The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

No Whitecaps No Problem

The flag at the Coast Guard station said WIND but "there aren't any whitecaps" Scott complained.   Still I saw some people planing, and I had a feeling 6.2 would do the trick.   It would have, too, if it weren't for the bushels of weeds in Tiana Bay.   Quick change of the fin and I was golden!  Happily Scott LOVES weed fins (he's nuts that way) so soon the two of us were ripping around the pool-table flat, whitecapless water, whilst nearby Andy Brandt and ABK (assisted by Peconic Jeff!) did their thing.

That was Friday.  Saturday I returned to Tiana for even better wind (and some water time with Christian) while Scott snuck off to the Bowl without telling me.   I hate missing ocean sessions, but Tiana is a prime jibatorium, and there was plenty of rippage in the shallow warm water.

Let the Fall winds continue and build!

Winter Is Coming (Scott says.) The Last Summer Session

Meschutt Sunday.  I was rigging a 6.2.  The Wolf looked dubious.

"Rig your 5.8," I said.

"He didn't bring his 5.8," Scott said.   "He's a 5.3 snob now."

"I'm a 5.3 snob," the Wolf agreed.

What the heckage?

"It's on account of summer is over.  We don't sail the light wind days in winter," Scott explained.

"IT'S STILL SUMMER" I pointed out.  Hell I'll rig a 7.5 in summer and am happy to sail it.  I remind them of this.

"I'm going to rig anyway," the Wolf said.  "I have limited time."

Don't we all.

The Wolf got one good run in.  I got about 20 runs...jibes, duck jibes, a tack, a hoss tack and some blown donkey jibe attempts.   Then it lightened up, so I went home, but not without kooking it.  I left board on the beach, oy.    Thanks Tomas for grabbing it for me!

Let the windy season come.  The Wolf is a 5.3 snob!

(Photo:  Looking back at a near-windless summer, and the Meschutt launch.)

Longest Right in the World? Video

Skeleton Bay, in Namibia. Video courtesy Stab Magazine.

Be a better windsurfer! Sign up for the ABK clinic Sept 25-27…

At Tiana Bay on Long Island!  Outstanding shallow-water learning location (better than Napeague IMHO) will be taken over by the great Andy Brandt and his merry crew of top-notch windsurfing instructors.   Nobody teaches windsurfing like ABK, whether you’ve never clambered onto a board before, through planning, tacking, jibing, footstraps, harness sailing, speed sailing, jumping, racing, freestyle, funstyle, and mad good times on the water with other nice people!  September 25-27th at Tiana Bay (in Hampton Bays).

I have done (ahem) 17 ABK clinics over the years (maybe more) and the wife has done quite a few herself, so in the Peconic Puffin household we are big fans.  You should be too!     After a weak summer for windsurfing the fall breezes (water is still warm) are coming…get ready for them now.  Register for ABK’s Long Island windsurfing clinic here.

(Photo:  Andy Brandt fixes windsurfers who look at their feet to much by telling them to look at the sky.  He demonstrates here.  Doesn't that look like fun?)

Mecoxing as the Winds Start to Return

The worst summer in windsurfing history (well, Long Island windsurfing history in the opinion of both this idiot blog and The Mighty Mike Burns) is starting to show signs of relief. Caught a 6.2 session last weekend at Mecox...jibing, duck jibing, upwind 360's were the order of the day. Little bit of duck jibe above. Bring the winds!

ABK Windsurfing Clinic Returns to Long Island

With the windy season approaching it's time to get better.   Learn to windsurf, learn to windsurf better, learn to windsurf even better than that* at ABK Boardsports September clinic at Tiana Bay on Long Island, September 25-27.     Andy Brandt and his merry band of instructors will be ready for you!   C'mon you know you want to and you know you ought to.   Sign up now!

* "Mastery of windsurfing is the realization that you can't."   Andy Brandt, quoted on the side of Dana Miller's legendary windsurfing van.   None of us will ever master windsurfing...that's part of the fun and the challenge of it!

Windsurfing Swap Meet! SUP Swap Meet! Zeptember 19th...

Long Island's Zeptember swap meet returns on the 19th at Hampton Watersports.  You know the drill:  If you're selling, drop off your gear during the week preceding (or arrive early that Saturday morning).   If you're buying, bring your money!   If you're buying sails, it's helpful if you know what size masts you own, and what the minimum and maximum extension lengths of your boom is, to make sure you can rig what you buy.   If you're swapping (selling and buying) well then you're my brother or sister!   Note to sellers:  If you sell you get 100% store credit or 70% cash.  Me I maintain a permanent account there, as I both windsurf and SUP, and one of the first three axioms of windsurfing I was taught was "shit breaks".

Rain or shine, buy or sell used Standup Paddleboarding, Windsurfing, Kiteboarding and Surfing gear. There will be closeout sails on 2015 equipment as well.  If you have questions, call the shop 631-283-9463.  See you there!

And now, in honor of Zeptember, I give you Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Stuff"

You need gearin', baby I need gearing,

Fall winds a come, babe we be shredding

Come around the side, I wanna sell you my stuff

I want to sell you every inch of my stuff,

I might want your stuff OHHHHHH!

Gotta whole lotta stuff

Gotta whole lotta stuff

Gotta whole lotta stuff