The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Wind Speed Measurement Geekdom

Have a good time going crosseyed (and then recovering) over this explanation of the wind speeds reported on maps like iWindsurf and every other wind source.   I'm going to say this is highly entertaining...I found it to be highly entertaining.  In a highly geeky way...   H/T U2U2U2 in the iwindsurf forum.

East is a Beast at SJ

Okay not a BEAST exactly, but after previous joy in ENE we came with high expectations.  The thing is straight east gets bumpy out there...bumpy and deep as the bays fill up.  Still we sailed 4.7...Artie, the Wolf, Scott, Pav and David.

"What a difference between ENE and East," Scott commented.  We'd had an excellent session at South Jamesport back in August during an ENE blow, and had hoped for the same yesterday.   But t'was not the same.  The normally smooth SJ was quite bumpy...disorganized chop with only the occasional jumping ramp, and modest swell.   Tiana might make for more enjoyable sailing the next time its East and we're not in the ocean.

Around 3PM as we started to tire the wind increased to something like 4.2.  We each began to call it a day when David decided to take one more run.  While adjusting his outhaul we spotted a major crack in his uni.   A "there's no frickin' way you're going out on 40 degree water in 30mph gusts with that uni" crack.   We are grateful for discovering this on the beach and not after a rescue operation!

(Photo of le craque courtesy David.)

Warm Windy January?

50 degree air, winds SW 25 gusting to 30 in January.  On a Saturday.  Calling South Jamesport!!

With a Coast Guard plane flying low laps overhead (they practice in high winds) we had quite a turnout.   Scott, George Pav, the Natalies, the Wolf, Frank, Frank Sky King, Marty, Kiter Marty, and Rob were there.  Frank had his maiden SJ session.   The Wolf was going for air! 

Beached were Jon Ford (mysteriously grounded by Kristine) and Artie, recovering from illness (but on the camera grabbing photos).   For myself the sessions have been so few during the fall and early winter that my arms were less than prime, and I only got a few hours in.  Still a great Saturday!

(Photos courtesy Art Lamia)

Bouyancy

Stolen from Adam's FB page. 

Thanks for a Thanksgiving Session

The morning texts were adamant:  Can't sail this afternoon...Thanksgiving obligations!   So we hit it earlyish.   Artie, Bruce, Fisherman, Hulse, Jon, Scott, the Wolf, and yours truly lit on three and four meter sails, winds 25 gusting to 35.  "My smallest sail is a 4.2" I protested, when everyone was launching on 3.7's and 3.3's.  But Jon rigged a 4.7, and I added extra downhaul and 4cm of outhaul to flatten my rig.   And it worked most of the time.   LIT.   I got off the water at 11:30 to go home and start Thanksgiving preparations, and several others were also homeward bound by noon, but what a morning to be thankful for!

(Top photo:  Smoke on the water, courtesy Massimo.   Bottom photo: Artie and ?, courtesy Artie.)