Sunday Dec 28th.

Sunday Dec 28th.
To glove or not to glove.

We had a rare treat this weekend. The air temperature was in the low 60’s. We stayed away from the ocean because the fog was too thick, and sailed Tanner instead.

I was well powered all afternoon on a 6.0 and the JP 109. I chose to wear gloves but a lot of guys didn’t. We played in the flats north of Gilgo. I don’t care who you are… it was just plain fun. Corduroy water, and high speed jybes for me… freestyle frenzy for the freestyle guys. Must have been 30 guys out..

2nd glove day

I'm not even going to try and describe it. The Puffin says it all.

http://www.peconicpuffin.com/the_peconic_puffin/

Another great Moth Video on U-tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbiZq9HLM1s

First "Glove Day"

Pete, Put up some pics from yesterday http://picasaweb.google.com/OU812Pete/WestNeck112208#

We had a really nice rolling swell; even though the wind was gusty. I managed to be on the right sail, & board combo, most of the time. I started on the 5.5 & the 109 ltr board. But settled on a 5.0 and the 90 ltr Syncro. I could have been on a smaller combo at times, but this was fine in the lulls and sailable in the gusts. Great crew. Great wind. Great first "glove day" of the season.

November update

OK, so it's been awhile. And no pictures to boot. So bear with me. November has been... well November. Two weekends ago; I think it was the 9th... I was on my way to sail Tanner in a westerly. On my way down the Meadowbrook Phil called me and told me to head west to Long Beach. He said Mustang's "secrete spot" was going off.

I'm glad I did. We had really nice 6.0 side shore, to side off; hip high, wave sailing. It was just the confidence booster I needed after getting trashed by RM5.

Last weekend we saw the return of the double header. Sailed Tanner on Saturday with the Heckscher crew that didn't go to Hatteras. I started with a 5.5, and ended the day with a 5.0, in a warm [no drysuit, no gloves] decent Southwesterly.

On Sunday I hit West Meadow. I started at High Tide. I managed to get out through the unforgiving shore break on a 4.7 and the small 90 ltr Syncro. Once out there, I did not want to risk coming in, and getting trashed. So I sailed the meaty waves, well over powered. I was so overpowered that I literally could not bear off down wind unless there was a lull, or I was over sheeted and surfing down a wave. I wish I had rigged the 4.2, but after sailing the day before... I was happy calling it quits after an hour or so.

I really like WM on an out going tide. But I still am not man enough for it's shore break. See Jills post on the Puffin for a great explanation of WM at high tide, and for the reports from the Eastern LI guys. See Steve's page for some nice shots from Sunday at Da Meadow. Still no gloves!

October has been a nice month for windsurfing. I'd like to thank the US Government for extending Daylight Savings Time into October. This has enabled me to enjoy some rushed, short, after work sessions in the prevailing North East Winds we have seen. [On a separate note: I'd like to chastise the US Government for taking its sweet time to step in on the economy. Thus putting my livelihood, and savings, in jeopardy.]

Even the weekends have been windy. Last weekend the 18th,&19th, I even managed to sail two days in a row. I managed to do this without breaking or hurting anything major. So I was feeling pretty good about my self when I decided at the last minute, to sail the ocean yesterday.

I had even posted up on the LI Windsurfing group that with:
the South East wind expected to build into the 40’s…
both a bad direction, and wind speed for the ocean…
the significant wave height 8 to 12 feet…
the incoming tide all afternoon…
That Heckscher was the better call.
But as I drove down along Ocean Parkway, I couldn’t help but notice that both Gilgo and Overlook were infested with kites. Dozens of them! So I figured why not me? At noon the tide had not changed yet. So it the shore break looked relatively benign. A couple of text messages later from Scott Y, and Kev O’, and I found myself rigging at RM5. Jeff T showed up as well. The goal was to do a “Down winder” from RM5 to RM2, where Scott had left his car. This seemed an awesome idea at the time.

And it probably would have worked… if I had actually made it through the shore break. Kev and Scott did. But I repeatedly was crushed and worked by the relentless rinse cycle. I started out at the east end of RM5, at the FINS border but ended up toward the west end of 5 when I finally gave up an hour or so later. I then of course, managed the a walk of shame back to my truck.

As I was doing my best to de-rig sand blasted gear, everyone else had called it quits as well; and announced…”let’s go to OBI”. So I did.

