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.