The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Sailworks is making face shields for Oregon's health Care community

That's Bruce Peterson of Sailworks.  From their FB page:  "

To help mitigate the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in our local healthcare community, Sailworks has re-tasked our staff and sail loft to make medical face shields. The shields are lightweight, just 1.1 ounces, made from 7-mil monofilm with a foam headband and adjustable 1" elastic strap. It took a week to get stocked up on materials and get the 10-step cutting and production line set up, but we can now make 400-500 face shields per day.

This face shield project is in conjunction with the Hood River County Health Dept. and HMB 50, an Oregon not for profit to procure and donate PPE to health and public safety workers in the Columbia Gorge and beyond. HMB 50 stands for "Hand Made Brigade, 50" -- 50 being the number of hours it took to initiate this effort from the first plea from our local medical community. Please contact the Hood River County Health Dept. with requests for face shields - please don't call Sailworks for face shields."   There's more, including how one can donate to the cause, on Sailworks' Facebook page.

Thanks to Jill for originally posting this on the LI Windsurfer FB page.

Very Nice Digs for a Windsurfer

Flipping through a seven year old copy of "Hampton Cottages and Gardens" living underneath our coffee table (saved for a picture of some friends in the issue) I stumbled across an ad for "Steven Dubner Landscaping." The boards in the backround caught my eye.  Two Mistrals, a Seatrend, two F2's, a Naish, and a Pro Tech (also a surf board).  A solid connection at what looks like a very nice house.  Does he/she/they sail out the back?  Looks good in any event!

Sebonac Tonic

"Almost warm enough to not need gloves" Scott said.

I needed gloves for sure, but otherwise was quite warm in 25 knots/full sun/low tide Sebonac perfection.   Scott, John Natalie, David, Fisherman, the Wolf and moi on 4.2's and the occasional 3.7.   The sand bar was working, and for a few hours the wind was consistent and smooth.   How smooth?  I can't remember the last time I attempted a duck jibe on a 4.2 (I fear exploding) but it all seemed so nice on port that I took a shot.  Planed through boyeeeee!

Very nice.  More days like this please.

P.S.  with the fresh dredging of the inlet proper, landing on the east beach requires sailing the nose of the board onto dry sand if you want to step off in water that isn't overhead deep.  The north launch was favored (though I did do the sand landing thrice...makes me feel like an eight year old.)

More Extraordinary Weather People

If Laurie from Toronto wasn't doing it for you.

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.)

Meschutt with the Ramps

The ramps! Scott said.  He was right.   Meschutt usually has fine rampage...clean leaping on port...but Sunday was fun day with some particularly beefy launch pads.  Too bad about my knee...

But still!  Frank, Jon, the Wolf, Scott, Artie and YT caught the solid winds (4.2 for most of us) and about two hours of fun before the sun set.   With air temps of 42 and the water starting to chill it was strictly drysuit conditions, and any gear not well placed got blown down the beach. 

That would be my board, anyway...

But still!  Nothing beats a windy Sunday.

The Bowl Is All But Completely Washed Away

The Bowl...the friendly cove, wavesailing and surfing venue...is essentially gone, the beach washed away by this season's storms.   Dune Road is hanging on by a thread as the town keeps moving sand as fast as it can to save the road and the businesses along it.  Click on the link for video and photos.

"It might be a long time before we sail there again" Scott says.   I haven't sailed there in a year.  Will I ever again?   Will any of us?

Photo:  Google map of the Bowl before the storms hit.   Compare to the video.

 

Too Much Wind? And the Death of My 3.4

Thursday we turned up at North Sea Road.  Both Jon Ford and I were on 4.2's (it's wrong when I'm on the same size sail as Jonathan) and between the tailwalking and the bumps I was just about out of control 75% of the time.  Scott and the Wolf watched from inside the Wolf's warm pickup.  But after 90 minutes the decision was to try elsewhere, and in the end the day was done.

Which was good for saving one's strength for Saturday!   Napeague was LIT...most everyone overpowered on 3.3's and 3.4's.   Jeremy Hulse Jonathan Scott the Wolf Frank and others toying with the idea of crossing to Gardiners Bay (not me!)

