The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Six Years Ago By Comparison...

...there I am at South Jamesport, chasing the ever speedy Scott in the distance.  In a shorty.  Not a DRYSUIT!!!   I am ready for summer shortboarding.

Honkadelica

Big winds at Meschutt on Friday, and a big crowd to welcome it!    Arrived at 2:30 to find primo Meschutt conditions...picture perfect ramps on the inside and "interesting" jibing a quarter mile out.    Rigged a 4.7 like everyone else, ignoring the warnings of the early launchers saying it might be 4.0, launched on my 77 and had one overpowered run.  

Rerigged to 4.2 and sailed pleasantly overpowered for a little while, when it became apparent that a 3.7 was the call.  I chose to add an inch to my extension and sail super downhauled, which worked...barely LOL.

Can we talk about the ramps?   I caught some excellent first-half-of-jumps...'scuse me while I kiss the sky...but landed almost none of them.   After a particularly awkward splash I thought "this was easier to take 30 years ago" and decided I would take my last run.

Took five last runs.

On the scene:  Natalies Joe and John, Hulse, Artie, Scott, Ken (running a vintage 80's piece of art fin), Jonathan, Dr. Pain, Chris from Connecticut and your editor.   Peconic Jeff showed up to watch, as did Fisherman (who had already caught a sesh at Sammy's with Frank and Bruce.). George brought his new puppy Nash (ie Naish!)

Neoprene note:  Fall is here!  Last weekend I sailed comfortably in a shorty.  Yesterday full 3.2.

While all of this was going on a gentleman down the beach was attempting some wingfoiling.  Suffice it to say that I thought 3.7 conditions obviate the need for a foil...in fact said foil got blown down the beach a couple times when its owner left for a sip of water.   Anyhow more power to him...I suppose in a few years high wind winging could be a thing.

(photos contributed by Artie, Peconic Jeff, George Pav)

 

Sweet Summer Sweat...Flying at Mecox

  I don't windsurf solo much, but conditions were so good and my time was so limited that I opted for nearby Mecox Bay.  Shallow, flat, dependable on SW.  5.4 on a 93 beautifully lit (and sunlit!)    One huge jibatorium.   Will this be my last session of '22 on a shorty?  Who knows...get 'em while it's hot!

Watersport Gear Sale Saturday

Stuff is on sale Saturday at Hampton Watersports.  Wind, wing, kite, paddle, da works.  The store is marking down all sorts of things you want, and they will be selling used equipment belonging to other waterpeople.

But don't call it a swap meet!

Do you know LL Cool J's song that begins "DON'T CALL IT A SWAP MEET!"

Or something like that.  Anyhow Jonathan isn't calling it a swap meet, though if it walks like a puffin and squawks like a puffin it just might be a weird bird if you get my drift.   I'll be dropping off a near-mint wave 5.0 myself, and looking for deals for moi.

Maybe we'll see each other.

Artie as CD? Who Cares...Short Boarding at SJ

I pulled into the South Jamesport parking area to find Artie sitting in a beach chair.   Why wasn't he sailing?   There were whitecaps visible from the road.   "I'm waiting for it to come up" he said.  I told him I thought I could sail now with a five something and big board, and proceeded to rig.  He said he'd do that too.   I rigged my 5.4 as Dilay arrived.   Brought 109 board to beach, walked back for rig to find Artie and Dilay chatting.   Brought 5.4 to beach and launched.   Took maybe eight runs when the wind came up.   Should I switch to my 100?   Took one more run on the now overpowered board.  "Heck I'm going to try the 93.   Sailed in, walked to the parking area to find Artie and Dilay chatting.   Grabbed 93, launched, and was lit.   Four runs later I thought I'd take my 109 off the beach.  Walked it up to the parking area to find Artie and Dilay chatting.   Artie, are you turning into CD?

Finally he finished rigging and joined me on the water, followed soon by Dilay.   Warm winds warm water, not much in the way of ramps but we were ripping in August!    Both Artie and I had family commitments later in the day so we got off the water early, leaving Dilay to soon be joined by Scotto and George.

