5 more slalom heats run today in epic gorge conditions. By late morning, the breeze had filled into 20-30 and plenty of sunshine and 70 degree water temps. What more could you ask for! The fleets were divided with the top half of yesterdays racing bumping up to the gold fleet. With a bit of creative redress from yesterdays on the water fiascoes, I managed to sneak into the top half- but barely as yesterdays sad attempt at racing in 40k put me just shy of the top half of the fleet. Yesterday, Soheil and I got into a port/starboard collision while rounding the top tacking mark of the slalom course. There wasn't much either of us could do to avoid the collision but like any altercation on the course, if your in the right, it's always best to follow through with a protest and redress. Once in the gold fleet things got progressively better with a 2nd off the bat in the first race behind Bruce and bullet in heat 4 where the top 2 were DSQ with the black flag. Heats 8 and 9 saw me fighting in the group just behind the leaders. I had some great opportunities to pass on the short gybing legs and stayed well powered on my 105l F2 slalom board with 42 cm fin and 7.3 north warp The final race was almost perfect. Dennis from NZ and I peeled off from the fleet on the first leg in a solid 20-25k breeze. I held off Prior and Bruce with better speed around the course just up until the finish where I blew the last tack and they passed me. AHHHH!! Overall a great day of racing with a solid performance and improvements throughout the day. Now if I can just learn to close the deal! For all the races, I was on my 105l F2 slalom board with 42 cm fin and 7.3 north warp. I made the most gains on the upwind leg where I eased off on the outhaul and used my leverage to crank on the fin. The other guys in the fleet seemed significatly off on this leg and I used everything I had to take advantage of that. The course was very technical with 6 gybes and 2 tacks putting a favor on board handeling skills. Speed was essential off the line with the first leg a long drag strip towards the event site. 3 quick gybe marks with plenty of carnage made for some exciting mark rounding. As Race Director, Darren Rogers started- it's a "mostly slalom course" but puts emphasis on the whole package. If you were weak in anything, this course found it and you had to deal with it somehow! Saturday and Sundays racing will be Formula favored with lighter winds expected and no course racing yet in the Nationals.
9 am skippers meeting puts me to bed early tonight. Be sure to check out the photo links at windsports mag and more photos from Bryan and results at Vmgevents.com Steve USA 4
1 round of slalom racing so far for all fleets in 20-30k. Windy on outside at the starting line and significatly lighter at marks near shore. I took 2nd in first race of gold fleet behind Bruce Peterson in a tight competitive fleet. RC is adjusting the course now to put the gybe marks in the wind line! Possibly formula racing in the afternoon. Be sure to check to photo link in day 2 comments from Bryan. More reports later. Steve USA 4
It was one of those epic days today that everyone will talk about for years to come. The Gorge went off as big as it gets! Possible the windiest day of the year and to top it off there were 70 competitors registered for slalom in 3 different heats
By the time the first slalom start rolled off at 12:30, the winds were 25-30 knots with huge gusts coming down the cooridor. By mid afternoon, the 3 fleets had run 3 heats each and the wind was still cranking in the mid 30s with gusts touching 43k!
3 more heats were run in crazy conditions where it seemed I was doing more swimming than slalom sailing. The carnage was spread across the course with sailors blowing up on every leg and corner of the course. I came blazing out of the gates on the first race keeping in 2nd until the first of many knock downs around the course. I managed a few decent races but was still consistantly in the middle of the 24 strong mens fleet. The gorge locals showed us how it was done with amazing technique and speed around the famous gorge box course. Most sailors were able to leave the beach at the 3 min gun and make the start in time. The 1st leg was a broad reach into 3 quick gybe marks set in front of the event site and then around a leeward mark and back close hauled to the starting line where you had go tack across the line and then go for a second lap! I never had too much control even with a 5.8 and 6.3 race sails. The locals switched down to 5.2 and 4.7s making it look easy. In those conditions, its all about being comfortable on your set up.
