"What windsurfing has is by far a bigger and more powerful
experience. Once you hold the wind in your hand and get
a taste of being in the "flow" there is nothing that will
equal this magical sensation." -- John Chao, in American
Windsurfer
Wind snob report...
Hurricane's a-coming! WE got our first taste Monday, 18th,
at Clark Hill (Thurmond). Usually, we feel guilty to be
playing in conditions caused by an event that elsewhere
is destroying people's property and worse. But this was
a gentle one. (May they all be like this!) Yeah, it rained
-- hard, too. We didn't give a hoot. Four of us who could
avoid work just squinted the windward eye and ripped like
gangbusters. 15 to 25 NE. Wow, what a long time it had been
since we could bump and jump and go scary-fast on our home
water! Wore ouselves slap out. Ed Gould and Pate Bryan's
reports of wind at Murray for several days two weeks ago
and Danny Johnson at Lanier last Friday the 8th (25 - 30mph!)
was getting us a little bent here in Augusta. But, now we're
all better -- and waiting for the next one.
Soul Windsurfers report... The water temp is still around
80 degrees. It's still humid and warm -- enough. The boat
traffic is off the water even on weekends. It's quiet. The
water is at its clearest. Air almost always moves in the
Fall. It's a beautiful time at the lake. Windsurfing gives
you access to a unique perspective on the wonders of God's
incredible creation -- and, dog-gone-it, you can get all
this right here practically in your backyard. So join Roswitha,
Leslie, Debra and the others who "get it". You know, you
only got so many days on this planet....
SURF EXPO REPORT.
I was three days in Orlando early this month with 1800
vendors and buyers from the windsurfing, surfing, skateboarding,
wakeboard and waterski industries. I got access to some
awesome pre-season deals on 2001 gear. I also observed the
following:
1) As a group, windsurfers are tatoo deficient. Skateboarders
do not believe in higher education -- or any education,
for that matter.
2) Committed non-conformists all look alike.
3) It takes a long time to get tired of looking at extremely
fit young women in extremely small bikinis.
4) The wind blows like an aeronautics windtesting tunnel
everywhere except where I live.
5) All parts of the human body can now be pierced.
6) Surfers think they are sexier than the rest of us...and
they're right.
7) All the money to be made in board-sport retailing is
in what doesn't matter to those who can actually perform
in those sports -- clothes.
8) Windsurfing boards will soon be wider than they are long
so that the "surfing" aspect is completetly eliminated and
we'll call it "wind platforming".
9) Isn't the hot new invention, foot lubricant for wakeboard
bindings, really a warning?
10) Everyone here really, really likes their job.
LAST CALL FOR BEGINNERS' LESSONS.
IF I hadn't had 3 requests in last 2 weeks, I would call
it a season, but I hope to have at least one more day for
lessons on the Sept. 30th weekend and/or Oct 8th. Water
is still quite warm. Sunny fall days are beautiful. Call
or e-mail me to set it up. (860-0639)
FOLLOW-UP CLINIC FOR THE SEASON'S NEW STUDENTS:
Focused on-the-water instruction reviewing basics or picking
up where you left off. This Sunday, 24th, at 1:30pm at Scotts
Ferry, Clark Hill Lake. Reservation required. Equipment
provided. Minimal fee.
ATLANTA FALL CLASSIC SENIOR NATIONALS
Sponsored by Atlanta Boardsailing Club at Lake Lanier,
Flowery Branch, GA. Oct 13 - 15. Definitely a premier race
event - open to all ages. See www.windsurfatlanta.org
or call Chris Voith at 404-255-6469
WIND INDICATION SYSTEM AT LAKE THURMOND.
Installation date tentatively set for Sept. 29th!!! We're
running off-site test of the whole thing this week. Stay
tuned for a "System is Activated" announcement. That's when
a little $ contribution will be appropriate for all you
Thurmond sailors to pay for the monthly phone service.
WIND INDICATOR AT LAKE MURRAY.
The Coast Guard Auxillary and Power Squadron are still
pursuing a National Weather Service wind system, but SCE&G,
who controls that lake, is unresponsive about a site at
the dam or on the stacks. So, it's back to Flotilla Island
at the end of Johnson Marina Rd. Not a great location for
us windsurers. I'll keep you posted when it begins to actually
happen.
SEPARATING FUSED MASTS...
Brad Benjamin of the Charleston Boardsailing Group sent
out this e-mail recently: "After sailing the harbor today
I couldn't get my mast to come apart. I tried using two
boooms to get leverage and twist them apart, but the booms
kept slipping. I also tried hot water to see if the top
piece would expand. Didn't work either. Any ideas?" Yes,
there were some ideas. Each claimed success at least once
from the given method, but it ain't my fault if you bust
something. 1. Put mast in a swimming pool and let soak for
several hours, then it twisted free easily. (Bart Liebman)
2. Support the two ends of mast on padded surfaces and slowly
push downin the center about the amount the mast usualy
bends, then roll the mast 15 degrees and repeat, and so
on till you go around a few times. You should hear some
crunching sounds and eventually sparate. (Don M.) 3. Get
WD40 and a rubber mallet. Soak the joint with the WD40.
Then, with the mallet give the mast a good whack down on
top of the mast tip like you're trying to drive the top
half thru the bottom. The joint should open about 1/8".
Put in more WD40, then whack it again. The gap closes on
every other whack, but will become wider and wider, slowly
breaking up the grit. You may want to cover the mast tip
with something to prevent possiible damage. (Willis Keefe)
4. At last Hatteras trip we got seven people, can of WD40,
and something metallic to tap the mast joint with. Three
people twist one half one way and 3 the other, while the
7th person sprays and taps the joint. The vibrations theoretically
allow the WD40 to seep in. It worked.
HATTERAS TRIP
Oct 21 - 28. Oops, it's filled up. Sorry you missed it.
We'll do it again in the spring. Next time, don't procrastinate
-- unless you have some other life in which you're going
to do all those "some day" things.
ESSENTAIL ACCESSORY SPECIALS
Excelent quality WIndsurfing Hawaii alum booms. all sizes
-- $118 Still have Hawaii Pro-line close out "wave" length,
smalller grip 1 1/8" booms -- $109 Harnesses -- DaKIne Surf
Seat, excelent basic seat harness -- $55 Windsurfing Hawaii
"SS" waist harness; primo, tough, comfortable -- $99 Lines--
Dakine Reactive or Windsurfing Hawaii adjustable -- $33
Mast base/extension/U-joint parts -- Streamlined --in stock,
best stuff and nobody beats my price , too much to list.
Call me, call me now. Training videos -- in stock, from
beginning to first time straps, harness, water starting.
Windsurfing 101, Turn for the better -- Part 1, Steppin'
Up
SMOKIN' CLOSE-OUT AND PRE-SEASON BARGAINS.
I know you don't want to read a commercial, but right now
is the season to buy! Different items from different brands,
but sails, boards, masts, booms, semi-dry and dry suits
in many sizes are out there. The national catalog houses
have put out fliers with close-outs way over my #'s. No
illusions here -- call for a real deal. >>>Whitecap has
two Neil Pryde top-quality SEMI-DRY SUITS IN STOCK at a
superb bargain price. Man's new 52/L (170-190 lbs., 5'9"
- 5'11", waist 33 - 36, chest 42 - 44) "Cup" series 4/3
vert. zipper, $188 (MSRP $260). Woman's top-rated "Jenna"
series, Size med. (120-140 lbs, 5'5" - 5'7", chest 38 -
40, waist 28 - 30), zipperless entry, 5/3, worn once, $198
(MSRP $300). This is ridiculous -- somebody ought to buy
these.