Billy T showed up and led the charge out the inlet to Demo. I never made it to Demo. Instead, I rigged too big: so I satisfied myself with some BAF’ing at the inlet. It was nice to actually be sailing instead being crushed by the shore break.

Eventually the wind just got stupid; making it difficult to bear off back to the launch. So I body dragged back to the OBI and called it a very tiring day. In the gear department, my FF skinnies, Ezzy waves, all behaved well [ie. They didn’t break; the jury is still out on my Pro Tech boom,] The JP will have some minor repair work tonight.
Ahhhh.

September

I love the Fall on Long Island. The beaches are usually not crowded. The water is warm, and we usually have wind, and swell. I've caught a few rushed, after work sessions, but nothing epic.
The East End/ Peconic crew has had some nice days. "Peconic" Jeff posted some nice shots.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peconicwindsurfer/sets/72157607711436436/
The weekends have been pretty lame as far as the wind goes. Two or three weekends ago I sat frustrated on the beach at Gilgo, waiting for the wind to fill in, while 40 Kiters mobbed the line up! I finally gave up and went to Heckscher. From what I hear the surfing has been great,... but I haven't surfed much this year. [it's been aggravating my shoulder]
Blue Harbor Cat took some pics of last nights session before the wind died on us. I hope we all get some more sailing time before we have to bring out the drysuits.

Labor Day

I sailed the new cut in Chatham MA today. (The island breached in May 08). Sailed the first hour at slack tide dead low. It was a straight shot out from Skateree in North Chatham. That was OK. Once the tide changed to incoming, against the Northwesterly the place just went off! The swell wasn't that big up here yet, but it was just perfectly clean waist high Side Off on a 6.0. My god that place has potential. I sailed so hard I ripped my hands to shreds. That's what happens when youv'e sailed as little as I have this summer.

odds and ends

Reminder: we have the Pasta Jam an Beach Clean Up on Sunday, Sept. 7th at Cedar Beach.
http://surfridercli.blogspot.com/

The Puffin has the video of the Florida Kitesurfer accident
http://www.peconicpuffin.com

Me? I've mostly been out on Segue with Lauralee. I did get one Sunday afternoon in August on the 125ltr and a 7.0 at Heckscher. At least I was fully powered.

Looks like some swell this weekend... Be careful out there: Mustang had to share the line up with a big Mako yesterday.

Summer squall sailing

I was so lucky this winter and spring. We had great conditions for windsurfing, I was healthy, and I had a flexible work schedule for the first time in my life. I've been commuting into NYC since 1984.

The city is like a big battery; at first I got a charge out of working in Manhattan. But that changed for me... after 911, the City started to drain me. LL and I swore we would try to find work no more than ten minutes drive from each other. This goal was proving difficult. 2007/08 was when it all finally fell into place. We had great conditions; and I had the time and ability to take advantage of it. It was truly magic.

But it's August now. And that seems so long ago. The beaches are crowded. Most of our wind is coming from unstable air masses, and thunder storms. So while windsurfing in zero to thirty knot winds is not exactly epic...sailing in the same conditions, can be great. You get a lot of practice reefing; and reading the weather, and wind as it circulates around the thunderheads. Just pay attention!

I need to thank Gary Cohen once again for capturing those magic moments in his viewfinder.

Dear Mike, of the Peconic Puffin,

Dear Mike, of the Peconic Puffin,

As always, you have instigated a flood of memories. After years of longboards my first "shortboard" was a Hi Tech 9'8". I had been borrowing my friends Mistral "Tarifa", but that was still over 10 feet long. I had seen real shortboards [sinkers, we called them] but the light winds of Manhasset Bay made them impractical. "How can they sail upwind with out a dagger board?"

My eyes were opened my first trip to Napeague. While I sailed on a Mistral Equipe, and a borrowed 4.5; I saw custom shortboards with Captain America graphics plaining and carving full speed jybes! I had to have one.

For Mike, I have added a Napeague circa 1988 shot, "the year of the pinhead". I am in the middle. Note that my boom is at least one foot too long for my sail.

Sometimes you just need rest

Well the shoulder thing is back. My vicodine/celibrex cocktails are no longer keeping the inflammation down. At least it's mid July, and on the whole not very windy. So maybe I've missed one good session. Thank god I have Segue in the water. Lauralee and I have had some really nice late day sails. The temps have been in the 90's; just too hot for her. But we have had some nice light [8-12 knot] thermals. They start late, [about 5] and die promptly at sunset. Plus the mid 80's temperatures are easier to handle.

