Windsurfing A Way Of Life

What more can i say. Left the center with an ICE 5.3 and Joker 102 sailed up to the baby bay here in Dahab, sailed accross it tried one and knock me down with a feather it worked. Board out of the water me over the sail, backwinded it and tada landed it.

STOKED

Not perfected it yet but just that one that worked made me realise what I have to do with the sail, but still now even more motivated for this move. I want to get it really sorted and learn Shaka’s next.

Besides this move I have been trying on the opposite tack to the dreaded Vulcan so the two seem to compliment each other when i am out. Second day of trying Vulcans and still nothing to report except lots of swimming…This move is not easy.

Entering the world of the Vulcan

Well finally I put my feelings about new school freestyle aside and started on the quest for landing a Vulcan. Today was really the first day i went out and tried them properly, I have had a couple of attempts before but not really with any kind of motivation.

Manolis passed by the center and we rigged up, Manolis took Mistral Joker 102 and a North Ice 5.7 and I took a Mistral Joker 102 and a Duke 6.4. The wind was not really howling but enough to get going and give my first few attempts a go without being maxxed out on the speed front.

So how did I do ? Well my swimming is improving and my switch stance in the foot straps water starts but I mostly seem to be settling into the common groove of jumping not going around or going around and not leaning forward, anyway all attempts end up in the same way rail catches and out the back you go.

I had some corrective comments from Manolis and when i got back to the center grabbed the simulator and tried to run through the move again. Apparently i need to bring the rig past my shoulder and extend forward (which is what i thought i was trying to do) however I was told that my arm was outstretched and i looked more like a starfish hehe back to the drawing board. Got home and spent a few minutes prancing around the flat in vulcan like style…Maybe tomorrow will be better once todays information has digested.

Happy sailing and a big hug to fellow budding Vulcans

Well today the forecast was great however…….

I arrived at the center this morning to find the wind in the normal direction for morning, which is cross offshore from the mountains on the right. Not so strong and nt many people around at 8:45am so I cracked on with a few admin tasks. While working at the computer there was a bang as the shutter on the side of the office blew closed. Might not sound that strange but the shutters are on the inside of the center, it could only mean a south wind.

South winds don’t come often and when they do its quite rare that they have any real strength, yes for a south coast uk sailor like me a cross onshore from the right would be nice. Anyway looked outside and the wind was indeed South and picking up. Shortly afterwards the telephone rang. It was the water police asking us to not let anyone into area two as there was a big storm due at any moment which , had apparently been blowing Sharm to bits… Yippeee I though onshore wind and a few small waves to jump, it can’t be!! here in Dahab !!!

No it wasn’t to be the wind changed direction around a complete 360 degree, one minute side shore from the right, then left, then offshore then back onshore blah blah then dropped away completely.

Sorry for the anti climax… I know how it feel :-)

Thats it for today, the forecast for tomorrow is good again so fingers crossed the south wind will stay away.

Added a couple of short videos today as well, body drag and duckgybe examples hope you enjoy and find them helpful.

Yet more wind WOW!! what a fab month December is turning out to be.

Ice 5.7 and Syncro 92 choice of the day. Manage to stay out 4 hours with this setup it was great. Also had a respectable grubby attempt today :-) stoked didn’t make it but still happy about getting sliding.

Took the camera today but unfortunatly didn’t realise it had moved to manual focus so none of the pics were in any kind of viewable quality DOH!

Merry Xmas and Happy Windsurfing

Remember its a lifestyle not a sport

Windy today sorry still no pics, 5.3 and Syncro 92 sailed out in the swells again.

First no handed jump today I was happy about that. definatly need good harness line setup for this move.

Happy sailing everyone