“This is the most wind I’ve sailed in a long time” said Scott.

It was nuking.   Two foot chop at this flatwater haven, winds 35 gusting to 45.  One knucklehead out there with a kite who thankfully didn't get killed.   I was mindful of the old Jason Voss quote "nobody actually WANTS to sail in 30+, but we're windsurfers.  We can't say 'it's too windy'".   So while a few attempted to sail Gardiners, the Wolf Scott me and others contented ourselves with speed and survival runs on the shallow bay.    Just as I decided "one more run, then I'm done" I got catapulted through my 3.4.  A one foot hole now graced the sail.

It made things a little easier to manage!   "Not a 3.4 anymore" Scott cackled.   T'was true.  Also a teense sad.  I'd had that sail for almost 20 years (a Naish Session).   Now it's in a dumpster.  C'est la sail.

My Worst Jibe Attempt of All Time

It was a windsurfing party at Meschutt.   A dozen or more windsurfers on 4.2's or thereabouts (Hulse Scott the Wolf Frank Sky King another Frank Jan Fisherman Joe Nat Jon Ford Bruce etc) tearing it up on a warm day, the Peconic ramp and chop machine in full effect.  Fantastic!   But on one outbound run I found myself wanting ready to jibe, looking for a spot, and looking...looking...looking.  After a solid minute of nothing suitable I had the following thought:

"I don't need a flattish patch...if I bend my knees enough I can jibe anywhere."

This was not true.  I didn't know it yet though.

Unhooked, hung from the boom, got down low and stepped on the downwind rail to initiate a solid aggressive carve.   As I hit the first big bump I got thrown off the board backwards and UP...then landed with my back on the top of a steep piece of chop so my head snapped back.

I felt an electric jolt.  Then my left arm went numb.  Then I felt burning.

"I'm f***ed" I thought.  With one arm I slowly swam to my board and hung on.   After 20 seconds feeling came back to the arm (also pain in quantity to my neck).   Floated there for a couple minutes, then managed a waterstart, managing to sail back to the beach.   I told Scott my story.

"You have a stinger" he said.  And he proceeded to describe my symptoms perfectly, and told me stories about his own stingers.   Well if he lived to tell the tale then so will I.  "When can I sail again" I asked.  "Take a day off."   Sounds good.  Back to the water Sunday!

Week Long Swap, Used Equipment Week!

This is a new one!   From Hampton Watersports' website:

"Sep 21-28: Weeklong Swap Meet

Customers have asked for a longer event - here it is. Two weekends and during the week. 8 days of swapping. Buy or sell used Foiling, SUP, Windsurfing, Kiteboarding and Surfing gear. Deals on 2019 equipment, and loads of used gear to choose from. Drop your used gear off at the shop from now thru the 21st(swap day) before 11am."

So go check out used windsurfing equipment, kiteboarding equipment, SUP gear and foil stuff!  And sell yours!

 

Light Wind Wave Sailing At Ponquogue

"I like to work on my light wind skills" said John.

There had to be an explanation.  This was John Natalie talking, John "he only goes out when it's perfect" Natalie.   Conditions were marginal 5.4, waves 2-3 feet.   I stood on the beach, modeling Indecision and Lack of Commitment.

"I can't wait until it's blowing 30 and the waves are eight feet before I go out in the ocean" he continued.   He hadn't wave sailed in many months.  For me it had been a year!  

So after hemming and hawing and driving to Tiana to see if it was better (it wasn't) I joined him.   And had a very good time!   Put a 5.4 on my 109, planed some of the time, caught a few waves.   Best was tacking onto a wave (never done that before)...thought I didn't have enough time but tacked anyway, put my front foot in front of the mast and pushed down (Fisherman's tip* thank you) and away I went!

With the water so warm and friendly now, I don't want to pass up such conditions again.   Good times!

*Fisherman is no longer a commercial fisherman.   I don't know what I'm supposed to call him now.   I know his name but I never hear anyone call him by it.   And he always calls me Puffin so there's that.