OVERVIEW The Rock continues in Tushingham’s range for 2015 as a 5 batten control orientated sail complemented by the new, softer, multi-tasking 4 batten Bolt, launched recently and tested last month in its 5.25m size. We have had the pleasure of testing several sizes of the British brand’s wave weapon and have always found the Rock a solid performer and worthy of Tushingham’s continuity of design. With the aforementioned attributes, the Rock stood as a benchmark in test to measure both the style variations of its counterparts and equally importantly, the changes in the Test Team’s feel after a season on the latest board and sail combos under our collective belts. Reliable performance is what you can count on with the Rock.
BRAND CLAIM Super light in the hands with an extremely locked in centre of effort on the wave face and in the air, ideal for spotting ramps and sheeting in as hard as you can.
PERFORMANCE The Tushingham is the only sail here to feature a tack cringle rather than a pulley block. It’s also way easier to attach the boom before tightening up the down haul as the cut-out is very taught when loaded. The build quality is still solid and the Rock’s durability credentials are firmly stamped all over it. We were all interested to feel how the Rocks would fare amongst the group of sails on test. The 5 batten design is extremely stable and whilst 3 or 4 batten designs may be more manoeuvrable, the Rock’s stability make it great for blasting round the break with a draft forward feeling and little backhand pressure. As mentioned, this trip was light on the 25 knot days which are the staple for most 4.7s. So as our usage was more at the lower end, we initially set with minimum downhaul. This certainly boosted the low end- drive and provided more backhand pressure when tuned with the outhaul to balance and extend the natural range of the sail. The Rock is Peter Hart’s sail of choice and he has remarked on the benefit of a slightly lower boom/shorter line set up when sailing them to put you on your toes and give a more connected feel to the fin. In this regard the Rock really woke us up to the fact that we adapt more to what we sail than we thought. In conclusion the Rock is still a great sail that is a very good partner to FSW and faster more directional boards and will please those sailors looking for a no nonsense sail that won’t break the bank either.
THE VERDICT Rock by name and Rock by nature. Tushingham’s well trusted design keeps going, doing exactly what it says on the tin. Offers great value for money with the Tushingham mast and good availability in the UK. Stable with lots of top end control and speed for jumping, well suited for directional boards and typical UK conditions.
OVERVIEW The Mutant contrasts many of the sails here by achieving its abilities from a reduced luff length, although not the only sail in this group to set on a 370 it is still a full 20cm shorter than the rest.
Maui Sails wave range comprises of the 5 batten Global, Legend and Ghost-CS (Technora Legend) and of course the 3 batten Epic. The 4 batten Mutant is the shortest luff length of the bunch and we had been itching to get our hands on one for some time. The 375 luff length and clean set really tickled our fancy and marked the Mutant as the most squat in the test group and one of the most compact sails available..
BRAND CLAIM Our revolutionary Mutant 4-batten, ultra compact wave sail has proven itself over the past couple seasons as a lethal tool for both competition wave sailing (2 x AWT champ) and dedicated wave sailors alike.
PERFORMANCE The Mutant looks intelligently put together and sets with an even amount of luff curve and just a little looseness in the leech between battens 1 and 2, and a hint between 2 and 3. In the wind, this is always a cleanly set sail that never looks out of shape with the downhaul as per spec, and 15-20mm of positive outhaul tension to balance things. It has a fine entry and with its low aspect ratio outline, the centre of effort is located a little further back than on a traditional sail, requiring your lines to be moved back a few cm for correct balance. Once your lines are right you can get on with challenging yourself to try some different moves, inspired by that short luff. Raking the rig over into a bottom turn you are provided with a different perspective as you look over the tip that much sooner than a taller sail. As expected the drive and bottom end are all there and easily accessed. The feel is noticeably different to the rest of the test and the manoeuvrability is smooth, not twitchy. It is a stable sail to be put where you want and can feel like standing on a simulator with a kiddy-rig being so chuck around. As some of the team commented, the draft position sets you square to the rig with drive between the feet, giving your body even pressure to manage the tremendous turning power it can generate. If you are coming from more traditional outline sails then take a little time to get your settings right and you will soon be away, enjoying the Mutant’s smooth power and manoeuvrability.
THE VERDICT Toy like dimensions provide a great combination of drive and manoeuvrability for all rider weights. Four battens and a moderately firm leech provide lots of manageable power to tap into and exploit. Clean setting and calm in puffy conditions, this squat little fighter will help reveal the adventurous side of your windsurfing nature.
OVERVIEW Goya’s flagship Banzai has an enviable trophy cabinet being a PWA World Wave Champion and Aloha Classic winning sail and has been gently evolving since its introduction to the lineup in 2012. The latest incarnation has some modifications (slightly tighter boom lengths from 4.2 to 5.7 and some seam changes) and the addition of 6.0 and 6.3 sizes. Last year’s Banzai was a real favorite for its direct yet refined power delivery and fingertip control, so we were expecting great things from this new beauty and it did not disappoint. One of the major areas of improvement targeted was the increased upper end performance which we certainly noticed but due to the marginal conditions experienced on test were not able to explore fully.
BRAND CLAIM The new Banzai is a world-wide performance wave sail. This new generation is lighter, more flexible and has a draft forward feeling in the hands, along with better high wind control in all sizes.
PERFORMANCE For on-shore “puffy “ conditions the set is moderately full which provides plenty of power to drive you up to speed swiftly but without any unsettling brutality if you need to make a few pumps to help. Its profile stays well balanced and manageable with a mid-height and moderately forward pull which won’t sap your energy. Goya recommend a flatter setting utilizing the lower clew cringle for the side shore use and top end control. Once you have tuned your outhaul setting to find the sweet spot, the smooth ride and rotation is set regardless of the water conditions. That calm, balanced ride in the acceleration phase continues on the wave and depowering is instinctive and easy to achieve. The Banzai’s calmness is a well noted feature and it certainly ranked as one of the most stable on test with the ability to actually forget about it almost completely. These are handling characteristics shared with the Goya Custom Quads, initially you don’t find anything striking or particularly stand out, then an hour later you realise you have completely forgotten about your board and rig and have just been absorbed by your windsurfing experience not your kit. While some of our heavyweight testers found the Banzai more challenging to use the overall feel was one of control and a high degree of manoeuvrability. Construction standard is extremely high and combined with its almost stealth like ability to make you forget about the sail in use means the Banzai retains its position from last year as one of our favourites on test.
THE VERDICT Well refined, stunning detail, materials and look for this premium go anywhere and do anything sail. Tuning required for the 100kg + or heavy handed riders but for the rest of us, it’s performance plug and play. Great connection to the board and superb when matched with multi- fin shapes. All-round ability still keeps it an easy choice.
OVERVIEW The Taka is Ezzy’s latest edition to the range and there has been a great deal of buzz about it as many sailors have been converted to its 3 batten charms. Available in 5 sizes from 3.6 to 5.4 with just 2 masts required to span 4.1 up, it has been in development for several years with the usual David Ezzy, single minded, exhaustive and detailed approach. Its most striking visual feature are the unequally spaced battens, which make it unique in appearance compared to all the other 3 batten sails finding their way onto the market. The illusion makes the Taka appear taller than it actually is, it’s not the shortest in this test but it is still 25cm shorter than the Goya Banzai 4.7.
BRAND CLAIM “I designed the three batten Taka to be a pure wave sail. It’s light in the hands and rides waves better than any sail I have ever used.’’
David Ezzy
PERFORMANCE The physical lightness, softness and subtlety of feel were universally praised on test. It’s unusual to have no battens in your direct eye line and the vertical crease behind the luff, which inflates as you sheet in, allows the sail to depower from the luff as well as exhausting from the leech; a high tech, modern take on the principle of how fully soft sails from the 80’s worked. The pull is middle and forward and stable when you have become familiar with it, although it will move a touch more than some 4 and 5 batten models. Some testers found it twitchy at first, coming from more locked in sails but it is worth persevering with as the sail’s other benefits grow on you. The low end is impressive when you have become accustomed to the feel with many users optimizing this gain to use a smaller sail than they normally would e.g. a 4.9 in place of a 5.3. Acceleration off the beach can feel a little lacking at first but the gains are all in the manoeuvrability and ease in transitions especially gybes. The top end control was not explored to the full but we observed the leech starts to motor a little in the head, however the power point does not move considerably so the Taka politely tells you it’s time to change down, rather than giving you a good hard spank!