To top the day off Andre cooked us a beautiful meal at Jeans cousin place in White Salmon overlooking Hood River. An amazing view after an amazing day of racing!
With 2 days of racing already under their belts, the SF Formula fleet lined up for another day of Epic day of racing on the San Francisco city front. The 19 board fleet was joined by 20 kiters for 4 more course races in conditions that ranged from 10-12 knots gusty winds and a strong, flat flood tide in the morning to ridiculous 20-25 knots overpowered conditions in the afternoon.
Preparation was the key to Sunday's racing where the race was won before it even began...on the beach, in fact. With a first possible start at 11:30- a bit earlier than most sailors were used to, most of the fleet was haphazardly rushing to get on the starting line. I made sure to arrive by 10:15 and had both the 11 and 10 rigged and ready to go. At the last minute, I decided to take my 11.o as the holes where pretty sketchy on the inside of the course. The flood was ripping as well, adding another dimension to the already challenging conditions. As I sailed the course before the first start, it was obvious that the middle was the way to go as the puffs coming down the city front were less than frequent and certainly not dependable. PHOTOS BY: SERGEI ZAVARIN In race 1, I lined up on port tack with most of the fleet- getting off the line well to the middle of the Bay. We sailed for eternity- overstanding the layline by what seemed like a mile to over compensate for the flood and light air. Wells and I had a good lead with our 11.0s but Eric was sailing smart and staying in the puffs to keep the pace. On the 2nd lap of the double windward leeward course, I was in the lead and had to call the layline again with both Eric and Wells putting the heat on from behind. I knew I had one chance as those guys would certainly sail beyond my line to be certain to make the mark. It looked good but as things lighted up near the mark and the flood pushing my down, I had to tack back and was parked for the next minute watching Wells and Eric sail away. The rest of the fleet floundered helplessly in the holes near shore armed with only their 10.0's. I found having the extra power in the 11.0 was enough to get through most of the light stuff and by sailing smart, you could avoid most of the bigger holes. Race 2 started much the same with the fleet getting off on port tack. I certainly didnt have the best angle upwind off the line but I was able to hold my own- going for speed in the flood tide. Ben looked like he was going to put together an impressive race footing off to the corner but got stuck in a hole and didnt get going again. Up front, it was Wells and I making sure we both overstood the top mark and stayed in the velocity. David got the jump on the last leg and was looking good heading on the finish but things lighted up on the bottom on the course and he had to gybe back for some pressure. Meanwhile I saw it happening and got to the pressure first and rode the puff down to the finish in first. Sometimes, its all about being in the right place at the right time.
After a planned break on the beach around 1pm, it was still too light for the kiters to race so we headed back out after a 30 minute break. I knew the wind would be coming up. It's San Francisco after all but could I risk the 11.0 for 2 more races in the breeze. Sure enough like clockwork, just moments before I had to decide what to take on the water, the thermal kicked in and the Bay was full of white caps. I knew quite well, the 10.0 was going to be enough so I switched rigs, fueled up and went back out for more racing. Race 3 kicked off with a squarer line and more of the fleet charging the line on starboard. Again, I got a good jump and squeezed out hitting the sea wall first and getting a clear lane for the long beat to windward. I held my own but the fleet was charging hard and the top 5 arrived the top mark and got away clean. David and I were in the 2nd pack, back 10-15 seconds but caught an amazing puff driving us almost right down to the mark as the guys ahead got stuck in a light patch and all had to make an extra 2 gybes to get back on course. Eric was deep enough that he got away clean with only 1 gybe and rounded just in front of me at the leeward mark. Back upwind for the 2nd beat to windward, the chop and breeze were starting to come up but this time around the flood wasnt as strong. We kept the same order, with Eric taking the bullet and myself in 2nd while Sylvester snuck into 3rd for a strong showing. By the time race 4 rolled along, the breeze was well into the mid 20's with some stronger gusts coming down the course. The chop had built from a smooth morning flood tide to a vicious combinations of swell, recreation boat traffic and voodoo chop. I pulled out everything I had and put it all into the 4th race- nailing the start and leading at every mark to take the final bullet. Upwind, my legs were pumping like pistons, absorbing the chop while trying to keep the sail sheeted in hard with every gust. Downwind was like riding a bucking bronco- flying straight through the chop with my foot firmly planted in the chicken strap- even going as far as putting in in the backside of the leeward strap when things really got ugly. I watched in hidden delight as both Ben and Wells were stuck trying to manhandle their 11.0's in the big breeze. Crad finished strong right behind Eric and 2nd while Sylvester snuck into 4th- never finishing far behind the pack. PHOTOS BY: SERGEI ZAVARIN With the kiters anxious to get more racing in, John Craig send the formula fleet in while the kiters got 2 more course races in- in prep for their upcoming Worlds next month. 