Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Seasons greetings from Mike

A big thank you to everyone that has made 2005 our best year yet.

Thanks to Glenn, Evan and Bill - the best staff in the business. We couldn't be the best were it not for their dedication, care, integrity and tireless efforts.

Many thanks to our valued customers and fellow windsurfers that make it all possible. We value your continued support more than you could ever imagine.

Thank you to our distribution partners that supply us with great product lines and customer service.

Finally, a big thank you to our families for their unwavering support over the years.

Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season.

Mike McGinnis
President and founder
Windsurfing Direct

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Lost Your Old Universal Joint?

Have you stopped using your old board just because you have lost or broken one little piece? Most old universal pins can still be found today. You can also update them with the modern mast extension system that is the standard in America.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Early Greetings


Glenn leaves for the first batch of holidays this afternoon, but likely not going to get in any windsurfing given that I am going to the Arctic circle. I'll be in northern Finland for the next two weeks, and while no windsurfing, I do have lots of snowboarding and kitesnowboarding on the agenda.

Mike, Evan, or Bill will be more than happy to help you with anything you need over the holiday period. I will be back on the 7th of Januarty, with Mike then heading to Barbados to start the Barbado-thon 2006!

I just want to thank all of our customers for a great 2005, and look forward to an even better 2006. Thanks also to all my co-workers, namely Mike and Evan for making 2005 my most enjoyable year yet with Windsurfing Direct. The best to everyone over the holiday season, and lets hope for a warm and windy 2006.

Eh, Howzit?



Evan fires down the endless line at West Point on a classic fall day.

This place is a gem, and when it is side to side-off, one of the best places to sail. Launching at the spot known as Macs you will generally get a few front side hits per wave if you are sailing around in front of the launch. But, spend a few minutes sailing up wind and you have endless front side riding coming back down the point as the wave keeps breaking, leaving you with no choice but to do bottom turn after bottom turn after bottom turn.....

Did I forget to mention the perfect starboard jumping on the way out with the waves giving perfect quarter pipe ramps?

Monday, December 19, 2005

Santa surfs into trouble



Toronto — A wind-surfing Santa took an unintended ride Sunday when strong winds took him across the Niagara River — and the Canadian border.

The Canadian man was promptly arrested in Buffalo by the United States Border Patrol.
For 18 years, fitness instructor John Fulton has donned a Santa suit to sail across the river at Christmas. He said he performs the annual stunt in support of the homeless.

Mr. Fulton usually departs from his home town of Fort Erie, Ont., and arrives back at shore on the Canadian side.

But stiff winds and currents pushed him to the American side of the river and into the arms of U.S. border guards.

Mr. Fulton was taken into custody, then shipped back to Canada after he agreed to sign a form stating he had illegally entered the United States.

(Source: Canadian Press - December 22, 2004)

Friday, December 16, 2005

Update Your Old Boards

Old boards can be lots of fun using your new rigs with them. But it can be hard to rig newer high tension sails with the old mast bases. Put a Chinook Base Cup Kit on top the old universal and then you can use your modern mast extensions. I like using midsize ( 5-7 m) wave and freestyle sails with my Windsurfer One-Design. In 4 or 5 knots of wind you won't plane, so you might as well glide around with your light modern rig on a board that was built for those conditions.














Here Glenn is sailing a modern Exocet Cruiser while I am on the old One-Design. If the wind picks up we are ready, these rigs will go straight onto our freestyle boards.



For anyone who lives pretty much any where east of Texas and north of Atlanta. After receinving your share of snow and or freezing rain over the past couple of days, this shot will warm your spirits .

Blast from the past


Evan has a huge collection of vintage Windsurf magazines that date back as far as 1983. The pictures and stories in these are great to read since they are true history lesson of the sport. However, Glenn seems to be most fascinated with the ads in the back of the magazines for some of the inventions of the time.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

I need to order a new fin, however I have no idea what fin box I need?

Odds are that unless you have a very old board, you need one of the following five fin box styles to replace your fin with.