For the Medano conditions we encountered with shifty, variable wind it is worth adjusting the outhaul setting, especially when powered but for more stable wind conditions the untuned range is good and the sail light and easy in use.
THE VERDICT Soft and subtle with a different feel to stiffer foils makes for good throw about maneuverability and a stand-out product worth trying. Add the super easy rigging systems incorporated into all the Ezzy sails and you get a sail that will satisfy the Ezzy faithful and also tempt some new blood to the clan. Recommended.
OVERVIEW This is the first time that we’ve been able to get our hands on a Sailloft Hamburg rig. Not to be confused with Monty Spindler’s “Loft Sails” brand, Sailloft Hamburg have been around since 1996, quietly working away following their own path, expanding from a small custom loft to launching their first two lines at the turn of the millennium. They now produce 8 different lines, including 4 wave designs; the 5 batten Curve (billed as hardcore indestructible), the Bionic 5 batten, the Quad and the Quad Plus which is a 5 batten available in sizes 5.2 to 6.7 only. The Quad tested here is their lowest aspect and only 4 batten sail and shows a different approach to a real, multi use sail.
BRAND CLAIM Soft handling combined with maximum power for early planing is what the QUAD stands for. Hardcore wave-rider or freestyler, the QUAD will definitely push you over the next wave or into your next trick.
PERFORMANCE The Sailloft scientists have hooked into the fact that freestyle is pushing the more acrobatic new style wave sailing moves and the “pop” that freestylers feed on can also be utilized in waves to great effect. Their focus has also been on keeping the number of masts required to run a quiver to a minimum and so the Quad needs only a 400 (4.6-5.6) and 370 (3.3-4.6) with the 4.6 setting on either a 400 or 370. As a guide, heavier riders and smoother water plump for the 400, lighter riders and rougher conditions use the 370. In this test we utilized the 400 and found it pretty straight forward to rig and set with low downhaul and neutral outhaul. Performance was characterized by a gentle inflate with a gutsy forward pulling sensation. The power and control is very good and the added foot shape and neutrality a real bonus for freestyle moves. Low end power was one of the best on test and whilst the sail has a very full profile, power is delivered softly and in a stable package albeit outhaul required for top end use. The Quad has what is needed to drive 60+ wide freestyle boards and multi-fin shapes alike and as such is a great all rounder worth trying and available for the first time at some of the demos in the UK over the next year.
THE VERDICT Four batten crossover sail that can be tuned for new school freestyle and real world wave use. Defined full foil shape with good low end power and acceleration. On load it breathes progressively and remains stable with trim required for top end comfort. Well worth investigating if you want to trick it up and bash some lips.
OVERVIEW The Blade quiver spans an extensive 13 sizes stretching from 3.0 right up to 6.7m to fit any wave board size or rider. The Severne line-up is nothing if not comprehensive with no less than five specifically labelled wave designs plus the Gator crossover. The Blade however retains its position as Severne’s standard bearer and” Swiss army knife “any wave, any board adaptability and has long been a test favourite for its ease of use and wide wind range. The latest incarnation of the Blade uses exotic Spider Fibre technology which Severne implemented to reduce swing weight and create a stronger clew. Throughout the sail you can see the detail that has gone into increasing weight/strength ratio for 2015 with laminates specifically designed for each area of the sail.
BRAND CLAIM The 015 Blade is a 100% X-Ply wave sail, designed to create the perfect blend between power and control offering maximum stability and wind range and the wave sail to choose for all-round high performance.
PERFORMANCE With the 5.3 having been given an extensive work out in last month’s test, we had no surprises on the 4.7. It really does feel the same as the 5.3, but with the dimensions that make 4.7s feel that bit more pure and fun to use. All of the team felt the 2015 blade has progressed on and its key features of slightly forward mid pull and a very light hand pressure transmitted through the boom are still there. Also still present is the great stability through the most savagely shifting gusts and remember, it’s not just the increase in wind speed in gusts that challenge a sail but the sudden change of angle that can upset the foil and the Severne copes amazingly well with both. All these attributes are enhanced further by the smoothed out power application from neutral to “drive” with the sail filling very progressively through transitions. Another notable facet that we could all feel was the sensation of being pulled into your bottom turn as you rake the rig over and the head of the sail building pressure to squirt you back up the face. It’s not something that doesn’t happen in some other designs, just a point that we pick up on more with the Blade and rather like. The combination of composure and stability give the speed and confidence to attack ramps and the Blade was a jumping favorite. It’s not a powerhouse sail but a refined precision tool that has manoeuvrability to rival many 3 and 4 batten sails and an engineered weight that does the same.
THE VERDICT Like the 5.3 Blade featured in last month’s issue, the Blade’s mix of exotic materials and pared down engineering result in one of the very lightest 5 batten sails available. The sailing experience is even more refined than previous years; smooth, tough and agile make it a really solid choice for absolutely anyone.
OVERVIEW We sometimes forget that the Simmer Style brand is actually one of the longest running in windsurfing and still right on the cutting edge. The Black Tip has been the radical and progressive design in their lineup since its introduction in 2010. It’s been getting shorter luffed each season and in this group only the Maui Sails Mutant is shorter. The Black Tip’s stable mates for 2015 are the latest 3 batten Tricera, the enduring 4 batten hardcore wave Halo; the 5 batten all world Icon and the new 5 batten Apex. The Blacktip has the immediately identifiable Simmer technical and detailed look, and we really liked the bold colourway supplied which was easily spotted on the water.
BRAND CLAIM The 2015 Blacktip combines an ultralight and very neutral feel with plenty of power and a unique top end control. There are no wave conditions that would not suit the Blacktip; it rides so effortless, everything feels easy!
PERFORMANCE Follow the rigging advice and start by down hauling to the recommended setting plus 1or 2 cm and match with a neutral outhaul. Then release a cm at a time to get to your optimum. For example, Klaas Voget uses 1cm less for more drive in waves. It is a case of find your downhaul and leave it, using the outhaul to control the power and balance. This process should be very easily achieved for the majority and we certainly agreed that even on just the recommended settings there was a solid bottom end performance and a reactive “springy” feel with the power delivery. Get the downhaul too light and you will feel less stability, 1cm can make all the difference. Too much and heavier riders just won’t have enough juice. It provides a noticeable squirt of acceleration on tap for jumping, getting on to the plane and wave riding punch. We also all noticed that the Black Tip coaxed us into an up-right stance that is perfect for modern multi-fin shapes.
The slightly “elastic” sensation as you wind on the throttle is actually precise with fingertip balance. It’s not as powerful as some in this group but the range is still all there, just further up the scale. What is interesting is that the sail has a sensation of being both soft and hard at the same time, a paradox but somewhat unique feeling, and leaves us with no doubts as to why it has built up and will continue to enjoy, a loyal and deserved fan base. Tough, tunable and reactive attributes make it well worth a slot in anyone’s quiver.
THE VERDICT Compact, lightweight and elastic, the latest Black tip revision keeps it bang on the money as a multi fin board engine. Find your perfect downhaul setting, then just leave it set and enjoy the beautifully soft and manageable nature of this new school, light weight foil.
Looks like summer is here, so I hope you’ve been getting out on the water and had a few sessions under your belt? So, coach would like to know how are the cracking tacks and Holy Trinity going?
(This feature originally appeared in the August2014 issue of Windsurf Magazine. To read more features like this first, Print and Digital subscriptions are available. Prices include delivery globally for 10 x issues a year!)
Right moves, right time, right place
After my usual June sojourn to Reliable Rhodes it was great to welcome back a lot of returners whom I’m fortunate to have on my coaching hols and, once again, I witnessed that the ones who improved the most throughout the clinic – and most definitely year-on-year – are those that hone their ‘Skills and Drills’ in lighter airs AND on bigger kit. These people are all pro active learners and motivated to improve. They all employ the above mantra of ‘right move, right time, right place’ and have a very clear idea of what target to set and what moves to work on in a wide range of conditions and the golden ticket to improvement from working on and improving their self coaching – along with a very good helping hand by me, of course! They are pilots and not passengers, so I implore you to fasten your seat belts and move into that illustrious position. Following up from last month, (July 2014 issue), I will now look at what skills and drills you can do on a larger freeride / freemove board and strongly recommend a wide thin one for you sir / madam. Once again, lets embrace EFFECTIVE Time On The Water as ‘the wind is a gift, not a given’. Again, if you want to improve, you must choose to take actions to do exactly this, so, what actions could you take? Again, all these skills and a huge amount more are covered in full in my DVD ‘Beginner to Winner’ and more will be presented on my Vimeo channel.
