The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

2013 East Coast Windsurfing Festival: Sandy'd.

Joe's Beach at Heckscher took too much damage for an event to be possible next month.  Here's the word from Mike Burns:

"Hello to all the East Coast Windsurfing Festival racers, freestylers, paddlers, tossers, spectators, formula guys, schloggers, crashers, splashers, bobbers, buoys, officials, judges, and sponsors.  

It's with great sadness that we have to officially postpone the 2013 East Coast Windsurfing Festival at Heckscher State Park until 2014 :-(  

Unfortunately due to damage that the park took during Hurricane Sandy our usual windsurfing launch at Field 7 is currently unavailable for use.  Since our usual beach will not be ready, the event has do be canceled for this year.  

Don't worry though, it just gives you more time to prepare yourself for the 2014 ECWF!!!  We'll be back in full force for 2014 with all the fun of the past years and then some!  I'd like to thank you all for the support for the event over the years and we're really looking forward to holding more events in the near future!!

So get training, go hunting for that light wind monster that someone inevitably has laying under a pile of lumber in their back yard, and get your game on for the return of the ECWF 2014!  

See you at the beach,

Mike Burns"

Now I'm even MORE bummed that I missed the 2012 Festival.  Must start preparing for '14...

 

ABK Clinic @ Tiana...you need to sign up soon!

Andy Brandt and his merry crew of instructors are coming to Tiana next week (May 17-19) for three days of magnificent windsurfing instruction and fun.   It's coming down to crunch time, meaning if you sign up now (and wait until the last minute) you may get shut out.  ABK is strict about the ratio of students to instructors, and at some point in the next few days Andy will put a cap on the overall clinic size.  So sign up ASAP!

Mistakes you don't want to make include:

*Waiting for the wind forecast to decide if you want to go.  I've made this mistake, and regretted it.  It goes wrong three ways:  The forecast is wrong (the clinic gets better conditions than forecast,) the clinic is fantastic even on light wind days (and you have to listen to your friends rave about this, and see them sailing better all summer) and you miss the fun (and have to listen to the same friends go on about it.

*Assume that Andy will let you join at the last minute, even if the clinic is full.  I haven't made this mistake, but I've watched people's faces fall in disappointment as they stood there (Napeague) cash in hand, gear on cars, and be told they can't join.

*Trust the ABK web site when it says there are plenty of spaces available.  I love ABK, but the web site is not always running at the same speed as the clinics.

So sign up for the ABK clinic.  It's going to be a great clinic at Tiana (which doesn't have the name cache of Napeague, but in opinion is better for more wind directions, easier in terms of parking and managing your gear, more convenient for Saturday night dinner, etc etc etc.   As Scott says (or sings):  "Oh, Tiana!"

(Photo:  Don't get stuck inside your boom...ABK will help you prevent this.  Unless you're a freestyler and want to do tricks...ABK will help you do this.  Photo borrowed from ABK Boardsports.

We need a new spot for the East Coast Windsurfing Festival

Damage from Hurricane Sandy (and delays in getting Federal funding to repair Heckscher Park) rule out Field 7 (Joe's Beach) for the sixth annual East Coast Windsurfing Festival.   The organizers need an idea for an alternate site, and right now they don't have one.

If you do, please reply here, or post them in the Yahoo LI Windsurfing Forum.   Otherwise we may take 2013 off (and miss all the great racing and freestyle and SUP and board tossing and funification).

Help if you can.

 

 

 

 

Bonaire Freestyle Gods Documentary coming to New York

While on a windsurfing vacation in Aruba in 1997 I first heard about "the Bonaire kids", a collection of young (and very young) locals one island over who were windsurfing on antiquated gear, many of whom were fantastic windsurfers, and some of whom were astonishingly good tricksters.  We now know the names of some of those kids:  Kiri.  Taty. Tonky.  Etc.  Review the PWA Freestyle rankings.  THOSE Bonaire kids.

The story of windsurfing in Bonaire is an amazing tale, and a documentary about it years in the making, entitled Children of the Wind, will soon be screened in New York City on April 21.

Click here to buy tickets.   If you can't make the NYC date, consider the Newport Beach Film Festival.  It's an amazing story.

 

Jibe City Scene: Too Windy For Caesar, Torturing Brendon. Bonaire Report #2

There's no such thing as guaranteed wind.   Doesn't matter what a meteorologist tells you...all you need to do is ask a group of windsurfers who have flown great distances to get to Sure Wind...the skunk stories come out, or at least long stretches of barely planable conditions.  I've had the experience in Aruba, Bonaire, Hatteras, even Maui.

