep. The Huts is blessed with strong offshore winds blowing across smooth clear water. Closer to shore the wind is lighter and
gustier, but it picks up becoming more consistent the further you move away from the beach. There are specific areas within the windsurfing zone that is perfect for practising any level of skill. There are two sand-bottomed shallow beginner areas close to shore that have given thousands of tourists their first taste of windsurfing. The red flag marking the last shallow area of the reef is where the PWA women’s world champion in
freestyle Sarah Quita offringa honed her talent for landing mind-blowing tricks. other areas are perfect for learning waterstarting, jibing and how to get into the footstraps for the first time. Last but not least, the blue Highway is the long stretch of deep-blue water running parallel to shore, all the way from the main windsurfing zone to the California lighthouse, and located at Aruba’s most northwesterly tip. Here, advanced riders can enjoy steady
8
AERIAL HIGHLIGHTS 1. Beginner zones: Sandy-bottom shallow areas with less wind 2. Footstrap Alley: Short run between shallow areas 3. Inner Channel: Safest path through the reef 4. Outer Channel: Cut through the reef for advanced riders 5. The Red Flag: Come watch Sarah Quita land insane moves 6. Vela Oasis: Water cooler for vela guests 7. Blue Highway: Strongest and most consistent wind 8. California Lighthouse: A great view 9. The Huts: Gives the beach it’s name
9
1 clean air and everything from flatwater to chop, depending on how far offshore a route you take. but, never sail here alone and let the staff at the centre know before you venture out into this beautiful stretch of water. All windsurfing sites have things to look out for and Aruba is no different. To the far south of Palm beach, the hotels block the wind. Not to worry as there is plenty of water with clear air within the main sailing zone. Close
to the beach the wind can be gusty and shifty but the excellent beginner gear available at the centres easily compensates for the conditions. Plus, the instructors are very experienced with the Aruba wind and know exactly how to make their students have the most fun. beware of sailing across the reef extending out from the beach in front of the Fishermen’s Huts. The inner and outer channels (both marked by flags) provide paths to sail through from one
side to the other. Ignoring this warning will lead to a bruised body, ego, broken board and lost fin. When riding in Aruba, due to the offshore wind direction, you must be honest with yourself and your ability. If you get tired sail to one of the many shallow areas where you can hop off and rest. Motorboats are available at the centres to pick you up if you get into trouble, but it’s always best to avoid a rescue by sailing with others in an area that matches your skill level.
The local windsurfing centres (vela resorts, Aruba boardsailing, and Sailboard vacations) offer lessons and equipment for all skill levels. The iconic vela centre, located next to the Marriott Hotel, replaces its Neil Pryde, JP-Australia and Starboard equipment every year giving you a chance to try new and exciting toys on your vacation.
windsport
49
Tahiti is a watermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise.
50
windsport
Tales of tube rides and Teahupoo from a teenage waterman
Words by Kai Lenny photos by Benjamin Thouard windsport
51
“I’m a little nervous sailing out because of the
gnarly stories that I’ve heard from others who have sailed here.” Not just another waterman.
Home sweet home.
52
windsport
My friend Dean Christener and I arrive in Papeete, Tahiti late one night to the beautiful sounds of Polynesian music being played by local musicians and the sweet smell of the native flowers. My Oxbow team captain, Baptiste Gossien, who recently moved here, picks us up. He takes us to his place, located right on the water and just down the road from the famed surf break: Teahupoo. The next morning I’m blown away with the beauty of Tahiti. I imagine that Hawaii must have looked this way hundreds of years ago. Dean, Baptiste and I immediately set off to Teahupoo. This break is different from any other wave that I’ve experienced, because when you’re going down-the-line it’s like a huge wall of water keeps coming directly towards you.
The wave actually bends and the channel you see at the beginning of the wave disappears. The other challenge is that you can’t see the wave on the ocean horizon, but it just pops up right on the reef. It’s scary dropping in since it jacks up super fast, forcing you to be committed in order to make it down the face. Maui’s Ho’okipa feels like a swimming pool compared to the power here. Teahupoo means “the end of the road” and this is where we launch for our first session. The wind is port tack, sideshore and feels unbelievably warm. The logo-high waves breaking on the reef is considered flat to the Tahitians. I’m a little nervous sailing out because of the gnarly stories that I’ve heard from others who have sailed here.
Riding at Teahupoo.
windsport
53
Slashing another wave.
54
windsport
Going towsurfing.
“I watch him make it past a horrible section after which
I think he’ll kick out for sure, but he keeps going to a really bad place.” On the way out Baptiste breaks his mast, meaning we’ve lost our guide, but Dean and I continue out alone and ready to challenge this dangerous wave. I catch the first wave and ride it through to the channel. Dean isn’t so lucky on his first wave as he drops in too deep behind the peak. I watch him make it past a horrible section after which I think he will kick out for sure, but he keeps going to a really bad place. He hits the spot where the dry reef becomes exposed with big waves breaking on to it. Fortunately he gets off of it quickly, avoiding injury
and heads back out. We sail for at least three hours and are stoked having made it through our fist Teahupoo session alive. The next day it starts to rain and doesn’t stop for two weeks. The waves pick up to over mast high and many of the spots are blown out from the onshore wind, but we manage to find a few good spots around the island. Despite the rain the surfing is really fun with breaks offering everything from hot dog surfing to getting good tube rides. The vibe in the lineup is really impressive. The Tahitians always in-
troduce themselves and then we all take turns catching waves. There is no dropping in on others and definitely no sign of anyone being disrespectful. The locals have been really nice to us everywhere we go. Each day we wake up and do whatever the conditions are best for. Usually we eat breakfast and then go surfing for a few hours. Up next is windsurfing or stand-up surfing and followed by an end-of-day surf sesh. This place is a waterman’s paradise.
Gossien getting air.
windsport
55
Here fishy, fishy.
“the surf is fun with breaks offering everything from hot dog surfing
to getting good tube rides.”
For a break one day, Baptiste takes us to a waterfall with a beautiful pool. He encourages us to go for a swim, and while we’re swimming all of the sudden the current becomes really strong. I feel like I’m going to be swept out of the pool and down the river. We don’t know what’s going on and we swim for our lives. Luckily we make it to the side only to find Baptiste laughing and pointing to a sign that warns about a dam opening spontaneously. Unfortunately two weeks fly by and it’s time to go back home. I’m sad to leave as this place is so beautiful and there is always something to do in the water. I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to come and stay with Baptiste. I will surely miss this place and the people I have met. The only good thing about the end of a trip is that I get to always come home to Maui. No matter how special my time is away I love getting back to my own home, eating one of my mom’s delicious meals and laying my head on my own pillow. As I drift off to sleep on my first night back, I can’t help but continue dreaming of the perfect waves, wind, food, music and the wonderful people of Tahiti. I can’t wait to go back. Christener at Teahupoo.
56
windsport
A nice SUP sesh.
windsport
57
Hot waves, Chile waters In the five minutes that I managed to speak to Klaas Voget on the phone before my trip, all I could get out of him is: “The waves are unbelievable. We’ve been sailing almost every day for two weeks and are scoring clean, barrelling lefts all to ourselves. Hurry up and get yourself down here.” Directions were what I had called for but such a glowing report would do nicely in my book… Google maps will have to do the rest of the work.
58
windsport
Words by Robby Swift Photos by John Carter
Beautiful Matanzas.
windsport
59
60
windsport
The tail of my most-prized wav eboard has been dragging alon g the road for the last 20 minut es.