2 bullets and a 2nd and 3rd were consistent enough to take the afternoon win and the w-end overall title for the US Windsurfing NRT. Overall-very happy with the progress in both light and strong winds. Although I didnt think I had the best angle or speed in the fleet, but I made what I had work well and got around the course the fastest. Next up is the US Nationals in the Gorge- starting next Wednesday with most of the SF fleet heading up.
Sometimes speed alone is enough to get you across the finish line in first. Other times, you find yourself tripping over your own 2 feet. That was the case for Saturday's long distance race- from a start set just off the St. Francis down to the Berkeley pier and back. The fleet of 20 formula boards and 20 kiters had a 3 knot flood tide to pull them along on the down winder to Berkeley but fought the same opposing flood tide on the return trip. As I headed out to check out the course 20 minutes before the start, I saw some decent puffs coming down the Bay but the inside was still unreliable- either hit or miss. Photo credit: Shawn Davis I decided it would be better to start on port and get out to some steady breeze in the middle of the Bay. That worked best and C-RAd, Mike Z and myself port tacked the rest of the fleet and made our way up the first beat. Mike Z put the pressure on immediately and squeezed me off forcing me to duck and go for speed. As we rounded the windward mark, it was Mike Z, CRad and myself off in the front of with a commanding lead. I was the first the break off and gybe as the middle of the Bay was looking lighter. I found a nice ribbon of breeze and some favorable current along the city front but was weaving my way in and out of commercial and recreational boat traffic and stuffed my nose and went down on the gybe back. A quick recovery and I found myself matched up with Mike Z for the lead again. Downwind Mike Z was able to push deeper but I had more speed. With every puff I was able to make some ground in the smooth flood tide as we blazed downwind towards the Berkeley Pier. Once we hit voodoo chop, I knew it was time to gybe but with my sail bagged out to the max from the smooth water we just came through, I knew I would have my hands full. I tucked the 10.0 in and made a good transition but the powerful sail just slipped right out form my hands as I popped it over to the new tack. Wells took the opportunity to jump into 2nd as we made last deep reach to the bottom mark- set deep- just to the north of the gap in the Pier. Back up wind, Mike Z and Wells had a good 30 second jump on me but both had different strategies for the next leg. Wells went for speed, not angle while Mike Z went for angle (but of course kept his speed!) I took the route in between them in what I though would yield the best VMG. As we made our way up towards the eastern tip of Angel Island, I made some real progress with great speed and caught Wells on the first tack. A few more tacks and we made our way up towards Point Blunt where the wind was really howling as it accelerated around and down the towering hills of Angel island. 25-30k with stood up chop directly on the bow of the board made for some survival sailing. I was keeping the pace, evening gaining on Mike Z with speed but I decided to split tacks from him and head back to what I thought might be some back eddies on the coast of Angel Island. Immediately after tacking, I realized I was too far up the coast for any flood relief and was forced to sail in the opposing tide as Mike Z made his way over towards Alcatraz in less tide, immediately putting some distance on me. In hindsight, I should have stayed with him, knowing I had better speed but got greedy. If there's one rule to remember in sailing, it's to always stay between your competitors and the next mark. As I made my way back across the middle of the Bay on starboard tack, Mike Z had a good lead on me and covered for final beat. Meanwhile, out of nowhere, Ben Bamer pulled a horizon job banging the Angel Island corner and had a commanding lead to finish in 1 hour and 16 minutes. Mike Z was next just under a minute behind while I held onto 3rd with the rest of the fleet pushing hard and making up ground on the last leg. Sunday's schedule is for more course racing on the city front. Report and photos to follow.
