Kilcrea Light (video)

Not much wind again yesterday. Jonas and my self went for a light wind session at Kilcrea. There was only about 10 knots. Anyway I left the camera rolling in the van. Here is what we got.

Check it out

Zero Wind = DIY

Not much wind this week, even for a light wind session. So today I put my boom back together. I got it regriped in the UK a couple of weeks ago. They did a neat job. I then washed Rush beach off the van and continued on to the car and then the house, windows, front door, drains! Etc.

Looks like much the same weather for the weekend. I might try and get out on the landboard tomorrow.

Check out this guy on his Buhala board.

Not quite Sotavento

Yesterday I sailed at Kilcrea. I didn’t get out till four. The wind was a bit light but enough for 6 metre. I practised some vulcans, conca tacks, upwind 360 diablo and worked on finding the position for jumping into a shaka. I enjoyed the short session and have a sore shoulder today from sheeting in hard.

On another note, Oisin posted a Video he put together of footage he shot while in Fuerteventura a couple of weeks back.
Theres about 80 moves from the World's best freestylers as they practise and compete in the final day of the Sotavento Freestyle World Cup.

Check it out on the surfdock website or click the link below.

www.surfdock.ie/docknews.php

Rush Wave Session Today

I had a good sail today. Tom, Oisin, Tricia, Bill, a few others and myself sailed at the south beach Rush. It was 5-metre weather with some nice waves building. I seem to be making some progress with my starboard gybes in waves. I managed to plane out of a couple which is new for me in waves. It doesn’t help that I have been trying vulcans on starboard tack for the last year.

I wasn’t too adventurous today but did enjoy the ramps. Tom practised some cutbacks and vulcans. Oisin went through his list of loops, flakas, wave riding etc and a nice 360 on the wave.
Hope we get some wind tomorrow.

Goodnight!

For Sale

A friend of mine is selling his board. See below for details.

‘2005’ JP Australia Freestyle 100 PRO EDITION Inc board bag

€499. (Good condition)
Original price €1,499

Contact: Tom - 0874114554
Email: tom.slomski@yahoo.co.uk

Developed jointly by the triple world freestyle champion Ricardo Campello and Werner Gnigler,The only board on the market, that wins Pro Freestyle competitions and is still a great beginner short board.

*super easy to sail
*big speed potential
*very stable during moves
*great carving and jumping

Length: 241 cm
Width: 64.5 cm
Volume: 100 litres
Weight: 5.9 kg PRO Edition
Fin: (PowerBox) FS
Shaper: W. Gnigler
Sails: 4.7 – 7.2

PRO EDITION TECHNOLOGY
*Foot Pad
*Double Heel Pad
*Full Carbon Standing Area on top of the Wood
*Wood Heel Reinforcements
*Full Carbon Standing Area underneath the Wood
*E.P.S. Core
*Carbon / Kevlar Deck
*Glass Bridge
*Carbon Rail
*Sandwich with Full Carbon Bottom

Shaking that Ass!

Yesterday I went for a sail at Malahide. The wind was light so ended up practising some light wind freestyle.
Oisin had a new waterproof camera/video recorder that he bought from surfdock. Comes with loads of different mounts and records an hour of video. Anyway Oisin managed to capture my good side in the picture above!

Shenick Island Skerries

Had a good session yesterday. The sun was out and the wind southeasterly. Kidge, Oisin and myself went for a sail in Skerries. Rigged 5.0 – 5.3 sails on 90l JP freestyle boards. We sailed upwind to Shenick island where we spent most of the time sailing into the bay into almost mirror flat water. Perfect for practising freestyle. We also sailed upwind from Shenick to catch some waves coming in.

Rock Star (video)

Yesterday I became a Rockstar. No I didn’t take up singing. I ended up on the rocks twice! while sailing at Low Rock Malahide. All part of the learning curve i guess. Kidge, Stiffy, Oisin, Dave, Sideshow and myself turned up for the session. Strong south-easterly winds and non-stop rain were the order of the day. The waves were well spaced and ready to be ridden. Sails rigged were 3.7 - 4.5

Check out the action

Low Rock from Andrew Radley on Vimeo.

Good Weather for Ducks

Good weather for ducks today but no wind. Keeping busy doing a bit of D.I.Y around the house. I should have my bike next week. I am looking forward to trying some tricks.
Just got a text that the Trickionary book two is in stock in Surfdock. I have book one and its a must have for anyone wanting to improve there windsurfing. Covers everything from waterstarting to a Gozzada Spock 900!

On another note, last weekend the Prova Cup flatland BMX competition took place in Japan. Hiro Morizaki came first. Those guys sure know how to spin.

Check out the action.

Value for Money

Another session at Kilcrea today. There were a lot of people on the water. The wind was very up and down with people rigging anything from 4.7 to 7.5! I rigged my combat 5.6, which handled the gusts and lulls nicely. Well done Kidge who landed a spock but unfortunately I didn’t get to see it. Tom.L is landing a few good vulcans now and Tom.S is definitely getting closer to landing one.

Oisin was just back from Fuerte and was out on his new 2009 JP-90l (I think) freestyle board. Nice board. New graphics look cool.
Moving back a few years, there was a guy out sailing on a board that he built in the 1980’s. It was a copy of a Lightwave. It even has carbon down the middle and didn’t feel very heavy. He said its still going strong after twenty years but needs new straps.

That’s what I call value for money.

Kilcrea Expression

Sailed at Kilcrea today. There were plenty of bodies on the water. Tom rigged his new Expression 6.1 and was very impressed with the performance. I spent the day trying conka tacks, vulcans, upwind 360 diablos and backwind gybes. Kidge was out looking for a spock and is still working on something that starts like a slam gybe into breaking out the fin. He’s not sure where that’s heading yet but its good to see someone trying something new. It starts like a ‘Reverse’- Ricardo’s new trick.

Looks like southwesterly again tomorrow.
See ya on the water.

Check out Ricardos 'Reverse'

Need to get Wet!

I was hoping to go for a sail yesterday. Dublin airport was showing 15mph southeasterly so I went to Skerries to check it out. There looked maybe enough wind out towards Shenick Island but I didn’t feel like sailing out at the island on my Todd so I drove to Rush to have a look.

There were a few kiters out on big kites but not really enough for a sail. Today looks like light northwesterly wind so I’m going for a light wind freestyle session at Malahide.

Bank Holiday Monday

No wind today so I decided to clean the shed and build a workbench. Sheba gave me a hand. She has a sore ear at the moment, hence the strange collar she is wearing.



I have also become obsessed with a sunflower that I planted from a seed. It’s taller than me now and still no sign of the flower head!

Ballet on Wheels (video)

I sailed for about an hour today at Kilcrea. There were a few people out having fun. Rigged my 6.1 expression and practised vulcans and upwind 360s. It was good while it lasted.

Check out hiroya morizaki and York Uno from Japan. Hiroya was ranked no.1 in the world last year in flatland BMX. This clip was filmed in Berlin in 2006.

Freestyle hole in your foot!

Oisin mailed this picture to me the other day from Fuerteventura. He has a hole in the top of his foot from too much freestyle windsurfing. A local sailor recommended this as a solution.
I’m told it works a treat.

p.s Thats one super long big toe!