realize as the plane climbs away from the Maui airport, all I have between myself and mast-and-a-half-high wave perfection in Chile are 8,191 miles and over 24 hours of traveling. Leaning back into my seat, images of dropping into glassy South American left-hand point breaks constantly race through my mind. I am so excited there is no hope of getting any sleep. After hooking up with my brother David in Santiago, we somehow make it to the coast without getting lost. When I first see the ocean from the cliffs along the road I can’t believe how beautiful the scenery is, not to mention the perfect peeling lines of waves wrapping around the point below. Five minutes later we roll into the sleepy little town of Matanzas, and are met by photographer John Carter (JC), Klaas, and Victor Fernandez, who already have their truck loaded, ready to kick-start our South American sojourn. Obviously, a rest is not in the cards as we throw my clothing bag into the hotel and drive off towards Topocalma, a world-class left-hand beach break. Having survived the mammoth voyage that involves traveling through three different countries, I almost have a sense of resignation while following Klaas and Victor towards the first spot they want to show me. Ten minutes into the drive, weaving our way up and down dusty trails through pine-forested terrain, we hear a strange scraping noise coming from the back. Another 10 minutes pass before we pull over to investigate, only to find that the tail of my most-prized JP-Australia waveboard has been dragging along the road for the last 20 minutes. The friction has worn straight through the bag and shaved a whole inch off the tail. Not a good start to the trip, I’m thinking as we finally pull up at the infamous gates of Topocalma. What is this place… some kind of guarded kingdom? On entry the girl at the gate impounds our passports as a deposit and we’re finally allowed though into the Topocalma hacienda and onto the last leg of the journey towards one of Chile’s most notorious waves. The last thing I really feel like doing after such an expedition is testing my skills against the massive waves and icy cold waters of the jagged Chilean coast line, but my arrival is right on cue with a booming swell so there’s no time for weak excuses. The track down to Topocalma takes us down a steep hill into pristine farmlands where the local cowboys ride around on horseback in traditional Chilean style. This place immediately feels slightly magical, as if we’ve entered a culture where time stands still, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the modern world. After crossing a rickety wooden bridge and rounding one final turn I catch my first glimpse of the southern Pacific. Immediately all thoughts of sleep are erased from my mind. I am witness to a mast-high peeling left-hander reeling its way past the front of the famous Topocalma rock outcrop and freight-training over 200 metres down the empty white-sand beach. I can’t believe my luck as I watch set after set of perfect barrelling waves with not a person in sight to spoil the spectacle. Our slow and careful four-wheel driving suddenly picks up into a hectic pace as we race across the last section of dirt track and out onto the vast empty beach. Any care for the windsurfing gear in the back of the truck goes out the window as our excitement grows with each passing wave. We pull to a stop on the beach, right in front of the upwind rock formation and watch in awe. Victor says we should drive back around the small lagoon on the beach to rig up out of the wind, but having traveled so far to get here, there’s no way I’m going to be held back from these waves for one more second. In a flurry of activity, I tear apart the careful packing job that I had done in Maui, fight the drill to screw on the foot straps, and rig my 4.7 m2 in record time. Klaas and Victor, already having 10 days of epic sailing under their belts, rig up much more calmly. They are amused to see my brother and I frantically tripping over each other in an attempt to put our gear together as quickly as is humanly possible. When I first set foot in the water, the cold almost puts an end to my excitement. The wind is offshore, very gusty and strong, so I get catapulted a couple of times on my way out over the waves. My feet and hands are numb and every time my head goes under water I feel like my brain is shrinking. I really need to get onto a wave to re-kindle that primal excitement before my jet lag and exhaustion takes over.
Robby, Klaas and Victor.
Topocalmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peeling wave.
Rigging up at Topocalma.
windsport
61
Chilean cowboys.
orn in the massive depressions that rage below Australasia, these waves roll their way across the edge of the Antarctic Circle with the relentless energy of a caged beast, before unleashing their pent-up fury on the rocky South American coastline. With a fetch of thousands of miles, the swells travel unimpeded, growing in intensity with every mile until they reach land. Chile’s mountainous, saw-toothed coastline has hundreds of points, bluffs and bays to turn this energy into pristine, boundless waves. The sand bar at Topocalma is perfectly formed to push this trans-continental power into one of the most perfect waves you can imagine for windsurfing. I battle my way upwind into the shadow of the little rock mountain on the beach and pick up a glassy, mast-high set wave right where it starts to pitch on the sand bar. Laying into my first bottom turn and looking at the 50-metre wall in front of me makes me instantly realize that all the hours of traveling have been well worth it. My first waves are a little shaky as I get used to the port tack conditions, the exact opposite of my usual sailing spot of Ho’okipa, but I adapt quickly. The wave walls up steeply and looks like it is really heavy and dangerous, but after a few wipe-outs, I realize that the sandy bottom here is much more friendly than the reef in Maui, and the wave’s power seems to dissipate after its initial ferocity, as you are pushed over into the deeper water on the inside. Armed with this knowledge, I start attacking the wave and hitting some of the biggest barrelling lips of my life. It’s a pleasure catching such long, perfect waves and then in turn watching one of your good friends having the ride of his life on the next wave. There is no fighting for the sets because there are simply so many waves coming in. We are all cruising back out to the lineup with big smiles on our faces, shouting encouragement to each other and egging each other on to go later and deeper on the next wave. At days end, I’m feeling pretty drained from the day’s travel and sailing. However, trainer Scott Sanchez has always taught me the value of getting a hearty meal in whenever possible. Having grown up with a hungry little brother trying his best to out-grow me so I couldn’t bully him any more, I have to say that my “Survival of the Fittest” table manners are just too much for JC, Klaas and Victor. David is already aware of this and accordingly seats himself as far away from me as possible. Between the five of us, I think we polish off just about every morsel of food Matanzas had to offer. Luckily, there is a plethora of ocean life inhabiting the shoreline, so they’re able to re-stock each day, just in time for the next feeding frenzy. After only one day at Topocalma I’m already starting to fall in love with Chile. Incredible waves, an awe-inspiring location and only three of us on the water is about as good as it gets and a total contrast to Maui’s overcrowded lineups. Even though I’d trashed my best board along the road it was a killer first day. We also find a local guy that is going to repair the board so the disaster isn’t too bad. Although the conditions have been amazing, Klaas and Victor are convinced that their session at Roca Cuadrada a couple of weeks before had
62
windsport
Locals.
been even better. Surely this place is too good to be true; if things could get even better yet. The swell is forecast to peak the next day, so after a coma-like sleep born of pure exhaustion, we’re back in the truck and heading down the beach to Square Rock. After witnessing a few mechanical sets of this immaculate left, I can see what Klaas and Victor mean by calling it an inverted Punta Preta [from Cape Verde]. The wave starts out in front of the big square rock, which gives the spot its name, and then dredges its way heavily down the sand bar for 150 metres. Much heavier than Topocalma, it seems to break below sea level in some places and turns inside out, throwing a thick, heavy lip way out into the flats and producing some gear-destroying, fear-inspiring barrels. Klaas’s light frame allows him to shoot off upwind and catch the first wave, impressing the crowd of onlooking local windsurfers with a monster aerial right off the bat. Victor is next to slash and carve his way down the face of this Chilean tour de force, showing impeccable timing mixed with pure audacity as he airs the close-out section of the mast-high powerhouse. I am once again left awestruck at the incredible conditions Chile has to offer. It’s only my second day and already another entry near the top of my list of all time windsurfing sessions. On the wave it feels like the board is being pulled or sucked down into the water. I can feel its butter-like smoothness gliding under my feet while leaning all my weight into the bottom turns with full confidence that there would never be even the slightest bump in the wave to interfere. Unfortunately, after a half-hour, the wind decides that we have had enough excitement for one day and switches direction ever so slightly. With the power of the waves here you really need a good side-offshore breeze, allowing you to generate enough speed to make the sections. When the wind changes that tiny hint to straight side-shore, it becomes too difficult and I grudgingly make my way back to the shore, unhappy to have to cut short what was looking to be an epic session.
Victor soars beyond Square Rock.
another entry near Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only my second day and already s. the top of my list of all time session
Hitting the lip at Matanzas.
windsport
63
Rub-a-dub-dub...
The power of the wave sucks up every sign of chop and I bottom turn as hard as I can. Spurned on by Klaas and Victor’s revelation that less than a mile up the beach and right in front of our hotel is another awesome sailing spot, I stuff down my lunch, anxious to head out on the water again. Matanzas is the most popular sailing spot among the Chilean locals. Its consistent winds and easily accessible location lures the masses every weekend. The wind here is straight side shore and strong enough to allow for some jumping and excellent waveriding. We threw our fully rigged 5.0 m2 sails into the back of the truck and drove up the beach. Klaas is the first out again and sets the standard with an orbital high Back Loop. Victor is quick to follow with an inverted Push Loop of his own. Then, on the way back in, Victor puts together what would have been an immensely highscoring competition wave, throwing in a couple of nice snaps with two tweaked aerials and a clinical Goiter to top it off. Klaas follows suit with a vertical gouge that is so powerful and fast it appears to slice the wave in two. I’m definitely going to have to raise my game to keep up. I blast out and launch straight into a decent Back Loop on my first run and decide to stay in the more downwind spot to practice jumping for a while. After a few more back loops and a tweaked Push Loop table top, I see Victor and Klaas exchanging cutbacks and aerials on the upwind peak and can’t keep myself away any longer. It’s really windy, too strong for my 5.0m2, but the wave is somewhat sheltered right where it starts to break and it is powerful. I have a few surprises on my first couple of waves as the bottom suddenly drops out, catching me in the wrong spot and sending me swiftly down to my peril. It takes me a while to tune in but I begin to set myself up on the wave a little earlier and start to find my rhythm. I line up really deep on a big set and having cursed at myself for being too cautious on the previous few waves, I’m determined to smack the lip this time however heavy it is. As I race down the line, I see the surface of the water stretch out and become perfectly smooth as the power of the wave sucks up every sign of chop and I bottom turn as hard as I can. I time it perfectly as the huge barrelling lip starts to throw just as my board comes up underneath it. As I hit the lip I feel that rewarding thump on the bottom of my board as I’m propelled out in front of the wave. I’m feeling quite proud of myself as it was a gnarly section and I have finally talked myself into being a man and hitting the critical part of the wave. The conditions continue as we are rewarded with four more days of sailing and five days of unbelievable surfing, an astounding percentage for only an 11-day trip. I can honestly say the quality of the waves in Chile are some of the best I have ever seen, anywhere in the world. The fact that the place is still so uncrowded blows me away. With so much coast line still left to discover, I feel we’ve barely scratched the surface of the potential Chile has to offer, so I will be heading back, time and time again.