I'm doing my rehab thing. I think I've done it enough in the last 25 years to remember all the exercises to do. I even have some 'therabands' from my last incident. The big thing is to give it time to heal. And that's always been a problem for me. If it doesn't start to feel better in a few weeks, I'll have to go back to the Doc, who'll do an MRI to diagnose what I already know...who'll prescribe PT for 6 weeks...and then will finally give me an injection...and I'll be fine for another 6 months, to, 2 years.

Thursday July 3rd

I did a drive by at Cedar, and OBI. Saw Kev at the OBI. But I decided I just wasn’t up for the ocean yesterday. So I met up with Lenny and the usual suspects at Heckscher. George and Jill were out together in full force. Saw Mike B land a dry Forward about two feet in front of me. Len and I spent most of our time out by the red buoy, [cleaner swell, less chop. But let’s face it, the big attraction was the wind.

I WANT TO THANK MY MASSAGE THERAPIST, GREG. On Wed, my shoulder was so locked, I couldn’t even brush my teeth, and yesterday I could actually sail for 4 hours on my 5.0 and 90 Ltr Syncro.

Photo by Bill Doutney pretty much captures the grey, windy, bone jarring chop, that is Heckscher.

you can find more photos at his Picasa site

& here & here

It's summer

It's summer. So while I've been windsurfing, it has been mostly thermals at Hecksher. And mostly big sails: 6.5 and up. But it has been windsurfing. And so while some of you might not think it's "worth it" to rig a 7.0, and a 120 ltr board, I am fine with it. Ironically, the few times I've been out on Segue, it's been during a late day back door cold front. You know the kind...where it's so gusty you would never be able to choose a sail size. One minute it's a soft 10 knot breeze; the next it's gusting to 35: yea that kind. Here are some pics our ace camera man Gary Cohen took of me one of those sails. Oh yea I busted a winch too, but we'll talk about that another day.

new harness search

I just read a post from Michael’s Peconic Puffin about 1970’s style Windsurfing Harnesses.

I had one of those things. You would hook in and it would squeeze your ribs so tight that you couldn't breath. But Harnesses have come a long way.

They have progressed from no harness, through chest, seat, and now the most popular style seems to be a waist harness.

I'm in the process of finding a new harness to replace my "vintage" surf seat. I personally love my harness. It’s basically a basic 1990’s era waist harness, with an attached seat or diaper to keep the harness from riding up. For me it’s very comfortable. I use a 12 inch spreader bar, so no rib squeezing is involved. Problem is they [Da Kine” stopped making this type of harness years ago. Mine is now disintegrating at a rapid pace.

And you know me…I am resistant to change. So this harness is literally being held together with Kevlar dental floss. I find Waxed dental floss is probably as good a sail makers thread as, waxed sail makers thread.

When I was in Hatteras this spring I tried on a few. But was satisfied with none.

DaKine XT/ Fusion seat harness. Pulled from too low: like my hips. Plus the hook height was too low.

DaKine Nexus Is a classic “New Style” thermoformed waist harness. It felt like is was riding up on me. [I know, I know: it’s because I am sitting down too much. 20 years of bad habits coming back to haunt me]

DaKine T3 waist This one stayed put on the small of my back. But, it squeezed my lower floating ribs. Ouch.

Gary Stone of Isthmus Sailboards has been very patient with me. But I am beginning to spend my budget on postage.

Oh well, I’m still searching. One of these waist harnesses has to fit.

See you Friday

surfrider cli.blogspot.com/

see you at Hechscher

http://www.peconicpuffin.com/the_peconic_puffin/

NYTimes

June 1, 2008

Oceanside

Ruling Favors Surfers, but Ban Stands

By ISHAI GOLDSTEIN

MONTAUK

THEY called themselves the Montauk Eight: a group of surfers charged with illegal swimming last August at Montauk Point State Park. The beach, which surfers call the North Bar and surfcasters call the North Side, has been off-limits to surfers for decades, while surfcasters — fishermen who cast from shore or shallow water — have had sole access to it.