“ NEVER AGAIN SAY I WISH OR I HOPE FOR, FIERCELY EXCLAIM I WILL!’ ANON ”
STANCE Last time, using WindSUPs, we got all touchy feely in your stance and about understanding where the sail is best positioned to give you the most available power. Now we are on our planing big boards I am assuming that the wind is at least a force 3 (8 kts. /13 km/h. / 4m./sec), perhaps touching a low force four.
Drills for Stance: • First up do at least 10 minutes with no harness on to develop some fitness and power control and appreciate that the sail is often placed in a better position when un-hooked in lighter winds. It also gives you vital windsurf fitness.
• As ever, my favourite skill, in all winds, is to sail one-handed and now please do it hooked in. Try either hand and discover what skills it builds. Wind awareness and power control will be at the fore.
• Now get in the footstraps (generously sized please) non-planing. This will make you better acquainted with them and help you to become more accustomed with pulling down on the boom (downforce) and better board trim with subtle footwork and leg bending.
• Lift your front leg. This will help you understand down force through your front arm and how bending your back leg helps you trim the board flat, vital for smooth foot-strapping.
• Now for your starts: For fitness and dynamism, do both leg drags and leg drag beach starts (both ways please). Sail along and just put your front foot / leg in the water. This is a huge skill builder and getting back up mimics coming up in a waterstart! Beach start leg drags will transform and improve all your starts. It will require you to: engage heaps of down force on the front arm, a generous amount of mast foot eating and a lot of tail pulling in through the back leg.
CRACK THAT TACK I have extolled the virtues of this newly highly respected move called the tack in the June Feature and it is worth a recap from here, just so you know these past features will be up online on the fab Windsurf site in the coming months. By working on the tack in lighter winds and at slower speeds, you have a great chance to become more dynamic, master the skill of dynamic recovery and perhaps with the sound track of ‘Never going to give you up’ (name the artist, showing my age here) you will gain the persistence and recovery skills that transform good sailors into great sailors.
// Dry gybe drill helps you learn, build and better your gybes!.
GYBE TALKING
I will now reiterate, as it is very very important you acknowledge this, that, unless YOU have cracked the light wind gybe (fundamentals gybe) and its all important stages of a clear beginning, middle and (clew-first) exit, then it will be very tough to master the carve gybe in planing conditions, AND fully own clew-first sailing domination. The biggest recipe for gybe and carve gybe success is to work on the following drills and skills: dry gybe drill, clew first beach starts, aggressive steering (up and downwind) and light wind gybes on big platforms. I will cover carve gybe top tips in next month’s piece, but for now, lets look at this amazing dry gybe drill. This is THE DRILL to nail your gybes, improve your clew-first rig control and enhance rotating the sail. Light winds are best for this with a flat-set sail in waist-to-shoulder-depth water
• From your beachstart position, take a wide grip (back hand way down and front hand at front harness line) on the boom, position yourself at the back of the board and turn the kit downwind by steering through the rig.
• Start to look out of your turn at the clew and walk around the back of the board. Try and do this like the footwork in an actual gybe.
• Control the rig clew first with your body low over a bent back leg, straight front leg. TIP: Remain clew first and get acquainted with power control and steering in this position. Maintain that wide grip on the boom and look at your clew (former back hand).
• Slide your front hand to the mast and guide the rig towards the back of the board. Go on, actually swing it there. Keep looking at the old backhand; this stops gear gazing and you admiring your beautiful hands.
• Reach under (keeps you lower) with the old backhand, and then forcefully guide the rig forwards
• Look forward throughout.
• Repeat the drill in the new direction and then carry on and on. This is also a great shoulder, back and core workout.
• Note that the rig is ROTATED in a circular motion and sliding that front hand up to the mast greatly assists this. The rig is kept away throughout. As the rig is guided back, the hips move forward and, as the rig comes forward, the hips move back.
// Leg lifts build skills, fitness and dynamism.
//Nail front-to-sail and own the tack, heli tack, and carving 360s.
// Try looking at your old back hand after the rig release so as to get your rig rotation smoother.
// Swing the rig to the back of the board as you lean forward to take the weight out of the rotation.
LIGHT WIND LOVING
Once again after just getting back from 3 weeks of coaching weeks on the flattering flat waters of Reliable Rhodes that after a few light wind sessions all my rippers made better progress in the higher winds, including first gybes, better carve gybes, first duck gybes and smoother loops. Light-wind loving makes you a legend, plus you get the added benefit of tougher hands and feet, improved fitness, balance and co-ordination – and more well-earned ‘you time’ as you master the skills that will help your high-wind thrills. During your light wind appreciation a great combo drill is to do Endless moves, where you gybe one way and then sail 10 board lengths and then tack the other way and after 10 rotations you then reverse the rotation, e.g., tack and gybe the other way. Between each tack and gybe you can do straight line moves like leg drags, in straps non-planing, leg raises, sailing one-handed etc.
FREE YOUR STYLE Light winds are all about being present in the moment and looking for opportunities to have fun and learn new moves – that is if you wish to improve and move on up. A lot of the moves you learn and build on your bigger platforms (such as beginner boards / WindSUPs) can and should be refined on a freemove / freeride floater with a flat-set, medium-sized sail. (These were covered in my July 2014 feature.) As a reminder, these include moves like Front to sail, heli tacks, upwind 360s, sailing fin first, sail ducks and floaters etc.
So, before you read on, please have a think and write down on paper – or on your phone some SMART (specific, measured, applicable, realistic and time bound) moves that will become the moves that matter to you. ‘Never again say I wish or I hope for, fiercely exclaim I will!’ ANON, because I believe in you and now you believe in you.
Move on up Go on and get out there and set a new standard, as the standards you set are the standards you attain.
//Gybe talking next month.
Wide and thin is beautiful
Why use a WindSUP?
Why use / own a Wide thin (Winner) board?
• REASONS FOR.
• The test teams in this very mag already extol their virtues.
• After huge steps up in wave, freestyle and slalom boards, that appeal to much wider customer bases, the freeride / move market was the one area requiring a breakthrough. Winner boards are an evolution in terms of performance!
• People who try them think they don’t need or want them and then go straight out there after a test drive and buy one – so they must work!
• Wider wind range from non planing to fully powered.
• Easier to nail moves on. Tacks and gybes become better and more consistent and this builds confidence and thereby passion to progress and enjoy our sport thus further.
• More EFFECTIVE time on the water, meaning you get better, fitter and happier. If we only have Force 3 – 4s for a few months, then we are still ready to do battle in the strong winds we will gratefully be ready to receive in due course.
• They plane early, sail fast, are heaps of fun and very easy.
Once again I have proposed my case so open your mind and improvement, fitness and stronger fundamentals will follow. This could well be the start of a beautiful relationship!
RRD boards, wetsuits, softwear, Ezzy sails and Pro Sport Sunblock sponsor Jem Hall. Get him live and direct on one of his highly-acclaimed coaching holidays, but be quick as they are selling out – check out his fab new site www.jemhall.com for details. You can also follow him on Twitter / Facebook.
BRAND POSITIONING “The Turbo is the most user-friendly cam sail. It combines low end power with light handling and blistering top speed with control. It is based on our race sail platform with higher skin tension and pre tensioned leeches, increasing the low end power and top end control. The 2 cams stabilize the foil and provide pre set shaping for power and drive through gusts and lulls. By maintaining the drive forward in the sail, the TURBO promotes an upright stance which translates into a rig that is easier to sail faster. The TURBO is designed to be the fastest and most comfortable Twin Cam sail ever. It uses our homogenous batten concept. The smaller sizes (6.0 – 7.0) feature 6 battens keeping the handling light and the swing weight low. The larger sizes (7.5 – 9.2) feature 7 battens for foil stability with the increased size.” (Sic.)
