This photo of me (taken by Bill Doutney at the end of a freestyle heat at the East Coast Windsurfing Festival) has proven to be quite popular. That is satisfying, because I work on my falls. "If you can't stick the move, at least stick the fall," I say! "Put more style in freestyle," I say! I'll say most anything to shift the conversation from my blown moves, true, but I do like to depart the board with distinction. From The Lion in Winter:
Prince Geoffrey: My you chivalric fool... as if the way one fell down mattered.
Prince Richard: When the fall is all there is, it matters.
(The West Wing tweaked it to 'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal' which I prefer.)
My basic guidelines for falling are to make eye contact with your audience, smile, and if the first two are impossible on account of your head being underwater, do something with your feet. It matters.
(Top photo by Mr. Doutney, bottom photo by Remy McFadden.)
I have never tried sailboarding; I assume I'd be doing a lot of falling. Further, I assume my falls would be far less interesting than yours. Kudos on an excellent capture!
Posted by: Buck | June 24, 2010 at 09:52 AM
Bravissimo!
clapclapclapclapclapclap!
Posted by: bonnie | June 24, 2010 at 10:36 AM
On the rare occasions when I have tried windsurfing I have concentrated on maximizing the quantity rather than the quality of my falls. I yam what I yam an' that's all that I yam!
PS. There seems to be a dearth of posts on this blog about anything other than windsurfing. How about some posts on goldfish? Or monster trucks?
Posted by: tillerman | June 24, 2010 at 03:14 PM
Well T, if you look hard enough you'll find quite a few posts on stand up paddle surfing, and a few on dogs. It is what it is.
Posted by: Michael | June 24, 2010 at 03:42 PM
I know you did the dog posts. I disapprove of dog posts. I am anti-dog post. And anti-kitty posts.
How about some Wendell Berry posts? Or failing that some blue berry posts? Or rhubarb?
Posted by: tillerman | June 24, 2010 at 05:07 PM
nice style michael! is that a rope on the nose for tow-in? stay warm and enjoy summer sailing!
Posted by: rebecca | June 24, 2010 at 09:27 PM
Rebecca, when I first got that board I thought "if I ever want to tie a line to that connecting gizmo on the nose it will be difficult" so I threaded a piece of marlow line through it and made a loop, to facilitate future usage.
In the ten years since I've never used it once. But I apparently tied a good knot!
Posted by: Michael | June 25, 2010 at 08:49 AM
must be for tow ins!
Posted by: scott k. | June 27, 2010 at 09:01 AM
Doh! Scotty! Been missing you on the waves and in the wind, bro. Another dead Sunday...waddayagonnadu?
Posted by: Michael | June 27, 2010 at 09:26 AM