Last month in an East Hampton courthouse, Town Justice Catherine A. Cahill acquitted the eight surfers, saying the law cited did not apply to surfing. But despite her decision, Montauk Point State Park will continue to prohibit surfing.

“The bottom line is that we are still enforcing the regulation on surfing and looking into what the appropriate summons would be,” said George Gorman, deputy director for the Long Island region of the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Since 2000, surfers have argued for more access to Montauk’s beaches, while surfcasters, led by the Montauk Surfcasters Association, have fought to keep the areas to themselves.

Beginning with a trial period in 2004, the parks department granted surfers access to Camp Hero — a park on the south side of the Montauk Lighthouse — for the first time since the state gained jurisdiction over the area in 1984. In discussions last fall among surfers, surfcasters and the parks department, surfers proposed a trial period on the north side.

“The surfcasters said no to every proposal we made: time closures, interim policies and even surfing during the winter when bass season is closed was a resounding no,” said Eugene Alper, a seafood trader from East Hampton and chairman of the surfing advisory committee of the Surfrider Foundation’s Eastern Long Island chapter.

The surfcasters association and the parks department contend that the north side of the lighthouse is too dangerous for surfers to share with surfcasters.

“The surfers ride right through where we’re hooking fish,” said Paul Melnyk, a Montauk resident since 1972, as he sat outside Paulie’s Bait and Tackle in Montauk.

“You got the fishermen who say get off my rock and you got the surfers who say get off my wave,” said Gary Stephens, a Montauk landscaper and a resident of 42 years. “I don’t mind when the surfers are out far, but when they come in close on the north side, somebody could get snagged.” Behind him, in the window of the tackle shop, hung a dozen lures with treble hooks on each end.

Surfcasters consider Montauk in September and October to be the striped bass paradise. Migratory striped bass, or stripers, feed on shad, mullet and other baitfish trapped by the clay boulders that line the ocean floor surrounding the lighthouse.

While many surfcasters wade into the waters at night, daytime fishing in September and October attracts 300 to 500 surfcasters at a time, packed on the north side of the lighthouse. Errant casts often end up with someone having a treble hook caught in a finger. “I pull two hooks out a week,” said Jack Yee, 70, a surfcaster and self-proclaimed beach bum.

September and October are also prime hurricane season, and the ocean bottom that traps the fish can also produce the hollow, quick-curling waves that surfers covet. Surfers say the North Bar breaks infrequently, with about five days of quality surfing each year.

“The one day the surf is good out there, they can handle working around us,” Thomas Marmorowski, a commercial fisherman born and raised at Camp Hero, said of surfcasters.

That one day could be in March, when striper season is long over. But Willie Young, of Massapequa, the surfcasters association president, said surfcasters need the north side year round.

“Surfers forget what month it is,” he said. “They’re like kids who have not grown up. And what happens if the winter fish come back?”

Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., Republican of Sag Harbor, has met with both groups over the years concerning access to Montauk beaches. “There’s no reason we cannot come up with policy involving reasonable use by both groups,” he said.

That’s what John Papciak, a Montauk surfcaster and surfer since 1981, would like.

“In February, there’s not a surfcaster on the north side for miles, and there won’t be one for months,” he said. “It’s September and October when the problem takes on a life of its own. If people exercised common sense and judgment, there would be no issue whatsoever.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/01surfli.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=surf&st=nyt&oref=slogin

Memorial Day

Monday I sailed Heckschere. And the sewer was like a reunion day. So many faces I haven't seen since last fall. It was nice to finally sail without a hood on. Fully powered all day on a 5.0.
Was too tired to rig down. When left, the 4.5's were getting rigged. Sounds
like the ocean was great well.

Having sailed Thursday night and now Monday...I was feeling pretty damn good... Only to be taken down by a pebble. As I was carrying my kit to the truck I stepped on a sharp stone in the parking lot. Ouch! direct hit to my heal. How can something so little hurt so much? Ice packs and rest this week, for me.

Windy or not windy.

Yesterday I was incapable of deciding if I should go windsurfing or not. It was just so gusty. North Westerlies are always gusty but this one was especially so. One minute it would be gusting to 40... the next it would be 15. How do you rig for such a day? After waffling all afternoon, I gave up. I was sitting in my truck having just watched a squall blow through [sideways rain, and all] when I got a call from Pete. "I'm at Stehle. I'm rigging a 5.5." is all he had to say.
There was a bit more traffic than usual because it was now 5. But I was still rigged and on the water by 6. Joe Elvis showed as well. It was still a gusty session. But all north westerlies are.