64
windsport
Klaas turns at Matanzas.
windsport
65
Nikolas Akgazciyan, sprecklesville, Maui. M. Houyvet photo
windsport
67
68
windsport
Pieter Bijl, Kanaha Beach, Maui. Wong photo
windsport
69
70
windsport
windsport
71
Edvan de Souza, Jericoacoara, Brazil. Persson photo
72
windsport
windsport
73
jesper orth, esperance, Western Australia. Carter photo
Manu Bouvet, sprecklesville, Maui. M. Houyvet photo
74
windsport
windsport
75
’09TS
TES
14 EASYRIDING SAILS TESTED IN SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS
This year, the Windsport test crew invades the sailing launch at Windsurfing Inc. in South Padre Island, Texas to check out 5.6-6.0 m2 sails designed to maximize your fun on the water. To some people fun is simply not getting catapulted while for others it’s about going really fast, jumping off chop or carving a perfect jibe. In this test we’ll help direct you to the right sail that gives the perfect amount of fun with a minimum amount of hassle. TEST EDITOR: DEREK RIJFF TEST TEAM: ANDY BRANDT, ED DEHART, PETE DEKAY, TOM LEPAK, BRENDON QUINN, DEREK RIJFF
76
windsport
BRAND-NEW TEST FORMAT
It has been brought to our attention that sometimes readers don’t have time to get through all this wordy information. So, we are introducing a graph with each sail’s review, highlighting their strengths in the following categories. HEAD-TO-HEAD BREAKDOWN
In the most part, the manufacturers categorize these “fun” sails as freeride types. The term “freeride” has gained popularity in a number of sports, but in windsurfing it equates to recreational riders who generally seek flatwater performance. Manoeuvrability is important in this size range, so you won’t find sails with camber inducers or a ton of battens. What really sets a freeride sail apart is that it’s easy to rig and requires less fine-tuning to perform well. You spend less time messing around with your gear on land and more on the water having fun. PROGRESSIONAL FREERIDE
These sails are by far the easiest to set up properly, requiring minimal knowledge of the technical side of sail tuning. Their hassle-free nature allows you to focus more on your sailing performance rather than worrying about deciphering reactions from the sail. With an option to be purchased as a nicely priced complete rig, the Bic Cruiser makes shopping for a rig a breeze. On the water the sail is super light and has enough performance to help you progress quickly on your first highwind board. The Gaastra Pilot takes performance one step further, offering a more refined look and feel. FAST FREERIDE
Many experienced freeride sailors seek speed more than any other sensation on the water. These sails still rig easily but are more tunable than the progressional sails. The fastest sail in the test is the Maui Sails Pursuit followed by the Sailworks Hucker. Choosing between the two is not difficult as they perform differently in how they get you up to speed. The Hucker has a more powerful feel from the moment you start to accelerate whereas the Pursuit has less low-end grunt but a slightly lighter feel at speed. MANOEUVRABLE FREERIDE
These six sails are for freeride sailors valuing transitions, or turns, above all else. A big part of what makes them so capable is that they’re built to handle abuse. This means that you’ll feel confident pushing your limits or sailing more intense conditions without fear of what your gear thinks of your choices. Having six battens and higher drafts, both the Severne Gator and Aerotech Phantom have the stability and balance to work equally well on freeride or bump-and-jump boards.
The Gator’s slippery feel makes it faster on flatwater, while the Phantom’s compact shape gives it better balance in transitions. Despite only five battens, the use of seam shaping in the design of both the Ezzy Wave Panther and Hansen B-Wave HCL allows them to be rigged with similar stability to that of the six-batten sails. Their shorter boom lengths and lower drafts make them feel lighter in the hands and a better fit for more manoeuvrable boards. Through tuning, the Wave Panther has one of the largest wind ranges in the test, while the Hansen Control Leech (HCL) gives the B-Wave a great wind range at any setting you choose. The easily tuned Naish All Terrain is a perfect choice for bigger sailors with its high draft and unrivaled low-end power. It will rip in all conditions from small chop to full-blown waves. Loft’s 360 Free is so well-balanced that it could also fit in the Crossover category; however, we’ve placed it here as testers felt its slightly longer boom and less overly sensitive tuning give it more of a personality that any-level rider will enjoy. CROSSOVER FREERIDE
With a little fine-tuning these four freestyle and wavesails can be as fun for the average freeride sailor as any other sail in the test. These sails can be customized through tuning to perform however you want them to. However, setting up the sail with perfect downhaul and outhaul takes more work, and even in the hands of an advanced rider it may take a few sessions to get things dialed-in perfectly. Neil Pryde’s Firefly has the biggest tuning range in the test, allowing for a huge adjustment in how the sail feels and the wind range it covers. It is very light in the hands with useable power, making it an amazing freestyle sail that you can tailor to your fit your style. The Goya W3D is a true power wavesail with great fine-tune ability, allowing it to fit equally well in bump-and-jump or down-the-line conditions. The Worldsails Surge works best with a reduced-diameter mast (RDM). It is a lightweight wavesail with reasonable power that can easily be turned off when needed. On a standard-diameter mast (SDM) it is very stable but not nearly as responsive. The Simmer Icon is the most sensitive sail to tuning in the test and this is a good thing. You can customize the Icon perfectly to fit your style and it won’t be beat when it comes to lightness and crossover performance.
POWER SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
POWER: Any sail can be tuned with a high draft that pulls like a freight train, but this doesn’t translate into forward motion. Here, we equate a good power score with a higher draft that still has the efficiency to move the board forward. A sail with a lower score likely has a lower draft requiring more skill on the rider’s part for early planing. SPEED: A fast sail is one that remains in control when powered and feels light in the hands so you can easily pass your buddies. The control comes from its ability to keep its shape and remain stable through gusts. The lightness can also be described as an “efficient” or “slippery” feel as it moves through the air with less resistance or drag. TRANSITION: High-scoring sails usually have a lower draft and shorter boom for a nice, light feel. They have an ability to depower and stay neutral; this makes balancing mid-transition easier. Lastly, the battens rotate seamlessly making for a smoother transition in power. CUSTOMIZE: For sailors who notice small adjustments to the downhaul or outhaul, tuning is about getting the sail to “feel” right. Sails sensitive to tuning adjustments score high as riders can “customize” the feel. SET-UP EASE: How quickly a sail can be properly set up in the hands of a sailor without the time or desire to fine-tune their gear. Sails scoring well are less sensitive to downhaul adjustments, making it easier to find a similar feel from day-to-day. It’s not that downhaul and outhaul have no effect, but that tuning is more for wind range than feel.
windsport
77
14
EASY-RIDING SAILS
BIC CRUISER 6.0
AEROTECH PHANTOM 5.7
Luff: 428-32 Boom: 183-86
Aerotech’s Phantom is a unique six-batten wavesail. This extra batten along with seam shaping helps provide excellent stability and ample low-end power that benefit anyone sailing in onshore conditions. Its deep pocket and high draft provide even the heaviest riders with something to balance against and quickly accelerate to speed. The all X-ply construction helps it survive the waves while we found it to also perform equally well as a freeride sail for mid-wide boards. The sixth batten keeps it stable through big gusts, but a noticeable elasticity prevents it from being a speedster. Considering the Phantom’s longish boom, the sail balances surprisingly well in transitions but the rotation is noticeable during technical manoeuvres. The tuning range is limited as the leech goes from tight to completely loose with just a slight tug on the downhaul. aerotechsails.com
Luff: 450 Boom: 190
Bic takes the idea of “keeping it simple” further than other brands. The Cruiser can be purchased as part of a complete rig coming with everything you need to get on the water (except harness lines). This package arrives in a well-designed sail bag complete with internal sleeves for the mast and extension. Simplicity continues through the setup as only basic tuning is required. However, for best performance in planing conditions, add two to three centimetres to the recommended downhaul and you’re good to go. The Cruiser is easy to control, feeling perfectly balanced on the water. It has a smooth delivery of power into your hands and only gets uncontrollable when pushed at full speed. The Cruiser is not as durable as other rigs, but there is no denying that it is surprisingly light, making transitions that much easier.