PERFORMANCE In terms of power the Turbo (or ‘Donut’ as we read it from the other side of the monofilm!) has the ‘DNA’ of a really refined, settled, confidence-inducing race sail. The depth and forward draft concentration really help it to pin down the racier boards and delivers a ‘velvety’, smooth pull. There’s a slight element of flex and the breathing action is always active and alive and was much appreciated in the rough conditions during this test trip. As we discovered in the slalom sail test in the May issue, deeper draft is nothing to be afraid of. In fact it makes life much easier and pushes the board down for added control when you ‘let fly’ and hydrofoil on the fins over swell in that exciting ‘6th gear’. That said, we did find that a lot of downhaul was needed as, despite the nice upright stance it encourages, you can be pulled up on to the toes a little too much at times so experiment with the downhaul and find the best sweet spot for the conditions at hand. We liked neutral outhaul the best and were impressed by how this grunty beast was actually pretty darn manoevrable too. Leaving the gybes the acceleration is obvious and strong. Not being top-level racers we found this helped us be faster on this sail when paired with dedicated slalom and the faster freerace boards we had with us than on the full-on gear that’s harder to kill the backhand on when approaching the corners. There’s a slick, solid ‘crack’ on rotation and it goes without saying we thought the flat-stick speed was pretty impressive against those pro-level slalom rigs. It has to be said these findings are based once again on using a Gaastra SDM mast (their ‘old’ curve, not the latest bend) as we haven’t managed to source the right Severne masts from the distributor to date, but, in case you already own one, it seems the Gaastra spars always seem to hit the mark.
THE VERDICT A smooth, settled, turbo-fast twin cam with exceptional wind range and control. A no-brainer pick for anyone tempted to enter the racing or GPS scene while demanding a vital level of control. The benchmark product from this test.
A slick movie from Starboard showcasing their 2015 range on location at their annual photoshoot on maui, sick action from Boujmaa, KP, Philip Koster, Timo Mullen, Scott Mckercher, Zane, Connor and all the team, some great slow mo shots and footage from the renowned Maui Nerds team.
If real-time wind data is important to you check-out the new Windguru Station. It records wind speed, wind direction and temperature and then transfers the data to the internet so that in can be viewed from anywhere. This easy to install and affordable weather station is the ideal solution for measuring the wind at your local spot.
All you need is internet within 250 metres and you will be updating data every minute. The price is €400 + VAT including shipping for complete package and that includes; indoor & outdoor unit, Davis anemometer, temperature sensor and cables.
“The peak was starting to rear up in front of me, sucking truckloads of water off the reef. The wind rushing up the face and accelerating as the burgeoning lip forced it skyward. The two opposing forces fighting each other, standing, the lip taller and taller as it gathered weight. My line was set. If timed right, my board would meet the throwing lip in the split second before it exploded back down into the flats, my clew would just scrape above the danger line – and I’d be fired out the front and into glory.
“A split second too late and I’d be in a reef-liquid lorry sandwich – an arctic artic – picking bits of carbon boom out my teeth and praying my legs weren’t about to be ripped off with one easy twist.
Story & Photos Steve Thorpe & Geoff Hautman
(This feature originally appeared in the August2014 issue of Windsurf Magazine. To read more features like this first, Print and Digital subscriptions are available. Prices include delivery globally for 10 x issues a year!)
WILL IT? WON’T IT?
“The lip was looming above me, the sun went in. I already had flashing visions of it racing off down the line leaving me obliterated in its wake. Oh no was I too late? Vice grip on the boom and gritted teeth waiting for impact, my eyes blasted with spray just before my brain could calculate my fate …
“Whoosh! I was going up, everything weightless, Jesus! Eyes clamped shut, but going through the flight controls as usual – not too much back hand, legs tucked under. Finally opening my eyes just in time to touch down surprisingly far out in the flats and out of danger of the freight train behind me – at least for a moment. Wow what a ride!”
I’ve been up to Thurso quite a few times now, I love the place. The ideal windsurfing forecast is always a big westerly swell driven on by gale-force westerly winds – an outlook that should light up all the epic spots you usually see in the windsurfing and surfing magazines. Occasionally the wind will let us down with the quick-moving lows, give us a respite from the howling wind and we’ll get to ride the greatest wave of them all, Thurso East itself.
TOO GOOD?
Make no mistake! Thurso East is a world-class wave. A huge slab of perfectly positioned flagstone that can mould giant arctic swells into reeling, thick, Indo-style barrels peeling for 100 metres. It is without doubt, one of the best breaks in Europe. An amazing wave for surfing – and almost ‘too good’ for windsurfing. TOO good you say? Well, yes. The problem with this spot – and one other I know in the UK – is that even when it’s seriously big and seriously windy, it still has the precise bathymetry to throw a perfect, very surf-able barrel.
Windsurfing Thurso East is something of a Holy Grail for UK windsurfers. It’s a right-hander, so requires wind from the East, but faces NW, so needs a swell from pretty much the opposite direction. Rarely do the two combine, at least with any real force. I’m not sure anyone has windsurfed Thor’s River (its other name and a clue to the water temperature!) when it’s truly been working, if at all. I’ve had my eye on the necessary forecast for years and it hints at it on an almost weekly basis through the winter, but then fizzles out before it ever happens. It might blow Easterly, but only for half a day (10 hours driving each way for half a days forecast, mmm I’ll pass!) and it might blow easterly, but be accompanied by impossible temperatures, even for someone who doesn’t mind a good dose of hot aches. It’s the most elusive forecast out there and maybe early 2014’s endless epic days were the reason the odds tipped in our favour. I’d heard it mentioned that some of the chargers in Maui were watching this forecast along with the more obvious Cape Verde. Seriously guys, forget it ever happening!
“ MAKE NO MISTAKE! THURSO EAST IS A WORLD-CLASS WAVE ”
SNOW AND STRESS
And so there I was wondering what to do with my weekend. A van needing a new head gasket, too skint to consider hitting Ireland for the massive swell they were receiving and some pretty limp looking charts for Cornwall. Maybe I’d stay put? Saturday morning came around too quickly and I was still at home. Then the usual Thurso forecast, which had been teasingly close to possible, suddenly dropped into ‘maybe’ territory – big swell, but SSE wind only good for surfing, flicking occasionally to E, then flicking back with the next update. Sunday was looking Epic for surfing with a bolt-offshore wind and huge swell. Monday was a little smaller, but could be windsurfing gold!
It’s a long way to go on your own! Not just the cost of the diesel, but a hell of a boring drive on your lonesome (with a blown head gasket, no engine cooling, and no driver heating). Would anyone be up for it so last minute? And hardly the usual three days straight of ‘howling wind and jeepers that swells looking a bit much’. A very real skunking on the cards, they’d need to be able to surf! Enter Geoff Hautman. I’m not quite sure when and how Geoff appeared in my life, but his ‘can do’, ‘let’s go’ attitude has been very welcome! With very little hesitation, Geoff was in.
The alarm woke me up at 3 a.m. after a whopping three hours sleep. I drove (with my coat on) from Leicester to Geoffs in Chester to switch vans. It must’ve been 5 a.m. -we were off! Off very slowly. Geoff, in his excitement perhaps, had forgotten to mention he’d been having a spot of bother with his gearbox. We were now having a lot of bother! Changing gear was an aggressive two-handed effort, usually taking a couple of goes. All we had to do was get up to 6th and not stop until we got to Thurso car park, then we could ring the AA to bring us home on Monday night! Ha! A simple plan – what could possibly go wrong?
“Wow, was that snow on the windscreen or just light rain?”
“Definitely snow”.
After such a mild winter, it was quite a surprise to see some snow. I hadn’t even considered it. So much time spent looking at the forecasts but never even a thought to check the ‘actual weather’. A bit daft, as twice before in the past the snow has caused us major headaches on road trips. It was getting darker. The snow was turning into a blizzard. Single carriageway and the lorries were dropping down to 20 mph., gear changes were needed and Geoff was looking stressed. I was trying not to be stressed, but definitely starting to panic a bit. We needed petrol. We also needed to keep doing 20 mph. and stay sat in the tracks of the bus in front. A quick check of Twitter to see the road situation updates and there it was: ‘Scotland expecting huge dump of snow and the ski season about to get underway this weekend’.
BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE
It was with great relief and huge excitement that we finally rolled into Thurso. We’d decided that, due to only two hours left of daylight, we’d just jump in for a surf and not waste time looking for windsurfable options (The East coast may well have been going off with a big SE swell and wind). Thurso East was as good as I’d ever seen it – double-overhead-plus and peeling mechanically with a little man slotted in the barrel on every wave. I couldn’t get in quick enough.
With so much wind this year I have to admit my surfing has suffered. I don’t mind getting a good pasting, but I did feel a bit out my depth and hate nothing more than kooking up a good wave with a face plant in front of those waiting their turn. The level seemed ridiculously high. Whilst scratching towards the horizon with every ounce of strength in my body to get under an approaching and seemingly house-sized rogue set, which I was sure I wasn’t going to get under, the guy next to me on my inside, deeper than me, turned and paddled at the last split second under the lip and was gone. As the spray faded I looked back over my shoulder expecting to see a tombstoning board. But no, he was totally gone. He flicked out 10 seconds later a 100 metres down the line. Gob smacked!
Another level. It turns out some of Britain and Ireland’s best surfers were out – including Oli Adams and Fergal Smith – and I was getting more than a front-row seat. A couple of closeout barrels and squeaking out of another meant I left the water pretty stoked after a stressful but classic day. The bigger set waves had been staying wide open. Maybe some pics from the day will surface from the numerous photographers on shore, we forgot to take any!
Geoff was clearly wiped out by the emotions of it all and, after a swift pint, was in bed by 8 p.m. I walked the dog, rang [my wife] Trudie and checked the forecast half a dozen more times. Sleeping wasn’t going to be easy anyway! It was still on, still looking all-time for ‘Big Monday’.
We were up with the sun to try and squeeze every last hour of daylight, but, come ten, we were still driving round. The wind was blowing but looked to be really offshore. The swell was there, but seemed to not be wrapping in anywhere at all. Some of the usual spots were flat (which I couldn’t get my head round with a 17-sec. period of west swell), so finding a sailable place was proving impossible. At least Geoff was getting a guided tour of beautiful Caithness. Of course we wanted to sail Thurso East, but maybe we almost didn’t believe it could happen?
As time ticked on we knew it was now or never. It still looked really offshore and not that big with the dropping tide. It was windy though. I rigged a 4.3 and headed out to join the handful of surfers. A game of tentative politeness ensued where I would catch a wave, bottom turn wide around the pack, around the throwing lip and turn on the still-very-shapely end section. I’d sail straight out the back again in 10 seconds flat, then sit on my kit for 10 minutes before repeating. It was a happy medium, if slightly frustrating, but meant that the surfers got their waves and I got mine without being dropped in on. Most importantly it was very sailable, actually not too offshore and at times and I was pretty stacked on the 4.3. Phew.
CAMERA BLUNDERS
Geoff had been on camera duty, so we had some evidence of Thurso East windsurfing in-the-can and now it was Geoffs turn to head out. I’d neatly stitched him up with sailing at low tide when the waves are smallest – and he’d neatly stitched me up by setting the camera to ‘bulb’. After my story of the last person drowning my camera, he’d kindly used the rain guard and spun all the dials on the top of the camera as he pulled it over. Program ‘Bulb’, aperture ‘20’ and not much light doesn’t make for discernible pics it seems …
Geoff had the place almost to himself for a couple of hours, screaming along the lovely Thurso East walls, before I decided I just had to head back out. It was now really starting to turn on. The tide was pushing in, the 10-ft. at 17-seconds swell was really starting to show itself. The wind was perfectly east and 30 mph., there were logo-high, logo-wide barrels – and the surfers were also heading back out. Pointing your board at the lip of a barreling nearly-mast-high wave, trying to backdoor it for an air with an approach speed of 35 mph. is perhaps one of the hardest things we as windsurfers ever have to do? I can tell you [from my motorbike experience] that taking a corner at 120 mph. on the edge of your tyres, within feet of other peoples’ elbows and your knee on the grass, really isn’t that trick. But, lining up moving, heavy lips with surfers bobbing about in the mix is really more than my brain can compute. Which brings us back to the beginning of my tale. My one and only hit on the heaviest part of the wave and the 10 seconds that truly made the whole 48 hrs. worthwhile – even if I did have my eyes closed!
As ever, my first thought is ‘when will it ever happen again?’ Imagine if it was bigger, less surfers, more wind? It’s such a fantastic wave, I’ll be checking the forecast daily and crossing my fingers for a long time to come.
Christmas is coming and Santa knows you want more wind than a bowl of brussel sprouts, but just in case you need to leave a few not so subtle hints for the rest of the family, here’s our handy gift guide. Feel free to leave it open in front of loved ones at every possible opportunity, after all Christmas is all about giving …to you !
CLOTHING
The right attire to keep you warm
PROCELLA
Procella, clothing for those that do… No high street fashion here! Just original designs aimed at those who actually get into the water. Whatbetter gift for a fellow water baby, or an extra Christmas treat for yourself.
Tees from £22.00, Hoodies £55.00 www.procella.co.uk
TYPHOON THERMA FLEECE THERMAL VESTS
This is a heavy duty Thermal base layer much heavier weight than most thermal vests to add that extra bit of warmth in cooler conditions whether under your spring or winter suit.
Features include base mid-layer core thermal protection, heavy weight Insulating polypro lining, body mapping contour seam system and flatlock Comfort Stitch
Long Sleeve £34.95 free post
Short Sleeve £29.95 free post www.4boards.co.uk
ACCESSORIES
Inventions to make your windsurfing life easier
EPIC SURF FIN BAG
Quite simply the best windsurfing fin bag available. Designed by windsurfers for windsurfers. When you spend a small fortune on quality fins it is worth the investment of less than the cost of one top class fin to protect your entire quiver and keep them ordered, easily stored, easily accessible and easy to transport. This is a top of the range premium elite windsurfing fin bag. Now being used on the PWA circuit. No expense has been spared in its quality design and manufacture. A must have for any serious rider!
RRP £75.00 + P&P www.epicsurf.co.nz
RESTUBE WATER SAFETY BACKUP
Maptaq have added an exciting sports safety device to their portfolio of action sports products with Restube. Simple to wear and non-buoyant, this device is ideal for all watersports. One pull deploys Restube for a safe haven whilst awaiting recovery or rescue. Simply attach it at your hips or your harness and jump into the water! If necessary, pull the trigger firmly and the buoy inflates. Now you have enough time to calm down and react to your situation. Perfect for use in open water and lakes Restube is reusable by replacing the CO2-catridge. RESTUBE sports 3 with its special safety splint and an exchangeable belt system it is suitable for kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing and other action watersports.
RRP £79.00
Replacement 2pc CO2 cartridge set retails for £6.95
EPIC SURF STRAPS
These ankles straps are a fantastic upgrade for any wetsuit to stop the elephant legs! Heavy Duty Velcro Wetsuit Ankle Straps turn any wetsuit into a kiting suit. The wetsuit ankle straps wrap around your ankles producing a water tight seal which reduces the water being forced up the legs of your wetsuit when riding, increasing your warmth and comfort to prolong your sessions. One size fits all. Simply wrap and go.
RRP £8.00 www.epicsurf.co.nz
MAST HERO
Masthero is a high quality technical mount designed to make pictures and videos from a bird’s-eye view. The mount offers 3 mounting options for your action cam: one on either side and one in front. It is lightweight design (only 35g) and positioning keeps photos and video free from obstruction, without interfering the ride. Masthero fits to almost any action cam – GoPro, Rollei, Actionpro, Ironxcam, Isaw or any camera adapted to fit the GoPro mounting system.
RRP £42.00 www.masthero.com
WINDGURU STATION
If real-time wind data is important to you checkout the new Windguru Station. It records wind speed, wind direction and temperture and then transfers the data to the internet so that in can be viewed from anywhere. This easy to install and affordable weather station is the ideal solution for measuring the wind at your local spot. All you need is internet within 250 metres and you will be updating data every minute. Complete package includes; indoor & outdoor unit, Davis anemometer, temperature sensor and cables.
Complete package RRP €400 + VAT including P&P.
FLYMOUNT
This is the camera mount of choice for some of the world’s greatest windsurfers, magazine test teams, and the PWA. 100% British made from premium materials for ultimate boom and mast mounted photography in any conditions. Flymounts fit all masts and booms, with grippy protective jaw liners to prevent equipment damage and movement.