Jinxed no more

Monday 5/19/08 blew a nice westerly down Long Island Sound. I've been jinxed lately. Every time I announce that I am leaving work early to go windsurfing...something happens at work to make that impossible. So I while I spent Monday at work, checking the wind. I never said to any one that I was going to sail that day. So my plan worked, and I bolted out the door at 3:50 PM.
Pete, and Rich had been out at Stehle overpowered on 5.5's when I arrived to serious lull. It was nice just to be out of the office. For a while I considered rigging a big sail and board combination. But figured I would be better off with a 5.5 because in the gusts Pete was well powered. I'm glad I did. Steve, Lenny and Chuck all eventually showed; and the wind filled in nicely.
It wasn't epic, but the water had this aquamarine glow to it. The swell wasn't half bad, and for Stehle...well it was pretty damn good. What could be better after a day at work, than sailing with your buddies?

Oh and a special thanks to Blue Harbor Cat, who stood out there in the cold snapping photos of us.

OK just a quikie

Sailed Crab last weekend in the NE. It was terrific. See the Yahoo Group for the war stories. The East End Peconic guys nailed it at Ponquogue. See the video by Peconic Jeff at his site, and Mike's Peconic Puffin.

Last night was epic NE again. I missed it. But I understand that the Mysto Wave made an appearance at CIB.

I did, sail twice last week on Segue though. Wednesday was windy enough to windsurf; but the water in Manhasset Bay was filthy! So I double reefed the main, and used about 70% jib.

In the last few weeks everyone has fertilized their lawns. That, and all the rain we have had turns the sound into a giant petri dish of sewer overflow and ground run off. Your green lawn is killing my playground.

for more information see http://www.manhassetbayprotectioncommittee.org/index.htm

Mark your calendars!

http://www.tetongravity.com/

Mark your calendars! On Friday June 13^th, Surfrider Foundation’s Central Long Island Chapter will host Teton Gravity Research (TGR) 2008 release of their highly anticipated 16mm & Hi Definition Surf Film OUT THERE.

OUT THERE will show at Sachem High School East in cooperation with the Sachem High School Interact Volunteer club.

Doors open at 7, the film will begin at 8pm. We are charging only $5.00 a head, proceeds go Surfrider, and the Sachem High School Interact Volunteer club.

Children under 5 are free.

Directions to Sachem East.

Teton Gravity Research (TGR) presents OUT THERE, a 16mm and HiDef film taking a progressive, fresh look at what faces the surf world today.

More information, including the movie trailer, can be found at http://www.tetongravity.com/

and http://surfridercli.blogspot.com/

Why do I find the ocean so rewarding?

Why do I find the ocean so rewarding? I've been pretty lucky. The last two weekends I've been fortunate enough to sail Gilgo. The wind has had a lot of east in it. Last Sunday was fully powered side off 6.0 and the 109 ltr JP. It was hero sailing, a great confidence builder. The waves were small knee to hip high, and very clean.
Yesterday; Saturday; we had similar conditions. The 6.0 was not quite enough power on the inside as I would have liked: but enough to plane, out past the breakers.The waves were however, waist to head high. And If you have ever schlogged into a head high wave...you would swear it was logo high. I tried to rig my 6.5 Ezzy Freeride, for a little more power, but it didn't work very well. The extra power did not make up for the lack of maneuverability. So I switched back to the 6.0. Schlogged out through the breakers, did my chicken jybe, and enjoyed my pretty close to DTL rides back in.

I know if I had gone to Heckschere, I would have been fully powered on a smaller sail but...

I don't know, I just feel great about both, less than perfect sessions. Maybe it's the crew? Maybe it's that we don't get sailable side shore all that often? It's probably just the ocean.

The Puffin

Michael is running the official update site for the Long Island Unofficial East Coast Windsurfing Competition/Event.
http://www.peconicpuffin.com/

You should go to Mikes site all the time anyway. Just because it's there. I do. It's one of the best sources for Long Island Windsurfing information.

http://www.peconicpuffin.com/the_peconic_puffin/2008/03/totally-unoffic.html

Look what Ely has been up to.