The Pilot’s ease-of-use makes it a true freeride sail. It offers simple and effective downhaul tuning for different wind conditions without changing the sail’s overall feel. The power is easily accessible and the Pilot still remains well balanced when fully powered. A huge sweet spot makes it easy for any rider to find a comfortable harness-line placement. The higher draft suits wider boards best, but with more downhaul it will work on inboardstrapped freeride boards as well. This may not be the fastest sail but its balanced feel is so good that you will consistently push your own personal limits. A long boom helps stability but hurts manoeuvrability and rotation. However, good depowering will keep riders in control for nailing their first planing jibes.
bicsport.com POWER SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
EZZY WAVE PANTHER 5.8
Luff: 444-46 Boom: 175-81
In 2007, David Ezzy implemented an ingenious way to add stability to a wavesail through ample seam shaping and copious amounts of outhaul. The Wave Panther is a result of two years of further refinement to this concept with a slightly softer, more elastic feel. It tunes differently than other sails with a multitude of usable settings, so take time to follow the downhaul and outhaul guides to find an agreeable settings. Leaving it at the max downhaul and utilizing the abundant outhaul adjustment gives a huge wind range with an incredibly efficient feel and limitless top speed. In transitions, the softer feel and short boom give great balance and more depower than we’ve ever found in an Ezzy. The use of new Technora sailcloth in the sail’s top makes it light without trading any of the durability Ezzy is known for. ezzy.com POWER
POWER
SPEED
SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
78
GAASTRA PILOT 6.0
Luff: 456 Boom: 188
windsport
TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
gaastra.com POWER SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
FOOD & DRINK PETER AND
ZOE’S SOUTH PADRE PICKS With the Windsport test crew hitting SPI, we decided to ask spring locals Peter and Zoe Najim for some advice on where to eat. If you like seafood you’ll be in heaven and even though most is advertised as fried on the menu, it will usually be available grilled or Cajun style.
HANSEN B-WAVE HCL 5.6
Luff: 443-447 Boom: 170-175
GOYA W3D 5.7
Luff: 442 Boom: 180 Francisco Goya’s well-rounded personal sailing style shows up in the Goya W3D as it exhibits the power to work well in bump-andjump conditions while still depowering for a neutral feel on a wave or in a freestyle move. This on-off ability comes from a good amount of elasticity that might not be the choice of full-blown racing types. The W3D is best left in the hands of riders that will use its superb control and balance to ride waves or style-out transitions. Following the screen-printed guide, it tunes the way any advanced rider would want with small adjustments, making notable changes to the sail’s feel. At minimum downhaul the high draft gives even the biggest power-hungry riders a sense of balance, while the max setting lowers the pull and greatly lightens the feel of the rig. goyasails.com
The B-Wave has power and speed for bump-and-jump sailing and durability to handle waves. The Hansen Control Leech (HCL), named for neoprene sections placed in the leech allowing the sail to compliantly adjust its foil shape and twist according to wind pressure and sheeting angle, provides an amazing ability to bleed big gusts without any leech flutter. It rigs up with a fair amount of seam shaping that generates plenty of low-end torque and even with a solid amount of downhaul tension has a higher draft. The B-Wave wants to accelerate as soon as you get aboard and will continue to accelerate you into the air when jumped. The seam shaping makes for stiffer batten rotation in transitions, but the short boom makes rig balance easy to find. hansensails.com POWER SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
THE LOFT 360 FREE 5.8
Luff: 448 Boom: 187
The 360 Free covers the needs of everyone from beginner to accomplished freestyler. It has everything a transition sailor wants without being complicated to rig. The refined leech twists away cleanly and progressively with increased downhaul tension. Rigging with a looser leech lowers the draft, making it a perfect match to single-rear strapped boards. A touch less downhaul places the draft to work with the wider boards most use to hit their first jibes. Adding downhaul flattens the foil noticeably, making for better depowering in transitions. It also reduces the size of the sweet spot, transforming the sail from a solid-pulling freerider to sensitive freestyle sail. The longish boom ensures early planing but also slows down rig movement a little. loftsails.com POWER
POWER
SPEED
SPEED
TRANSITION
TRANSITION
CUSTOMIZE
CUSTOMIZE
SET-UP EASE
TED’S RESTAURANT
A great choice for breakfast. Zoe likes to start her day with their french toast while Peter recommends trying the huevos rancheros.
WANNA WANNA
The perfect place to end your day, particularly if you “wanna wanna” drink. The pina coladas are great, and for food try the ceviche.
SET-UP EASE
CONTINUED >
windsport
79
14
EASY-RIDING SAILS
NAISH ALL TERRAIN 6.0
MAUI SAILS PURSUIT 6.0
Luff: 453 Boom: 190
With a long boom length and two battens below it, it’s not a surprise that the Pursuit excels in straight-line performance. Good power and a slippery stable ride help make it the fastest sail in the test. Tuning is simple with downhaul adjustments modifying the feel negligibly while extending the wind range. The recommended setting gives a high draft that balances well on wider double-rear strap boards. An extra half-inch of downhaul lowers the draft just enough to make it work on faster single-strap boards. The increased downhaul tension can be observed as the leech progressively loosens without flattening the sail too much. The Pursuit is a flatwater freerider’s dream; easy to rig and dial-in harness line placement for the fastest ride in the test.
SAILWORKS HUCKER 5.6
Luff: 453 Boom: 182
Luff: 451 Boom: 184
The All Terrain is a wavesail made to make the most out of flatwater. An all-grid construction allows it to handle any abuse from waves to new-school freestyle. We felt it lent itself very well to the power-hungry sailor looking to get planing with ease, and especially the plus-size wavesailor. Even with plenty of downhaul tension, it combines a deep pocket, high draft, plenty of elasticity and a large sweet spot. The All Terrain balances out well on freerideoriented wide boards and will get them up and onto a plane with ease. For so much low-end the All Terrain does an impressive job of depowering when needed. This is a rare feat and makes the All Terrain an ideal option for big guys looking to get out in waves on marginal wind days.
The Hucker is not just a sail for riders wanting to go really fast and jump really high. It’s also an ideal choice for any larger recreational rider. With a high draft and abundant power, this sail will get you planing with ease. It is also easy to dial in. With a well-placed rigging guide and a large sweet spot, it’s a breeze to get the sail set up with the harness lines in the right spot on the boom. Adjusting the downhaul allows you to tune for feel and wind range. Set to max downhaul it does an incredible job of remaining controllable (given the ample power), making it one of the fastest and most stable sails in the test. The only trade-off for this straight-line splendor is a large foot area that is only noticeable during transitions.
naishsails.com POWER SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
NEIL PRYDE FIREFLY 5.7
Luff: 441 Boom: 177
The Firefly replaces the Expression as a better option for taking freestyle moves into the waves. This new reinforced Firefly has a shorter luff length to go with a new clew configuration that gives it a looser leech and more compact feel. It feels incredibly well balanced with an impressive amount of power. Through tuning it can easily be made to feel as powerful as the Expression, but now it can also be tuned with more downhaul for a lighter feel with a looser leech. More downhaul also provides the on-off ability needed in waves. The recommended settings are accurate but it may take you a few rides to find your personal setting. Having a well-balanced sail that can be tailored to one’s needs makes the Firefly a sail that any transition or wavesailor will love.
mauisails.com
neilpryde.com
POWER
POWER
SPEED
SPEED
TRANSITION
TRANSITION
CUSTOMIZE
CUSTOMIZE
SET-UP EASE
SET-UP EASE
80
windsport
sailworks.com POWER SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
FOOD & DRINK
PETER AND ZOE’S SOUTH PADRE PICKS
PARROT EYES
It just re-opened in this new fantastic location right on a channel. The ambiance is great with live music on the patio and a nice bar.