Our good friend and fellow windsurfer form Crissy Field- Paul Mann has gone missing. Its been almost 4 days and no word- even after extensive on the water search and rescue missions by the Hood River sheriff and his friends canvassing the town with photos and signs. Please help by keeping an eye out for him if you're out there!! Several SF sailors were in the Gorge this past week for a summer trip and wedding.
Paul was last seen with his friends on a stand up paddle board on Friday July 3 at roughly 12:30pm at the Hook in Hood River Oregon in calm, light wind waters. A windsurfer spotted the paddle board floating approximately 150 yards from Jensen Beach. A passing kayaker was able to help get the board (and paddle) to shore return to the rental shop. The police were contacted and a search began immediately.
Paul is 5'4" - 5'5", tan, fit, dark hair (slightly thinning hair...), and brown eyes. He was wearing a black nylon baseball hat, sunglasses with red croakies, no shirt, white board shorts with big blue flowers (old navy). The shorts had a faded orange whistle and keys in the pockets.
The Sheriff and his crew have been in search with boats, divers and a plane. Please help us by keeping an eye out for him if you're out there!!
If you see, or know something please call the county sheriff's office 24 hour number at 541-386-2711.
Paul's girlfriend Michell has started a blog to get out the latest info:
Tribute to Paul tonight at Crissy Field at 7:30PM. We will have a raising of sails in Paul's honor since we'll be at his favorite spot hopefully having enjoyed his favorite sport earlier. So, if you're going to sail today, DON'T DERIG. If you're not going to sail come prepared to rig one of your sails and be ready to go by 7:30pm. At 7:30 we will gather on the sand at Crissy and simultaneously raise our sails in his honor and have our moment of silence and think good thoughts about him.
From Michell
As the search for Paul continues, I think it would be very special if we can all get together tomorrow, Monday July 6th at 7:30pm to share in a moment of silence and to help focus our thoughts on getting Paul the help he needs. So many of you have reached out and asked what you can do to help and now we need you to act. Our intention is to bridge the cap between Hood River, San Francisco and any other place you may be on this earth.
San Francisco - Crissy Field Bring a candle, a cigar, a guitar, a bong, a bottle of wine, beer, a picture of Paul or whatever you feel would be appropriate to help pray/channel your energy to get Paul back to us. Meet at Crissy Field for a moment of silence at 7:30pm. Tell your friends and family to join you - we really need all the help and support we can get.
Hood River - The Hook Bring a candle, a cigar, a guitar, a bong, a bottle of wine, beer, a picture of Paul or whatever you feel would be appropriate to help pray/channel your energy to get Paul back to us.
Meet at the Hook for a moment of silence at 7:30pm. Tell your friends and family to join you - we really need all the help and support we can get. Tuesday update:
Sadly, earlier this morning (Tuesday July 7), the Sheriff's dept. recovered Paul's body from the Columbia river. He was found near the Event Site.
Thanks to everyone who tirelessly helped with this search. Whether it was by plane or boat or kayak or windsurfer or jet-ski or forming a circle of friends or raising your sails or sending your thoughts and prayers, you helped find our friend Paul. Thank you!
Sunday's course racing provided a building breeze and sunny skies with 15-20k by the 12:00 first start off the St. Francis Y.C. We ran 3 triple windward leeward courses for plenty of upwind downwind racing in a building flood tide. Racing was tight between 2nd and 5th- changing back and forth with CRad, Wells and myself all trading spots in most of the races.Thanks to Shawn Davis for the photos- more at his website.
