The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Napeaguing

On Friday the weekend forecast was dismal…sunny, temps in the mid 80’s, light breezes.  Hell on the water.  Saturday did not renew hope. But then Sunday morning Wilson texted it could be good at Napeague at 2PM.

At 2PM I arrived.

Rigged the 6.2 and off I went.  Wilson, every more 21st century in this Year of the Peague, got on his Slingshot foil board with a 5.6 and soon was flying.  Foiling looks so good, and I'd only ever tried it once.    And after a run on the 6.2 Wilson offered me the foil set up to try.  So off I went.

First of all when the wind is blowing 6.2 for windsurfing, 5.6 is a very powerful sail for foiling.  Secondly if you don't know what you're doing (like me) you find that sheeting out does not do what you want it to do.  It unweights the mast foot, allowing a nice big breach and crash landing.   

Still I had fun.

Returned the foil to Wilson and got back on my Windsurfing Board in time for Lili to come out an join us.   A merry threesome in warm wind and water (except near the inlet to Gardiners, where colder, ocean informed bay water comes in) a good time was had by all, followed by G&T's and bluefish seaweed mayonnaise sandwiches. Perfecto!

Reason to Hate Mike Burns #512: The Shuv-it Spock

I hate Mike Burns.  The number of things he can do on a windsurfing board that I can't is greater than the number of things I can do with one, period.   These days he's living down in Hatteras (reason to hate him #483) with Chrissy and the kids, and he's recently posted a video of him throwing a Shuv-it Spock, which he describes on Facebook as "one of my favorites. Very technical and difficult to pull off."   Yeah no kidding.   Apparently his new board (a Psycho) is facilitating this.  For me (who still can't hit a duck tack) it's worse than when he learned how to leopard loop. 

One more reason to hate Mike Burns.   He's so good.

(Video:  There he is, doing his thing at a recent session at Canadian Hole.   Catch up with Mike on the water and he'll give you tips on just about anything Windsurfing!)

 

 

 

OG Puffin Sighting: Jace Panebianco

A blast from Peconic Puffin past!   Ran into Jace Panebianco, who the world knows as director of The Windsurfing Movie, but who old school Puffins know as that great kid who works at the windsurfing shop, circa 1993!   When this thing was a three page printed newsletter Jace was often in it.   In town from Hawaii he's been foiling on the Little Peconic, but I ran into him in the seafood store.   Jace remains very tall...in the pic he is bending down, and I am standing on my toes!  Great to see Jace!

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.

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.

Shredmobile

Arrive at the session in style!  Philippe's shredmobile, a 1972 Volvo.

Friday's Looking Good

Let's get this party started right!

Thus spake NOAA:  Friday NW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. 

Out east NW means Meschutt.   WNW means Sebonac.  20 means I'm on it!

 

My First Sesh at Hart Cove

One of the things I admire about Scott, the Wolf, and the crowd of windsurfers who live in the Moriches area is how they will travel to get to the best possible conditions even though there is sailable water in their backyard...I am closer to the east end and North Fork launches than they are, but I'd never have discovered them if I didn't sail with those guys.    But on rare occasions they DO in fact sail at home, and yesterday I made the trek to shred their local waters at Hart Cove.

Artie (also a Hart Cove newbie) and I joined Scott and the Wolf at the end of Moriches Island Road, rigged 4.2's and took off.   There are three stretches...the first third is shallowish...I'd call it Mecox level (light) chop water.  Then comes the channel, where the wind jumps half a sail size.  HOLD ON!!   On the far side are super flat shallows (likely too shallow at low tide) ideal for hero jibes and conversation.

"I hit the best jibe of my life but there was nobody there to see it" Artie said.  I believe him.

It was super windy.  "Ludicrous" Scott declared.  We was lit, focusing on that next half second to avoid exploding.  Hart Cove is good for crazy winds!

Warm water, too.  Yesterday was bizarre for May...we were in drysuits for the 40-something degree air, while the water was a warmish 54.   I spent the day following others, as I didn't know where I was going ("That way" I was often advised) and the rain hampered visibility.  I worked it out to sail until I saw the buoy, then sail near the buoy and keep going.  In either direction.   And lived to tell the tale!  

Good times and a new launch on a windy Sunday.

Warp Speed on Tiana Bay

The water was fast.  Ef Ay Es Tea fast.

