The 2017-18 storm season kicked off with some hefty action courtesy of storms Aileen, Brian, Caroline and Dylan bringing high winds and waves to the UK and Irish coastlines before Christmas. With most UK windsurfers itching to escape the house after the festive season, storm Eleanor provided the perfect excuse just a few days into 2018. A meaty Atlantic low pressure system, it unleashed violent storm force gusts and produced a massive swell which wrapped right up into the English Channel. John Carter headed to Highcliffe in Dorset to check out the action.
Words John Carter, Timo Mullen // Photos John Carter
This feature originally appeared in the April 2018 issue of Windsurf Magazine
CAUTION
Obviously when the Met Office names a storm they are doing it for a reason. The original idea of ‘naming’ was to increase public awareness of severe weather and to take the appropriate action to avoid danger and disruption. When the wind is blowing 90-100 mph, storms are not to be messed with. As windsurfers we obviously want to go out and challenge Mother Nature when conditions are firing, but at the same time there is a time and place to do so. Overnight Eleanor’s power brought down a forty foot stone wall section of Portreath Harbour, overturned cars, shut down major bridges and caused power cuts to thousands of homes. In Cornwall tonnes of sand were shifted, creating new landscapes, with Crantock beach suffering from extreme erosion and undermining. So whilst heading out in the wildest conditions and most severe waves is not advised, at the same time there are plenty of spots where the waves wrap into and that’s where the fun can be had.
SICK
Christmas had taken its toll on the Motley Crew with the ‘Aussie Flu’ virus taking down Timo Mullen and Jamie Hancock for a large part of the holidays. Both were keen to get back on the water but at the same time were supposedly not ready to go full power! I had made a plan to head to the mainland at first light, ferries permitting, to catch the outgoing tide at Highcliffe from noon onwards. I had left the research to Paul Hunt who had come up with the plan and trusted his judgement on a forecast of west winds and an 18 foot swell all along the south coast. What we had not counted on was the storm surge. High tides, huge swell and gale force winds meant that on arrival at Highcliffe the conditions looked insane! Waves were crashing against the cliffs and refracting back out to ‘mushroom’ with the incoming swell in the impact zone. Upwind we could see sails flickering in and out of pluming waves at Avon so we headed up there to check if it was any better. Meanwhile Timo had ventured up to Kimmeridge to check if the wind had any northwest in it and see if the ‘Bench’ was sailable in the wild storm. At least by now we had all the possibilities covered.
AVON
Up at Avon it felt like we had missed the best of it with beautiful clean waves being feathered by gusty cross-offshore winds. One poor sailor was wondering around in his wetsuit having lost his whole rig during the early morning session in the stronger steadier winds. He had done the right thing and phoned the coastguard to inform them and also posted on Facebook in order to get his kit back and avoid any unnecessary panic. Out on the water Andy Chambers was cleaning up the last dregs of the conditions and from all reports Avon had been as good as it gets first light for a good few hours. By this time I was already cursing Hunty for his woeful decision-making; maybe we had already missed the best of it but it was our turn to pick up the scraps. We headed back to Highcliffe with reports from Jamie and Timo that they were both on their way after Hunty had claimed it was going to be all time on the dropping tide! The pressure was now all on Hunty’s shoulders to salvage the day!
CRUNCH TIME
Back at Highcliffe the tide should have been rapidly dropping but the water still seemed to be lapping up to the cliffs and causing a ferocious backwash. The waves were solid though, with the wind still enough for a 4m, Hunty decided to go it alone before the rest of the crowd arrived. He looked very sceptical on launching as he had to punch through some nasty inside barrels before hitting the strongest wind line about 20 metres offshore. It was slightly similar to the launch at Jaws but with far less consequences aside from the humiliation factor, which can be just as bad especially with my prying camera ready to capture the drama. Hunty somehow just made it out despite crashing head on into a breaking wave which almost crushed him, a split second later and he would have been toast. Once out the back he hit plenty of wind and looked comfortable sailing in the logo to mast high swells. On his second wave he went for the lip and went down hard. The next thing I saw was Hunty swimming after his gear, which was heading down the coast towards Barton on Sea. This must have been similar to the situation with the guy up at Avon first thing in the morning but Hunty was determined not to lose his beloved Fanatic Stubby and Severne Blade. After recouping his kit, the next battle was to punch back through the gnarly inside section where there was less wind due to the high cliffs! Finally after fifteen tiring minutes of being punished he made it out again to continue with his soul session in the waves. By 1.15pm more troops were arriving at the beach just as Hunty had finished his first battle with Mother Nature.
REHAB
Timo and Jamie, who were both back from their festive flus, had made the sensible call for a signal in the water to indicate if they were in trouble. They had said they would be taking it easy, but within ten minutes of the session Timo had smashed out a huge aerial and Jamie had just landed the highest back loop of the day. By 2pm a few of the crew from Avon had rocked up to join the party. The call by those in the know is to sail Avon on the high tide and then catch Highcliffe once it starts dropping. Ben Page, James Cox, Nic Hibdige and several locals plus a hardy group of Dorset’s finest lensmen were all now gunning for the action. By this time the wind had calmed down from the wild scenes overnight and early morning but it was still coming through in strong gusty patches rather than a solid gale. Once the tide had backed off the cliff the waves were much cleaner and open to attack but with the swell slightly dropping it looked like a better combo would have been low tide in the morning with the peak of the waves. At least there was still plenty of fun on the water to be had and with the danger factor subsiding, this was well and truly the time to reap the rewards of storm Eleanor!
The conditions slowly tailed off right until last light, which in winter means a pretty short day, especially for the nine ‘til fivers who have no chance to squeeze in an after work session. Hunty’s plan was not quite on the money, having missed the early session at Avon, but the crew just about forgave him with the right call on the afternoon wind and waves at Highcliffe. The first storm session of 2018 was in the bag!