SIMMER ICON 5.6
Luff: 440 Boom: 180
SEVERNE GATOR 6.0
Luff: 453 Boom: 182
Part of a sail line that changes from wave to flatwater orientation as sizes increase, the 6.0 m2 Gator covers the largest range of conditions. With six battens, it has the stability for impressive speeds while the cutaway clew keeps it light in the hands. Remarkably, it can be tuned both for a large wind range and rider feel. A tighter leech (less downhaul) keeps the draft high and gives it a deep, powerful pocket. We recommend this setup for heavy riders or for use on wider boards. Increasing downhaul tension causes the leech to slowly twistoff, lowering the pull of the sail and adding stability at top speed. This tuning is easy to see and feel, even for the least technical riders. Finally, a large sweet spot will help you set the harness lines to enjoy your session. severnesails.com
Shaped to work in any wind and wave setup, Simmer goes beyond an all-grid build to beef-up the Icon with the doubled-over Dacron luff panel and outhaul O-ring. Despite this, it can be tuned to feel very light with a low and forward draft. Those seeking immediate grunt can bag-out the Icon without raising the draft, but the sail’s elasticity can be overwhelming once powered. With more downhaul tension, the Icon retains its shape through gusts and has the on-off ability of a true wavesail. But tune carefully as it’s very responsive to small downhaul adjustments. On flatter water its wave bias translates to a lightness and control that stands out in every transition. The Icon is the perfect sail for riders looking to rip waves one day and huck moves on flatwater the next. simmerstyle.eu POWER SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
WORLD SAILS SURGE 5.7
Luff: 446 Boom: 182
While most prices are going up, 2009 sees World Sails dramatically drop their’s without lessening quality. The Surge is a great choice for wave and transitional sailors with its flat profile and low draft. Tested with both a standard diameter (SDM) and reduced diameter (RDM) mast, we recommend the RDM largely because it both broadens and simplifies tuning. With the SDM, the Surge performs decently when fully powered, but it has only one proper tuning setup in which the sail’s shape is kept. All-around performance is enhanced with the RDM as the Surge shows sensitivity to downhaul tension that allows you to change the feel of the sail while maintaining some power.
POWER SPEED TRANSITION CUSTOMIZE
SPEED
SET-UP EASE
CUSTOMIZE SET-UP EASE
Seafood is the call, especially the ceviche. It’s a great place to relax, watch the sunset and sometimes you’ll see dolphins swimming in the channel.
sailworld.com
POWER TRANSITION
WAHOO SALOON
PALM STREET PIER
Located right on the bay, here you’ll find excellent and inexpensive food. If you’re looking for a salad or seafood then this place will fit the bill. Peter and Zoe are sponsored by Neil Pryde, JP-Australia, Chinook and Dakine.
windsport
81
’09TS
TES
11 TRUE WAVEBOARDS PUT TO THE TEST AT PUNTA SAN CARLOS
Ask and you will receive. Windsport’s veteran test crew asked for true waveboards that can handle the real down-the-line conditions found at Punta San Carlos, Baja, and we scored big time with 11 very wave-capable sticks. To help breakdown these boards into similar categories we’re mostly looking at the way they bottom turn on a wave. Some prefer a tighter pivoting turn with weight on the back foot, while others do better with a more drawn-out turn from weight being placed on the front foot. TEST EDITOR: DEREK RIJFF TEST TEAM: KYLE BRAZELL, CLIFF CORDY, PETE DEKAY, DANIEL MACAULAY, DEREK RIJFF
82
windsport
BRAND-NEW TEST FORMAT
From the head-to-head breakdown to each individual review, a ton of on-water testing, discussion, measuring and study goes into Windsport’s testing. Now we are introducing a graph with each board writeup to help make finding the perfect board easier.
HEAD-TO-HEAD BREAKDOWN
Within our group of 11 test boards, two cater to those mainly riding onshore waves, six are all-around or all-wave shapes that excel in sideshore conditions, and there are three boards that truly let you charge San Carlos’ supreme down-the-line side-off conditions. ONSHORE BOARDS
The two onshore boards are the quickest planers in the test and also offer performance that a bump-and-jump sailor will appreciate. On a clean wave these larger-feeling boards are not as loose and nimble as the others, but their rail still holds better than the typical freestyle wave design. In onshore conditions you don’t really get to set up a true bottom turn, so a tight back-foot turn will get you to the lip. The F2 Rebel is not only a good onshore performer but it can also double as either a great first-time sinker board for intermediates or an excellent highwind freestyle board for the more advanced rider. The Tabou Pocket Wave is a little better in the waves with a tighter turn and less effort needed to set the rail. It’s also more responsive to trim work, making it a board that better rewards more advanced riders. It too can double as a highwind freestyler if needed. ALL-WAVE BOARDS
The majority of the test boards have performance characteristics that shine in all conditions. They all tolerate a pivoting back-foot turn to let you have fun in onshore waves, and all will still hold speed through a bottom turn on a big side-off day as well. On the onshore day you may wish for a little tighter turn or more acceleration off-the-top, while on the side-off day their liveliness may make you a little hesitant as you set the rail. Of these six test boards there is a trade-off made between turning radius and liveliness. The Exocet U-Surf II is the widest board in the test and feels big, but with a great turn off the back foot it will make the most of small waves and lighter winds. Mistral’s Twinzer, with its narrower tail, turns within an incredibly tight arc and works well in larger waves. Some time is needed to get used to its quirky ride, but once dialed-in it has no limits. Both the Fanatic NewWave and JP-Australia Twinser Wave turn
well off both the front and back foot making them true one-board wonders for any wave. The Fanatic gets the nod as the better sideshore waveboard with a looser ride that translates into tighter turns. The JP Twinser shows up the NewWave on flatter water though, with a directional ride that rivals that of any freestyle wave board for speed and jumping. Compared to pure waveboards from only a couple years ago, the RRD Wave Cult and Quatro Wave would easily match their downthe-line performance. The Wave Cult planes so much easier though that it allows you to take full advantage of any ramps for jumping in sideshore conditions. The Quatro Wave is the easiest board in the test for down-the-line riding. In a smaller size it likely would have been placed with the side-off boards, but with a tail that can support a back foot turn when needed it seems better suited to good sideshore wave conditions. DOWN-THE-LINE BOARDS
Down-the-line (DTL) boards are designed for side-off conditions present in places like Punta San Carlos. With a long peeling wave and wind in your sail all the way to the lip, it’s easy to find speed so control becomes a more sought-after commodity. Having the board roll smoothly onto the rail, with minimal effort and body movement, not only gives you control through a bottom turn it means that you’re less likely to find yourself over-committing once you reach the top. The Naish Wave has a very traditional feel on the wave with a more drawn-out bottom turn. It begs you to carry as much speed as possible at all times and when things go right there is no bigger reward from any other board. As a bonus, the speed of the Naish makes it a decent big swell bump-and-jump board as well. In the Goya Custom Wave we find a not-too-tight and not-too-wide bottom turn that seems to always have us at the lip in the perfect spot. Off the top it is very predictable and controllable with only the Starboard Evil Twin coming around with similar control. The Evil Twin rules the cutback and its bottom turn can be the tightest of the three, but it likes some help from a reasonable size wave to keep up speed through the turn.
SIDE-OFF SIDESHORE ONSHORE EASE OF RIDE SMALL WAVE
ONSHORE: In conditions where the wind and waves travel in the same direction, a board must be capable of a tight radius bottom turn to fit into the wave. Since the waves are not clean it’s worth sacrificing riding performance for early planing and acceleration. SIDESHORE: When the wind blows basically perpendicular to the waves it’s easy to find power for planing and acceleration. A tight bottom turn is needed to reach the lip easily, but it’s also nice to have a board with a lively ride to take advantage of the accompanying perfect jumping conditions. SIDE-OFF: The world’s best waveriding conditions are found at places where the wind blows at an angle between sideshore and straight offshore. You always have the wind to tap into if needed, even when you’re going up to hit the lip. Since speed and acceleration is easily found on the wave it’s more important for a board to offer control and balance. EASE OF RIDE: Due to today’s variety of shapes for different style of wavesailors, some will have you ripping right away while others will take time to dial-in their full potential. SMALL WAVE: The average wavesailor doesn’t get to sail the perfect waves of Punta San Carlos every session. Knowing a board’s small-wave potential can be helpful, but remember that judging a small wave can be subjective depending on a rider’s size.
windsport
83
11
TRUE WAVEBOARDS
GOYA CUSTOM WAVE 84
FANATIC NEWWAVE 81
EXOCET U-SURF II 84
V: 84 L: 235 W: 60
The U-Surf II looks and feels very much like a surfboard. It turns off the rear foot more than others and likes a different technique in how you set up for the lip. You need to stay higher on the wave to keep speed, but it allows such a tight turn you can get to the lip at a moment’s notice. This 84-litre version is most at home on smaller waves and will truly excel in sideshore and onshore conditions where the tighter turn will help you truly ride the wave. Riding bigger waves takes serious commitment to lock-in the rail due to the width. The 76-litre model (57 cm wide) would likely match up better to the side-off boards in this test. On flatwater, the continuous rocker makes the board very difficult to trim onto a plane and over chop. The U-Surf II is a big-feeling board that can handle all wave conditions. exocet-original.com
V: 81 L: 240 W: 56.5
V: 84 L: 239 W: 57
The NewWave 81 is a one-board wonder that can excel in any conditions. Its narrow nose and tail provide curvature to the outline that along with thin tucked rails give a progressive look and an extremely loose ride. With minimal effort it carves a very tight turn off the front foot without losing momentum. It turns tightly enough to fit in smaller onshore waves and also works when it’s clean and sideshore. Off the top, the Team Edition construction feels amazing, letting you pull things back together when the board gets away from you and it also gives an incredible sense of connection when trimming the board across chop or onto a plane. In the air it has impeccable control to go as big and contort at will. In the hands of an advanced rider this board makes the jumping-run out as much fun as the wave-ride in.
