Riding high

There is a high pressure system parked above the Midwest, which gave us 20 mph from the North yesterday. We rode at Montrose until past sunset (I got out of the water by 8:30), and then went for Mexican food. Windsurfing at its finest, on a sunny afternoon, with a bunch of beach bums.

Montrose notes: When the crib reads 20 mph average, Montrose gets good 6.5 wind. This works for anything from N to NE. When there is West the beach does not get as strong wind.

Happy faces... Left to right: Steve, Andrew, Matt and Brian. I am in the back.

Back at Wolf

Crazy as it sounds it's been so busy last week that I did not have time to post about one of the most amazing sessions we had a Waukegan. People were pushing it so hard that my buddy Brian snapped his mast a mile from shore. He is some prudent dude and was prepared with life vest, whistle, etc, etc, and Andrew was with him, so both made it to shore... But that's another story.
Today I was back at Wolf, man it's been a while and I almost had forgotten how it feels to rig way big for the conditions and just go out there and blast back and forth. Everybody was there, the freestylers, the speedsters, and us, good times.
I have amazing memories of Wolf. The pond has been generous to me, but riding the big lake is like nothing else. Keep the good days coming!

Andrew and I blasting on 6.5s... The dude is fast!!

6.5 for the first time in 2012

Yes, that's how good Spring was in the Midwest. I've been on my 5.2 since February, incredible. Yesterday we had North in the high teens to the 20s. The sky was cloudy in the morning but cleared by 10 or so, and we had the whole beach for ourselves.
By the way Wavehog released Windsurfing Movie 5, Road Trip... Check it out!

Unpredictable

The forecast data was conflicting, once again, which fueled up all sorts of speculations among the Midwest wind chimps. Some said it was going to be on, some said don't bother. I thought we had 50/50 chance, so by 1 PM I packed my stuff and headed to the beach. We ended up with a whole afternoon of 5.2 and 5 footers rolling in at Montrose. 

Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, but you always come back. 

Yes, the landing was less than optimal

The perfect Sunday

I'm beginning to think that April is the best month around here for windsurfing. For two years in a row April has been the month I've sailed the most, and this year it may be no different. April has the perfect combination of cold air that fuels the Midwest winds, and warmer days. North is the prevailing wind direction, which means Montrose goes off pretty often, and today was no exception.
Andrew, Brian, Steve and I were sailing, Matt is still beat up from South Padre Island, so he staid on shore. I rigged the 5.2 again (patched with more duct tape), and it turned out to be just fine, although the Goya 105 was a little too much for the chest high waves...
I'm thinking about getting an 85 litter gun just for when Montrose goes off...
Tomorrow looks good by the way, so we'll see...

Spring in the Midwest

Montrose went off today. We had NW wind gusting to 35 mph at the crib, and it definitely felt like upper 20s at the beach, maybe even higher. I had the 5.2 all the way down (by the way the new mast works great), and it still felt way too much. Once again I wish I had an 85 L board with a 4.7, the 105 felt way to big going out in massive chop. In other news, Matt and Andrew are back from South Padre, and it sounds like they had an awesome time.

Getting some air in the surf

Rig for the forecast or for the conditions?

Nuclear session today at Wolf. The forecast predicted 30s from the SSW, perfect Wolf, but when I got there the wind was mere 15 mph, enough for the 6.5 but not for the 5.2. What would you have done? Rig for the wind in front of you or for the forecast wind? Re-rigging is not an option here, we are too lazy for that...
This time I rigged for the forecast, and it paid off. The wind picked up to the point that I could not even hold my 5.2. Once in a while I get it right...
By the way my mast exploded, my gear is disintegrating... Thanks Steve for letting me borrow yours.

Sail 360 here I come

... and one more!!!

The wind blew all night and by this afternoon it was solid 25 mph. I rigged my trusty 5.2 with as much downhaul as I could, and it still felt too much. We were sailing almost parallel to the beach, and riding some big wind swell. On one of the rides I ate some 5 feet of white water, and catapulted violently. By the time I got my rig back I noted a huge hole in my Ezzy Wave 5.2. That sail has been with me for years, it has been my high wind sail, the piece of gear you rig for epic conditions. I know, some people don't own anything bigger than a 5.2, but this ain't Tarifa or Fuerteventura, so imagine if you broke your high wind sail, whatever that might be... It went great windsurfing gear should go: on an epic day, doing some crazy shit...
I hope I can get it fixed, I need my 5.2 for those sessions worth dreaming about.

Opening day at Montrose

I know, I haven't been posting as much this year, and that's because I haven't been sailing as much. The wind and I have been on different schedules, until today. A post from Brian on windsurfillinois.com got me out of my misfortune. He was going to hit Montrose in the afternoon, and I decided to join him. Good call, we sailed super powered up on 6.5 for two and half hours, in side on NNE wind. It was Montrose at its best, clear water, waves, a perfect opening day. 

Goya's fifth season...

Wolf is open for business

Slowly slowly the windsurfing scene in the Midwest is waking up from hibernation. Today I went to check out ole' Wolf Lake. The ice was gone (thank God), and the wind was blowing 30 mph solid from the West (well... solid for Wolf). The air temperature was mid 30s, and the water was probably the same or colder, which I didn't care much about thanks to my trusty Bare. I rigged 5.2 and sailed solo until the  boom was coated with ice and was difficult to grab. It's good to be back at the pond, it's good to have a place that feels relatively safe even in extreme conditions. Man I love winter sailing... I hope to see you out there soon!

Welcome back!

Last Saturday night a bunch of surf deprived fellows got together to celebrate the beginning of the 2012 windsurfing season. Toasts were made to the Gods of wind, and goals were set for what seems to be shaping up as a season to remember. Long distance courses were set, and there was talk about GPS speeds, loops and carving jibes. Sunday morning I dragged my tired bones to Waukegan for my first session of 2012. The air temperature was in the upper 40s, and the water in the mid 30s, so it was almost Hawaiian conditions for us... I was on my 5.2 all morning, sailing between the jetties in 25 mph SSE wind. The waves were wrapping around the South jetty and were coming clean to shore, pure fun. 

Gear test: The gear is in god shape (except the mast, which I don't know if it's going to survive another season). And the Goya... well... she is beautiful as ever...

Lee Auerbach was there with his camera, and he got this picture of the Goya up in the air... 

I'll see you out there soon...