THE CHASE – TIMO MULLEN
When I see a storm looming I look for my ‘Brownie points’ book, which is hopefully in the same place as my excuses book, which hopefully is in the same place as my broken promises book!Seriously I normally look for someone else to sail with primarily. My gear is always ready, I am always ready, it just comes down to making sure I am hopefully in the right spot!
I don’t necessarily look for the biggest waves and strongest winds. Number one choice is normally the waves, to be where it is biggest and most side-shore. Wind strength isn’t such a factor then. If it seems pretty onshore everywhere then for sure I’ll try and hunt out the strongest wind to get the biggest jumps possible!
SAFE
Mega important and my number one thought is always safety, no matter what the conditions may be, but in a big storm the safety factor is increased and prioritized even more so. We normally have an action plan in case of any issues between each other and a signal to let everyone know if you are in serious trouble. We all keep an eye out for each other, but ultimately if you can’t rescue yourself then you shouldn’t be out there!
K-BAY
I had to check Kimmeridge! The forecast was for WNW wind and a huge swell, which is pretty much perfect for Broad Bench. That is a forecast you don’t want to miss, I’d be gutted if I saw shots of huge ‘Bench’ and I was stuck being a fairy somewhere else! As it was, Kimmeridge wasn’t that big, it wasn’t really a ground swell, more of a huge wind swell which does not work so well at Kimmeridge, it was big and windy but nothing epic. The good thing was I could go somewhere else safe in the knowledge that I wasn’t missing anything!
SHOT
I wasn’t feeling 100% by any means, I probably shouldn’t have been sailing at all as the Aussie Flu really hit me hard, but I had missed one of the windiest Xmas periods we have ever had in the UK, so I wasn’t going to miss this day, even if it nearly killed me! The conditions were pretty full on for the South Coast. The swell seemed to be focussed squarely into Highcliffe beach. With the outgoing tide the waves were doubling up and hitting the inside sandbar and creating an over mast high shorebreak. I picked up a pretty big set on the outside, I was hoping it would start breaking further out which would have taken some of the power out of the wave, but instead it just kept walling up and got bigger and bigger until it started to reach the inside section. I was now fully committed to this wave, I made my first bottom turn and as soon as I looked up at the lip I could see I was pretty late, the only option I had to escape a mast high freight train was to hit the lip and hopefully air out in front of the throwing section!I actually didn’t realise it was such a meaty section that I had hit, it looked so perfect from my perspective but admittedly from the beach perspective I’m not sure I would have hit it given the benefit of hindsight!! Pretty stoked though that JC got the shot as I’d say it is the best shot I have ever had taken, not bad for a spot 20 minutes from my house! Highcliffe definitely delivered!
WITH SPEED COMES EASE
6.5M NO-CAM FREERACE SAIL TEST 2018
Test Editor Tris Best // Second Testers Maurin Rottenwalter & Joe North
Photos
Alex Best //
Test location Portland Harbour
If you read the blurb for all the sails in this test by their respective brands, there is a consistency that can’t help but be noticed. Every contender, without exception, prescribes to the alchemy of providing the top end speed (akin to their race-oriented cambered counterparts) but with the ease and practicality of being camber-inducer free. And yet … is that really possible? If it were, why don’t the PWA slalom aficionados use no-cam sails on the tour? We sent our test team in, to delve deeper.
This test was originally published in the April 2018 issue.
The development that goes on at the fore of sail design never ceases to amaze. You think that the industry has reached an impressive threshold for performance and will surely plateau. They’ll reach a ceiling for innovation, as there is nowhere else they can go to next. And yet subtle strides forward continue, almost under the radar, until, in a few years time you look back at past iterations and can’t believe the progression that has been made. Top end race sails truly are works of art, seeming to defy physics and coping in conditions well beyond what was conceivable just a few years ago. But top end performance comes at a price. Fully cambered race sails aren’t the easiest to rig and often feel incredibly physical unless settled and fully powered, which accounts for all cornering, lulls and use in variable winds. Add to that the fact that windsurfing kit is about finding harmonies between the various components, so that they can fulfil that well used cliché of being greater than the sum of their parts. A fin and a board, a mast and a sail – they all have their ideal partners for the perfect setup. The same is true when you decide which sail to partner your board with (and vice versa). So if you want to play with the big boys (and girls) and get yourself a state of the art sail, you best ensure you have the minerals (and something left in the coffers!) to afford the latest slalom board (and fins) as well.
These no-cam freerace sails have come a long way in the recent past. Traditionally focussed purely on top end performance, their range of set and use has broadened immeasurably. And what is more, the developments that have occurred at the racing pinnacle have noticeably trickled down into this sail category. They offer a genuine taste of the racing thoroughbred sensation and give you a proper crack of the whip, but with a fraction of the rigging and handling hassle. They can partner a variety of boards, from the 150L intermediate progression hull right up to the snorting, fire-breathing slalom board.
Windsurfing, after all, is meant to be fun and these sails provide maximum blasting enjoyment for minimal emotional, physical… or financial commitment.
FINDINGS ‘Reduced luff curve’ is a concept now well-established amongst some brands, whilst others still tend to favour the more traditional method of using increased luff curve to ensure stability and structure. The difference in feel isn’t quite as clean cut though, as cunning methods are employed to give life and feel to sails with lots of luff curve (Dacron in the luff panels, stretch in the luff sleeve, not to mention a rock-steady and precise centre of effort), just as other techniques are used to counter any loss in stability when you reduce the tension in the leading edge. It’s all a question of feel, and the sort of feedback that best suits your style of riding. Ezzy, North Sails and Severne are the brands forging the way on reduced luff curves, whilst GA Sails, Goya and Loftsails favour the increased tension. The other brands slot somewhere between, with Neil Pryde unquestionably leaning towards the ‘reduced’ camp and Simmer leaning towards the other extreme.
