Yesterday I got in the water at noon and, as you can see from the graph, the wind was extremely light and onshore.
I just wanted to check what's the limits of The Experiment. I ended up having a blast.
At noon the waves were absolutely perfect. Yoshi was out there surfing and we shared some incredible rides. Mast high at the bowl and then perfectly peeling right and left (I clearly could only go left, upwind).
A couple of hours later, the swell peaked and it got too big and started to close out. Still some heart stopping drops to be made.
There's 12-14 hours delay between the NW buoy readings and Maui. Check it out.. 15 feet at the buoy means over mast high on the reef!
I went out again at 5, together with Glenn. Alex was on the beach and took these photos. Thanks!
Big.
This is an italian 19yo sailor in vacation. OMG, is that ok to post photos of him or somebody is going to get offended 'cause he's too young?
He just got on the island, had no idea of how Kanaha works and tried to go straight through the waves... good luck!!! Needless to say, he got hammered.
The funny thing is that I've been testing 9 different longboard sailing SUPs last week. Which one would have I picked yesterday? None of them...
Once again, thanks a million to Jeff Henderson who got me into longboard wave sailing. It gave my an amazing amount of emotions, rides, hours in the water (and that magic double page photo on Windsurfing mag. Can anybody help me find it in the blog archive? I don't have the time this morning...), but I might just be done with longboards.
My re-shaped strepless 100l freeride board works incredibly well and it's just too much fun!
And now some surfing, since the weekend and Monday offered fantastic conditions.
I would have liked to brag about my progress on a shortboard, but I can't for two reasons:
1) I had a friend available to take photos only in a day in which I went out on my 8.6
2) I'm not making any.
Well, no problem... I'll brag about my regression on the longboard instead!
After having used the 6.10 for quite a few times, in fact, I completely lost the timing and positioning. As you can see from the following three photos, I was always too deep/late.
I like this first one a lot though.
Finally I stick a drop!
Copying dad's hair style.
No matter how much I suck, I always have fun and get energy from the ocean out of a surf session... can you tell?
More waves the next couple of days, should be fun. The wind? What do I care...
6 comments:
“re-shaped strepless 100l freeride board” and when the equipment isn’t precious it’s even better. Wow Kanaha was bloody big yesterday, perhaps I’ll take my surfboard to the harbor today and score some leftovers.
C'mon, now that I just started enjoying longboard sailing/SUP witch got my attention especially after watching the fun you where having in your longboard videos with Jeff, you say you are done!? Cammar, what a disappointment. Just kidding... I am having a blast with my new toy, just starting to pick some waves for the first time, with the paddle or the sail, or just cruising around, great fun.
But, you are catching waves on a 100l freeride board without straps!? How does that work?
Sharon,
'zactly! Free at a garage sale is a fair price.
I checked the harbor myself: perfect for you! A bit small for me, it takes a little longer period than 10 seconds to shoal on that reef...
(I'm so fucking technical!)
Daniel,
longboard wave sailing rocks! I did for four years and now I feel the need of a change. Whatever takes you out there in light or no wind is a great toy.
T.E. WAS a freeride board. Now that I added more than one inch of rocker and a huge V on the tail it's more like a surfboard.
Unfortunately the front part of the board is still pretty straight and I feel (and don't like) that on the steep waves, but on the other hand it helps a lot to keep the speed on non steep waves. There's always something good in everything.
At that speed (the wind was 10mph at the airport, 0-3mph in the waves!!) the footstraps would be absolutely useless. Actually, when slogging the back foot rests exactly when the front footstraps would be, so they would be extremely in the way.
Once I catch a wave, then I move my feet back, depending on the steepness of the wave and on the radius of the turn I want to achieve.
We're talking about something that has very little to do with windsurfing and much more to do with surfing.
The difference is that I don't have to lay down and paddle (which my back doesn't like too much) and I can catch 10 times more waves than I can when I surf.
The sail is still a bit in the way, though. In other words, surfing is still the best way of riding waves, 'cause you can move your body more freely.
Again, my back can only take limited amounts of surfing and that's why I do stuff like this.
Check what Bruno Andre is doing with his AHD sea lion.
He's going to be in Maui in December and I'll get to try one. From what I see from the video, I think I like my T.E. better... we'll see!
I was just going to comment and tell you about the Seal Lion, but you already know, I see. Might be interesting. Starboard have some rather short SUPs coming out to that might work nicely for windsurfing. I've heard Scott McKercher catches some prety big waves on those. You should also have a go on Dolfs old Aero if he lets you.
As for "done with longboards", I think the important thing is variation. It great to stay on one board, one sail, one type of conditions etc and some aspects of your sailing grow by doing so. But it is also good to change and try other stuff now and then. You might return to your tried and try "style" but the experiments usually opens up you mind in a nice way.
Hi Ola,
agree that variation is key.
I would love to try some of the short starboard SUPs.
But I don't think I would like the Aero. I have never even see one, but I assume it's a windsurf board and that's not what I like to have under my feet in super light wind.
I want a surfboard rocker and that's what I gave to T.E.
Honestly, I really think that that board has a magic combination of measurements. A little more volume would help in situations like absolutely no wind tacks and emergency uphauls, but at the same time there's something about the width and thickness of it that I really dig.
Any SUP would be way wider/thicker and I'm not sure I would like that.
I have to keep trying boards, that's for sure.
One of the good sides of trying different boards is that I'm becoming more aware of my needs depending on the different conditions.
Take today (wednesday) for example: still kind of light (but with moments of planing) and onshore and still big waves.
The 81 Goya was too small (hard to go over the white water)... too windy for T.E....
I ended up sailing my old SOS (estimated volume around 84-86l) and absolutely loved it.
I wonder if I would have liked the Goya 90 better... I might have to demo it again... if they still give it to me, after I kept it a month last year!
See you soon!
hey bradda, i never left a message and ive been hitting your sight for over a year now. i was the long hair haole takin big drops at laparouse on that big day last winter. i made some killer wipeout videos. i was dissappointed not to see them on your sight. usually euros love to trash locals.ha anyway i print shirts,mugs,mouse pads whatever and i do it right here. no minimum order, all and any colors can graphic design or take your design and send it to me email those lycra shirts for the water--my earth friendly ink never fades and you cant feel the lettering,,,plus i have new surf material dry in minutes. Contact me @ PERSONALIZETHISONLINE.COM AND WE WILL GET TO WORK ON SOME WATER STATEMENTS for standup log paddlers. aloha anak
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