But not last week in Bonaire.   For our seventh trip to Lac Bay could sail any time I wanted to.   One afternoon I needed a 7.0, one morning I needed a 4.5, but the rest of the time it was all 5.5-6.1.  Morning and afternoon sessions.  Wind wind wind.  

Such conditions have side effects.   One positive effect was the daily opportunity to torture ABK instructor Brendon, who could be found every morning by the Jibe City rental center. 

"Hi Brendon!  What's the sail call?"

The first few times I asked he'd make a recommendation.  About the fourth time he responded: 

Brendon:  "How long have you been windsurfing?"

Me:  "Twenty one years."

Brendon:  "So what do YOU think the sail call is?"

Me:  "Come on, Brendon...you're sitting watching everyone sail, you know the idiosycracies of Lac Bay, you have the Keen Eye!  What should I take?"

And invariably he'd make a recommendation (an excellent recommendation, btw).  This was so much fun that I continued to ask him for sail advice daily, even when I knew exactly what the wind was doing.   He'll take his vengence on me later this year at an ABK clinic, I've no doubt.

The one downside to all the wind was the lack of the Caesar Flowstyle show.  Just about anybody who has been to Bonaire has had the pleasure of watching Caesar Finies do the seemingly impossible with a dancing rig in a light breeze, right in front of Jibe City (where he works).

On the off chance that you've never seen him do his thing, here's a video I shot in 2007:

 (Photo:  Brendon at the beach bar, wondering where he has to go to get away from me.   Hey Brendon...you think a 5.5 will work?)

Reason to Hate Mike Burns #211: Looping a Sunset Slalom

Recently in the Yahoo Long Island Windsurfers forum Mike Burns made reference to looping an F2 Sunset Slalom.

This is ridiculous.   The F2 Sunset Slalom is best suited to intermediate windsurfers, getting them comfortable planing in the footstraps and perhaps beginning to learn the planing jibe.   It is a doofuss board from yesteryear that should be impossible to loop.   But Mike Burns, Long Island's finest and the King of the East, went and did it.

Another reason to hate him.

"Haha!!" Mike replied, when I told him I hated him.  " Yup, I remember trying to get around all day at Heckscher on the F2 Sunset and my 4.0 Northsails Zeta. Then finally I was able to water-start away from one! Starboard tack, about even with the east end of the parking lot. The very next attempt I broke my "indestructable" Fiberspar Tidal Wave mast in half over my knees! Didn't try another loop for at least 5 or so years when the KOTC came around and all those guys were going for it. But still my first loop was on the trusty sunset slalom. 101 ltrs!! Is it a coincidence that about 100 ltrs is the current most popular freestyle board size? I think not!"

So the next time you see Mike Burns, just remember he looped a Sunset Slalom.  Give him a piece of your mind (or ask him for tips!)

As a postscript, some of the Heckscher regulars are organizing a beach cleanup (I can only imagine how hard it's been pounded by Sandy etc) for Sunday Feb 24.  Check in with the Yahoo group for details.

(image of the F2 Sunset Slalom pulled from a random website.)

Waterman Weekend, Part One

I can barely raise my arms to the keyboard.  I'm out of windsurfing and SUPsurfing shape, having suffered through a windless waveless hell of a season (until last Saturday glorious Saturday).    So all I'm going to share now is Saturday:  Got a text from Christian and a voicemail from Peconic Jeff that Tiana Bay was capping.   Drove there, rigged the 6.2, hopped on the 99 Skate and proceeded to enjoy a three man flatwater extravaganza.  NW at Tiana Bay is super flat (promising for the upcoming ABK clinic in two weeks) so Jeff and I were going for carving freestyle (360's, backwind jibes, le duck) whilst Christian eschewed such frippery in favor of the classic step jibe.

After almost enough of a nice morning session the wind dropped as the forecast predicted it would, and I headed home.  Wasn't there 20 minutes when I heard from Massimo, saying "come sail with me on Noyack Bay".  Who could resist?  The 6.2 came out again, this time on the 109, and there was more reaching and jibing and faux surfing the microswell  wrapping around Jessups Neck.   It was a darn near perfect day, how to kook it?  I know, when putting my gear back in the van I'll ram my forehead into the fin of a board on the rack, and leave a fine red welt.  Yeah, that's the ticket!

Tomorrow:  The return of good waves (and Bill Barber).

(Photo of Christian eschewing frippery by Jeff Schultz)

UPDATE: Long Island ABK Windsurfing Clinics

There are changes regarding the scheduled ABK Windsurfing Clinics on Long Island.