Tuttle box and Deep Tuttle box, are very similar. Tuttle box (also refered to as standard Tuttle) is used in small to mid sized free ride boards. Deep Tuttle is used on wide boards that require large fins. The base is about 3/4" deeper than a standard Tuttle box. You can use a standard Tuttle fin in a deep Tuttle box, but not vice versa. Both attach with two screws down from the deck.













Power box attaches with one screw right though the middle of the fin base. By far the most convenient of the fix boxes, it is used with beginner, freeride, freestyle and wave boards.














Trim box fins have a tab at the front that hooks into the board, the fin pivots back and is attached by one screw from above. The Trim Box can be adjusted for and aft by moving sliding spacers in the box.













US Box, A Box or E Box pivot forward from a pin in the back. They are held at the front by a machine screw and large thin nut. Used mainly on wave and freestyle boards, it was formerly the most popular style of box. They are based on a surfboard finbox design.
















What are these?



Ever wondered exactly what these parts that come with boards are for?

They are part of the footstrap anti-twist system, and these parts to between the board and the strap. The knob that sticks up from one end goes into one of the footstrap inserts you aren't using, the hole centers over the insert you are using, and the teeth on the opposite side bite into the footstrap.

Need a little more explanation of how to properly put on your footstraps? For a complete guide visit our Ask Evan section at:

http://windsurfingdirectaskevan.blogspot.com/2005/12/how-do-i-put-foostraps-on-my-new-board.html

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Fin Flex


Think the plastic fin you have on your board works just fine? Looking at this picture might make you re-think that.

Granted, this is a formula board with huge sail, but look at how much that fin is flexing, at the tip it is nearly 90 degrees to the base.

Pretty surpising to see a shot like this, but just goes to show you that what is under the water is just as important as what is above!

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Monkey see, monkey do


Glenn and Evan decide to do a little syncronized sailing this past fall on a perfect day at Patterson Park. Both caught mid-forward on the way to the outside.

Soon the winter travels begin, so look for lots of action shots from Mike, Evan and Glenn throughout the winter.

Friday, December 09, 2005

How do I put the foostraps on my new board?

If you have just received your board, odds are you are going to want to put the foostraps on now, or at some point soon. If you are a novice, do not mount the straps immediately as they only clutter up the board if they are not being used.

This guide below should help you mount your footstraps properly, however if you still have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at evan@windsurfing-direct.com or 1-800-617-9463


Step 1
Generally your board will have a few options in terms of where to put your straps. If you already know where you like them from previous boards, feel free to mount them anywhere. However, if you are less than sure, the closer the straps are the front of the board and the closer to the middle, the easier they are to get into.

Be sure to only screw footstraps into the insert holes!!



Step 2
You should have the following pieces with your footstrap kit, which include the 4 straps, 8 screws, 8 round washers, and 8 triangluar anti-twist pieces




Step #3:
Put the anti twist part on the board so that the knob is inserted into one of the foot strap holes you are not going to screw into, and the screw opening around the one you do plan to use.



Step 4
Put the round wash on the screw so that the teeth are facing down and into the strap.




Step 5
Put the screw in the the middle hole of the strap (you only need one screw per side). The strap still isn't on the board yet, so with your screw driver screw through the strap so that the threads are sticking out the bottom.




Step 6
Screw the strap onto the board with the screw going into the insert with the anti-twist washer




Step 7
Screw down both sides of the strap as tight as you can by hand, adjust the size, and hit the water.

Don't forget to check the tension of the screws after several uses as the strap material does compress and the screws needed tightening.

Your strap should look just like the final picture.

Living the life



Cape Breton transplant now Barbados local Barry Skinner unloads on this late summer hurricane swell at Surfers Point.

Something tells me he is glad he made the move.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

How R is the D of your M?


For those that haven't seen an RDM (Reduced Diameter Mast) and wonder about the differences between standard and RDM, here is an up close look.

As you can see, the Fiberspar Radius RDM (on the right), is about 2/3 the diameter of the Fiberspar Tidal Wave, and the wall thickness nearly double.

Cold and Classic



Dan Michaluk heads down the line during a classic fall day at West Point. When West Point is cracking, it will be in the head high range, and side to side off winds can lead to endless front side hits and great starboard ramps. October and November are best, but bring your wetsuit!