This variety in luff curves goes hand in hand with the materials adopted in the layup. A freerace sail should feel alive in nature, inspiring the rider to lock into a committed stance and explore their limits. That said, in real world conditions, most riders need to come up for air! There needs to be some sort of escape route – a button that can be pressed that makes the sail (and the power it generates) more forgiving and practical. The sail needs to work around the rider without patronising them or detracting from the exhilaration of the ride. To this end, it’s noticeable amongst the group, just how many brands are opting for hybrid luff panels – panels that use a variety of materials to define the manner of the power delivery. Dacron, with its progressive delivery, is often used to varying degrees, combined with x-ply or monofilm, both of which favour the stretch-resistant more direct and immediate feel. Whether the split in materials is done longitudinally or vertically, well over half the brands here have chosen it as a method to determine the sail’s character. It demonstrates just how well thought out and modelled the modern sail is – the sweet spot of each sail calculated precisely and capable of being positioned accurately both in the horizontal and now the vertical plane.
SUMMARY So onto the individual sails and we start with two that, without question, are right up there in the speed stakes. The Speedster from Neil Pryde and the AC-X from Point-7 are actually very similar in increments, outlines and characters. They are both incredibly slippery and efficient, the Pryde feeling a little more direct in the hands, whilst the Point-7 is a little softer, the delivery more subtle. If you’re looking for a sail to involve you rather than just being a passenger, then you should look to the Goya. Its power is stable and locked in; it’s just so punchy and engaging that it requires you to similarly commit. The Severne NCX goes to the other end of the scale, its super light feathery handling making its impressive performance range so accessible that it requires relatively little input from the rider. The Cheetah from Ezzy and E_Type from North would be best described as fast freeride sails. They both have masses of range and in the right hands can certainly keep up with the other sails here, but you do feel that you’re forcing the issue rather than the performance coming naturally. Which brings us to the all-rounders – GA Sails Matrix, Loftsails Oxygen and RRD’s Fire. Three very different feeling sails, but capable of being partnered with a variety of board and sailing styles. The GArelies on a broad centre of effort, the Loftsails on its natural range (backed up by tuning), whilst the RRD has plenty to give through tuning. Last but by no means least is the Simmer, the sail that surprised us the most. Setting with so much looseness in the upper panels it might look a little unique, but its combination of ease, feel and performance was breathtaking, making it a class act and popular with all who tried it.
Windsurfing round Europe, it sounds an incredible adventure, but one most people would dismiss instantly and move on to more mundane matters, such as what’s on the telly. Not Jono Dunnett, because Jono is definitely not like most people. Having successfully windsurfed round the UK, Jono decided to challenge himself further with a round Europe expedition. In a break due to winter storms, he updates us on his progress from Norway toSpain and we interview him on his journey so far.
Interview
Finn Mullen //
Words & Photos Jono Dunnett
Originally published within the April ’18 edition.
FAR NORTH Expedition start: Grense Jakobselv, Norway. The other side of the small river is Russia. The border commissioner was very clear: stay this side. The road to get here is still closed by winter snows, so it is thanks to the Norwegian army that I am starting only three days later than planned. It wasn’t easy to end up here, but neither was it hard. It was just a case of searching for pieces to the jigsaw. How did a boy from Clacton end up here, I wondered then? By talking to people, I realise now. Because no one gets anywhere truly on their own. The first days sailed are also spent re-learning to sail. I have food and gas supplies for considerable autonomy, but the weight makes the board heavier than I am used to. Upwind the nose slaps and downwind it capsizes. But I adapt, and my drysuit keeps me dry. I sail north to round Nordkinn – Europe’s most northerly mainland point, then duck inside the more celebrated but insular Nordkapp. Those first 350 kms are the most extraordinary of my windsurfing life. I make for settlements and do find people – but between it is barren arctic: true wilderness. I sail with whales, clearly a bigger deal for me than for them, camp in places that blow my mind, and survive a traumatic, overpowered, downwinder to reach the town of Honningsvåg, where I sleep in an ice-fishing tent.
The experiences continue to arrive faster than I can process them. So much to tell. The scenery if anything becomes more stunning. Spring pushes through the receding snow, and days later summer arrives. Many kind people offer food, shelter, supplies. The sailing is mostly unthreatening, often uncomfortable, occasionally exhilarating. I paddle some too. Leave the arctic. Push south. Push south. Completing the Norwegian coastline added a few hundred unnecessary – but somehow now important – miles. The last day before crossing to Sweden was one of the most enjoyable yet, shared with a Viking friend who had played a big part in the Norwegian support effort. Sweden was in a summer dress, the crossing to Denmark more serious, the shortcut through Limfjorden – to the North Sea coast – a holiday. The North Sea coasts presented different challenges: shallow water, sand banks, currents, shipping. Also, stronger winds and difficult sailing, colonies of seals, Heligoland and its gannets, occasional heat(!), the Wadden Sea, some less pleasant camping. And many more people helping out, becoming a part of the expedition, and making a real difference. Slipping through the ‘Pas-de-Calais’, England was just visible. A crossing crossed my mind, but the wind direction was unfavourable. North France included a visit to a police station over a nuclear power station exclusion zone faux pas, dolphins, the D-day beaches, the spectacular cliffs of Étretat, a paddle across the Seine estuary, and fantastic folk on either side.
AUTUMN The Atlantic coast was always going to be difficult. With a majority of days simply unsailable due to large swells, my plan had been to cherry pick calmer conditions, to cheat my way south to the calmer seas of the Mediterranean.