1.  The September 21-13 clinic at Napeague has been cancelled, except for those people who have been directly contacted by Andy Brandt (in other words, you know who you are.)

2.  The September 28-30 clinic at Napeague (including the famous Freestyle Group) is going to be moved to Tiana (the bay launch.)   More details will be coming on ABK Boardsports website soon.

Until 2005 Tiana Bay was the regular venue for ABK.  It's a great shallow flatwater spot that works on pretty much all wind directions.   It's where the Town of Southampton holds their youth windsurfing camp every year.   I've done two clinics there myself, and personally prefer it to Napeague (though it does not get the extra 5mph wind on northeasterlies that Napeague does).   There's plenty of parking!  What there isn't is nearby camping.   There are a lot of small motels on the road approaching the Ponquogue Bridge on Lynn Avenue, Foster Ave etc.    To get to Tiana cross the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays, turn right, and drive two miles.  You'll see the enormous beach parking lot (and beach house) for Tiana Beach on the left...you'll want to enter the smaller lot to the right, which is right on the bay.

The Peconic Puffin will have updates as we get them.  

(You can also find Tiana Bay on the Long Island Windsurfing Map.)

 

We Deserved It: Warm Windy Sunny Sunday!

It's about time!   Yet we are thankful.   A half dozen windsurfers brushed off the cobwebs to see if the Yacht Club was still the place to windsurf summer southerlies.  I found OG Puffin Eileen (who 21 summers ago used to sail over to my floundering ass to make sure I wasn't drowning, back in my first season) on a 5.0 semiplaning, so I rigged the new 7.5 (Maui Sails Switch) for its maiden voyage.  Lovely it was on my 109, but within 30 minutes too big for the building winds.  You know the drill:  Rig the 6.2, enjoy that for awhile.  Then downsize the board (Skate 99!) and the fun really got going.    It's been so long since I've sailed (a few minutes of underpowered windsurfing in early June, a 4.0 day in April) that it took me awhile to remember how to tack.   By the end of it I had scored a few shaky duck jibes, backwinded jibes, and a carve 360, but the most wonderful thing was simply to hike out and skim across the water without a care.  It was Mecox at her best!   The only not-great news was how out of windsurfing shape I am.  My hands hurt.  Puffin and wind chimp that I am, my hands haven't hurt from windsurfing since...the 90's?  I gotta get back out there.

Quoting Eileen from her Facebook post:  "Too good to take a break. I'm on land, but still feel like I'm sailing. What a gift from the Universe. So grateful that I had the opportunity to get on the water and fly."

She says it much better than I.

There's a New Board in Town

Meet the Fanatic All-Wave.  9'2" of all kinds of fun.   It's Sally's flatwater SUP board, my wave SUP, and a fine nonplaning freestyle windsurfing board for both of us.    I used to freestyle on a Bic Techno (153 liters)...the All-Wave is 160 liters yet it's more frisky than the Bic.   Haven't tried it in planing winds yet (haven't tried any board in planing wind in quite awhile) but will report when I do.

(Sally shows off the new ride.)

East Coast Windsurfing Festival V: To the believers went the spoils!

I can’t believe I didn’t go.   The forecast looked nonexistent, the drive was long, so despite my having enjoyed great days at ECWF past when the winds were light, I decided not to go.   

This was the wrong answer.   Plenty of people went, and had a great time!

Results first, then we’ll have some story:

King of the East: Alex Hering

Queen of the East: Jeanne Bauman

Mens Freestyle:

1) Alex Hering

2) George Pav

3) Peter Richterich

4) Jake Agoos

5) Pete Roesch

Women's Freestyle:

1) Nina Schweikardt

2) Jeanne Bauman

3) Deniz Kalaycioglu

Men's Open Racing:

1) Bill Degeorge

2) Dean Oleksiak

3) Dan Cresci

4) Alex Hering

5) Florian Feuser

Men's 7.5 limited racing

1) Pete Roesch

2) Joe Natalie

3) Dennis Grunbeck

4) Peter Richterich

5) Joe Giordano

Women's Racing

1) Jeanne Bauman

2) Thandi Bradix

3) Deniz Kalaycioglu

Day 1 highlights:   Very light wind, yet a race despite all odds.   Nonplaning freestyle.   The NEWJ Board tossing.  SUP racing.  And if you think SUP racing doesn’t sound exciting, check out Phil Rizutto’s call:

“Bill DeGeorge and Joe Natalie came storming into the finish line neck & neck, pumping away, veins popping, paddles digging, absolutely in a nose to nose tie for the last 50 yards of the race.  They both hit the beach at the same exact second, jumped off their boards together, and a slight stumble by Bill De gave Joe N just enough of an edge to eak out the win by a paddle, with Mike Burns in a close 3rd.”