RRP: £63.50 www.flymount.com
DRITEK HANGER
The Dritek Hanger is the toughest and most versatile garment hanger in fact it can comfortably hold 30kg! It’s the only hanger specifically designed for outdoor use so it’s the perfect solution for hanging heavy garments or garments that need to be hung outdoors to dry or air. It enables garments to be hung safely and securely, in a huge variety of sites and situations, whilst reducing stress to fabrics and prolonging garment performance.The Dritek Hanger is perfect for hanging wetsuits, drysuits, outdoor clothing, waterproofs and protective clothing. Please see website for stockists.
RRP is £17.99 www.dritekproducts.com
FITNESS, TRAINING & IMPROVEMENTS
Resources to help you get to and stay in tip top windsurfing condition
TURFDOG BOARDS
Freemove
The board for all, this board is for all riders seeking to improve windsurfing techniques, blast and learn new maneuvres. Whether it be; waterstarts, carve gybes, or upwind 360s this board takes you through the learning curve, reacting similar to a 90-130 litre windsurf board.
Freestyle
a freestylers secret weapon, this board is specifically designed for the ad vanced windsurf manoeuvres. If you want to learn to Vulcan or Spock look no further, this boards swivel wheel angles are setup to enable completion of these moves with identical input from the rider as on the water. The board is still great for cruising, gybeing and tacking manoeuvres.
Both models are £379 (inc. postage and packaging mainland UK) www.turfdog.co.uk
WINDSURFING TRICKTIONARY DVD BOX
Since the books are sold out until mid-2015, get your beloved one(s) this 3 DVD box full of highest quality instructional windsurfing clips.
Reduced Retail price right now – €39,90 www.tricktionary.com
December 2013 just has to go down as the most consistent months for UK wave sailing in decades. With low-pressure systems lined up in an orderly queue out in the Atlantic, the British coastline was duly battered from every angle. After scoring epic missions to Scotland, Ireland and England for our COAST series, it seemed a trip to Wales was in order to represent the four nations at their best.
With Christmas closing in fast, John Carter and Ross Williams pulled open a cracker, snapped on their paper crowns and headed up to the Gower hoping to unwrap some early presents. As usual, when Carter is involved, festivities did not quite go according to plan…
TOTAL DISBELIEF
For the second time in my life I’m stood in the car park at this stunning Welsh Beach looking out over almost flat calm water. It’s a few days before Christmas and, so far today, it doesn’t feel like Santa managed any deliveries. This is hardly the sight you really relish after waking at 1 a.m. and driving through the night to catch a UK winter wave session. But if memory serves me correct, this place is all about the tide and, according to local sailor Ian Pierce, who is confidently rigging up alongside a hardy Welsh crew, it’s going to be firing within half an hour. Even though I’ve experienced this weird phenomenon once before, I still don’t believe it and head back to the comfort of the van to find some warmth and a pillow for a quick snooze. Ross Williams, who is sat beside me in the van, can’t fathom this situation either. His premonition of logo-high, clean offshore waves has been shattered – especially since we were hoping to erase the memory of yesterday’s skunking. You see this story actually emanates over 24 hours prior to this moment of disappointment. A hair-brained scheme of mine to hit two locations in two consecutive days was backfiring in an excruciatingly painful fashion.
Rewind to the previous morning and we had headed to Lyme Regis on the 4 a.m. ferry on a forecast that suggested a 35-knot sou’wester and sunny skies, but, instead, we had been on the receiving end of a 15-20 knot gusty mess with 100% cloud cover and misty rain. Well they say you can’t win them all, but this one was an absolutely miserable day, not to mention a 100 quid’s worth of fuel down the pan and a wasted journey. We did manage to squeeze in a bit of Christmas shopping in the quaint town of Lyme Regis, but that was hardly a reason for six hours in the van and zero action on the water. To make matters worse, I had to be home that evening to look after the kids, so we travelled all the way back to the Isle of Wight before setting out just after midnight on a concerted quest to recover from this wasted road trip. But now, here we are on the coast of the Gower Peninsula, another 4-hr. drive away, minus another tank of fuel, looking out at a thumping shore dump and a Welsh crew that all seem to have a screw loose as they rig up in the car park.
BLINK AND YOU’LL MISS IT
The reason we are here so early is the tide though. According to Ian, the moment the water starts ebbing out, then this place will come alive. Logically I can’t doubt him this time round since, four years ago, I was at this very same beach with Timo Mullen and Jamie Hancock and presented with exactly the same scenario. True to his word, the conditions went off. But even though I’ve seen it happen once before, with still nothing more than a shoredump in front of us, it’s still almost impossible to believe this place will be firing within the hour. Ross, who has not experienced this place before, seems to have resigned to the fact that this is another write-off. It’s a week before Christmas and, just like you tell your kids they have to believe in Santa or they will get no presents, maybe we should put our faith in Ian’s or we won’t get our Xmas stockings full of waves? Surely Ian would never have made us drive all this way for nothing and must be confident in his call? I was certainly hoping so!
Watching from the warmth of the van, the waves are still barely breaking as Ian Pierce, Jim Brookes-Dowsett and the rest of the crew start filtering into the water. But once they are half a mile downwind or so it looks like they are flying straight into the first sets of the day. Where in the hell did those sets come from? Well maybe Santa has got those Reindeers up and running and is starting to dosh out the presents? All of a sudden, Ross is twitching as he sees Ian crack a top turn right under an inviting barrelling lip as finally, this Welsh secret is revealing her true colours under the crisp morning sunlight.
It doesn’t take Williams long to throw together his 5.0 Gaastra Manic, attach an 80-litre Tabou Pocket Wave and, within 10 minutes he is out on the water tacking onto his first set wave.
WELSH MAGIC
With stunning cliffs downwind, pristine dunes, woodlands and even a couple of castles nestled into the landscape, this stunning bay typifies the all the best ingredients the British Coastline has to offer. Throw in clean, half-mast-high waves – which are suddenly starting to pile through the bay – and it’sw not hard to see why Ian owns one of the houses up on top of the cliffs and has no intention of ever moving.
The real magic of this location as the tide whips out is the fact the waves are so clean, cross-offshore and throwing, with enough power to nicely stir up the adrenaline. No wonder the canny Welsh crew don’t boast too heavily about the location of their most precious spots. This beach is a real gem, with the magical formula as to when it works a closely guarded secret. Within the hour, the tide has passed the golden slot and the waves start to drop off. The surf was still as clean as a whistle and great fun to ride, but show up now and you would wonder what all the fuss was about. One thing that kind of bothers me about winter sessions, is that the daylight hours pretty much allow you to score just one phase of the tide. Normally in the summer we would be more than happy to string the day out for the incoming session, but, looking at the watch, by the time it’d be properly on the push again, Ross would be sailing in the dark.
With that in mind we decide to head towards Cardiff and sail another spot closer to home – after a tip-off from Jim – which should be working right through low tide. We both had to swear to secrecy as Jim handed out the sat nav co-ordinates and, with the location locked in, we are back on the road, racing across the Gower to catch a second session before the sun goes down. As luck would have it, we arrived an hour before dark, with the tide just starting to turn and half-mast-high sets peeling down an exposed reef/point break. With dramatic cliffs, drenched in the warmth the wintery sunlight provided, as the backdrop to this awesome location, there was time enough for Ross to build an appetite for this break and leave him with the desire to return. After a quick bowl of leek and potato soup (well we just had to since we were in Wales) we were back on the road one last time headed back home just in time for Christmas! I wouldn’t say Santa had totally unloaded all the toys out of the sleigh while we were at the Gower, but that magic hour was enough of a taster to leave us both hungry for more.
WATER OVER THE BRIDGE
On their day, the reefs and beaches of Wales are as good as anywhere in the UK – and usually less crowded. Throw in the fact the drive is pretty much the same distance for most south coasters as Cornwall, heading over the Severn Bridge to Wales is certainly well worth considering, especially on those days where the West Country might be maxing out and too big. The Gower in particular is a stunning area of beautiful, unspoilt scenery and designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. LLangennith faces dead west and is the first beach to cop the brunt of any swell, but search around this peninsula and there are beaches to accommodate most wind directions.
