Sebonac in June

A low pressure (basically a weak nor'easter) spun over the Canadian Maritimes and gave us our bonus high wind session for the month of June. Last year's June Surprise blew WNW, but today we got NNW, which gave us more roaming space to the west toward Shinnecock Canal. Winds started fluky 12-20 (ie, too much schlogging), then later pushed well into the 20's. I rode my 89L Naish and 5.2 Ezzy, while other East End sailors rigged 4.7 to 5.8. I had some monster jumps, including a new personal highest. For the first time I noticed the sudden silence of hang time. Very sweet.


Sailors in attendance included John V, Jon Ford, Jimi Sobek, Michael, Bill B., Diane, Curtis & Robert, while Scott, temporarily off the water from injury, watched the action from shore. More pictures from the day: June Bonus: Sebonac

Learning to Jibe with Dasher

While perusing youtube's latest windsurfing offerings, I came across a 1.5 minute summary of Dasher's 12 Step Jibe. Dasher breaks down that frustrating move to simple, mechanical steps that can be worked on one at a time. I credit Dasher's DVD for helping me hit my first planing jibe last September. Over a week in Hatteras that Spring I watched it a handful of times, and over the Summer, the 12 steps slowly took root. Unfortunately, I think my brain and physical memory can juggle only 9 or 10 of those steps at once (even fewer on a smaller board in chop). As a result, my jibes still need work. In my last session with the heavy 7.2, the sail (and myself) kept falling in the water on the inside of the turn during the sail flip. The video revealed the missing link:


Step 9: "The hips roll to the inside as the mast crosses the centerline to the outside". The alarm went off in my head, and I now have something to work on next time in the water (thanks Dasher!). The sooner I can nail down 80% jibing, the sooner I can concentrate on wave sailing in the Fall, and keeping warm in the Winter. Jibe Ho!

[Tags: Windsurfing, jibe, Dasher, The 12 Step Jibe by Dasher]

Windy Summer Nights

I'm just about to turn in for the night, and the wind comes up. Chimes are swinging, branches are swaying, and flagpole lanyards flapping. When the house starts whistling, I have to step outside to take a reading. It's hitting 15 mph from the SW, which after the recent windless weekends, is enough to draw me out into the 65° hazy yellow moonlit night. I really can't complain about the lack of wind, though. I caught the last 45 minutes before sunset today up at the Point. I could hear the hoots coming from Carlos, Guillermo and a third kiter as they ripped around, so I rigged the 7.2 and headed west towards the setting sun. It was 50/50 planing (as Michael also reported from Mecox), but the gusts were fun for a couple near-planing jibes. I completed my first duck jibe (on first attempt, unoit). But better than that, the Peconic waters have become wetsuit-optional. After the bite of cold water sailing earlier this year, the bay today was practically caressing when falling in. OK, I'm waxing poetic - it must be Summer.