The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Dead Shredmobile

A warm windy three-day weekend, and my van won't START?  Argh!!   The good news is this happened on the way home from Friday's session.   The bad news is that it happened before Saturday and Sunday.   So I sucked it up and hung out with my wife's friends, ignoring the trees, ignoring the texting on my phone ("3.7!" Scott wrote).   So while the Eastern Long Island Wind Chimp Association and Greater Puffindom were out on their smallest boards, I played croquet.

I said it.

This morning comes the word:  My 16 year old van needs a new fuel pump.   Which is in the gas tank.  Oh yeah and the left front ball joint has a lot of play in it...

South Jamesport Gets the Wind

Scott is excited about the parking lot.  "You've never seen such a thing on Long Island".   A one block walk from the South Jamesport launch is a municipal parking area that specifies No Permit Required.  I've never had a North Fork permit and I've sailed at SJ at least twenty times, but Scott says park safe, so I did.

Nice parking lot.

About the wind:  5.4 y'all Friday, 4.2 Saturday!   On Friday t'was me, Scott, Artie, the Wolf, and Fireman Matt.   There was the occasional hole when the wind swung WNW, but mostly we tore it up on our fives.    Your editor missed Saturday (see the next post) but we're waiting for info from Peconic Jeff.

Return to SUP Surfing!

Ridiculously I did not paddlesurf once in 2018.   I SUPsailed in the waves a couple times, but no actual down the line (or attempted DTL) SUP action.  Recently while flatwater paddling I've assumed the surf position just to see what my balance felt like (not very good.)   Then Sunday I was copied on a text from Peconic Jeff (remember him?!) saying he was launching at K-Road.  "I'm on my way!" said me.

There was wind on the water, chop, but still the occasional 3-4 foot set, and while I fell off of half of them I caught a half dozen too!

Photo by Jeff Schultz

Windsurfing Equipment Review:: LiP Watersports Sunglasses

The people at LiP Sunglasses asked The Peconic Puffin if we’d review their watersports sunglasses, and review them we shall.   We all know the deal with such sunglasses…there are two moderate issues and one major issue.   The moderates: How well do they shed water (given that we’re being sprayed with water constantly) and do they fog up?   The Major: How do you avoid losing them in big falls?   Who wants to spend money on pricey eyewear that will get knocked flying in high speed falls? Not me.

Let’s tackle the major issue first: LiP’s solution to keeping the glasses you bought is to have the retainer strap attach to a rubber “retainer necklace” that sits around your neck. Think a big soft “O” ring.   It’s got plenty of give should the glasses get yanked…you’re not going to get choked…but it’s not coming off over your head either.     I’ve sailed with the LiP’s in 4.2 winds and had a couple invigorating falls, one of which lifted them off of my face, but they basically sat on top of my head as the rubber necklace didn’t let the leash go anywhere.     I’ve also sailed with them in 4.7 and 5.4 conditions, but the falls were not as severe.   The 4.2 crashes were the test.

 I think they’ve worked out how to secure sunglasses to a windsurfer or kiter.

LiP has two models, the Typhoon and the Surge.   The Typhoon is their full-on “most advanced watershade on the market” while the Surge is a smaller, lighter pair of glasses at about half the price.   Both the Typhoon and Surge sheeted water beautifully.   Happily I had the Typhoons on when a squall came through…sailing in the rain was no problem…in fact I didn’t realize how bad it was until the other guys I was sailing with commented on sailing with one eye closed and the other squinting!   We’ve all been there LOL.

Neither pair fogged.  

There have been good watersports glasses on the market before, but all of mine ended up in Davy Jones locker one way or another.   LiP appears to have that issue beat.   So if you want to protect your eyes from the sun, and/or shred with impunity in the rain, we recommend them.

(image from LiP's web site.)

 

 

 

Ups and Downs

Scott arrived first, rigged 4.7, and was happy.  Until the wind died.  We were at Sebonac for WNW, but when the wind clocked to NW it all dropped.

Until it came back.   I rigged 5.4, Scott now on his 5.3, and we were barely planing.

Massimo arrived, and rigged his 6.4 (he's big).   The wind began to fill in.

Philippe arrived in his shredmobile.   He hadn't sailed in a few years but he was eager to get out.  He rigged 4.2, which worked on his late '90's Xantos (20 year old board on 40 year old car).

Jan and Bruce arrived.

We all switched to bigger boards (except Phillipe who came with a big one) which did the trick of increasing the wind.   And had a fine time in 22 gusting to 27, until Mass got stuck downwind by Cold Spring, and Philippe got worked by the beach break.

Even Bruce managed to get himself worked.  I never see Bruce (or Jan) blow it, but Bruce was ambitious this day.  "I decided to try a new move...a really tight fast power jibe.  I started the turn flying really fast, then mid jibe I hooked in.  Kapow!"    

Then the wind dropped again, and we were all tired.  Homeward to continue Memorial Day Weekend.