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Boom Bend Blog

Chinook makes one of the best carbon booms you can buy in terms of adjustment range and the Triple Clamp Head. However, on their Big Wave model, what does "Narrow Bend" mean?

All Chinook carbon booms are narrow grip (1 1/8" diameter), however the Big Wave has a narrow body when compared to other booms in the same size range. As it is intended for wave sails or non-cambered freeride sails that generally don't have huge pockets, there really isn't a need for such a wide boom body.

The narrow bend mystery is solved, and as you can see in the picture, the difference is pretty significant.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Introducing....Evan


Think you know a lot about windsurfing? Highly unlikely compared to Evan.

Windsurfing since the late 70's, Evan has built the largest collection of windsurfing knowledge that can fit into one waterlogged brain.

If you have a question for Evan, please send it to evan@windsurfing-direct.com. Evan will be happy to post your questions and reply as quickly as possible.

30 days and counting......

Mike kicks off the first leg of the Windsurfing Direct Barbados marathon 30 days from now. Barry, Paulo and the boys had 20 - 25 knot winds today and Sunday, so the trades are pumping already!

Hopefully the wind and waves continue to dish up some great sessions like this. We'll keep the action shots coming throughout the winter. Mike and Glenn will be snapping pics and writing about their adventures with Padders, Bodie, Junior and rest of the crew in Barbados. Evan will keep us posted while visiting his brother in Chile from mid January to end of February.

Don't forget, if you are travelling this winter, or have some shots from your home spots, send them to glenn@windsurfing-direct.com so that we can give you fame (but no fortune) and stardom in our gallery.

Monday, December 05, 2005

Easy, Easier, and Easiest



If you need a little help getting the proper amount of downhaul on your sail, these little gems will make your life a lot easier.

The standard tug cleat on top is the least expensive, but the middle two handed tug cleat really lets you get both hands into the action and its design miminizes slipping.

The mack daddy of tools is the Chinook Rig Winch which is just that, a down haul winch. There is no downhaul setting that isn't possible with the Rig Winch!

Friday, December 02, 2005

New photos added December 1st! Where are yours?

Ready for your 15 minutes of fame?

Please send us pictures of you and your buddies using your gear from Windsurfing Direct. E-Mail images to glenn@windsurfing-direct.com in .jpg format with a caption or story about your local sailing spot or travel destination. We'll gladly add them to our gallery.

At the start of each month the best picture will be featured on the Blog in the "Picture of the Month" post!

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Backlit Blur


The New Gaastra Poison in the white/blue looks sharp on the water, and even sharper as Evan whips into a late day forward in the early fall.

Thanks to Greg for the picture, taken off Wolfe Island, and to quote Robby Naish in RIP "at a secret spot that you will never find, even if you look for it"

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Size does matter


Lets see if this one post can straighten out any and all confusion with tuttle and deep tuttle fin boxes.

a) A board that has a deep tuttle box can use either deep tuttle or standard tuttle

b) A board that has a standard tuttle box can only use standard tuttle base fins, deep tuttle does not fit.

c) To use a standard tuttle fin in a deep tuttle base, all you need is screws that are longer by 3/4" (20mm)

Monday, November 28, 2005

This just in......



Well, maybe not "just in", but a huge milestone when it happened 21 years ago. Speed sailing is very much back in the spotlight, however now the goal is 50 knots!

Want to go fast? Get your hands on a 2006 Gaastra. Dan Kaesler, the designer of the current record holding sail is now the designer for Gaastra. We have been sailing the 2006 wave sails all fall and are blown away!

Friday, November 25, 2005

View of the Day


Glenn (2nd from right) jockeys for position near the peak off Ego Beach in Cape Hatteras, NC.

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Triple Time


The great thing about the Chinook Triple Clamp boom head is that you can use it with a standard diameter mast, or a RDM mast. With most booms heads, a shim is needed for a good fit with an RDM, however the Triple Clamp head allows shimless RDM use. The fully articulating head fully wraps around either a standard diamter, or reduced diameter mast for a secure fit.

Yet another great idea from Chinook.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Bills got skills


Here is Windsurfing Direct customer Bill Reid from North Bay, Ontario competing at the 2005 Aloha Classic on Maui. Bill reports 16ft waves and flukey wind at Hookipa on this day. That is Bill riding, and likely Alex Aguera heading out.