JC
WALES FUN FACTS
Mount Everest was named after Welshman Sir George Everest from Gwernvale, Breconshire.
The population sheep in Wales is four times greater than the Welsh population of humans.
The Welsh motto is “Cymru am byth” which means “Wales forever”.
The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff has the largest retractable roof of any sports arena in the World.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is the name of a town in North Wales, which translates as “The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio’s of the red cave”. It is believed to be the longest place name in the world. (No problem for Windsurf’s spell checker!)
Wales has a population of around 3 million, but only 21% of the Taffys can speak their native language!
Famous people from Wales include Richard Burton, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Tom Jones, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Shirley Bassey, Timothy Dalton and Charlotte Church.
A Welsh tradition reckons that the person who first spots a flowering daffodil in Spring will be blessed with more gold than silver during the coming year.
Wales is believed to have more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world. It is also the land of the mythical King Arthur.
42% of the South and West Wales coastline is designated as ‘Heritage Coast’.
Major Walter Clopton Wingfield is generally credited with inventing lawn tennis when in 1873 he designed and patented a similar game for his guests to play on his estate of Nantclwyd in Llanelidan Wales.
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THE LOW-DOWN
The Falcon line is Fanatic’s PWA-registered racing collection that sits beside the Falcon Formula and Ray freerace models. There are also two speed-oriented models for GPS/competition use at 45 and 51 cm. wide.
BRAND CLAIM ‘The design objectives were simple: acceleration, top speed, and jibing performance. The ultimate goal: the perfect blend of all three that guarantees Slalom wins. While the top speed of the Falcon was often unrivaled, we aimed at improving control and turning ability. The softened rails in the front half of the board support superb jibing performance. We’ve tuned and adjusted the cut-outs to increase control at the same time.’
PERFORMANCE
The Falcon was one of the easiest to jump on and instantly cope with the rough conditions on this two-week test. Feeling small and compact, this 110 was highly forgiving at the low end and super easy to get going quickly on. Acceleration-wise – and this is very fin dependent too don’t forget – the ‘through the gears’ ability was much more noticeable during stronger wind sessions where you still need to get through dirty air here and there, plus of course in those vital exits from gybes. During either deep or cross-wind reaches, the small amount of tail kick also keeps a feeling of extra revs being ‘always-on’ and accessible to the feet. The Falcon is a lifty and lively shape that, like all high-performance designs, needs to be pinned-down well in strong wind to maximise the amount it can truly ‘fly’ over rough water and swell. In this respect we got more out of it using the more ‘tractory’ sails with deeper bellied profiles that drive the nose down enough to prevent any unwanted tail-walking, yet still help keep the short, fast under section of the board connected to the water. Being one of the narrowest in this selection, the Falcon 110 was laterally stable at full chat, which contributed to strong confidence and very competitive top speed – pace that, once again, is hugely influenced by good fin choice to suit the total rig and board combination. (We’d recommend starting with a powerful sail that you’d ‘grow into’ but paired with either a smaller carbon fin at first, or else a softer, say G10 foil until you’ve got to grips with the power.) Gybing-wise the soft rails help massively entering gybes with harder-to-control sails and there’s good ‘carry’ through turns for such a streamlined shape. All-in-all the Falcon 110 delivers a solid riding position and stance that’s non-intimidating without diluting the fast-and-furious performance.
THE VERDICT
The Falcon 110 offers an unthreatening, yet electrifying ride without compromising speed and overall performance. Smooth to gybe and early to plane, this is a board that’s at home in rough water, but will be a total dream in the flat. Suitable for all types of sails, but especially deeper-drafted rigs, this size offers both potential and experienced racers a platform that’s as easy to sail as a ‘detuned’, freerace model, but with instant access to élite-level output.
It’s that time of year again where Tushingham Sails the UK distributor of the Starboard, the World’s number 1 Windsurf and SUP brand, are giving you the opportunity to get your hands on the 2015 product brochures, delivered to your door, for FREE!
The high quality manuals will allow you to fill your winter evenings reading about the latest developments, dreaming of the next epic session and choosing your next board to take your skills to the next level! The perfect coffee table addition!
All you need to do is email admin@tushingham.com stating which brochures you would like:
Starboard Windsurfing Starboard SUP
And don’t forget to include the all important postal address you would like these sent to and they will do the rest!
Cloudless Irish days are all the more special for their rarity value, but actually Kerry had been bathed in warm autumn sunshine all week. On this particular day, the wind and swell had dropped, so we took a boat trip out to the Blasket Islands that lie off the tip of the Dingle peninsula – about as far west as it’s possible to go on the island of Ireland. Any part of the Irish Atlantic coast in the sunshine is breath-taking, but the Blaskets are a step beyond.
On the way back I eulogised to Padraig from Cork, a relative local, about the crystal, turquoise waters caressing the whitest sands, the peace and the stunning rugged beauty of the place and suggested how great it would be to abandon over-populated England and move there. He said nothing but as we stopped in Dingle for fish and chips on the way home, he disappeared and returned holding a slim hardback book. “Read that.” He said.
‘Peig’ is the autobiography of Peig Sayers, one of Ireland’s greatest storytellers who lived on Great Blasket in the early half of the 20th C. While there are moments of joy, it basically describes the unrelenting misery and drudgery of trying to eek out a living in rural Ireland. Padraig’s thinly veiled message read: “the grass may be greener Johnny Tourist, but it’s wet and very slippery.” We are all prone to ‘holiday habitation envy syndrome.’ You fall in love with your holiday destination and imagine that to live there must be eternal bliss, forgetting of course the small details like how to make a living. We love holidays because of the difference. When ‘different’ is no longer ‘different’ attitudes change. For ‘peaceful and unspoiled’ read ‘dull and boring’ as suddenly you pine for a row of shops and a wedge of cash to buy something frivolous. But despite Padraig’s warning, I’d always entertained the idea of moving to Ireland. Born to an Irish mother I was under no illusions and felt the warmth of the people would more than make up for the weather. In 1984 I ‘discovered’ Brandon Bay on a road trip and thought one day that would be the spot to start something ‘windsurfy.’
So when some 4 years later I found out that a certain Jamie Knox had done just that, I must admit to a pang of mild jealousy. Windsurfing was booming. There was the chance to make a buck, but more than that you had some world-class waves on your doorstep. The fact that, 25 years on, I am no longer so envious is in no way a reflection of the place or the people. But having plotted Jamie’s journey, I realise it took a very special skill set and character to survive and prosper in the way that he has. How to describe Jamie? Hewn out of granite, with a soft squidgy core. A wild, unpredictable force of Nature with an infectious laugh somewhere between an angry warthog and a hyena with bronchitis. I first met him when we shared a cottage in Tiree at one of the first wave champs. He was (and still is) a very solid performer on the water. The fact that he didn’t always reach the top of the rankings was less down to a lack of talent and more down to a fuse, which could be measured in nano-millimetres. Verbal explosions of atomic proportions would detonate daily when a race official didn’t quite share his point of view. His nickname should have been ‘Etna.’
No one knew from which planet he’d landed. But in between eruptions, we discovered a heart of gold and a wild imagination. In the evenings he would entertain us with crazy tales of adventures at sea, boats he built, voyages he’d made. We estimated that if he’d done all the things he said, he would have to be about 90. But although guilty of applying a drizzle of poetic licence, it turns out that a lot of it was true, and that he is incredibly capable and practical. He certainly needed to be.
JK Watersports has no right to still be in existence. We talk of ‘Perfect Storms.’ Over the years he’s suffered financial ones, personal ones and most recently, real ones. As a business potential, those Dragons in their Den would split their sides. He’s in a pricey minority sport based in a place that’s remote and expensive to get to. He’s selling to a tiny local population and has to make 80% of his turnover in a six-week summer period (and I use the term ‘summer’ loosely). The Internet helped him spread the Knox message, but his shop suddenly couldn’t compete with the direct sellers and all but collapsed. And although now an inseparable and dearly loved part of the Maharees fabric, he was, in the beginning, an outsider setting up a business in a tight, local community. The scope for treading on toes and ruffling political feathers was huge, especially since he didn’t exactly have a wilting-violet personality. The financial storm of 2008, that saw the end of so many businesses, was followed this winter by a real one, so severe (check out the Red Bull Strom Chaser in Kerry) that it picked up his containers, destroyed the contents and basically wiped out his school. His insurance company inevitably found a way of wriggling free. So when I called in March or organise my clinics I expected to hear the voice of a financial receiver. But no it was his ever-affable manager Jeremy. “Where’s Jamie?” “He’s out there welding.” By the time I got there in May it was all back together. “You just gotta get on with it!” He said beaming from ear to ear in his Essex-meets-Kerry brogue.
