New Digs

From the star, which is Glenn's new house, to Patterson Park, local favorite sailing spot, is about 30 seconds. To Everitt, which I can see from the back deck, is about 2 minutes.

The saying "Its best in your own backyard" has just taken on a hole new meaning!

Countdown Started

Evan heads to Hatteras later this week for a a wedding (not his, but congrats Dan and Seanna), then Glenn and Dinah head out just after he gets back. Lots of wind and waves hopefully to come.

You have to look really hard to see Glenn in this picture from 2001, just off Ego Beach. This was a standout Hatteras wave day, with lots of wave rides but also a few long swims.

Not at all windsurfing related, but....

.....we all like a good deal.

These are on the "Must have" List....

Rarely do boards come along that offer so much. The Techno II 160 and Fanatic Shark 160 are two of the best offerings for 2006 that offer performance, durability, range of use, as well as value! With lots of volume and width for light wind stability, lighter weights novices who are quick learners can use either of these boards to learn on, but also progress to waterstarting, jibing, planing, footstraps, and beyond. For a first time shortboard for heavier weights, these boards plane quick, and offer fantastic performance. The ASA skin offers great protection against bumps and brusies like no other peformance contstruction can offer, and the price leaves lots left over for that new sail you have also been eyeing. With great pre-season pricing, these are certainly worth looking at and giving us a call with more questions on how either of these might work for you.

Done

As much fun as snowboarding is.....it isn't windsurfing. Dinah and I got a great last day of the season on Sunday....and as Dinah collapses at the bottom of Tremblant after a few top to bottom leg burners in the spring slush, so ends the snowboarding season which while great, is always the seasonal equivliantant of "the friend with the great personalilty" when compared to windsurfing.

Expertise through Experience

When Glenn or Evan give advice about entry level equipment, rest assured it is coming from experience. Both have spent years instructing windsurfing in all forms from private lessons, clincs to private windsurfing camps.

Here Glenn sneaks in a quick session while teaching at a private summer camp for kids. The classic head dip and soft sail may be old school, but there is no mistaking the stoke being spread.

Don't make'em like they used to.....

This is one of the rare occasions that Iwill say that they don't make them like they used to. I snapped this in the late 90's at Frisco Wood campground in Cape Hatteras.....and I thought my F2 Revolution had cool graphics!

What happens when.......

....local windsurfing die hards Vlad, Gord, Jim, and the rest of their pals get a hockey team?

Well, of course their jerseys are are covered in windsurfing logos like Starboard and of course, our own logo!

Since these guys are known to sail in the middle of winter......one must wonder if the Gord is at the ice rink in the middle of July wondering if he can get in a quick game?

Crazy for Windsurfing

What do you do when you have a hockey team of windsurfing addicts?
Put your favorite board brands all over your team shirt.

Dr. Jones strikes again....

Local sailor Gord Jones beat everyone to the punch this year and scored the first local session of the year on the 23rd. He reports being nicely powered late in the day on his Gaastra Remedy 6.9 at Everitt Park. Jim Biagi was in the shop musing how good it would have been on the water right about the time that Gord was hitting the water.

Sailing at Everitt Park and you need medical help? Well, with no less than 4 windsurfing doctors who all live with one block of Everitt, I don't think you have much to worry about!

Way to go Gord on getting the season underway, and once I kick this cold that Evan was so nice to give me, I'll be right out there with you.

Lightwind Trickery

Entry level boards aren't just for entry level, as Glenn shows by railriding the 100cm wide Starboard Start. They are great to learn on since they are wide, stable, and have an EVA deck, but boards like the Bic Nova, Fanatic Viper, Bic 293, F2 Discovery or Starboard Rio are also great for freestyle and light wind planing once you improve.

Longboards don't plane......

Our head instructor George would disagree as he puts the Hifly Motion through a nice carve jibe at full speed.

Cross Training

During Glenn's leg of Barbadothon 2006, days consisted of morning sail, chill out on beach with Dinah, afternoon sail, then evening surf session at South Point. Usually about 5-10 other people out, nice 2-4 ft. waves for some mellow longboard action as the sun sets.

Hardcore Award

We have been getting some great shots from some winter sailing sessions, the Lake Champlain guys have been getting out whenever they can, but.....

Mark Cann of Ontario, Canada get the nod for the most hardcore picture of the winter (so far.....keep the pics coming). I have sailed in snow, crunched a little ice on the shallow water to get out, had the water on my sail turn to ice, and generally froze to get a session. Evan has a great story of sitting on the nose of his board and sailing it across a pesky ice flow, however this shot of Mark pushing through this much ice just makes me cold just looking at it.

Barbadothon Part 4 starts Sunday

Silver Sands local Greg setting up for a bottom turn.
Another logo high day at Silver Sands reef. 2006 has been unreal!

Our endless summer continues on Sunday with Windsurfing Direct founder Mike heading back to Silver Sands Resort for a 10 day trip. Despite frustration with our new digital camera malfunctioning in February, the sailing was fantastic. 4.7 - 5.7 every day with head to logo high waves.

Mike was super stoked to nail some great down the line riding on the Fanatic NewWave 81 and FreeWave 88 (our new favorite board!). The 2006 Gaastra Manic quiver continues to impress as the best sails on the market every time we use them.

Warm Air and Warm Winds

Reports coming in today from VA and NC that the 2006 is well under way....air temps close to 80 in some spots of NC, and 20knots of wind.

Wonder if people in Hatteras are sailing? This is a satelite shot of the Outer Banks directly over head of the Canadian hole. Looks like there are a few sailors out!

Wonder why they call it Canadian Hole? The Canadian bit is that each spring hordes of sailors from Ontario and PQ flock to the warmer temps....but also look at the picture. When sand is needed for the beaches on the ocean side (to help build them back up after a storm), they will dredge sand out of the sound, and at one point did so directly in front of the launch site (the dark water). You go from about 3 feet of water to deep, and then back to 3 feet of water after about 200 years.

Express Progress

Is there a board that I can learn on, but still sail as I get better?

One of the best is the Bic Nova series, in either the 165 or 180. We have sailed the Nova in 2 knots and seen how stable it is, taught novices quickly and easily, but also blasted in winds up to 20-25 knots at impressive speeds. As well, if you need a board for light winds and a board for teaching on, the Nova series can kill two birds with one stone as it will handle up to 10m sails for light wind performance, as well let you teach your better half with ease (and comfort....the EVA deck is nice and plush)

If you want to fast track your progression, the Nova the sure way to do so.

Starting to look good!

Friday
Partly cloudy. Highs in the middle 60s.
Winds SW 15mph

Here's a nice forcast for the coming weekend in Cape Hatteras. Mid 60's and cruising on a 6.5 sounds pretty good right about now.

April Hatteras trips are coming up soon, and there are going to be a lot of forecasts just like this, plus many for warmer and windier!

Got Wind?

This shot was snapped by Amine Fadous after a Feb 17th session on Lake Champlain, VT. A freak bit of mild air and 30-40knots of wind got a few guys out on the water for a quick session....but from the other pictures he took it looks like they had to do a little ice dodging.

Weekend Inspiration

Take a gander at this for inspiration before you head out sailing on the weekend, or if winter still has you locked in, just kick back at watch and wish for summer.

Tiga team rider Yannick Anton decides to up the level for indoor sailing 10 fold. A single loop in perfect winds off a perfect wave can be tough enough....what makes this so impressive is that he throws a double, in fan driven indoor wind (read: gusty), off a man made jump. Crowd goes nuts, needless to say.

Click on http://www.pwa-worldtour.com/images/video/PWA_BoatShow_256.wmv and see for yourself.