Frequent headwinds, but very few lost days, had allowed for excellent progress until south of Brittany. All the while – behind me now – the North Sea was getting a battering. I’d slipped into France at the right time. By a mixture of good luck and judgement, and aided by rock solid support from the French windsurfing community – including a thorough repair session at La Rochelle – I eased onto the Aquitaine coast headed towards Spain. Parts of this long, straight, and mostly uninterrupted 250km coastline were known to me from summer surfing holidays past. Etched into my memory are images of the pro events – Slater and friends dropping into close-out barrels yards from the beach, and my own experiences of struggling even to get out of the water on the smaller days I ventured in. A raceboard here in the impact zone, starved of wind to reach shore, is on borrowed time…
And whilst the beaches are hazardous, neither are rivers and basins an easy ticket in and out. Enormous sand banks channel their waters far out to sea. At the entrance to the Gironde, a detour 13km seaward was required to find a route in. The further out I sailed, the bigger and louder the waves unloaded on the bank. Big, long period swells – moving ghost like and with great speed – ready to rear up and catch out who ventures into shallow water.
At Arcachon, with darkness approaching, I take a gamble by heading for a channel between point and bank. Current flows out the gap. A medium sized set arrives. Swells lump up all around. One picks me up, takes me part way in. Where the channel constricts it runs stronger, there’s no way to beat it, but retreat would be disastrous. I pump furiously just to hold position. A bigger set breaks behind – where I’d been a few moments previous. The whitewater rolls in, reforms into a wave again before reaching me, picks me up, and breaks a second time. Against the odds I stay upright, and moments later we crash through tumultuous waters until grounding on the sand spit. It would take two more days to get properly round the corner and into Arcachon basin. Multiple sail breakages – all patched, a missile range, fog, cold nights, warm hospitality, and a final run of 95 kms rounded off the Aquitaine coast stages. Phew!
SPAIN It was exciting to reach Spain. I have my base and many friends here. I speak the language, and understand the coffee. The North Spanish coastline is also majestic. Lush greens and snow-capped mountains. Norway-esque. On the right day, it is a splendid coastline to sail. But it is also unprotected, and orientated to receive a battering from the Atlantic. The sea state near the open coast is almost without exception confused and choppy as swells bounce off the cliffs; and the wind is fickle or absent at most potential stopping locations. It is said that – in response to unfavourable winds – the wise sailor doesn’t despair, but adjusts his sails. Tired of that, my approach these days was to head for the bars to sample the excellent tapas and pinchos…
The reality of the super-uncomfortable days is that these are also the ones when nature is most likely to reveal herself. Bottle-nosed dolphins and a lone sunfish are the recent observers / observed. It really is true that the hours of effort from continuous balancing dissolve away with these encounters. And in Spain too – as has been the case in every country I have touched – the ‘family of windsurfers’ has done everything it can to support this adventure. Multiple offers of whatever is required or might be appreciated: food, lodgings, sightseeing tours, washing, medical attention, tools, repairs. And beyond that, the wider ‘family of the sea’ – yacht sailors, rowers, fisherman, and those who just gaze out – have also shown great kindness. It’s a very humbling experience this. It is also rewarding: experiencing directly, or being a catalyst for, the making of connections. That’s a positive tonic, particularly at this time of divisive Brexit folly in my own, sadly troubled, UK.
WINTER Progress has slowed now. I’ve had a couple of bouts of flu. Getting cold, and the combined effects of hard sailing and living semi-homeless since May must show at some point. But I’ve not missed many sailable days – the Atlantic has simply been too angry most of the time. And the rare good days – when they come – are very short. The weak sun struggles to set up helpful breezes and a safe haven needs to be reached in good time before nightfall. All to be expected, although the combination of ill health and stalled progress does knock morale. But a break is useful too. For months now, I’ve felt that I have been living with an experience processing deficit. So much happens, and new stuff happens before the old stuff is properly dealt with. Writing this I’ve convinced myself of the benefits of a break, which I offer as evidence of the value of time for reflection! I’ll head to my home in Menorca and get strong before heading back for the next weather window. The longer I have to wait the better – the days are getting longer already.
Gear The original Severne Turbo GT sail made it from the Arctic to Asturias – Spain. Widespread patching of UV-weakened X-ply was first urgently applied in Belgium. Daily repairs to the shot film eventually became the norm. I added kilos. The result was a rig that would – with a modest additional covering of sand – literally sink! Thankfully I’ve now received Turbo GT 2, and it’s almost entirely built of the materials that proved most resistant on sail one. Woohoo! Being back on a tough sail feels like having an arm untied from behind my back. The Starboard Phantom is doggedly battling on after some chine, vee and slot flusher repairs. Loading gear on the deck – or raised as is the case with the barrel – makes it particularly unstable and prone to capsize when you fall in, and very heavy to move about on land, but it remains a pleasure to sail. The joy of ‘real windsurfing’ is preserved.
STRUGGLES Struggles seems too strong a word, but I do sometimes check in with myself on a few issues.
Sometimes I wonder if my concern for safety is exaggerated. Probably, it is. But is also probably a useful character trait that – so far – has kept me out of serious trouble. I know many who would be more daring, but few who could have sailed the distance I have without major incident.
I also know – though occasionally have to remind myself, particularly when unable to sail due to bad weather – that the highly stressful days are the exception. And I love the simplicity of this life, and realise it is a privilege. Stress is just the cost of liberation from the ties of land, and normal life. And it is that liberation which is so sublime.
I did, briefly – a long while back, feel sad that I might not ever fit back into normal life. Then I remembered that I’d never really fitted in. Who does? Who’d want to? I’ve long ago stopped worrying about that one.
The previously touched upon experience processing deficit had been weighing on my mind. Opportunities such as this, to write and reflect, are a necessary part of the adventure too, and allow times when the weather doesn’t permit sailing to be framed positively.
I struggle a bit with social media, not fully convinced I like it…but hey, this is the world we live in! So I just treat is as part of my very nice job. And the ultimate reason for sharing the trip is to raise funds for WWF, which means people need to know about it.
So please do share my online posts! I’ll keep the updates coming, and let’s at least have a go at leaving the next generation a beautiful planet where life still thrives.
Editor’s note – You can follow Jono’s amazing journey at windsurfroundeurope.eu and facebook.com/windsurfroundeurope and if you want to know more about Jono, his round UK windsurf trip and his excellent book on same – check out jonodunnett.com . If you want to know more about his round Europe windsurf trip then read on, as we ask Jono a few questions about his progress.