Riding the Goya Custom Wave gave testers insight into Francisco Goya’s personal sailing style. More than any other board, it can be driven into a tight high-speed bottom turn with little worry of losing speed or traction. Off the top it is incredibly snappy and immediately accelerates once pointed back down the wave, leaving you perfectly set up to do it again. Only the Starboard has a better top turn, but it lacks the Custom’s speed and acceleration. To get this kind of on-wave performance some flat water ability is lost, but the Goya is no more difficult to sail than any other DTL board. A pleasant surprise is its ability to keep speed through a carve, making it a good performer in all wave conditions. If you’re lucky enough to consistently sail good wave conditions you’ll be hard pressed to find a better board.
fanatic.com SIDE-OFF SIDESHORE ONSHORE EASE OF RIDE SMALL WAVE
F2 REBEL 83
V: 83 L: 235 W: 58.5 The Rebel stands out with comic book graphics on a shape that is equal parts stubby-wave and freestyle board. It carries considerable width from nose to tail for great stability. Whether riding a wave, blasting between sets, or sliding backwards through a Spock, the Rebel makes balancing easier. Riding with the base back in its already forward-placed mast-track allows for the best feel. Despite a wide shape, it is not super quick to plane, but this gives intermediate riders time to react in rougher conditions. Once planing, lulls seem to disappear and it holds speed through jibes with unbelievable ease. The stability makes is easier to catch waves, sail through white water and find balance when turning off the wave-top. The Rebel handles a wide variety of conditions and is a good choice for anyone new to smaller boards. f2-surf.com
SIDE-OFF
SIDE-OFF
SIDESHORE
SIDESHORE
ONSHORE
ONSHORE
EASE OF RIDE
EASE OF RIDE
SMALL WAVE
SMALL WAVE
84
windsport
goyasails.com SIDE-OFF SIDESHORE ONSHORE EASE OF RIDE SMALL WAVE
BELIEVE THE HYPE? THREE TWIN-FINS TESTED
MISTRAL TWINZER RD 84
V: 84 L: 224 W: 59
JP TWINSER WAVE 84
V: 84 L: 234 W: 57
We expected Kauli Seadi’s signature board, the Twinser Wave, to require a progressive skill set, but nothing is further from the truth. This is a stellar board for ripping apart waves, spinning through freestyle moves or just blasting back and forth. On a wave the rail holds well enough to push your limits in big conditions and its ability to be turned off the tail makes it perfect for side and onshore conditions as well. It may not be the perfect board for any specific wind direction, but as a one-board quiver it will not be beat. Plus, its true freestyle wave-like performance on flaterwater makes it like getting two boards in one. The JP Twinser is a good choice for those new to small boards as the smooth and directional ride takes a minimal amount of trim work to get planing or ride smoothly across chop.
On the water the short and wide Twinzer RD has the performance to completely change how a wave is ridden. It is by far the loosest in the test, yet the rail still holds surprisingly well both off the front and back foot. In can feel a little nervous on bigger waves, but its tight turn completely opens up sections of a wave that you’ve never reached before. It goes rail to rail so easily that once dialed in you’ll find yourself making an extra turn or two per wave. Even though it lacks the pop of a freestyle board, it will spin and slide at will. Now, the once-skipped small closeout sections will become perfect ramps to exit the wave with a stylish move. The board does have some quirks that stem from the stubby length, but in experienced hands the Twinzer can make wavesailing look more like skating in a halfpipe. mistral.com SIDE-OFF SIDESHORE ONSHORE EASE OF RIDE SMALL WAVE
NAISH WAVE 85
V: 85 L: 238 W: 57
The Naish Wave has a very traditional look hiding some refinements to the rocker line and rail shape that provide true modern performance. They also give it a comfy directional ride for bump-and-jump sailing. On the wave, it keeps speed well through an aggressive front foot bottom turn. The arc is a little wider than the new-school shapes, but with good timing you can you still hit the lip with plenty of force and then the wide nose will takeover and re-direct you back into the wave. When done right the reward is unequaled, but for those still getting comfortable in waves it may be hard to find this timing. This doesn’t mean the Naish isn’t a board that can be grown into. It’s straight-line ride is one of the fastest and least technical, providing a sweet ride for boosting big air and mowing down any chop in its path.
jp-australia.com
naishsails.com
SIDE-OFF
SIDE-OFF
SIDESHORE
SIDESHORE
ONSHORE
ONSHORE
EASE OF RIDE
EASE OF RIDE
SMALL WAVE
SMALL WAVE
With twin-fins being the “new thing” in waveboard design we took great interest in our three test boards with two fins, hoping to find out what all the hype is about. In the end, we found the number of fins a board has guarantees almost nothing about its overall performance. The three boards tested could not have been more different. The Mistral Twinzer RD 84 offers a technical ride with performance to take onshore and sideshore wavesailing to new extremes. The Starboard Evil Twin 80 is the most dedicated down-the-line board in the test. Finally, the JP Twinser Wave 84 has a ride that any sailor will immediately feel at home on whether they sail waves, chop or flatwater. We have to conclude that elements like a board’s outline, rail shape and bottom contouring will have as much if not more to do with a board’s performance than the number of fins screwed into the bottom. The one thing we did come to love about twin-fins is that they did a much better job of shedding kelp and sea grass. No more salad-tossing on bottom turns (I can’t believe we just printed that).
windsport
85
11
TRUE WAVEBOARDS
QUATRO WAVE 86
STARBOARD EVIL TWIN 80
V: 86 L: 242 W: 58
V: 80 L: 233 W: 58
The Quatro Wave is the userfriendliest true waveboard in the test, perfect for anyone looking for a board to improve on and not outgrow. Its rail holds no matter how aggressive you are in your bottom turn, while off the top the wide nose never pearls or gets trapped in white water. As you dial in your style it rewards carving off the front foot, but if you need to make something happen off your back foot you can still get it done. This back foot turning ability also makes a decent choice as a side or side-on board. Compared to the Goya it is slightly slower and loses a little more speed through the bottom turn, but it gains in stability at slower speeds and easiness to trim while catching a wave or getting onto a plane. An added bonus is it also doesn’t feel completely out of place in bumpand-jump conditions.
The two small fins may be credited for the Evil Twin having the best cutback in the test, but the thin rails and copious amount of rocker must also help. Like most DTL boards, it’s a little slow to plane and not very directional, but once you’re on a wave it comes alive. The rail holds no matter how much speed you take into your bottom turn, but it will lose interest if you draw out the turn too far. Off the top you can get in as deep as you dare and it will always help to get you out with style. The rider position is perfectly setup for balance and the transition from rail to rail is seamless. It feels a little out of place if there are no clean waves around, but top speed is decent and it feels comfortable enough to sail around waiting for the next set. This is a board for those valuing on-thewave performance the most.
quatrointernational.com SIDE-OFF SIDESHORE ONSHORE EASE OF RIDE SMALL WAVE
86
windsport
RRD WAVE CULT 80
V: 80 L: 237 W: 57
Smaller Wave Cult sizes are geared towards bigger side-off conditions, while the sizes 80 litres and up are made to perform in any wind and wave setup. The Wave Cult 80 planes a little quicker than true DTL boards, making jumps on the way out a performance highlight. On the wave it easily keeps speed through a bottom turn, but the rail doesn’t grip as readily as the full-blown DTL boards when going full throttle. In side or onshore conditions this isn’t a problem as it’s difficult to reach speeds on the wave that bring out this nervousness. Also, in these conditions, its ability to maintain speed lets you to go frontside and reach the lip with momentum every time. On flatwater it cranks through highspeed jibes with style, but a less directional ride makes it difficult for anyone new to small boards.