(Dilay on port.  Photo by Artie.   Hey what's with the headline..."short boarding"?  Remember when "short board" was a class of windsurfing boards...no centerboard, designed purely for planing conditions?   Guess the editor is happy to be planing in 80 degree air temps!)

Happy Birthday to The Wolf!

"Still the Commodore" Bruce says, and who could disagree?  When I started sailing with Jan and the Wind Chimp collective in 2007 he was a spritely senior.  I thought "this guy is tearing it up in the ocean and on the bays in nuking conditions!   If he can do it it at his age it means I'll be able to as well! I thought.    That was then...Jan is still hitting it fifteen years later windsurfing and SUPping, and we all salute his 78th orbit around the sun.  Happy Birthday Jan!  (Photo:  The editor and Lord vanderWolf.)

South Jamesport Delivers...in August!

If we get a five meter day in August we are grateful.   But 4.7!    Artie reports:   "I met Scott-O and the Wolf and when I got there at about 3:30, Scott was coming off the water to rig down to a 4.7; I figured that's my cue to rig at least a sail size larger cause you know me! Well that was a HUGE mistake cause I was waaaaay overpowered! But, like you know, when we get into certain situations, we accommodate; so that's what I did....I accommodated...with MORE DOWNHAUL! Probably 4.2 by the time we left at 6pm. "

It's true Artie likes to sail with a lot of gas, but he must have been flying.   Hot and windy...resort windsurfing!   Now:  When am I going to catch one of these sessions?   I'm hopeful for soon!

(Scott ripping inbound.  Photo by the Art of Windsurfing.)

Mecoxing with Massimo

It was well past time!

In the early aughts Massimo was He With Whom I Windsurfed the Most.   I remember a November phone call "If I buy a drysuit will you sail with me?"  (Hell yes!)   Mass was fast to rig, faster on the water, and a good jiber.

Then he went golf crazy and stopped sailing for a dozen years.

His comeback was slow, our sessions focused and getting him back up to speed.    Monday we went to Mecox, where a tropical warm southerly had me on the 5.4 and him on six meters.   For the first time in ages Mass was ripping!

We need more windy days to lock him in.

Missing it at SJ

Every year there is a blessed 4.7 session in July at South Jamesport.   As good as Caribbean resort sailing!   And I always catch it.

But I think I missed this year's.   Artie reports:

SJ did NOT disappoint; sail range from 4.2 - 5.0 and I was LIT UP on my 4.7; among the very fortunate were: Joe Nat, Scott-O, George, Christian, Wolf, and a couple of other dudes I didn't know; hoping for some wind this weekend!

Ain't nothing in the forecast, but I'm hoping for weekend wind too!

Just when you think you've got it all figured out: Northwest Delights at Sebonac!

The traditional wisdom has been

Sebonac isn't good for NW (Meschutt is)

The Peconic at high tide isn't good (low to mid incoming is).

But it was blowing NW Saturday, and Artie reported that swimming ropes at Meschutt have nixed that launch until the fall.  Christian and I discussed Tiana "but that will be flat water sailing" Christian texted.   "Let's try Sebonac."

There was the issue of the incoming tide well past half way, but what the heck...let's get some terrain.   We arrived to a beautiful field of whitecaps...it looked 4.7 but can it be?   I announced I was rigging 5.4 but another eyeing of the bay caused me to switch to a 4.7/medium board strategy.  Also, did our eyes deceive us?  We were looking at rolling swell coming through!   Christian put a 5.0 on his midsize, I popped the 4.7 on my 93 and we were off to the races.   Good jumping on both tacks, jibing off of swell was workable, and while the wind wasn't steady (the gusts lead me to board down to 77, and the lulls back to she of 93) the fun was excellent.   Massimo joined us for his maiden 2022 session, struggling a teense with the shore break but still he broke the seal.

After two hours I had to leave.  Christian and Mass called it a day about the same time and so we left.   But check it out:  Sebonac on NW at high tide!    

h/t to Frank for the post title.