A friend of mine, Ely, is on his semi annual pilgrimage to the motherland: Maui. I don't have the time to travel that he does. So I tend to spend my winters in drysuits. Ely never sails in a drysuit. He's smarter than that. He goes to the Dominican Republic, Maui or some other warm, windy, and wavy place. Ely; the world traveling Waterman; makes friends where ever he goes simply by sharing his stoke. You may remember him from the Niel Pryde ad a few years back.
Or from his photos
http://photos.surfline.com/view_image.php?pid=29487
http://elysurf.com/
Or you may of seen the video of him sharing a wave with Kevin Prichard.

If you've ever shared a session with Ely... you'll remember.

OBX update #3

Wed April 9th.
All of the below is still true.
But, today I was on a 6.0

OBX update # 1 & #2

This is how I know I have not slipped into vacation mode yet.
It's been 5 days and...
I'm still getting up early.
I have been reading all my work e-mails, and worrying about the next.
Lauralee and I have not seen the sun, or worn shorts yet.
I'm convinced my truck's power steering is not right.
Our soundfront rental has some sort of a killer mold/water damage thing going on.
It's been 20+ knots 3 (make that 4) days in a row, and my hands are raw.
I have only worn my Drysuit to sail so far.
4X4 access is still legal.But I have not driven to the ocean side yet.
The ocean is just too rough for me to sail, or surf. Total Victory at Sea conditions.

I am having to force my self to rest.

So, I will make my “pilgrimage” to the OBX today

http://www.islandfreepress.org/CatBeachAccessIssues.html

I packed my truck last night. This morning, my family and I will drive 12 hours to Cape Hatteras. We have been visiting Hatteras since the early 70’s. What I have always loved about the Outer Banks, is that I could do any thing there. My father shared his love of the ocean, sound, and marshes that are the cape’s barrier islands. My father is now retired to Cape Cod: I now live and work on Long Island. While we live in places that are similar to Cape Hatteras… They are still not that wonderfully special place where I learned how to play with its forces; [waves, wind, and, water]: Feed from its bounty: [fish, crab, and shellfish]; and stand in awe of its beauty. That’s why we keep coming back.

But if you ban four wheel drive access, you will make it impossible for me to share the same experience with my family that my father shared with me. Sure, you may need to limit or regulate 4X4 access. There are just too many SUV’s around today. But an outright ban is unnecessary! There are just too many of us who use 4X4 access responsibly who will be hurt in the process. We understand that the beach is a fragile and ever changing place, best accessed by foot, or by responsible four wheel access. The last thing you want is hard structures like roads and parking lots.

So, I will make my “pilgrimage” to the OBX today. I’ve already paid for my rental house. Because of this love for the Cape, we visit in the spring or fall. Any sunburned tourist can love the Cape in the summer…But we rent homes, and spend dollars when it is 50 degrees, 40 knots, and pouring rain. And we love it! Take away our access, and see how many of show up next season

there is all kinds of work to be done

Made the trip to RM2 yesterday morning. I wanted to get my Beach driving permit before I ran out of time. There were signs everywhere... The 4X4 permit is a fishing permit only! This attitude really has to change. We are losing off road access at a staggering rate. Even OBX may lose the ability to drive off road as soon as April 4th. http://obxbeachlife.blogspot.com/2008/03/orv-beach-driving-going-way-of-dodo.html

At least Hatteras has ton's of access points to the ocean and sound. If 4X4 access is lost, they will become crowded like Long Island.

Any how, checked the water but just didn't have it in me to surf. Besides, I have a ton of work to do on Segue. I really need to have the whole bottom soda blasted. That way I can grind out all the purple oozing blisters and let the hull dry out. Then I would apply a nice even barrier coat of epoxy .Problem is soda blasting is expensive, which means I will probably have to remove the bottom build up by sanding or some other messy inaccurate method.

For the last few seasons I've been handling the pox in a piece meal manner. If the paint peels, I scrape it. If it blisters, I grind it and fill it. All the different epoxy colors leave my bottom looking like camo paint under that final Ablative coating. Also my hull is anything but fair. But, i figure with a hull speed of 6.5 knots, dragging an outboard behind all the time, an unfair paint job is not what is slowing me down.