star-board.com SIDE-OFF SIDESHORE ONSHORE EASE OF RIDE SMALL WAVE
TABOU POCKET 85
V: 85 L: 225 W: 58
The Pocket Wave has a similar feel to the F2 but with a little livelier ride. It offers a very wellbalanced rider position and plenty of stability, making it perfect for anyone new to wavesailing or small boards. The thick tail allows it to plane easily with minimal rider input. It’s user-friendliness lets you focus more attention on the wave instead of on foot-placement, board trim or body position. In the side-off conditions of San Carlos the Pocket Wave 85 works best as a one-hitter with the wide tail requiring a fair amount of effort when repeatedly going rail-torail (a smaller model might have compared better to the pure DTL boards). On flatwater the Pocket’s liveliness feels great and helps give the board ample pop for jumping or launching into your favourite new-school moves.
robertoriccidesigns.com
tabou-boards.com
SIDE-OFF
SIDE-OFF
SIDESHORE
SIDESHORE
ONSHORE
ONSHORE
EASE OF RIDE
EASE OF RIDE
SMALL WAVE
SMALL WAVE
COLDWATER WEAR GUIDE SUITS AND ACCESSORIES TO COMBAT SHRINKAGE
WORDS BY DEREK RIJFF
Have you ever noticed how in many places around the country the colder the seasonal temperature gets outside the more frequent the windy days? With a new wetsuit or drysuit you can extend your season by at least a month or two. Folks are known to windsurf year-round from Long Island, N.Y., to the Gorge as long as the water remains unfrozen. Buying a suit can be a daunting task so we asked wetsuit industry experts Edwin Honsbeek of Prolimit, Chris Boston of ProMotion, Sabina Hoffmann of Camaro and Josh Noe of Neil Pryde/NPX for help. HOW HAVE COLDWATER WETSUITS OR DRYSUITS BECOME BETTER OVER THE YEARS?
Edwin Honsbeek: For sure materials improve every year so we try to use the best possible materials available. Generally, we try to keep improving small things in order to build the perfect suit. For example, the Prolimit Assault has an improved vest over previous models. Chris Boston: At ProMotion, we don’t believe in change for the sake of change. Instead we focus on subtle refinements to improve each generation of suits over the last. We incorporate new materials (ADV WindSkin) and features (zipper dam and adjustable ankle closures) as they prove themselves through time and testing. We also tweak the fit and add new sizes (tall and short) to properly fit a wider variety of body types. Sabina Hoffmann: For coldwater windsurfing suits from Camaro, changes in materials and layouts have been developed out of our
diving suits, where we have been an industry leader for years. The feedback we get from our experts, team riders and customers makes the development of high-quality products possible. Our newest development is seamless bonding technology that is double-welded and taped rather than stitched. This makes it 100 per cent waterproof and extremely elastic. Josh Noe: Neil Pryde is constantly striving to create the latest and most high-tech neoprene that is less water-absorbent and stretchier. The seams evolve to be more watertight and to allow more stretch as well. Insulation in the chest and back has become the standard of any decent suit on the market. However, many high-end coldwater suits now have improved insulation through the thighs or even throughout the entire body. Pullover entry systems like on our Elite and 5000 Series are also very important in preventing flush on those frigid days.
WHAT SUITS WILL KEEP WINDSURFERS WARMER THAN EVER BEFORE?
EH: Prolimit’s new Hybrid LT combines a breathable drysuit top, under which you can wear the exact same thermal layer as you do snowboarding, with a wetsuit bottom for better durability. The seams are taped to prevent leakage and the back panel is made from neoprene to allow comfortable waist harness use. Our Assault’s panel layout and curved lines provide perfect body shape and freedom of movement. The arms are cut specifically with windsurfing in mind while the tri-core chest, back panel and unique waterblock vest keeps you extra warm. CB: ProMotion’s Storm Wind Steamer is a windsurfing specific wetsuit with tapered forearms to prevent fatigue. Our flexible ADV WindSkin material adds significantly to the suit’s durability while maintaining a smooth outer surface that sheds water to
LEGS: Padded knee and/or shin areas are a plus in windsurfing suits. The legs and crotch of the Neil Pryde Elite II are lined with an all-natural bioflex material that is inherently anti-bacterial and anti-odour.
ANKLES: Velcro ankle closures are a must, especially when trying to get out of your suit after an icy winter session.
Neil Pryde’s Elite II, inside-out.
88
windsport
ENTRY SYSTEM: All zippered entry systems must be doublelayered to help keep water out. BODY: The chest and back are constructed to keep your body’s core as warm as possible. Neil Pryde uses Zirconium yarns in the Elite II (pictured) that absorbs heat radiated from the body and slowly releases it over time.
FOREARMS: Windsurfing-specific suits have specially shaped arm panels to prevent fatigue while keeping water out, like Prolimit’s W.A.P. system.
SEAMS: The warmest wetsuits usually have seams that are glued, blindstitched and taped. Promotion offers a lifetime warranty on their seams while Camaro’s Seamless 100 per cent double-welded suits are unbelievably comfy and warm.
CONTINUED >>
windsport
89
COLDWATER WEAR GUIDE reduce evaporative cooling in the wind. This material is also used on our Inversion Drysuit. SH: We are very excited about Camaro’s new KiTEC drysuit. The three-layer material used is more stretchable for better comfort and freedom of movement. An ingenious front dry zipper makes it easy to put on and take off if you are alone and is protected by a material covering. This suit folds down into a compact size that is perfect for travel. JN: Besides using unbelievably stretchy Japanese Limestone neoprene, the entire inside of the Neil Pryde Elite II is lined with Zirconium insulation that absorbs heat from your body or the sun. Just leave this suit inside-out in the sun before your session and it will literally absorb the heat and slowly release it over the next four hours. The NPX Lucifer drysuit looks like a two-piece jacket and pants, but is really just one piece. Wear your harness underneath and put the hook through one of the two slits in the front. The composite Polyester Twill material makes it lighter and less “plastic” than most drysuits on the market. Plus the Lucifer has a crotch zip as you definitely don’t want to pee inside your drysuit.
A SUIT IS IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT ELSE HELPS KEEP YOU TOASTY WARM?
EH: When going snowboarding, you incorporate a two-layer system of outerwear and underwear and the same works for windsurfing. Prolimit makes a wide range of titanium-coated neoprene underwear with a hood option that is collared for watertightness. CB: A popular addition to improve warmth is ProMotion’s 1.5-mm hooded vest designed to be worn over a full wetsuit. It adds an extra layer of insulation on your torso and helps to seal the back zipper and neck on the suit. The full coverage hood helps to reduce heat loss through your head. The combination of the steamer wetsuit and hooded vest is a versatile and affordable alternative to a drysuit for many people. SH: At Camaro, we recommend our brand new underwear built out of XA-10 material that is warm and dries incredibly quickly. It is very “fluffy” and comfortable against your skin and comes with or without an attached hood. DO YOU HAVE ANY UNIQUE PRODUCTS FOR HEAD, HANDS OR FEET WARMTH?
EH: When it comes to gloves,
rider preference is extremely important. Prolimit makes an open-palmed mitt for the many riders who feel this gives them better grip on the boom. JN: There is nothing warmer than Neil Pryde’s 6-mm boots that have an angled entry made specifically for a windsurfer’s angled-back stance. Also, their solid heel box helps prevent the boot from “rolling” under your foot. For gloves, most riders like our windsurfing specific open-palm mitts, but a closed-palm version is also available for when there are ice chunks floating in the water. CB: When it’s not quite cold enough to require a neoprene hood, the ProMotion Exo Beanie is a more comfortable and stylish alternative. It has a fuzzy fleece lining against the skin with a windproof and waterproof urethane coating on the outside. SH: Use of seamless bonding technology and new materials in Camaro’s gloves, hoods and thermosocks has greatly improved overall comfort and warmth. ANY TIPS FOR SUIT CARE AND STORAGE?
CB: Avoid UV damage by not drying your suit in the sun for extended periods. Keep dry zippers well lubricated for easy operation. Store your suits right side out on a wide hanger to prevent stretching and creasing. SH: Don’t leave a suit all folded up in a bag. Instead, hang it up on a clothes hanger in a dry room. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WARMING UP AFTER THE FREEZING PARKING LOT CHANGING SESSION?
EH: Ugg boots followed by a warm shower. CB: Hot tub. SH: A fire in the fireplace, make a nice hot cup of tea, find a blanket and make yourself comfortable. JN: A bonfire, your buddies and some tales about the Front Loop you landed that nobody saw always works for me.
Camaro’s KiTEC drysuit.
90
windsport
THREE HOT ACCESSORIES PROMOTION EXO BEANIE This snowboard-inspired hat is an alternate choice to the standard hood. It’s made of urethane-coated fleece material and constructed with rugged overlocked seams. A security-loop attaches to your suit’s zipper pull-string.