In front, it was Al who took 3 bullets with amazing speed and no mistakes all day. I learned so much about my VMG in the course of the day, that my upwind style changed completely by the last race. By running the sail a bit flatter than normal and much longer harness lines, I was able to really go from a pinching set up to a footing set up- which worked so much better in the flood tide and flat water. Ben was dominating with this set up but he was left hung to dry at the windward mark- which was set just inside the windline and left the heavyweights watching the light guys pump away. I struggled in my first 2 starts to get a lane off the line on starboard and maintain my position going into the seawall. After the first tack, the positions were pretty much set, baring any major mistake. Al and CRad both had great speed and found themselves in the top 2 positions. Wells- who is fresh on the F4 fin program- really stepped up the pace and was there at every mark rounding. Photo credit: Shawn Davis Race 1 started with a few guys on port tack and the rest on starboard. I was 1-2 seconds late pulling the trigger and fought for a lane. I ducked down taking some sterns to try to get to the wall first but was in 5th by the time we got the the top mark- set in a big hole. The fleet sat parked- exiting in pretty much the same order they came in. A quick downwind and upwind saw the parade to the middle and we ended up in the same scenario- parked at the top mark. This time I saw Wells- escape by sailing deep around the mark and getting the a puff that wasn't even available 20 feet away. Another quick down and up and I found myself in the same position, taking the rounding wide and keeping in the wind and catching up from 5th to 3rd on thet rounding. Race 2 saw the wind build to 18-20k. A few more port tackers on the line this time with Ben and Al pushing the top mark again. I got screwed at the top mark in what can only be described as a hole from hell as the top 4 guys sailed away and I never got back in the game.
photo credit: Sergei Zavarin Race 3 was run at 1:30 with the gust coming in a bit stronger. Most of the fleet was well powered on the 10's. I decided port was the way to go and got off the line well and had to match Ben's speed low angle in order not to get rolled. The difference was amazing as both our VMGs proved very fast upwind. At the top mark, CRad, Wells, Ben and I all came in hot just behind Al. The lightweights escaped and got back to the breeze. 2 more upwind and down winds saw me putting everything I had to stay in the game with Wells and CRad and finally got the best of them on the last upwind by footing for speed with better VMG as the big puffs came down the course. I managed to pass CRad on the last downwind and get off a better gybe and get going sooner to finish the last race in 2nd. With Al clearly ahead taking all 3 bullets, it was a 1 point difference between 2nd and 4th with me getting the short end of the stick in 4th. Sometimes, that's how racing goes. Overall, still happy with performance and new technique in the flood tide. A huge round of thanks to the St. Francis Y.C for providing the resources and facilities to run 2 great days of racing on the city front. The race management is world class!
Almost forgot about Friday night racing at the club a few days ago.
The SF Classic is one of those races that gets me every time. Billed as the oldest long distance windsurfing race in the World, it is a marathon endeavor putting competitors in some of the roughest spots on the San Francisco Bay. The history of the race is almost more legendary than the race itself with the likes of windsurfing icons like Robby Naish, Ken Winner and locals Bard Chrisman, Steve Sylvester, and Mike Z all putting the names on the trophy over the years. For a very interesting read on history of the event as well as development of the sport in it's peak years- check out the article Paul Henekin wrote about a mid fleet perspectice of the race from 1979-1989. With 15 mark rounding from outside the Golden Gate Bridge, across the Bay 8 times and finally through the Berkeley pier AND BACK- there's always something that's gotten the better of me year after year.That is until this year. Surprising even myself, I led around the course at every mark and took both the SF Classic and the UN Challenge- for the best upwind time from Berkeley to the finish line at the St. Francis Y.C. Stoked is how I felt as I crossed the finish line nearly 5 minutes ahead of Mike Z and David Wells on the return trip home! We had spend the previous week preparing for the Classic by running the top half of the course- getting down to Pt. Blunt and finally coming back home in winds exceeding 30 knots. That training really helped me push the entire race- knowing to take each leg as its own race and concentrating on the feat in front of me. Of course, when you're racing across the entire Bay- you cant forget about the big picture. The tides played a huge factor in both the upwind and downwind legs of the course.