Lastly, the work that pays the bills is never ending. In todays workforce, the boundaries between work time and and not work time are gone. I'm always working, 24/7, 365 whether I like it or not. I have not had a vacation, or weekend, where I was not working, since 1990.That makes it hard to live in the moment. It creates an inability to fully enjoy whatever I am doing right now. A wise man once said to me," what ever I am doing right now, at this moment, is the most important thing in my life."

Today when I paint the bottom, I'll probably wish I was at work. Tomorrow when I am working, I'll probably wish I was out painting the boat.

Holy Thursday!

Caught an afterwork session at West Neck last night. 4.7 downhauled so that the leach was opened to the boom. Rode a slotted Enduro fin on the Syncro with Steve D' till it just was too windy. Should have rigged the 4.2. Wished I had a 3.7, and I've never wished that before. Sounds like everyone had the same conditions today. I was traveling and don't think I could have done two in a row like that. I'm glad for those of you that did.

Instant Karma gona' get ya

This past week or so has been exhausting, and stressful for me. There seems to be a real frustrated, angry vibe going around. I've experienced a lot of misplaced yelling directed my way. In addition, I've taken some of that referred frustration out on some undeserving victims.
One incident occurred while my van was in the local shop for a routine service and inspection. What was supposed to be a one day oil change, turned into 3 days and $1,500! Every time I went to pick up my truck something else magically became wrong! The last straw occurred as I had to leave my Van loaded with my gear yet one more night at the shop for one more adjustment that should have been accomplished 3 days ago. I explained to the mechanic that I felt insecure about leaving my van fully loaded in his parking lot. He calmed me by promising to park the van inside the garage for the night. Fine... I arrived the next morning to discover that the Van remained outside last night and that the tow truck parked next to me had been firebombed! The passenger side of my van was scorched, I felt for sure that my truck, and gear, had been damaged.









Well everything plastic on that side of the van had heat damage. Most things plastic were melted to some extent. I feared the worst.

After a day of cleaning, removing melted window tint, and molding, it looked like the damage was only in the hundreds; and not thousands of dollars.
My redemption came on Wednesday afternoon. [No, not the Spitzer scandal. But that helped].

I scored my first after work session of the season. A gusty, lumpy North Westerly at Stehle. Dommer, Upwind, Coastal, Pete, and my self were in attendance. I switched back and forth between my 5.5 and the 90 ltr, or the 109 ltr board. My jibes were terrible; my jumps even worse: but the sailing washed away all the bad. I returned home, happy, and exhausted.

Four hours at the beach

On Saturday March 1st I spent four hours at the beach; one half hour, fully and overpowered on the 6.0; 15 minutes, powered on the 5.0. Good company; not too cold.

Today looks like there was plenty of wind. I was at work.

Daylight savings begins tomorrow. Let the after work sessions begin!

Back when Lee still ran Olympic Windsurfing in Port, I was loading some gear I had just purchased onto the Roof of my wagon when my wife overheard the following exchange between Lee's wife and another customer...
CUSTOMER: Why are they loading all those boards on the roof of that car?
LEE'S WIFE: Well I guess they don't have a van.








I was reading someones post about what makes a good windsurfmobile. So it got me thinking...I've had a lot of cars over the years, and they have always managed to get me to and from the beach. Sometimes on it.

My first was a Datsun B210. It didn't even have proper roof racks. Just some Barecrafter ski racks wrapped in carpet. Then there was the first new car I ever purchased, a white four wheel drive Subaru Justy. That was followed by another Subaru; a four wheel drive wagon, and some embarrassing moments on Madaket beach in Nantucket. But that wagon could off road, and if you got stuck... it was very light. Then there was a leased Ford Explorer. That is when I first tried using the trailer. The trailer was nice because you didn't have to carry your gear around with you all the time. And it kept the car nice and clean. But it sucked because you didn't have your gear with you all the time. Plus in NY you can't drive the parkways, or the left lane with a trailer. Lastly, the Explorer Sucked off road! In fact I almost lost that truck to the ocean in Chatham. I bet the "locals" still make fun of me.


As everyone started buying SUV's in the late 90's, they got expensive. So I tried a pickup. I had a cap on it so I could pull the trailer, or load just a few boards on top. The F150 is a great truck. In fact I still own it. The new millennium brought a rash of board thefts targeted at surfers. This led me to enclose the trailer in an attempt to lock everything away safely.


Then the NY State Parks Police started picking on surfers. It got to the point that the pleasure police would pull your permit just for carrying a board on the beach. I had always admired my friends Quigley 4X4 vans. In 04' I pulled the trigger and have never looked back. I love my truck.