WS: What equipment or technique modifications have you been able to use or improve on during this trip and compared to last (round UK)? JD: There are two big things. First, this time I have the capacity to carry more gear through the addition of the spray deck on the front. It’s not dry inside, but gives quite good protection for a drybag and the pair of crocs that I keep up front. Its real benefit over just strapping gear on is that the bow maintains quite reasonable wave piercing qualities.
The second big thing is the paddle. Going round Britain I started with a paddle but never found either a satisfactory stowage solution, or a method that allowed for paddling with a rigged sail. With the addition of the front spray deck the stowage issue solved itself – blade protected, shaft running back along the deck. The method for rigged sail paddling was more difficult to ‘solve’ and – still – making it work in anything other than a glassy sea state is a challenge, but it has got me out of numerous uncomfortable situations and contributes greatly to piece of mind when far from shore in an unreliable wind.
The system is basically two foam blocks that make a cradle for the boom to rest on, and some tie downs to hold it in place. For those who are curious there’s a video on the website.
WS: With such a large stretch accomplished, has it helped improve or changed your motivation and confidence? JD: I tend to not look back and rather focus on what lies ahead. At the time of writing that is Galicia and the Atlantic coast of Portugal. Swell has been pounding that coastline all winter and I am very aware of the challenge that presents. I’m trying to settle my mind so that I enjoy the sailing, but with landings in swell being so complicated, the sense of vulnerability is ever present. But of course – yes! – every challenge once passed is a cause for reflection and perhaps minor celebration.
WS: What have been the stand out highs and lows so far? JD: My fondest memory is alone under my sail, in the falling snow, in remotest Finnmark, wearing every last item of clothing inside my sleeping bag, watching a snow bunting flit from rock to rock just a few metres away. It is difficult to imagine a peace so profound.
The few times I’ve sailed with others have also been very special.
Lows? I don’t believe tough times are a negative. If we notice we feel low it’s good because we know we need to work on something. That could be something as simple as making sure we eat well, or it could be a more profound decision needs to be made. But first comes the eating well.
WS: What are you most looking forward to on the next legs? JD: I don’t identify things to look forward to. You can never predict when your jaw will drop, so it is best not to arrange times for that to happen. Part of me thinks that Norway can never be matched, but I know the brain doesn’t work like that.
Many wonderful experiences and people become part of this expedition. There are people, and occasionally places, I feel sad to leave. But the pull of the empty ocean is ultimately stronger. At this stage of my life, windsurfing is my gateway to that world.
Shake ups on the industry side of windsurfing are rare these days but rumours have swirled for a few months that a new sail brand was in development by windsurf industry giants ‘Boards & More GmbH’. Learning that indeed Boards & More is bidding farewell to North Sails Windsurfing and launching its own brand, Duotone, we sat down with Till Eberle, Managing Director of Boards & More GmbH to find out more about their bold move.
Words – Till Eberle // Photos – Boards & More GmbH
WS: Is it true that Boards & More is bringing a new brand to the Windsurf market? TE: Yes, that’s true. We’ll be launching the new brand Duotone on the 1st of August 2018.
WS: What has happened for you to give up North Sails Windsurfing after 38 years? TE: Boards & More and North Sails Group America, which is owned by Oakley Capital, have somewhat differing views about the future of the brand. This is what motivated us at Boards & More to come up with our own brand. We have some exciting ideas for the future and are ready to take full control over bringing them about.
WS: Is the Boards & More Group getting a new owner? TE: No, at least not at the moment. But a few years from now this could certainly happen.
WS: Will North Sails Windsurfing still be around? TE: That I cannot say. We, as Boards & More, will no longer be running the North Sails Windsurfing brand after a transition period ends.
WS: What does this mean for North customers? If, for example, a customer bought a new North sail in the spring? TE: That is all taken care of. We, that is Boards & More, will work with the dealer where the customer bought his sail and will continue our cooperation with the dealer. We absolutely guarantee any warranty claims in legal periods. All customers who have registered their product are entitled for our warranty extension programs on top of the original warranty period. Additionally, we will also continue to be accommodating beyond that. Boards & More have a reputation for being reliable and we will continue to honour the service and warranty for any of the products we sell. And of course, as Boards & More, we also want to get our new Duotone brand up and running. We’ll do everything in our power to make our existing customers happy.
WS: What does the new Duotone brand stand for? TE: Duotone represents authenticity – being true – both in windsurfing and in kiteboarding. We will continue to offer high quality products for all disciplines and will push forward as leaders in technology for the sports that we love.
WS: Will there be Duotone products for windsurfing, kiteboarding, surfing, or even wakeboarding? TE: That is possible. However, our current focus is on windsurfing and kiteboarding. In specific terms, we’re likely to explore the foil sector. The major trend of foil surfing, i.e. in groundswell wave foils, is very exciting.
WS: With the new brand name, is it simply a case of rebranding your existing products and now selling them under the Duotone moniker? TE: We’ll keep developing our products under the new brand, that’s for sure. All the engineering, the design of sails, masts, booms and extensions – that’s all knowledge acquired by Boards & More over the years. Our employees developed all of the products, all of the patents are ours and all of the product names belong to Boards & More. For example, we created the Super Hero and the Warp so there will still be a Super Hero and a Warp available under Duotone, which will be identical in terms of performance, features and function to the Super Hero or the Warp of the past. We will also maintain our proven manufacturing setup to ensure that we are delivering the same superior quality to our customers.
WS: So customers will still be able to buy a Power.XT, a Platinum mast and boom, or the iBase? TE: Yes, they will. Customers will get everything they’re familiar with and even a little bit extra.