 

First Attempt at Wing Foiling (with some 5.5 windsurfing on the side)

I had my first taste of wing foiling.   Caught some quality time with Andy Brandt and Jon Ford at Napeague last Thursday...winging is all kinds of new!   Did I get up on the foil?  Three or four times.  Did I STAY up on the foil?   No (not yet).   While catching my breath watched Jon wing jibe, and Andy do all sorts of stuff as usual.

Must try again.   You should too.   Go check out Andy at an ABK clinic.

To remind myself that I can learn these things, I also got some 5.5 windsurfing in.   Sails, fins, longish boards.  Old tech but still fun.

Swap Meet Long Island!

The week-long formula at Hampton Watersports has been working, and they'll be at it again starting Sunday May 14th.  From the shop:

"May 14 - May 20. Week long swap is back. People loved the fact that they could stop by whenever it was convenient for them. Buy or sell used and closeout Foil, Wingfoil, Kite, surf and Windsurf gear.

Sellers - please drop your used gear now thru 10 am 9/18

Buyers - Come by and check it out . Note: Anyone looking for anything specific, please let us know before hand. We can shop for you if needed."

I know I'll be checking it out!

 

East Beach

Far far away in the distant town of Port Jefferson (far for me anyway) is a Sound launch known as East Beach.   Private.  Invitation only.  Very hush hush…only the finest people launch there.   Then Artie let some of us in!   Rolling swell and starboard ramps greeted us in the 4.7-4.2 winds (I think Chris rigged a 4.8 for a little extra.).  The guests included Chris, Jonathan, Scott, George, Joe, Cyrus, Dilay and your editor.

It's been a couple years since I’ve had an ocean sesh, and while this wasn’t exactly one coming in just behind the big swell was the ticket to getting out of the water.   On the water there were ramps to jump (Scott got some exceptional air before coming down in an exceptionally flat landing.  He complained…I admired the altitude!).  George was seen throwing a classic wave jibe, complete with a carved/surfed accelerating exit.   Me, I had my worst jibing day of the year, but I still had fun!

East Beach…catch it if you can.

(George liked East Beach.  You would too!  Photo by the Art of Windsurfing)

Andy McKinney..."Lost In Hatteras" R.I.P.

This is so wrong, again.   Andy McKinney, who I knew as an Outer Banks windsurfer and fellow waterblogger, has passed away.   He leaves behind a wife, young son and young daughter.  Here is a link to his obituary.

We met on the web, commenting on each other's windsurfing blogs (his was Lost In Hatteras.)  In 2008 I met him in person on the Outer Banks, and did again in 2009.  Warm, friendly, great source of information (and with gusto!  "Ignore the meters...you can get some at S turns right now!"

My condolences to his family and friends.

(photo of Andy and his wife Anne lifted from his blog.)

Meschuttage

There is something known as Classic Meschutt Conditions.  CDC.  With NW winds and outgoing tide, lines of perfect two-foot ramps set up on the inside to jump, and on the outside well-spaced rollers to jibe off of.   Friday we had CDC.   And the wind?

"Perfect 4.2" Scott pronounced.

Indeed.  Scott and Frank were on it first, with me about fifteen minutes behind.   I have not had much good jumping conditions of late, so between my wanting style and getting a few feet more altitude than I'm used to, it was exciting!  Scott and Frank threw some big ones, and I had one big one..a big explosion on landing LOL that had me swimming after the gear for a moment.   Good times.   I had to leave about the time the Wolf hit the water, but he got some too.

(Photo:  That's Scott outbound.  Look at the lines of rampage!)

 

Brendon Quinn R.I.P.

Brendon Quinn, long-time instructor with ABK has passed away.  I have no details on what happened, but what's important is that he's gone.  A warm, sunny, generous soul and a fine instructor.   My own fond memories include him pronouncing an entire group of ABKers "crazy" as we hurled ourselves relentlessly at new moves at a windy Napeague clinic, and pestering him for sail size advice in Bonaire ("don't ask me!" he'd say every day.  So of course I'd ask him again the next day.  Too much fun.)  That I can no longer look forward to seeing Brendon in the future I'll miss much more. 

Photo taken from Andy Brandt's FB page.