photo credit SERGEI ZAVARIN The Formula fleet started around 2:15 in a raging flood tide. My goal was to start on port and get out to any ebb- well at least out of the flood! I won the start, having to duck 1 starboard tacker and taking the rest of the fleet. Both Al and CRad had better speed on the first leg and sailed from below me to get outside the bridge first. We all tacked on what we thought was the layline to the red nun but it was apparent, the flood was going to get the best of us. Al hit the flood tide first and immediately both CRad and myself tacked back once we realized it would take a few more tacks to windward to get around the windward mark- set in a huge patch of raging flood tide and voodoo chop. We both overstood the top mark- knowing quite well that once we hit the flood tide again, any progress to weather was in vain. Again, I think being familiar sailing in the crazy voodoo chop helped. I knew that you had to keep your power going through or else you were done. That meant really bagging the sail out to get the most power and keeping the board moving. I made sure to overstand the port layline again- making sure not to get swept down into the mark.
As I made my way back through the voodoo chop and downwind, I saw most of the fleet struggling in the first of many tests that would put some separation from the leaders and the rest of the fleet. The mark boat set at the north tower was unusually deep and I had to make 3 gybes to get around it. It too was set in a tide line made up of boiling, stood up waves with no easy spot to gybe. Leading the reach to the Presidio shoal bouey, I knew I had to put some money in the bank so that I had some room to heat things up as it got lighter near shore. Sure enough, the plan worked as I came screeching to a sudden stop in a few hundred meters from the next mark as the wind whittled down to just a few knots of breeze. My nearest competitor- Al- was well to windward facing the same scenario but having to go dead downwind to reach the mark. I got in and out as fast as I could and back up top outside the Gate. This time, we had some company as the kiters were making their first attempt at rounding the top mark. With considerably less upwind angle than the formula boards, it was a maze of sorts to find my way to the layline again ducking and pinching through the kite fleet. I used the same strategy of overstanding and spending as little time upwind as I could in the flood tide. It worked and I was off again in the lead. I decided to gybe early to get back into the flood downwind and made my way to the mark set way inside the north tower. Reaching down to Anita Rock, the flood tide made a velvety smooth water state where I really sent it deep- again making sure to compensate for the lighter breeze near shore at crissy field. At this point, I had a pretty good lead but it was still early and anything could happen. Soheil, Al and Wells were all pushing hard coming down from the bridge as I made my way across the Bay towards Angel Island and the next mark- Harding rock. It was all pretty routine from there- if you can call beam reaching in 15-20k with a formula board routine. I went from chicken strap to the double chicken- trying to find a comfortable position in each one of the reaching legs that sent us from Blossom Rock to Blunt to R2 to R4. I tried to keep on eye on David and Al behind me but still had at least a half leg advantage but knew the pressure was on. Going deep after R2, I kind of stumbled upon the Berkeley pier and the next rounding. Mark X on the Olympic Circle lined up perfectly with the camels hump on Brooks Island. Baring disaster, I knew I had it wrapped up and took the last leg easy to gain some needed strength before the next upwind. Wells caught up considerably and was only 7 seconds behind at the finish gate.
I put the petal to the metal again and never let up the next 1 hour and 2 minutes it took me to reach the finish line at the St. Francis Y.C. I knew I wanted to protect the right side where there would be less adverse flood tide and maybe even some ebb so I tacked with Wells and Al as it began to lighten up on starboard tack at the bottom of the course. I had good angle on both of them lost track of them as we sailed up upwind towards Angel Island. At this point we were going through several conversing tide lines but I managed to spend the most time in the ebb- taking a route tacking back and forth between Angel Island and Alcatraz. I was forced to tack earlier than I wanted with an inbound freighter coming down through raccoon straights but took another hitch back- almost all the way up to Harding where it really looked like I overstood the finish line but as I sailed across the Bay for the last time, I was well positioned for the adverse flood as well as one last obstacle- a red and blue ferry headed upwind straight in my line to the finish. Should I cross or duck? Not wanting to blow the lead I had worked so hard for all race, I took the conservative approach and ducked and squeezed past the finish line to take the bullet.