WS: Will all of your developers, team riders and international distributors be staying with you? TE: We asked the question to everyone beforehand: line manager Raoul Joa, sail designer Kai Hopf, hardware engineer Uli Bitterolf and all our team riders. Everyone is on board. All of our developers and internal team have signed on for the next few years and are excited to see this come to life. Initially, many employees thought it was a joke, that we couldn’t just create an entirely new brand. However, now that we are doing it, it is obvious that many new possibilities are available and our employees are more motivated than ever to leave their footprint.
WS: What new freedoms are you particularly excited about with your own Duotone brand? TE: Sometimes a change can really inspire you. The Duotone brand belongs to us; we can shape it as we see fit. We’ll position Duotone where we think it best fits and where it might be cool for our customers. We have no connection to sailing anymore. Where you come from and what you stand for is the brand’s new outlook. We can also develop Duotone in new areas, such as foiling or clothing if we so desire. Or if we want to bring surfboards to the market, that’s something we can do too. Now it’s up to us what we want to pursue.
WS: Will the launch of Duotone affect the other brands of the Boards & More Group, i.e. ION, Fanatic and Arrows? TE: No, not at all.
WS: You own the ION brand from which ION Club is derived. Why is the new brand not called ION Sails for example? TE: That’s something we discussed internally at length. However, we came to the conclusion that from a brand positioning perspective it is better to keep ION as an independent brand. Even Neil Pryde customers or Severne fans can identify with ION and purchase these products. Our principle when we created ION was not to offer any hard goods under this name, rather to create a neutral brand, which specialises in accessories, as a complement to our, as well as others, hardware brands. For that reason, ION isn’t a perfect fit for our original idea of creating a new windsurf brand.
WS: Duotone was a snowboard brand from Boards & More back in the 1990s. Why resurrect the name? TE: There was plenty of heated debate about the name Duotone in some internet forums. We think it’s very exciting because it’s a very emotional name with many meanings and interpretations. In the last two years, our sails have had this duotone effect in terms of their colour scheme, that’s how we stumbled upon it. When we were looking for a name for the new brand, we chose Duotone as the internal project name. The longer we worked with it, the more we realised that this name was a really good match for the new brand. On top of that, Boards & More had already registered this name worldwide. And we really liked the double meaning associated with the name Duotone: wind and water combined form a better unit, just like lightness and durability. This interaction between two factors crops up again and again in the creation of products.
WS: For you personally, would you describe this new venture as more of a burden or a liberation? TE: I would say this is a massive opportunity. We’re bringing something new to the table, something that no one else is doing. I get this feeling of optimism again. It’s a challenge – but very exciting, creatively speaking. I would put it like this, if you want to ride a big wave like Jaws and show zero respect to the challenge or consequence, then that’s not likely to have a positive outcome. A certain amount of respect is a good guide, so we’ve worked diligently to develop a thorough plan of action and welcome the new possibilities.
WS: With the launch of Duotone, do you expect the price of second-hand North Sails Windsurfing products to plummet? TE: I doubt it. Because a Super Hero is always a Super Hero and a Warp is always a Warp. The customer knows what he wants. From my experience, the specific model, the product name, is more important than the brand.
WS: When are the new Duotone sails, masts and booms coming to market? TE: The Duotone brand will be officially launched on 1st of August. We will have the new Super Hero, Super Session, Idol LTD and E_Type available at this time together with 80% of the hardware products (masts, booms, extensions). Warp, S_Type and the rest of the hardware products will follow one month later.
QUICK FACTS
Boards & More revenues 2017 – 71 million Euros. 1,980 retailers & distributors in 89 countries. 134 staff members with HQ in Austria and offices in Germany.
Managing Director | CEO, Till Eberle, has been with the company since 2000, heading up North Sails Windsurfing, North Kiteboarding, Fanatic and ION. Till graduated in Industrial Engineering, and concentrates on product development, marketing, distribution and all kinds of strategic projects.
“I couldn’t travel during the winter season, so the nature Gods were nice to me and delivered the best winter conditions I ever had at home! Nonstop waves during the all season and a couple windy days every week! Add to the equation a crazy drone pilot following every adventure, and my dear friend Gonzalo filming from the water… and the outcome is this little vid…”
Suistyle Freestyle aka Balz Müller on fire at Lake Garda – “Happy scoring some early Pelèr sessions on Lago di Garda the past weekend! the magical place where freestyle windsurfing legend Mattia Pedrani learned styling! Burners and Choppers is his unique windsurf music clip! And since that song/clip accompanied me thru my freestyle windsurf beginnings, I’m proud using his song with my own “dreamtricks” of the past days. Incredible how Mattia already ripped back then! and crazy where our freestyle discipline leads to nowadays! ACTION! filmed by Windwasserwellen.ch”
Some spots claim to be the windiest, some offer the biggest surf, but if you want some of the longest sailable waves in the world, then Pacasmayo in Peru is a good place to start. Maria Andres gives us the lowdown on her adventures there.
Words Maria Andres // Photos Si Crowther, Kevin Pritchard, Jacko Campeche, Maria Andres.
This feature originally appeared in the April 2018 issue of Windsurf Magazine
It all started five years ago. I was asked to help with the design for a little windsurf video. When I saw the clips, I could not believe it. The spot looked unreal. It was the longest ‘windsurfable’ wave I had ever seen. It seemed to be super glassy and friendly… the kind of wave where everyone could perform their best, learn fast and enjoy it!
That spot was Pacasmayo, unknown to the windsurf community then, but since has become more and more popular. Ever since learning about it I’ve wanted to go! Last August I finally had the chance, I was so excited! It was going to be my first time visiting somewhere in South America that was not Brazil, and of course, my first time in Peru. I did not really know what to expect. In my head I could almost imagine and reproduce every section of this never-ending wave of El Faro. Everything else, I was about to discover!
ROAD TRIP
From what I heard before, the spot was located in a remote place and it wasn’t easy to get there… I was a bit confused with the information I had… but actually, Pacasmayo village is well connected to Trujillo, the closest big town (100 Kms. away).