Day 2 highlights:  a steady light northerly. “A perfect day for lightwind freestyle and course racing.  Everything from a pile of Fanatic Megacats to the top of the line 2012 Fanatic Falcon were lined up along the beach ready to race.  And race they did!!  We were able to get off 3 races and 2 more full rounds of freestyle along with the freestyle finals on Sunday.  An action packed day indeed!  In both events, the top spots were changing hands, but Bill Degeorge and Pete Roesch were just dominating every race.  After the competition was over, the raffle was held and everyone was waiting to see if Deniz would win the NoLimitz mast for the 3rd year in a row. This time it was George Kellner to take home the beautiful mast.  Makani also donated some fins, hats and t-shirts that the winners were stoked to have received.   And Triple 8 Helmet company gave us a couple helmets for prizes.  With an overwhelming amount of thanks from both competitors ad bystanders I'm looking forward to planning the event for 2013.”

Can’t believe Deniz didn’t win the mast again.

Can’t believe I missed the ECWF.   I’d like to think I’d have given Dennis a race (I always lose to Pete, and usually to Joe.)  And I love nonplaning freestyle...truth be told, maybe better than planing freestyle.

Can’t believe I missed the festival.  Every day sailing is a great day sailing.

Okay start the countdown for next year.

Special thanks go as always to Mike Burns, Thom Hering, and Chrissy Burns. 

Reporting by King Mike and MC Thom.

Photos by the mighty Bill Doutney.

East Coast Windsurfing Festival: New Heads Shall Wear a Crown

Multi-crowned king Mike Burns (who doubles as the event organizer) asks the following question:

"Wouldn't it be nice to officially be the ultimate windsurf champion on the East Coast?   Since we're not going to run an official freestyle "Pro Division" this year in competition, the title of "King/Queen of The East" will be up for grabs.  It will go to the sailer in men's and women's category that has the best combined scores from racing AND freestyle.  (Pros of all kinds are excluded from winning this title since there will be no Pro Men's freestyle division)  But don't worry if you came for a show.  The pros will be out there jumping, flipping, spinning and going just plain huge!!   In between each set of races there will be a 15 or 20 minute pro "freestyle expression session" so that the guys going all out for those precious titles during the ECWF racing and freestyle events have a chance to take a breather."

Looking good for the well-rounded windsurfers!

(The East Coast Windsurfing Festival is this Saturday and Sunday at Joe's Beach in Heckscher State Park, Field 7.  To register, send Mike Burns an e-mail and say "I'm coming" and "I'm gonna (race, freestyle, or both)." To learn more, check out the East Coast Windsurfing Festival web site.)

Countdown to the East Coast Windsurfing Festival...Race notes

Thus spake racing MC DJ Thommy Thom:

We plan to again have Relay Races!

We would also like to have SUP races, particularly if the wind is not honking.

People: bring down All your boards, for sailing, for paddling, for throwing, for whatever.

We will look to have a competitors meeting at 10am, rigged and ready if the wind is up.

Fear this, and tremblingly obey.

(The fifth annual East Coast Windsurfing Festival takes place this coming weekend at Joe's Beach in Heckscher State Park.  To register, send Mike Burns an e-mail and say "I'm coming" and "I'm gonna (race, freestyle, or both)." To learn more, check out the East Coast Windsurfing Festival web site.)

Notice of Fun: East Coast Windsurfing Festival V Coming in June!

We race.  We freestyle.  We SUP.   The good times they do roll.

The fifth annual East Coast Windsurfing Festival takes place June 9-10 at Joe's Beach in Heckscher State Park on Long Island.   His Highness The King of the East Mike Burns hath said it is so, and Master of Racing Ceremonies MC T-Bone Thom hath seconded the decree.

So it is so.

To register, send Mike Burns an e-mail and say "I'm coming" and "I'm gonna (race, freestyle, or both)."

To learn more, check out the East Coast Windsurfing Festival web site.

For a dubious accounting of the previous four ECWF's, read the Peconic Puffin's coverage of the East Coast Windsurfing Festival through the ages.

June 9-10...save the dates!

(Race photo courtesy Bill Doutney.)

By Popular Demand, More Caesar from the Vault

Dennis likes my taste in alternative music (alternative for windsurfing videos) and a lot of people apparently never saw these when they first ran (new windsurfers?) so here is more.