Author Topic: Winter Malikos  (Read 5104 times)

covesurfer

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Winter Malikos
« on: November 19, 2014, 11:56:59 PM »
It's well into November. We've had several serious swells on the north side of Maui so far this season. Today, the big swell from the previous few days had faded but the trade winds had come back and hard. Wind was nearly straight east and plenty strong.

Thought we were going to go for a south side, because the wind was rumoured to be howling in N Kihei.  But the call was Maliko. We were going to have a good sized group with a couple of visiting paddlers joining in. HM, SB, JR, Kane from Oahu and A-squared (aka The Road Warrior) from Seattle were all going.

With a fading groundswell, things looked pretty manageable. The shuttle was pretty full and the standups outnumbered the boats. The plan was to stick together and JR was going to get some video. Although it had been pretty windy at the bottom, the top of the run did not look quite as windy. But, there were swells breaking in the gulch as we paddled out and once into the ocean, it was apparent that there was a hefty, rolling, NE groundswell, probably the result of tradewinds blowing on a long fetch for an extended time. There was enough wind that many of the tops were breaking and I got taken clean off my board while paddling out. The offending swell took the board and left me to watch it go clear to the end of the leash. Wild. I started getting antsy to turn left and go with the wave train rather than get pummeled from the side. But, with the north angle to the good sized swell, the right thing to do was to head outside.

The top of the run was good wind but kind of a difficult swell to connect any bumps. It was lumpy and kind of slow. I caught a bunch of glides but linked very, very few. We all hung together and it was great energy paddling in a group like that. All of those other guys are incredibly solid paddlers, and I had to have my A-game on just to keep up. It's especially impressive when guys who don't paddle here all the time show up and smoke it, like Kane and Art did today.

The conditions got better and better as we made our way down the coast. According to my Garmin, we took a pretty outside line, about a mile and a quarter to a mile and 3/4 off shore. Wind was amazingly east. JR got some video of everybody which he's threatening to edit and post. I hope it looks better than I felt when he had the camera pointed my way!

I think the last mile was likely one of the top 3 or 4 runs into the harbor that I've had. It was just cranking wind and bump after bump that you could surf. It was damn near effortless at times. The price came after we turned into the harbor. The east wind was howling on our left side and it was tortuous getting through that last 1/2 mile to the beach.

As fun as the last part was, conditions were actually pretty rugged with fun drops but tough connections and lots of random, sloppy chop. Looking forward to what the next session brings.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2014, 12:23:45 AM by covesurfer »

headmount

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2014, 12:35:19 AM »
Small window of opportunity today. 

As Southbay and I drove past Hookipa we almost pulled the plug it looked so dismal.  Windsurfers were barely moving but a glance to the east showed a remarkable wind line.  Still it was raining when we got to the gulch.  Once outside wind kicked in full speed but surface was as crossed up as I've ever had.  You had to accept getting pitched around often.  Made it my mantra to just mellow out and only go for the easy drops.  Still it was a 5 fall run for me and legs were worked at the end.

Like Cove wrote, the end was huge and you really had to watch out for fully dropping in and getting out of control.  Pretty exciting stretch.

Driving back up for Southbay's truck Hookipa had glassed off again and surf was looking clean.  Bout a two hour window today and we got it.

covesurfer

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2014, 08:44:48 AM »
JR's video. Of course, the camera makes it look like a breezy day on a pond but it was plenty big yesterday.

Southbay

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2014, 10:57:41 AM »
That was way better than it looked on the way out there.  The video is pretty accurate as to how tough it was to link glides yesterday.  Drops all around, but tough to find connections with so much surface chop.  Watching myself makes me realize that I need to reach alot more!  To be fair none of us we going all out because we were trying to stick together, but still I look like I'm just hanging out a mile off shore. Haha!  The last 2 miles were so good!  HUGE drops, and decent connections.  Unfortunately I was bleeding, and considering that is the area I consider the most sharky, I figured I would just keep the hull speed up forget about the video.

Really cool of JR to sacrifice a run to take vid of us kooks  ;D

Wish I could go today, but I'm stuck at work.  Maybe tomorrow?!?

PonoBill

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2014, 11:32:44 AM »
Looks like it was messy, but fun. Wish I'd gone, but the Turkey called me. I'm pre-cooking stuff for Thanksgiving. I know, sounds lame, but I promised Diane.

I've got to do a SS today, got the new prototype board from SIC. I hear it's a little more challenging than a V1, so I don't care to do a Pocahontas Maliko run. 
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Southbay

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2014, 06:43:18 PM »
South side was looking pretty good!  Can't wait to hear all about it.  You gonna have to tomorrow too?!?

PonoBill

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2014, 10:34:47 PM »
I took it for an upwind/downwind from the Cove. It's fast, but it's not for me with my Geezer balance. Nope, I brought it back and ordered a new V1.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

supdiscobay

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2014, 11:19:09 PM »
I took it for an upwind/downwind from the Cove. It's fast, but it's not for me with my Geezer balance. Nope, I brought it back and ordered a new V1.

