Messages

3136

Wind Powered / Re: how to properly convert your SUP for W/S(windsurfing....no, not watersports)

« on: March 08, 2012, 09:08:03 AM »

Hey DJ,
I have a Naish with the built-in mast track. Do I need the cone shaped mast foot adapter you have in the photo, or does Naish make an adapter just for their factory track? I'm also wondering if the thickness of the deck pad will interfere? Where do I find one?

http://www.isthmussailboards.com/

Call these guys. They've been around since the old days of windsurfing and they sell Naish SUPs.

3137

Wind Powered / Re: how to properly convert your SUP for W/S(windsurfing....no, not watersports)

« on: March 08, 2012, 04:28:41 AM »

You can use plywood as your strength insert if you can't find high density foam. Bark sets his finboxes in plywood, on custom race boards. I saw the wood when a blogger posted photos from inside his factory.

3138

Gear Talk / Re: Paddle Replacement Questions

« on: March 07, 2012, 09:22:14 AM »

As your board choices change over the coming years, so will your paddle requirements.

With the KeNalu, you're making an investment that can be altered to match future boards.

Being able to replace / exchange, blade sizes, shaft flex, handle types, all with just a hair drying and some hot glue, makes it the wisest choice in my opinion.

Then factor in the performance and its a no brainier.

3139

SUP General / Re: Need snowbird ideas in SE for next year!

« on: March 07, 2012, 07:23:29 AM »

DW: What thickness wetsuits are you all wearing in the dead of winter in NC?  I know you're wearing a drysuit but what about the rest of the people?  I would mind being a little closer to home, and water temps no lower than the mid-50s would be fine with me.  Myrtle Beach maybe, in SC?  Water is 41 in RI today; that's what I want to avoid! ...

I'm not wearing drysuits for surfing anymore. Kiting and downwinding the gore-tex suit still gets used.

I surf with a 4/3 Rip Curl. Water is 57 right now. But some Winters it drops to 45.

Florida gets lots of NE and E winds in the Fall. Going into Jan and beyond, they get a lot of NW after a day of onshore, so the odds improve a lot. I would not go there unless you have a kite in Nov and Dec.

3140

SUP General / Re: Need snowbird ideas in SE for next year!

« on: March 06, 2012, 12:38:02 PM »

Indialantic, right across the street from the longboard house / SUP shop. There is a row of nice condos there. I actually know someone who rents one for the whole month of Jan. I saw the highest concentration of SUPs in Indialantic.

I've done 4 surf trips to the area. I've always found mushy (compared to NC) waves. Not breaking on the beach. Pretty easy surfing.

I like the whole area from Cocoa to Satellite Beach, to Indialantic.

Even Daytona Beach is nice, although the water is slightly colder. Lots of places right on the water.

This Jan water was high 60s air temps in the 70s every day.

Lots of flat water paddling on the river through the mangroves when the ocean isn't good.

Here is the surf forum for that area http://www.2ndlight.com/fusetalk/forum/

BTW, the area actually has massive rocks under the water in a few places making for reef like surfing. Those spots are crowded with prone guys. But lots of uncrowded good surf too.

Fly to Orlando. Super cheap. 45 minutes on the interstate to Cocoa. Surf is small from lower SC to GA.

3141

Wind Powered / Re: Classic wave shapes

« on: March 04, 2012, 08:39:48 AM »

Yikes, pavement without a helmet. I guess the young don't remember Craig S. (Ken Winner's shaper) being killed doing that.

3142

Wind Powered / Re: Classic wave shapes

« on: March 04, 2012, 05:11:56 AM »

More classics

Me on a Mistral Diamond Head

Jacky on a 8'6 Hi-Tech

The ultimate oldie.....a Hood sail by Jeff Henderson

It was fun, but I wouldn't trade any of it for todays modern gear. The new boards rip jibes so fast and easy, you don't even need to do lay down jibes to pull one off. If fact, you need to be lightning quick to even lay the sail over a little bit before you're smoking away in the opposite direction.

3143

Wind Powered / Re: Classic wave shapes

« on: March 03, 2012, 05:15:51 PM »

Hah!  We had Grid Locks one year and Spider Locks after that.  I used to love those things.

I've got a spider lock 5.0 in the garage. I'm sure it would blow out the first time its used.

3144

Wind Powered / Re: Classic wave shapes

« on: March 03, 2012, 07:41:04 AM »

Me on my HOT sail from the old days.

3145

Wind Powered / Re: Classic wave shapes

« on: March 03, 2012, 05:14:59 AM »

Good to see I'm not the only one stuck on Superfreaks. How do you think they work with modern board shapes?