Thank you for caring about my safety; but I'm just fine.

Sailed Tanner this morning in the pouring rain, and fog. It was a good choice. The tide was all wrong everywhere else. Sailing the ocean in that fog would have just been foolish. We had a nice crew despite the less than perfect conditions [on and off wind; cyclops sailing in the rain; etc.]. There was literally no one at the beach, but a park rent-a-cop from Babylon who decided it was illegal for us to windsurf there. I pulled off my hood, showed him my gray hair and explained that we were not a bunch of kids, who were being unsafe, or were bothering anyone. And we have been sailing that spot for years. He threatened to call the town Bay Constable who would issue us citations/ tickets/ whatever. I explained that I was on the board of Surfrider, and that we had always had a great relationship with the town of Babylon as far as access. What had changed?

We still had to leave or he was calling the cops. Well we didn't leave. Why? Because we still had two men out sailing in the fog I explained; and we don't leave until everyone is back in safely.

Well he apparently called the Constable, because he came over to me and said that it was now OK for us to sail there today because we weren't bothering anyone. But we were not to sail there if any bathers were using the beach. He also noted that although we were allowed to windsurf from Gilgo, a T/O Babylon beach... we were not allowed to launch from any T/O Babylon beached on the bay.

I told him I understood, thanked him for his concern about us old guys, and went sailing.

As a note: the T/O Babylon actually has a sign at Oak Beach on the bay, that specifically allows Windsurfing.

"it's a piece of sporting equipment"

We got lucky again. Sunday was warm,[low 40's] with a nice 20-25 westerly. I was able to sail my new favorite combo; the JP 109 and a 5.5 Ezzy wave. Sailed from 10 till 1. High tide was at one, so exiting through the shore break was not graceful. I have my first repair on the JP this week. A small ding. As Damien Kelly, [the man who taught me glass work] used to say "it's a piece of sporting equipment". Later that afternoon, the cold front came barreling through, complete with snow squalls, and 50 knot gusts and a 20 degree temperature drop.

Steve Domjan took some great shots of the day at http://www.windsurfing.domjans.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=34&page=1
Thanks Steve.

Figured I'd add a photo from this years Paddle Out. I'm on the far right.

At least I got wet

Had a cold all week. So it felt great to sail a little yesterday. I got a late start, and only arrived at West Meadow about 12:30. I saw that the wind was backing off so I rigged a 7.0 and the 125 Sumo. Reached back and forth a little while with Steve D.. Then the wind just got too light to continue. Nice warm [47*]. My drysuit was a little big. I've lost way too much weight. I need to find something better to layer underneath it. Surf looks nice today, but I learned my lesson last time, no more sessions two days in a row. At least not until I get back into shape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlNDcu3Alyg

In the age of U-tube, or just the internet for that mater, it is amazing what you will find when you Google your self. Thank god I went to college before the internet age. Although I know there are some incriminating photos out there if I ever decide to run for office.

Usually I find something I posted up on a user group, or a photo taken of me ice sailing [those photographers love ice sailing!]. Tonight I found a short little vid from this summer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlNDcu3Alyg

Had I realized I was being filmed, I would have at least tried to sail in a straight line.

Well I overdid it.

Sailed Sunday from Stehle. Shawn, his friend from Maine, and Upwind Mike sailed as well. Pete came down; but he has had so much time on the water lately he passed. I rigged a 7.0, & the 125ltr Sumo. I probably could have gotten away with a 6.5, but I did not want to shlog, at all. I had a solid hour and a half of starboard ramps, and mini port tack swells. Once the tide changed it was all over. The swell disappeared, and my fin found no traction.
I broke my cardinal rule of rehab. Always give my body a day of rest in between sessions. It just takes me longer to recover as I get older. I'll try to rest up and take care of myself this week. Big 3 day MLK weekend coming up!

Nice Surf today

Met Chuck, Mustang Steve, and Steve's Brother in law Tucker at Long Beach. Never connected with Phil. He surfed Gilgo. Nice off shore breeze. Some of the sets were pretty big. Still trying to get back into it all. A few belly rides for me. And a nice shin bruise from my fin, as a souvenir. My god! paddling around is so much more fun than a treadmill or a gym. I always feel better after a day on the water.