And this is a short clip that will give you an idea of how uppers looked like today in a moment in which I was on a Smack 4.5. A bit of windswell, pretty much coming from the same direction of the wind, but slightly bending on the reef so that once in while a down the line turn was possible. I actually did two turns on this particular wave, but that was kind of rare.
The board is a production Quatro 63l (single fin) that I'm demoing. Pretty good board, but I haven't tried it at Hookipa yet.
Enjoy the sunshine and the warm water... well for the last one, I guess you just have to trust me!
6 comments:
You stealing kit from the kiddies truck again? 3.2 WTF?
:)
No, these days I have access to a dream set up with sails of all sizes. That's why I can grab an already rigged one for the occasional 15 minutes 35 knots pre-squall mini storm...
Hey, I just added a little video after you posted your comment. I wonder how Maui homesick it makes you guys feel...
Nah, it wasn't that good. It was actually rainy and cold, with murky water... I had to photoshop it a lot! ;-)
Hi GP,
how do you like that 4.5 smack? When I was in Maui last year, that was my favorite sail that I rented by far.
-Ben
Hi Benjamin,
I have a very personal criteria for ranking sails: the more dacron, the better.
That's because I sail in the gusty and up and down squally wind and choppy water of Maui, I'm 45 and I hate being overpowered.
The dacron absorbs the gust and makes the ride smoother.
Said this, the Smack features a light dacron leech and a pvc window (softer and more durable than monofilm). The rest is strong x-ply. So it's a great wave sail for tough conditions. I particularly enjoyed the down the line visibility (definitely better than a superfreak).
A while ago I was thinking about getting a 5.3 Smack for better low end power in superlight, non gusty slog and surf days, but then Jeff came out with the Ultra light Superfreaks and the weight advantage just killed it.
The weight of a 5.3 Smack (or Fire) is 4.2 Kilos. Which is the weight of a 9.0 UL Superfreak!
A 5.3 UL SF weights 3.5 Kilos, 700 grams (1.5 pounds) less.
Enough said...
Oh, forgot the look/colors. Stay tuned for a video I shot yesterday of Jeff Henderson on the flashiest freak on earth...
Talking about which, if you ask Jeff which Hot Sails Maui he preferes, he will answer: "I sail and like them all (otherwise I wouldn't produce them), but when I sail on a freak my body is a little less sore"...
thanks for the response. Wow, there are already some of the 2009 sails on the hot sail maui site. Cool!
Now you know what sailing in the Gorge is like.....40+ and lots of chop
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