My wife and i were playing at the cove and saw PB take off on the prototype.  It looked fast.  As he pulled away you could tell the board did not slow down as much after each stroke.  It did look narrow from behind though.
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Kieranrsup

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2014, 02:20:09 AM »
Wow, still looks so good. Damn I miss Maui!! Can't wait for next July!!!!!
PonoBill; I'm very keen to hear more about that new Bullet. Any more info anywhere?
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PonoBill

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2014, 08:04:41 PM »
Good one today. Light at the beginning and frantic at the end. I had a good run until I got to the reef and started cutting in to oil tanks. four falls for the whole run, then a hundred from the reef to the tanks. damn. Everyone beat me, in part because of all those falls at the end, in part because I went much too far out, and in part because I'm just bog slow. But I'll get faster as the year goes on. Nice start.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

JF808

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2014, 08:42:35 PM »
Great vid JR!!

I've talked to MR about the new 17'er but that was about 2 months ago. Is it still in the prototype phase? Is there a hollow mold yet? or still just EPS customs?

covesurfer

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2014, 12:34:25 AM »
I was on the 1 pm shuttle today. We watched you guys (Looked like HM, Victor, PB and maybe JimmyL) take off out of the Gulch like we were chasing you. By the time I got in the water, you guys were long gone and the swells hid you. It was sure fun out there today! Fantastic conditions for a Winter time day!

Today was among my top 5 Maliko runs ever I think. The wind was a bit lighter at the top but the drops were constant and even if I didn't make connections, I caught the glides one at a time, one after another.  By the time I passed Baldwin, the wind just kept increasing and I'd taken a pretty far outside line, where it seemed even stronger. I did pay the price coming into the harbor as I stayed too far out for too long but it was still good. Only the last 1/2 mile was brutal, with that wind howling straight out of the east. But from Baldwin on, I started linking glides and using my speed to keep in the groove. I only had one stupid fall the whole run which is almost as good as a no-faller!

Wish we were going to be in line for a few more runs but it looks like the wind is set to back off and when it comes back on Monday or Tuesday, there's supposed to be a pretty big swell on the north side. I'll have to continue to relive this day for as long as I can, nice when it comes together, especially on Maliko. It's like skiing a tough mogul run with a good line. You get to the bottom and you're just stoked. Maliko is so technical. The past few runs over here, I finished feeling like I survived. Today, I felt like I'd surfed for 10 miles.  :D
« Last Edit: November 22, 2014, 12:36:26 AM by covesurfer »

PonoBill

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2014, 09:05:32 AM »
Great vid JR!!

I've talked to MR about the new 17'er but that was about 2 months ago. Is it still in the prototype phase? Is there a hollow mold yet? or still just EPS customs?

It's a prototype still, but as usual, Mark's idea of a prototype would be everyone else's idea of a finished board. It's a beautiful thing. I think he plans to do a mold soon if he doesn't do many changes. I suspect people with good balance will be going faster than ever. It's got no brakes at all when the nose comes down, not even when it pokes. Like sliding a needle through the waves. Wicked looking thing, I wouldn't want to be hit by one.

Cove, you probably didn't see me, that was Jimmy's buddy whose name I forget. I took off just as the rest of the crew arrived--grabbed a lead so they wouldn't be playing cards and working on their tan when I showed up at the end.

I went too far out too. Especially for a low risk day like that was.

Next week should be big wind and big groundswells. Surely you haven't forgotten how fun those moguls are Cove? I just made a combo camelback/PFD. I have big plans for next week.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2014, 09:07:56 AM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

covesurfer

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2014, 08:55:22 PM »
Only a few of the usual suspects showed today. PB, Ralf, OC Bruce and me. It was a beautiful day, warm but not overwhelmingly hot. Some breeze and rumors of strong wind at the top of the run.

Shuttling up and passing Ho'okipa, it was pretty obvious that the big wind at the top had not gotten the memo. The forecast is for trades to disappear by Sunday and it looked like that was the memo that the wind had read.

Still, there was something, maybe about 15 to 20 if you were lucky. I had chosen to go in my OC1 today after yesterday's epic standup downwinder. That turned out to be a really good choice.

The top section did turn out to be the best, with some decent gusts and good runners. I had one huge drop where I hit 13 mph! That was cool. Unfortunately, that was it for the big ones. Lots of smaller runners kept my average speeds in the high 7's to 8's and that was fast enough to make it fun. It was a challenge trying to link stuff up. I have a long way to go to improve my skills in the one man. Took my GoPro and the pictures show me plenty to work on as far as paddling technique as well as my bump identification and linking skills.

I'm afraid this may be it until mid week. PB showed up at the end of the run and said he'd gone inside too far and had almost been tagged by a big set with 15' faces. Yikes! But, if the wind really dies, we may get some surfing to keep us happy for a couple days. Fingers crossing! ;)


PonoBill

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Re: Winter Malikos
« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2014, 09:14:35 PM »
I forgot to mention that I had some ice cold chocolate milk in the car--your reward for hanging out to see if I died en-route. Man that was a slow one. I copied our buddy Lee from Gig Harbor and bought a bunch of individual containers from Costco. No worries though, I drank yours.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


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