PROLIMIT PREDATOR BOOT Made from 6 mm titanium neoprene, this boot is glued and blindstitched to handle the coldest conditions. An arch strap will help hold your foot in place while the unique direct contact sole (D.S.C.) allows a rider better and more complete contact with the board.
DAKINE NEO MITT This easy-to-use mitt is made of wind-resistant smoothskin neoprene to keep your hands warm on any cold winter day. A pre-curved shape provides a natural windsurfing hand position while the thin non-slip palm material allows you to hold on tight.
Â&#x2122;?E Â&#x2122;CZ^a EgnYZ Â&#x2122;9V`^cZ Â&#x2122;DÃ&#x2030;cZ^aa Â&#x2122;8]^cdd`
DG9:G CJB7:G
&"-,,")IC"HJG;
-&+#-(+#....
)' 9jcade Hi# :Vhi! 9dlcidlc 7Vgg^Z! DC A)B &6(
Team Rider : Jeff Maddox
lll#igde^XVacdgi]#XV
&BTZ 3JEFS
&ENPOUPO "# 4UBOE 6Q 1BEEMF q q 5IF&BTZ3JEFS DPN
Want to write off a windsurfing trip?
sandy hook racks
Always dreamed of smacking the lip like a pro?
“more time on the water”
Ever wondered if you could do both?
overhead garage storage racks
NOW YOU CAN! CCESS G THE SU FOLLOWIN CONFERENCE OF 2008’S Solo Sports and Doctor’s Without Patients brings you:
General Medical Update 2: Punta San Carlos 2009 THE CONFERENCE WILL RUN SEPT 19TH-26TH, 2009 If interested please contact
Dr. Stephen Wood slwood@ucalgary.ca or Kevin Trejo baja@solosports.net and check out
www.solosports.net
x roll on, roll off to your
vehicle top x adjustable x easy to install x space for sails, masts, booms www.sandyhookracks.com use code “windsport” for free shipping
Sandyhookracks Tuesday,v3.pub December 02, 2008 17:27 page 1 Magenta Yellow Black Cyan
1VOUB 4BO $BSMPT #BKB $BMJGPSOJB
41&$*"- &7&/54 .BUU 1SJUDIBSE 8BWFDBNQT
"QSJM UI UI "QSJM UI UI 0DU UI UI
5FBN 2VBUSP %FNP 8FFL .BZ OE UI
" 8FFL XJUI (SBIBN &[[Z +VMZ UI "VH TU
+FN )BMM #PPUDBNQ X 3PCFSUP 3JDDJ "VHVTU OE UI
(VZ $SJCC */UVJUJPO 8BWFTBJMJOH 4FQUFNCFS
$.& XJUI %S 4UFQIFO 8PPE 4FQU UI UI
%PO U NJTT PVU
'PS NPSF JOGP DBMM WJTJU PVS XFC TJUF
SoloSports Adventure Holidays www.solosports.net baja@solosports.net
949.289.7779
%&.0 -&"3/ 3*1 *UT UJNF GPS BDUJPO BOE XF WF HPU BO FWFOU GPS KVTU BCPVU FWFSZCPEZ $PNF KPJO VT BU PVS XPSME DMBTT XBWFTBJMJOH MPDBUJPO 0VS BMM JODMV TJWF IPMJEBZT BSF UIF QFSGFDU XBZ UP FYQFSJ FODF 1VOUB 4BO $BSMPT
WINDANCE has GROWN r
"MM /FX 8FCTJUF
r
.PSF 6TFE (FBS 0O -JOF UIBO FWFS
r
1BDLBHF EJTDPVOUT 4BWF VQ UP
r
.PSF 4XBQ .FFUT
r
/PX TFMMJOH ,JUFCPBSEJOH
4OPXCPBSEJOH 4VSG UPP
r
'VMM 3FOUBM %FNP Î FFU
Find out more at...
www.windance.com
WINDANCE BOARDSHOP â&#x20AC;¢ 1.800.574.4020 Hood River...IN THE GORGE
getting real
Cliff Cordy
For the past several years I have been doing fieldwork on studies of birds. I like being able to make a contribution to conservation and work outdoors, plus it gives me ample opportunities to travel and windsurf. I am currently spending the winter in Honduras, doing bird surveys for a study of the impact of various land use practices on biodiversity. Each job normally last a few months or less, so there is plenty of time between jobs to spend at the beach. Typically, I camp out for a couple of months a year at Punta San Carlos, Baja. Recently, I managed to squeeze in a four-month windsurfing trip to South Africa. During spring and summer I work on the Oregon coast, studying the spotted owl, and just happen to be based within a mile of the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s windiest beach. Since owls are nocturnal most of the work is done during the night, leaving me free to windsurf every windy afternoon.
96
windsport
Cliff and his tools. Merritt photo
How do you do this? Brandt photo
The Secret to Learning How To do a…
Words by MITCH GINGRICH
At the peak of my windsurfing abilities, people flogged me with the question, “How do you do a…” naming a trick. When confronted with this question, I’d invariably answer, “Try harder.” Very few appreciated the parsimony of my advice. One person facetiously replied, “Oh that’s real profound, Mitch.” The joke’s on him because it was. The advice was elemental, and I stand by it to this day. In his situation, what he needed to improve his windsurfing wasn’t a few tips on hand position, but a re-working of his ethos, his entire approach to learning.
98
windsport
Asking a person “how to” is to ask for a shortcut. Sometimes shortcuts help, but it denies you any benefit you may receive from the process of learning. Windsurfing is a complex sport with conditions that are almost never identical. No two Back Loops are ever the same. The relativity of conditions to moves establishes nuance to windsurfing that goes unnoticed a majority of the time. On a Back Loop, you’ll need to consider the direction of the wind, its strength relative to your sail, the water conditions, your position relative to the wave, etc.
Many windsurfers stick Back Loops when favourable conditions present themselves. Far fewer can stick it when things aren’t right. Internalized, instinctualized knowledge of these varying situations, experience and its benefits differentiate the consistent from the lucky. Mastery of these conditions can’t come from the mouth, but only from experience. “How to” questions betrays the person by showing he has little experience with the conditions of the move. He’s only started to absorb the knowledge of those conditions and their relativity. But, without that experience the language of the move seems incoherent. The aspirant must identify which conditions he needs help with, what stage of learning he’s at (leaning back seems like good general advice for a Back Loop, but it’s hardly so when the person’s over-rotating). For in that identification the person develops a mental picture of the beast he’s trying to master. He begins to contemplate it, to engage it. He sees how it reacts in difference situations. He develops plans to master it. He builds his vision into vocabulary and can discuss it. But only those with experience understand the vocabulary. It’s one thing to know what a word means because you speak English and something completely different to know what a sentiment means. Asking the question, “how do you do a…” shows that lack of experience. If you try harder, you get that experience. If you try to accomplish, you will develop that knowledge. Accomplishment, however, is a goal that so few appear to genuinely strive for. This aspiration dominates the principle of learning and can determine how long the process takes. Many learning curves fall into moratorium. That’s a common place to seek advice. It’s also the worst time to get it. The person forgot to be flexible, to try new things. I cannot exaggerate the number of people that while in the process of
Mastering a trick is like mastering an animal with nasty teeth; it’s going to bite you before submitting to your will. learning new moves stall because they forget to try to be successful. The goal appears so far away, so impossible to reach. That state of mind ensures failure. The person expects to crash. I can give them any tip I want, but it won’t help. Expect to crash and you crash. Even if I tell them exactly how I accomplish a move, they’ll swear it’s of no use. But, if a person expects to accomplish, believes they can, they will try anything to make it happen. They learn quickly. Flexibility and persistence leads the person to experience the move in different ways, which builds knowledge of varying circumstance, which leads to vocabulary (the point where advice is useful) and eventual mastery. Mastering a move (and its conditions) is like mastering an animal with nasty teeth; it’s going to bite you before submitting to your will. Learning a move means sacrificing your body, sore muscles, cuts, bumps and bruises. You must press yourself against the wall, squeeze through the smallest of cracks, and become flexible and quick. If your will is strong enough, you’ll triumph and be able to call on it just like a cowboy in a western whistles for his horse. Just remember that it’s a matter of desire and will before it’s a matter of technical knowledge. Without a stringent, burning desire, you waste all effort. In other words, you really just need to try harder.
WINDSPORT, USPS #20522, is published quarterly by SBC Media Inc., 2255 B, Queen St. E., Suite 3266, Toronto ON, M4E 1G3. Periodicals Postage Rates paid at Niagara Falls, N.Y., 14304. U.S. office of publication 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd, Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14304. U.S. Postmaster send address corrections to: Windsport, Box 1081, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 14304.
close out