My experience is pretty limited having only been back windsurfing 2 seasons, but here is what happened with us, for what it's worth, which might not be much.  

After 10 years away, we looked to our friends who never stepped away for advice. Original lifers. They are rode Superfreaks. They all said the same thing, they liked the soft cushy feel and hated harsh film sails. They raved about the light weight too. Comparing specs, the light weight was confirmed.

We totally geared up with a full 2010 quiver of them. First impression was bomber looking, but god awful heavy. Shocked the sport had reached a point where sails that heavy were the lightest on the market. But hey, at least they looked like they would last longer than the 2 years we got from sails in the old days.

We went through half a season shaking off the rust in our skills. We never quite felt at one with our gear. We were impressed with the sail range for a soft sail design. We were longing for more low end and better pumping. I felt like a geezer pumping onto a plane.

We'd have good and bad days with the sails. On a vacation in Florida, we had a 4.7 gusty wind day when the sails were struggling. Locals were on all different sizes, up to 6.5. The Ezzy riders looked comfortable and that made us question what we thought we knew. A local let me take his Gaastra film sail for a ride that day. It was a terrifying nightmare and I was just glad to get back to shore. I immediately thought, my buddies were right, film sails are wicked.

We returned home and those memories of that day haunted me. My friend told me he tried an Ezzy years ago and hated it for all the reasons I hated that Gaastra in Florida.

Still, I could not get the vision of those Ezzy riders in Florida cruising like they were on a Sunday drive. And these guys didn't appear to be stellar windsurfers either.

I decided to buy one Ezzy sail. Jacky and I immediately were stunned by how good it was. Although the weight number is not lighter than the Superfreak, it felt 50% lighter on the water. I concluded the Superfreak sail going flat when unloaded, made it handle like a dead anchor, while the always full profile of the Panther, makes it fly in the wind, making it totally weightless during every maneuver. Even when simply standing hold the mast, it's lighter feeling. Draft stability was 50% better too. I think the more stable draft positioning works in favor of these shorter compact boards. These boards have small sweet spots for the center of effort.

The sails felt nothing like the Gasstra film sail I tired in Florida. The Ezzy feels softer and easier on us than the Superfreaks. I just hope Ezzy doesn't screw them up having a world cup pro on the team now. I like his sails designed for the people, not pros.

3146

The Shape Shack / Re: Rocker #'s

« on: March 02, 2012, 07:16:56 AM »

I measure every SUP I can get my hands on to create my own database.

The average for an 8 footer is about 3.25 tail and 5.75 nose. Probably flatter for a Simmons. Maybe 3" tail and 5.5 nose.

Hi DW
I remember seeing one of your blog with a list of measurements on all your boards.  Can you link it here?  thanks

The chart didn't include rocker

3147

Wind Powered / Re: Classic wave shapes

« on: March 02, 2012, 04:55:06 AM »

I hate the fat little blunt things everyone's using now

Just a thought.......
You're using the same sails we used with our modern boards. The new boards just never worked right for us. Out of desperation, we decided to try different sails first, to solve the quirks in the new way of riding. I was a life long Hot rider too.

One ride on the Panthers and the wife and I went, of yeah, finally the "board and sail" worked like they should. Now, I could never go back to the older boards. The new one out performs them in every way.

Thinking back to the old days, I recall quite often sails designs changing to match board evolution. I think some of my buddies who don't like the new boards are snake bitten because they demo using their own, out dated rigs. With boards and sails lasting longer than ever, we've got more mismatched generations of rigs and boards out there.

3148

The Shape Shack / Re: handle placement?

« on: March 01, 2012, 02:44:32 PM »

my method:  not sayin' it's right but it works for me.

find exact middle of your board from nose to tail.  make a dot 1" behind that point (towards tail).  this will be the leading edge of your handle.  and i typically go 2" off stringer - Futures box is 4.5" long. 

Kirk

I used your method to check my handle. It's real close. Only 1.25" too far forward. Probably can't even feel the difference.

3149

The Shape Shack / Re: handle placement?

« on: March 01, 2012, 02:25:28 PM »

I always install after glassing. I want lots of layers of glass under my handle flange. I don't want to step on the handle and have it sink and delaminate from a glass over job. It may look prettier doing a glass over for a board on the rack without pad.

Once the pad is on, all is hidden and you want to be darn sure it's solid.

I use Futures handles.

I lay a stack of fins on the tail, plus the pad. All loose just for weight. Then mark the handle location and cut.
 

3150

Wind Powered / Re: Classic wave shapes

« on: March 01, 2012, 11:55:47 AM »

You and Chan need to post your bio so we can keep up