4.2 one day, Windsup next day

A late season cold front blew into Florida this week. It provided strong side-onshore wind as it arrived, then light, side-offshore wind with residual swells as it departed.

On the first day I was expecting 15-20 knot wind; maybe just enough to ride my 5.5 sail on a 106 liter shortboard. But at the beach it was blowing like crazy; perfect for a 4.5 and my 83 liter board... which I had left at home. Doh! I ended up doing fine by putting a 4.2 on my 106. A narrower board would have been more comfortable in the chop, but the nice float of the 106 helped me keep momentum when swerving way upwind or downwind riding waves. The song in the video is by Queens of the Stone Age. I think I've used it before, but it fits so I'll use it again.

Late Season Cold 2014 4.2 Sail from James Douglass on Vimeo.

The second day was obviously a sup or windsup day, with small swells and little coughs of side-offshore wind from about 4-14 knots. I used a 5.5 and the modified Angulo Windsup. (I REALLY need to get my 6.8 fixed/replaced- it would have been perfect that day.) At first, catching the waves with the 5.5 was easy. Once on a wave, the board would zoom up to a fast planing speed with a lot of apparent wind. As the wind got lighter and less dependable, it took more careful positioning and luck to get on a wave. At that point I could have switched to a paddle and caught a few more rides, but I'd had a good sesh and I needed to go teach my night class, so I bagged it. Good times. The song in the video is by Soundgarden.

Late Season Cold 2014 Angulo Windsup from James Douglass on Vimeo.

This DOUBLE WINGER SWALLOW-PIN-TAIL TWIN-FIN DUCK-STEP WINDSUP WITH SUCK-HOLE TECHNOLOGY is working really well for me. I think the best thing about it is how it generates speed down the line in small waves, which helps you feel like you're riding a bigger wave with stronger wind. I hope some more experienced board builders will copy my idea and develop it further.