The wind was blowing 20-something from the east, and the usual crowd was out looking for an ocean launch to take advantage of it.   Me I had plans with my old sailing buddy Massimo, and we were looking for a Bay experience.   Tiana was pool table flat...it was full on 5.4 with no whitecaps!   We shared the bay with a couple sailors for half an hour when it was time to rig down (4.7) and a bunch of the wave chimps showed!  Scott Artie the Wolf the Joe Natalies rigged up, and we had a blast on the 4.7-4.2 jibatorium.    Scott later declared that he'd been a speed demon.  Anyone who has seen Scott sail in fifth gear (by which I mean anyone who has been passed by Scott in fifth gear) knows that if HE says he was going fast, it was nuts.  Warp speed!

We sail bump so often (and waves when we can) that perhaps we forget how great flatwater blasting can me on four meter sails.  Woo Ha!

It's About Time For A Swap Meet

You know it is.  You KNOW it is!   Swap meet time, me droogs...Hampton Watersports is throwing the Spring Fling on Saturday May 18th.   Windsurfing swap meet, kiteboarding swap meet, SUP swap meet, surfing swap meet, and are you ready:  foiling swap meet.  

If you're selling used equipment, drop off your gear during the week preceding (or arrive early that Saturday morning).   If you're buying, bring your money.   If you're swapping bring both (it's what I do.) 

If you're looking for 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 need help evaluating the used offerings or what you need, there will be people there to help.  I will be one of them (apologies in advance!)

Rain or shine, buy or sell used standup paddleboarding, windsurfing, kiteboarding surfing and anything you can slap a foil on gear. There will also be new 2019 equipment to covet and buy.  Specials on leftover 2018 equipment.    If you have questions, call the shop 631-283-9463.  See you there!

4.2 Saturday. Any questions?

It was a full house at Sebonac on Saturday.   Lit 4.2 sailing for a crowd that included but was not limited to: Artie, David, Frank, Jeremy, Joe and Shelley, Rob, Scott, the Wolf and your humble editor.  El Eye Tea lit!    Things are warming up too...almost.  Most people sailed gloveless, but when Scott, the Wolf and Eye tried naked hands, we concluded "possible but not pleasurable."   Anyhow it blew beautifully, ramps set up fairly well, and a good time was had by most.  Hum baby!

(Pic:  Scott flying into shore, tail walking.  We was lit!   Photo by Artie.)

Lord Scotworth Likes Saturday

Chimply Lord Scotworth the Earl of Kielt is excited about Saturday.

"GALE WARNING! he texts, with various emoticons of approval and joy.

The forecast is for due west, so once again Sebonac Inlet will be our destination.*

But when precisely?  When does his Chimpliness say will be the very bestest, la creme de la conditions?

"One hour before low and two hours after."   Tides, he means.   So for tomorrow, with low tide at 1:38pm we're talking 12:38-3:38.

If nothing changes I'm aiming to be on the water by noon.  Sans gloves.   But then when does nothing change?

*If nothing changes.  Wait I just said something about that...

(Scott always rinses his gear after a session.)

Warm(ish) and Blowing Big

Another Spring day, another blazing session at Sebonac Inlet.  Scott, Frank, Jeremy, the Wolf, David, Jonathan and I all starting out on 4.2's and 4.7's.    Conditions when from rain to sun (which killed the wind for 30 minutes) to intermittent dark clouds, and then it really started to blow!   When I came in I needed a 4.2, but within ten minutes it was 3.4 out there or windier.   Mighty Frank himself needed a 3.7!   But the water is warming while the winds keep blowing...soon gloves will be left behind in the van.

(Photo:   The Wolf coming in after being crazy overpowered.)

Spring is Back!

3.7's and 4.2's were the call at Sebonac, as a small crowd including Scott, the Wolf, Frank, Artie and company were making the most of some big west winds.  Sand was blowing off the beach in the gusts, air temps high 30's water temps about the same. 
The previous week we talked about going gloveless but that was a fantasy borne of warmer air...the water is still Chilly.

Me I tweaked my elbow after a couple runs...off to the orthopod for what I hope is no more than a cortisone injection.   Meanwhile Frank took his customary three hour run, whilst everybody else sailed like mortals.   Need to fix my elbow and get back out there!

(Top:  View from the board.   Bottom:  Scott directing traffic.)