Let's start with a few videos from last Sunday morning (what a day it was!).
It was really cool to watch surfers and canoe paddlers having fun in Kahului harbor. I call the harbor a secret spot, but it isn't. It is extremely underrated though and, damn, I should keep this for me... but I'm such a nice guy!
Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos
Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos
Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos
When you capsize than you got to scoop the water out...
As you can easily imagine, the waves outside the harbor were slightly bigger...
Here's a tow surfer on a board with a foil.
An easy way to find out what the hell I'm talking about is to check this video.
Nothing major, just average stuff... just stuff that Laird does... you know, it takes a lot of work to have a lot of fun!
I don't like jet skis, but riding a wave with that thing must really be a lot of fun.
The first time I saw Jaws in 2001, the only people out were Laird and Dave Kalama (can you imagine now?), testing their foil boards for the first time there. Nobody on the cliff had never seen anything like that and it looked like the surfers were flying over the waves without touching them. Like some birds do.
Quite trippy.
And, last but not least, here's a photo of the boards of the longboard sailing test.
The first blue one is my new 9.6. The other small blue one belongs to little Bernd (10 years old) and for him it's kind of a longboard, I guess. All the other boards (pretty much all the longboard sailing boards of the island) are around 12 feet long.
Here's my beauty. Did I do a damn good job with the mast track or what?
There is only one tool in Maui that could have allowed such a good job. And that is Ulli's router. That's why I don't buy one! ... thanks brah!
This is the website where you can find the board. I strongly recommend to watch the video.
I would like to write something about it, but it's now time to go to sleep. The waves are big, I got to go surf.
I just wish I had a video of the turns I was achieving this morning with my 5.5 in super light wind... no words would be necessary.
I'll leave you with a statement and a question:
Statement: I can turn my 9.6 more than my 8.0 windsurf wave board.
Question: why do you think is that?
Post a comment with an answer. The first correct answer will deserve a good job! mention on this blog.
6 comments:
Nice to see pics of the boards. Looks like the masttrack is pretty far to the back of the board. Why these boards are so turny? I guess due to quite a lot of rocker (compared to a sailboard) and soft rails. Do you think that 9foot6 is as small as you could go (Bernds board aside, he must be the waterman for the future, I like his style!).
Good try Robin. Actually the rocker and the rails are defenitely part of the deal, but there's another factor that I think is even more important...
Come one, you guys. Next guess?
I don't think that smaller than 9.6 would be enough floatation for light winds. I mean, it could be super thick and wide, but then it won't be good anyway. But wait for a more detailed feedback. Today it was the fourth day in a row and I found out two more things. Both negative, unfortunately. So, it's not all good... of course!
I need to have a little more time in the water and then I'll come up with a better report.
Well since nobody is taking the bait. It has to be the flex in the soft board. B.T.W. didn't Jeffrey do an experiment with these blue boards: The Blue Freaky Fish (or something).
I'm a little disappointed that nobody is guessing... I'm tempted to reveleal it, but I'll wait till I post my detailed report after the test will be done.
In the meantime, a good job goes to Robin for being the only one to guess. And with very good guesses too.
The flex in the board is defenitely more than an windsurf wave board, but the blue is quite stiff because it got two wooden stringers. So, it would have been a good reason, but it's not quite it. Keep trying brah.
Yes. Jeff did a few experiments on these boards, including the Blue Freaky Fish, as you call it.
Not sure what the outcome was, got to ask him...
He even had a windsurf board shaped out of the 9.6, glassed in epoxy and with footstraps, but I know he didn't like that one. I tried too and I wasn't too excited either. I might have even buckled it. And I even forgot to tell Jeff. Better send him an email...
The shape on the surfboard is much flatter and less pointy. You could spin it like the shortboarders and do a 360 but I doubt a w/s board can. Also, Thanks Giampaolo for your insight into the size issue on a w/s equipped surfboard. I almost made a big mistake going only 10 foot on a regular glassed board. MB
Hey Bob, thanks for your comment. I reveal the "secret" in one the glassing videos...
Post a Comment