Arnaud was on the race deck capturing racers as they came across the upwind finish.
I think having equipment that I knew worked was another factor of my success. Im pretty confident with the 2008 north 10.0 to provide the best range in the conditions we faced. I had the sailed dialed. I was running a 67 cm kashy xs fin on my starboard 160.
The kites were not so lucky and never got pasted the presidio shoal doldrums and had their race abandoned. Sunday is another day of course racing with al least 3 races on the schedule. Report to follow
This weekend we celebrated the summer solstice with the longest day of the year and 15 hours of sunshine both Saturday and Sunday. The winds couldn't have been better, well sort of, depending on where you were. There's an old saying that if you want the wind to be light- schedule a race- specifically a slalom race! We had the perfect location in the middle of the SF Bay with a huge group of other sailors- celebrating the solstice at Treasure Island. The first Cal Cup Invitational reach race was set for Saturday afternoon but alas with 15 sailors fulled rigged for slalom and potentially formula, the wind failed to come down the Bay and fill in by 3:30 and the race was called. Sure enough just as I de-rigged 3 sails, the wind started filling in. I decided to bail and hit up the city front where Crissy Field was going off in 20-30k and huge swell at the South Tower. I managed one of the best session of the year, lit on my mikes lab slalom board and north warp 6.3. The stacked up 4'-6' swell was pumping set after set just inside the Gate with the wind line extending all the way into Ft. Point Bay allowing you to ride the sets way deeper and longer than normal. I spend a solid 30 minutes gybing back and forth between the South Tower of the Golden Gate bridge and Ft. Point while the tide pumped a river of flood like a moving moving sidewalk. By 6:30 the gust were into the 30's and I couldn't keep the momentum of gybing every 30-40 seconds - despite some of the best swell of the year. On Sunday- despite being lighter, it was still a solid day. I squeezed out a late session on my big slalom gear lining up with a few locals tuning up for the US Nationals next month in the Gorge. By 8 pm when I left the beach, the sun was still above the span of the GG Bridge with another hour of day light left! Ive been making sure everything is in good and tuned order this season with 5 rigs to manage between formula and slalom. New harness lines, Reinforced boom heads, Double Chicken strap on the formula board, Marked settings on bases and booms. Lately, Ive been sailing the slalom gear with a waist harness and feeling pretty fast. Its a different feeling than using a seat harness where you can essentially sit down and swing from the harness lines. The waist harness pulls from your core and you use your whole body against the force of the sail. That usually means shorter harness lines. On the bigger sails, especially this years north warps, Ive been running the harness lines much further back on the boom as a result of the flatter more slalom like feel to the formula sails. You need to tune the 09 warps very full and powerful to get the most out of them. That means alot of tack strap pressure to put shape into the bottom of the sail. Also the sail requires almost no outhaul at all- with the sail touching the outhaul cleat on the boom and even the harness lines upwind. Any tighter and you start to loose angle upwind. Also Ive been experimenting with wider booms the last 2 seasons. The idea is the boom isnt draping as much over the boom downwind- especially in lighter conditions when you really bag the sail out. This also helps keep a clean twist all the way up the sail.
So far the modified HPL back end works best with several additional layers of carbon reinforcement this season. The Maui Sails boom works great as well but has a lot of swing weight and is still very wide and the furtherst point out. This week-end will be a marathon of racing with the Friday Night Series at StFYC and the SF Classic on Saturday and more formula course racing on Sunday. Break out the endurox recovery drink!