The trip to get there was very simple. I was travelling alone, with my windsurf and SUP gear. I flew to Lima, where I found some other IWT riders coming straight from the Baja event. The fact that there was a competition was not my motivation to go, but it was a good opportunity for me to participate in the event, why not? I could already feel that it was a very special competition atmosphere, relaxed and friendly, I liked that. We flew together to Trujillo and then a transfer picked us up and we drove to Pacasmayo. That was it. Easy.
The immensity of the desert landscapes on the road was overwhelming. The silence was palpable and it was hard to stay awake with the monotone view, until the magic started. The road began to cross green and dry areas alternatively. As if the land was painted in green and yellow stripes between the coast and the Andes mountains. The mountains are located parallel to the coast, so wherever there is a river finding its way to the ocean, there will be a green valley, and of course, a village.
The contrast of colours was very powerful! Trees, plants, fruits, kids, markets, noise, people wearing bright colours, horses, colourful houses, trucks, smells…. A few seconds later, silence. Greys, yellows, dunes, hills and rocky mountains. The smallest presence of colour in this bleak landscape stuck out dramatically. The contrasts were hypnotic. The pink t-shirt of the person walking in the shoulder of the endless road through the desert or a Circus poster in an empty wall in a grey landscape was attractive enough to keep us awake, admiring and taking photos of everything.
VILLAGES Alternating with the dry areas, the villages located in the green valleys are so alive. The best word to describe them could be “movement”. I had little flashes from Morocco, India, and Cape Verde. There were many details that reminded me of those places. The tuk-tuks like in Asia (I didn’t know I was going to see moto-taxis in Peru! I love them!), colourful shops and markets like in Morocco, the unfinished and semi-painted constructions like in Cape Verde.
That was actually something very striking. Pretty much every house had the second floor half built. Head high at the front of the house everything looked nice and new, but looking up at the sides of the houses, it was unfinished, unpainted and you could see the raw and grey materials. It was so startling that I asked about it. The best explanations were, “this is a way to avoid paying taxes because you only start paying once the house is finished”, and about the painting, “this is because at one point someone is going to build a house next to them, so why should they waste the money”. So, mystery solved as to the look of many of the little villages we passed through.
PEOPLE When you are travelling, arriving somewhere where you find smiley and friendly faces makes you feel so good and welcome. It makes you feel at home. I had never travelled to a Spanish speaking country and to be able to communicate in my mother language was so awesome! During this trip, I was going to be able to express my thoughts exactly the way I wanted. I am sure this helps to connect to people, but it was easy whatever language you were speaking. Everyone was friendly and happy to chat and answer questions about whatever we wanted to ask. It was beautiful to see how involved they are about protecting their environment and how much they know about their history. I had some very interesting conversations with taxi drivers!
CULTURE The first evidence of settlements in the region date from 11.000 BC. The Mochica and Chimú culture populated Pacasmayo area, leaving a big legacy behind, like some unique pyramids in the Jequetepeque Valley that you can visit, the textile and ceramic traditions and their knowledge for developing towns, like Pakatnamú. There is also a big connection with the ocean. In some beaches you can find and even try the ancient “Caballitos de Totora”. They are reed watercraft used by fishermen in Peru for the past 3000 years, archaeologically evidenced from pottery shards.Close to Pacasmayo, in the port town of Huanchaco, fishermen still use these vessels riding the waves back to shore, suggesting some of the first forms of wave riding.The Peruvian cuisine is considered the most varied cuisine in the world. The Peruvian gastronomy reflects the miscegenation that has shaped Peruvian culture over the centuries. There are pre-Columbian cultures added to the Spanish cuisine, the culinary customs of African culture, influenced by Amazonian, Creole, Andean, French, Cantonese, Japanese and Italian gastronomy. In Pacasmayo there are a lot of little restaurants with a big choice of delicious meals for a very good price. Just be careful with the water/salads and eggs. A must try is Ceviche and Pisco Sour (It has raw egg, but you can ask to get it without).
PACASMAYO Arriving in Pacasmayo, the first thing I did was check the wave of course! It was way longer than I had imagined and with lines stretched all the way to the horizon. The beach was long with sandy cliffs like a desert and there was a long pier in the middle of the bay filled with fishing boats. The air was kind of foggy and the scenery was picturesque. The streets were busy and colourful, it looked messy but nice. Friendly faces, and pimped out moto-taxis were moving all around.The promenade (“Malecón”) along the beach was pleasant with nice cafes and little shops. Some of the streets are so interesting! There are fruit markets, big supermarkets, pharmacy, restaurants and shops. You can find everything in the village. Before I arrived, I was told that the village was far from the resort or the place where you launch to windsurf. But it’s just a 10 minute walk or 2 minutes by moto taxi! So don’t think that you will be isolated. Everything you need is right there.
THE WAVE / SURFING PACASMAYO Pacasmayo is located in the north of Peru, so when the south swells hit the Pacasmayo coast, the waves have a big period and are perfectly organized in endless lines. The orientation of El Faro Beach is perfect to get the south swell wrapping around and forming a wave peeling left all the way. When it is big, you can catch a wave at the lighthouse and surf it all the way to the pier, over 1 kilometre! Pacasmayo wave is so unique that legends like Laird Hamilton, Kai Lenny and Robby Naish have ridden it! Nowadays, during the winter months, you can get to share a wave with Kevin Pritchard, Morgan Noireaux or Bernd Roediger!
The first time I finally went in in the water I was so excited! How can it be windy and so glassy! The inside of the bay close to the lighthouse is shallow and protected somewhat by the point. It gets the swell but the surface of the water is so clean that you don’t feel any chop. The wave keeps forming perfectly, with some steeper parts and beautiful walls. There are some parts were you have to wait and reposition, then accelerate and go for the section in front. It is the sort of wave riding you have been dreaming about all your life!