$75 registration fee for Hookipa with only two other people on the water for 15 minutes.....sounds worth it to me!!

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Old School Evan




Proving that he is a true windsurfing veteran, here is a shot of Evan sailing at Patterson Park........18 years ago!



This was shot in the fall of 1987, a move that Evan still re-creates every time Patterson gets good. The scary thing is that 18 years later, Evan charges harder and goes higher than ever!

Monday, November 21, 2005

Quick Release Made Easy



Ever wonder why Dakine's Quick Release system on the XT Seat would safely get you out of an emergency, but would also send your bar sinking right to the bottom?

A lot of times users don't realize that located in the back storage pocket is a little plastic bag with a tiny screw. Each of the quick release buckles has a small screw hole that the screw fits into, and secures one side of the bar to the harness. The other side is still free to quick release, but the side with the screw is now attached. This way, you are safe and don't have to go diving for your Spreader bar.

Friday, November 18, 2005

View of the Day


Looking down the beach at SilverSands, Barbados on a rare windless day.

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Get Serious


If you want to start sailing not only waves, but rolling swell or even just getting your gear set for higher winds, this is the DVD to get. Peter Hart along with pro riders like Nik Baker go over everything from setting your gear (wave or freeride) to make it work properly, getting used to smaller boards, getting out through the white water, wave safety, and wave riding skills. Filmed mainly on Maui, it is a great DVD as Peter Hart is entertaining, and what you will learn will save you (hopefully) from getting knocked around needlessly in the waves.

Four fins out of five!

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Mikey likes it!


Fresh shot from this morning! Mike leans into one to head back outside for more. Wound up on a 4.0 Gaastra Manic, Mike gives the new Fanatic Newwave 81 a solid testing. The verdict? All thumbs up and he reports it is light, super loose and great for lofting big, floaty jumps.


Mike and Glenn tried the 2006 Fanatic Freewave 98 and 88 on Sunday - they were equally impressed with those boards in 5.8 conditions.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

An Exception to the Rule


As a general rule, used or old windsurfing gear is never impressive. This classic, and fully intact Teak boom is the exception to that. Nothing says stiffness like a tail piece made of rope.

Monday, November 14, 2005

Fin-tastic


Wonder if there are different fins for different weed conditions? The top fin is the True Ames Blade Weed, which has much more angle (5 degrees to be exact) than the bottom fin, which is the True Ames SB Weed. The sharper the rake of the fin, the more weeds it will shed, so if you sail in a really weedy place, the Blade Weed is the one to get. If you want more upwind ability and don't have a lot of weeds (ie some floating sea grass), the the SB Weed that is more upright is the way to go.

Friday, November 11, 2005

Top Speed


Here is Bob, our technical guru, installing and upgrading us to ADSL connection this morning.

This should make our website much faster for downloading and browsing. Let us know your feedback on the speed of the site.

WED. UPDATE: ADSL connection is now working and web hosting should be much faster than the previous 3MG. The 3MG line has been dedicated to Mike's remote desk top connection when he works from home. So he won't be using up half of the band width any more!

Please let us know how downloading and navigating www.windsurfing-direct.com or www.windsurfing-direct.ca works for you now.

The View of the Day


Taken in Maui, from Specks looking towards the West Maui Mountains. No wind or really waves to speak of that day (which is why I had time to take pictures), but some early winter swell and trades followed in the days after.

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Which Winch?


Can't decide which Chinook Rig Winch you need, the US or the Euro Pin?

The extension above is the US system, but the Rig Winch is Euro. The Euro Pin system will fit Euro Pin Bases (obviously), but the base of the cup on the euro version winch is the same as the US, so the Euro Pin version fits the US extension.

Want to be able to rig both Euro and US with the same winch, then be sure to order the Euro Pin version of the rig winch.

Ship It


Here is Evan, Windsurfing Direct's shipping manager. Attention to detail in the shipping department is what he is famous for around here. Actually, he is more famous around here for his smooth back loops and huge stalled forwards. (this picture was taken at our home beach on Lake Ontario, 5 minutes from the shop)