So how has he survived and prospered? Among his many skills Jamie is also a blacksmith. The things he can make, the trailers and trolleys and racks and systems that allows his school and kids club to run so smoothly, would be unaffordable. On top of that he has an amazing system – and a great spot – for teaching beginners. He reckons he can get anyone beachstarting and using the harness within a week. People love his courses and in the season he is busy enough in the school to need 14 instructors and helpers.
On top of that Jeremy, a milder less confrontational version of Jamie, but no less resilient, has turned the shop around. It’s competitive and mutates in high summer from a body board, bucket and spade emporium to a hard-core windsurfing and surfing shop in spring and autumn.
And would he change anything? I asked just yesterday. And as usual I had one of those surreal conversations with him that left me none the wiser.
“I wish I’d stayed in the UK – more people to draw on – I could have really made it work. And the winters are hard – often too much wind to windsurf.”
“But what about the lifestyle, the waves, the surf, the craic?”
“Yea Yea Yea – I wouldn’t want to miss out on that …”
“So I guess I’ll see you next year …”
Some 30 miles from Blasket on the north side of the peninsula lives a modern day Peig Sayers – larger, hairier and altogether more masculine, who also enjoys a good day on the reef – and tells a good tale of life in rural Ireland.
OVERVIEW
The Vapor is Gaastra’s flagship slalom and Formula racing sail that sits alongside the Phantom twin cam freerace and Cosmic no-cam freerace models in their line.
BRAND POSITIONING
‘The Vapor is our no compromise racing sail. It’s R&D process develops throughout the whole year … [this 2014] season we changed many things, the main being the new masts, we developed a new line of 100% carbon masts with a new Constant bend curve … what we achieved is a sail which is much more effortless and less tiring to sail fast. And much better and effective to pump.’
PERFORMANCE
After initially using the original Gaastra (not the new curve) mast we used a Unifiber constant curve SDM and found a radically enhanced behaviour with a really nice and stable draft resulting in a more settled rig that was a million times less physically demanding to sail. The first thing you notice is that the Vapor demands a nice upright stance over the board that helps visibility and control and is particularly useful when approaching and avoiding obstacles or entering gybes. This is true ‘tractor’, that most of the testers found to be the most powerful in the group – yet, in a straight line at least, gaining control is not out of reach of the committed, steadfast sailor. The drive is nice and balanced with ample acceleration to get you out of trouble and back up-and-running again, particularly after gybes. In pure speed terms, both across and off the wind, the Vapor is unmistakably fast with a super competitive, electric top speed. There’s a real mix of power bands and aspect ratios in this group that throw the general rules of high/low aspect behaviour out of the window and the Vapor is pretty much in the middle outline-wise, but is for sure one of the more demanding profiles to gybe and does require a higher skill level – in rougher water at least – to get the best from in terms of making turns and being able to initially kill the back hand on initiating gybes. At full chat this foil pins all types of boards down beautifully and allows the pilot to really let fly and attack even the roughest water states with bucket loads of confidence. A rewarding sail that asks for a fair bit of input and/or skill, but is still attainable by those who really want the rewards!
THE VERDICT A true no-compromise professional level race product that both demands and rewards committed sailors. A perfect pairing for the latest slalom boards that truly fly across the water, the Vapor will pin the most lively hulls down and deliver great security to those who dare explore the upper limits of its high-speed potential.
A waist harness is, literally, the core element of 90% of windsurfers’ power delivery, balance and comfort.
Bar specialist racing and speed use, particularly hourglass figures and perhaps specific back injuries, it’s hard to find arguments against using one.
READY TO POUNCE Ask any of our specialist coaching contributors and they’ll agree that the upright stance a waistie delivers is critical to keeping control over your gear. From this ‘on your toes’ position – rather than the ‘bum out’ angle a seat harness puts you in – you can easily hook-in/unhook and remain in an agile pose to dominate the hardware as you approach gybes, jumps and more.
ONCE IT FITS, YOU’LL JUST KNOW IT
But, rather like an effective wetsuit, it’s vital to get the right fit to ensure longer, more comfortable hours on the water. Spend some time at your local dealer trying on various styles to see what suits you best. Aim to have the hook height just below your belly button – without any riding-up – and use the bar and lines most good stores will have to help you replicate your usual sailing position. (Don’t be a cheapskate and then go buy it online for a few bucks less either – support your experienced shop owners and staff!)
LADIES & BEER BELLIES
You should always try to find a good waist harness first, even if you’ve experienced back problems or are not the ‘right’ shape. Quite a few modern seat harnesses have higher hooks anyway, so if you have an hourglass figure or have enjoyed too many fine meals and ales, consider one of the hybrid seat harnesses to get that hook at the right height instead. Also consider the weight of the thing. We recently weighed two harnesses and found one at 1 kilo and one at nearly 2.5 kg! If you’re watching the weight of your rig and suit/harness combo in relation to your board volume, keep this at the forefront of your choices (bar fit!) and look for foam that doesn’t absorb too much water.
Here’s a few to consider!
FLYING OBJECTS – CONTOUR
FO claim the high back contour, high hook height Contour has ‘undergone further refinement that sees this harness become more of a premium model in our range. The concept of a snug fitting outline that incorporates softer inside materials for comfort remains the same. What we have done is use new materials to reduce water absorption and provide a fresher look. To further improve functionality we now introduce the Quick Clip Spreader Bar system for easy entry.’
ION call the Tritium the ‘Swiss Army Knife equipped with the finest materials and a weight optimized construction, this harness provides superior fit and, even more important, enables easy adjustment of the support characteristics (whether you like it soft or stiff) by the ION T-Sticks’.
Naish have designed the low back shape Mission 3D for ‘riders looking for a lower cut, high range of motion and excellent back support. Precision 3D fit technology combined with the dual tension belt, conforms to the riders body for maximum comfort. It also features a lightweight, low-profile body with a 3D ergonomic plate.’
NP have aimed for comfort and support with the Pulse, a 3D-shaped harness with EVA foam inners to prevent riding-up and prevent water absorption. The unique embossed pattern is designed to perfectly fit the core while preventing the harness from riding up or twisting. A 360° strap made from highly elasticised fabric is intended to adapt to your body shape providing additional core support. The Pulse also boasts an S1 spreader bar, supposedly the world’s first spreader bar constructed entirely out of forged aluminium.
Thermoformed high-end windsurf waist harness with deep lateral neoprene padding and marine-grade metal buckles. On the inside you’ll find thermoformed, super soft and anatomic padding. The low back anatomic shape is particularly compact and allows extreme movement and freedom. Also features an elastic power belt and a new innovative and patented SPQR spreader bar system with bar pad. Available in black, grey and white.
An all-rounder by sail brand Point-7 that is ‘ergonomically shaped, combining optimal freedom with maximal support. Ideal for any kind of discipline, whether your sport of choice is wavesailing, freestyle or just flat-water cruising. The harness is built using only the best materials; ensuring the perfect mix of durability and comfort; tailor made quality.’
Pro limit reckon the Type-T is the favourite amongst their team and that ‘the bigger neoprene soft edge bridges the gap between a low side profile structure and high side profile support outline. This makes it perfect for long sessions and high contortions. It is our most comfortable windsurf wave harness.’
RRD have taken a step back and re-analysed their harness program and aim to satisfy the widest range of body types. They say they’ve ‘taken a specific approach to analyse both the anatomy of each target group and the relative best materials and technology process available today to build the new collection’ using an entirely new development team and manufacturing process and location.’
So how has he survived and prospered? Among his many skills Jamie is also a blacksmith. The things he can make, the trailers and trolleys and racks and systems that allows his school and kids club to run so smoothly, would be unaffordable. On top of that he has an amazing system – and a great spot – for teaching beginners. He reckons he can get anyone beachstarting and using the harness within a week. People love his courses and in the season he is busy enough in the school to need 14 instructors and helpers.