Every wave lets you do so many turns that you learn and improve very quickly! One day in Pacasmayo you can probably learn more than months or years in your home spot! There is a local boy, William Perez, that only started windsurfing a few years ago. He wasn’t practicing any watersport before, and now you can see him ripping Pacasmayo waves with style either on his windsurf or SUP board! It is very consistent also, it was windy and wavy almost every day during my 20 day trip!
The long beach with red cliffs to the right makes you feel like you are surfing in California. The sunsets are orange, mystical and serene. The wind starts to drop. The lighthouse starts to flash. Sailing back home, I got to surf the same wave as a Pelican. Both in silence, both going down the line using the little wind left and the power of the wave. It was so magical and back at the beach I was excited to tell everyone. Well, apparently I was the only person that never surfed with pelicans before! Ha ha, whatever, sharing a wave with a bird so big that can fly so smooth and so close to you is awesome! Sometimes they fly in groups and make funny paths going up and down using the wind that the wave generates. I was hypnotized by them! There are a lot of seals too! For a European like me, it was all so exotic!
These waves are so much fun, you can push as much as you want because they are not too powerful or dangerous, you can share with friends and you can decide how long to ride or in what part of the wave (the bay!) to stay. Suffice to say I rode my best ever waves in Pacasmayo. I got to do a lot of turns and 3 aerials in the same wave! I almost couldn’t sleep after the good days! This wave is so unique that there is a project to have the wave designated as a national monument, protecting it from development for future generations. I really hope they will get it! With an average swell size, to get to the top of the point to surf, the moto-taxis can take you there with your boards for a small charge, but it isn’t actually that far to walk. Windsurfing it is just a 10-20 minute upwind sail. When the swell is very big, the currents are extremely strong and the wave gets so long that if you want to surf or SUP it all the way from El Faro to the Pier you’ll need to hire a boat to take you back to the point. Windsurfing you will not need it.
PACASMAYO PIER Pacasmayo Pier is probably the icon of the town, together with the wave. In 1871 construction began of the Pier (“Muelle de Pacasmayo”) and the train Station. It became a very important port for the boats exporting tobacco to Chile and also for exporting other goods, like fish or guano from the islands. Guano is essentially bird poop, which happens to be a very good organic fertilizer and Peru is the world’s leading producer of it. It was prized by the Incas and played a very important role in the Peruvian economy in the 19th century until they overexploited stocks. The building of the pier began the golden age of Pacasmayo, which lasted until 1967, the year when the railway stopped running. Since that time, the commercial activity has decreased to the point where now the pier, just as the railway station, are historic monuments, the evidence of a glorious past that brought with it an economic boom to the city.The initial length of the deck was 773 metres, but 3 bigger swells during the early 1900s and one in 2015 (when even Laird Hamilton visited Pacasmayo for the swell) destroyed a big part of it. Nowadays there is just 424 metres left, but it still looks such a long pier! Now it is so fragile that only fishermen are allowed to walk over the deck to get to their boats. The bigger the swell is, the farther out they need to anchor their boats. The local fishing fleet means great fresh fish in Pacasmayo, best sampled in the famous Peruvian fish dish, Ceviche.
THE SEASON Pacasmayo wind and waves work pretty much all year round. During December, January and February the waves are a bit smaller because it is summer and the south swells are not pumping. The wind season starts in May and blows until November. I was there during August and September and most of the time I was perfect on a 4.5 sail and 76 litre board. The average annual temperature is 22°C., the max average is 27 and the minimum average is 17. You’ll need a 5/4 or 4/3 wetsuit during the winter (July, August & September) and just shorts in summer.
OTHER SPOTS There are a few amazing spots close to Pacasmayo. Chicama is just 30 Kms. away and it has beautiful long and peeling waves. The orientation is almost the same as Pacasmayo, but it needs bigger swells. So if Pacasmayo is too big, then to go to Chicama.
(Editor’s note – Chicama holds the Guinness world record for the longest wave ridden by a windsurfer, set by Camille Juban, who sailed one wave for 7 minutes and 3 seconds!)
Huanchaco is a beautiful long beach with a pier and once again, endless lefts. A longboard paradise. At the beach, you’ll be able to rent a traditional reed boat (“Caballito de Totora”) and try it in the ocean.
For tourist days you can visit the pyramids in Jequetepeque Valley or the archaeological sites of Chan-Chan or El Brujo.
MORE INFO: How to get there: Option 1 Fly to Lima + bus “Excluciva” Lima-Pacasmayo (direct!). This is the cheaper option normally.Option 2 – Fly to Trujillo or Chiclayo + transfer to Pacasmayo (organize it before arrival with your accommodation). Accommodation: There are a lot of options. If on a budget, you can rent a house or stay in a little hostel / hotel somewhere in town. Or, for a reasonable price, you can stay in El Faro Resort, right in front of the wave and leave your sail rigged. Food: There are plenty of nice little restaurants with tasty food. Be careful with the water as you can get diarrhoea, so best to travel with some appropriate medicine. Closet airport: Trujillo or Chiclayo. Bus from Lima: If you only fly to Lima, then go to the bus station by taxi. There are lots of bus companies. “Excluciva” is quite popular because you can take your board bags and it has beds. Once in Pacasmayo bus station, you can go by taxi to your accommodation. Transfer: There are transfers either from Chiclayo or Trujillo, you can ask your host to organize them.
More thigh burning action from the the longest sailable wave on the planet ! Video action from Yann Rifflet and Leysa Perotti in the little town of Pacasmayo, Peru.
MATTEO IACHINO SHARES HIS SECRETS ABOUT THE ISONIC 107
World Champion Matteo Iachino shares his secrets about the iSonic 107 – Matteo Iachino from Italy won the recent PWA slalom Viana World Cup, Portugal and he is hunting his second World Title. He is a speed machine and tells how he tunes the iSonic 107 to become so fast!
“Black Rock Desert, Nevada. Some clips from the trip. We will all be consolidating our footage, and I’ll be putting together a full-length movie with angles, and footage from everyone who came!”
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