Some choice visuals

I finally got a new camera. It's a nice little Nikon. So while I update my software, and learn how to use it, I figured I'd share some really cool videos that my friends have posted up recently. Then we'll take some photos of my Ezzy's and see if we can't figure out why they are self destructing after a few uses.

This first one is from Pete...



This next one I found up on iwindsurf. I recognize one of the spots from RI, but I suspect some of this is Block Island. These guys rock!


An Ocean State of Mind from Silent Ink. Productions on Vimeo.

Yet another tech day

I spent Sunday morning on the phone with tech support again. Still no progress.

New Kindle> needs WiFi = loss of ability to use existing Wireless on laptop and re-install of new service pack, + re-install of new Blackberry Desktop Manager> all of which do not work because of office mandated encryption on laptop = no Hot Sync since Christmas + Automatic upgrade of my Mcaffe Firewall = still no new camera to take photo's of my torn Ezzy's, because the new camera's need a softwear upgrade from my old windows XP service pack 2.
An upgrade is not an upgrade; if it now takes you 30 hours to do what used to take you 30 seconds. and I am not even going to begin to get into my companies new integration.

Thank god Dommer posted that they guys were going to West Neck for a 5.5 session.
You can find the pics of our fine session here http://www.flickr.com/photos/domer2/sets/72157625788082774/ at Steve's Flickr site. It was a big board kind of day. 6.0 one minutes 5.0 the next 30. But it was still above freezing and I was toasty in my ProMotion Drysuit.

We sailed at the private club just south of WN. No one seemed to mind. http://www.flickr.com/photos/domer2/sets/72157625788082774/detail/

Not a bad weekend overall: the wife is as sick as a dog, But I still surfed Saturday, and windsurfed Sunday. Thank you for understanding Lauralee. And, thank god: for with out it I definitely would have killed someone.

It's been pretty cold the last few nights. I fear the ice is coming. Sharpen those blades.

No new camera yet

No new camera yet. After 5 hours of misery with Blackberry's help techs, I still haven't solved my hot sync problem. So when Mustang called and said the surf was up...I had to run an go surfing. It was great, and well needed. And there were lots of rights. I'm not used to that, and loved the fact that I could face the wave instead of my usual backside surfing.

More fins, more breakage

More Windsurfing Videos

So, above is a video by Peter Hart where he has some recreational non-wave sailors put a 95 ltr Quad through its paces. I find it interesting. I make fun of Brook's quad because I still have a bias against the multi fin boards of the past. But I think I am slowly being won over.

In fact right now I am in the middle of re-building my old JP 109. I buckled the tail under the footstraps, right in front of the fin. As I have already replaced the JP 109 with an RRD 110... and since I am bound to add another pound to the JP in my repair [we don't got, no stinkin' vacuum bags] I'm considering adding a pair of thrusters; and pinning out the tail a bit.. Making it a tri-fin, so it will rely less on the center fin and allowing the board to stay in control on the water while keeping the extra volume. I would use it on those gusty 4.5 to 6.0 days, and as a "Demo board" that would get me back home when the wind dies out there. I don't know if it will work. What do you think?

Next: I want to "Bitch" about my new Ezzy's. I spent a considerable amount of Bank this season on a new quiver of Ezzy Wave Panther's. My old Ezzy Waves are approaching ten years old. I wanted to replace them before I started to have them self destruct.

I bought 5 new sails, and 3 new skinny masts, and universals to accommodate them.

My first impression was that I have found that the Wave Panthers lack the low end guts of the old SE's. For example I use a 6.3 Panther in the same range as I used to use my 2007 6.0; a 6.9 where I would have rigged a 6.5.
I'm not saying this is bad; just different. The Panthers are more "slippery"; I also find that the Panthers don't top out. And I can continue to use them in conditions I would have had to rig down on, in the older version.  I never minded the continuous back handed power of the Ezzy Wave. It was actually something I loved about Ezzy Waves.

I am a "lazy" sailor; and tend to let the sail pull me onto a plane, rather than pump myself up onto a plane. This is because of an old shoulder/neck injury. And because I am a 48 year old, old school sailor, and will probably not change this habit any time soon. 

The other thing I loved about the old Ezzy's, was that they were practically indestructible. Even if I did accidentally drag one of my old Ezzy's across a sharp object, [like one of those metal poles they use to install dune fence] they simply would not tear. I might get a wrinkle, a stretch in the clear part, or a small pinhole, but not a puncture and tear. The Spectra X-Ply always stopped any  possible tears dead in their tracks. Sure, I had some abrasions along the head cap, and the batten pocket above the boom. But that is my own fault for rigging in the parking lot. Otherwise, my Ezzys were bulletproof!


But NOT SO with My NEW Ezzy Wave Panthers. I've have these five sails less than one season: and I already have THREE; punctures, holes, or tears in 2 out of 5 NEW sails. What's left of my old quiver, looks much better than all the Kevlar tape insulting my new sails.

My feeling: Ezzy got a hold of some "bad" X-Ply. Why? Because the only sails I am having any problems with are the two 2009 Ezzy Wave Panthers. All my other sails are just fine. Christ I still have a 2000 Ezzy Wave that I use for ice sailing now, but was part of my quiver until 2007: and it has no tears! At all.

Gary Stone, [FANTASTIC OWNER of ISTHMUS SAILBOARDS] has asked me to send him an e-mail, and take some high resolution photos of the tears. He's a stand up guy. So I'm sure he will go to bat for me with David Ezzy.


But we all know that I have been without a decent digital camera for about six months now. So it is off to Best Buy to purchase a new camera. And I really,really, really, don't want to un-tape my repairs. [Especially, the major one on my 5.0.]... However: I want to give Mr Ezzy a chance to make good on his sails. I have been a fan of his since my North Zeta's and Infinities. I really don't want to sail anyone's creations, but his. I have always been an Ezzy fan: let's see if I can stay that way.

Surfrider Foundation, Central Long Island Chapter: Save the date

Surfrider Foundation, Central Long Island Chapter: Save the date