Finally!

Finally the conditions were just right for a killer ice sailing session! It was sunny, the wind was blowing about 15 mph, the lake was packed with thick ice, and I had the day off. I rigged my 5.2, which was plenty for the conditions. The rig finally felt right in the ice; having tried it in different terrains, I found it works best in the ice with patches of snow, to slow you down a bit... Seriously, this thing goes off, the drag of the skis against the ice is minimal, and you pick up some serious speed.
Freestyle: after a few runs and after building some confidence, I tried to make the skis spin out. Well, they spun out... of control... The helmet you see in the pictures was worth every penny, I waked my head in ways I never thought were possible... but by the end of the day I was getting more and more used to the rotation of the skis and was able to stay on my feet most of the time...
Anyway, big day in for icesailing, I'll be back for more!!!
No harness needed

Ice freestyle 101, thank God for my helmet

Windy Sunday

We got some great wind today! I arrived to Wolf Lake little after noon, and it was already blowing. The lake was covered in about 10 inches of snow (still nothing like yesterday at Dunes). In regular conditions (that means liquid water) I would have rigged 5.2, but I knew that I needed more power to get going in the snow, so I went with 6.5.
I'm still having trouble controlling the windski, I either go too upwind and loose speed, or I go way downwind... Another thing that seems not right are the harness lines, I have a hard time hooking in and making it work, I go much better unhooked. Maybe I should move the mast track further, if I only had a drill...
Wolf Lake, frozen

I should get a few fishing poles if I'll keep spending countless hours in frozen lakes

Who needs Bonaire... Maybe me...

Dunes take 1

First session of the year! Winter is in full speed here in the Midwest, and we had lots of snow. The lakes are frozen, even the Big Guy is frozen! This, of course, represents a minor inconvenience in the life of a windsurfer. However, windsurfers know very well how to make lemonade when life throws lemons... Anyway, these conditions were perfect to keep testing my windski. I decided to check out Dunes Sate Park, in Indiana; a natural reserve that I thought would offer the perfect playground for the windski. The wind was not huge, just enough to keep me moving, but the snow was too deep, and my 80's skis kept sinking in the powder. Tomorrow it's going to crank, so I hope to get some action at Wolf, we'll see...

Walking the gear through the snow. The frozen Lake Michigan in front of me...

Windski

After the last week's experience in the ice, I've been searching the net for new and innovative ways to dislocate my shoulders. To be honest, the ice is fun but is a little bit two dimensional. The ever changing terrain is what hypnotizes me about windsurfing, 50 feet from you there is nothing, and all of the sudden there is a hill, or a mountain, or a wall, ya' know what I'm talking about.
But then I found this guy in Canada named Guy Trudeau, and he changed everything... His thing is a sled made with skis, powered by a windsurf sail. You may say "Oh! I've seen that before" to which I will reply: "Check what this guy Guy does with his windski"...
I already made mine, and I'll be waiting for you out there in the snow, or in the ice...

PS: Check Guy's website http://pages.infinit.net/gtj101/home and enjoy...

Ice!

Winter finally arrived to Chicago! It was 1 degree Fahrenheit last Wednesday, and the small lakes are all frozen now. This was never a problem in New England, the ocean never froze, so I'm a little inexperienced in this matter. Luckily, our friends in the Nordic countries have been dealing with details such as frozen water and extreme cold temperatures for years. So surfing the net I found this new and exiting sport, which I will call "Spoon windsurf" a.k.a SPW (the thing at the bottom of the mast is actually a ladle). SPW is the hottest sport in Latvia, and the number SPW enthusiasts is growing exponentially (now there is three of us). Big companies are fighting to sponsor the young hot shots: Gollito Estredo just signed a contract with IKEA, and it is rumored that the Pritchards are between Bed, Bath and Beyond and Kitchen Aid. In Siberia, Antoine Albeau just hit 160 knots with a 7,5 m sail and a spoon made with titanium, he is still coming back upwind. Anyway, don't let the cold days go by and get a spoon; soon it will be spring again.
The rig, and my beach chair

Starboard just released the 2011 SPW board: 2300 dollars. Or you can steal your girlfriend's ladle: 2,25 dollars

How fast? Scary fast!!!

12 mph wind, a perfect day for your 5.2

The ice ain't smooth, so helmets are a must (elbows and knees pads are also recommended). HAVE FUN!!!

A humbling experience

St. Joseph is a ENE fetching beach in Michigan. The place has a reputation for going big in N wind, with big swell wrapping arround the channel's breakwall. This was not my forst time at St Joe, but it will be one that I will remember. Today the wind was SW 18-20 mph, or at least that was what the buoy at Sowth Haven (30 minutes north of St. Joe) read. I rigged my 6.5 and sailed upwind from the wall, trying to stay in the area between the wall and the beach. The side-on shore wind felt prety safe, but I ran out of power on my way back. What followed was the inevitable wipe out, and a swim to shore. Not being able to waterstart or uphaul, I ended being pushed against the wall and had to climb one of its ladders. In doing this I lost grip of my rig, which floated astray for 20 minutes until it was pushed back to the wall when I was able to grab it.
Overall, nothing serious happened, but I learned my lesson: no room for mistakes in the Big Lakes. Things that went right: from my launch the wind was side-on, and that is what generated the waves that pushed me back to shore. My dry suit, gloves and booties were appropriate for the conditions, I never felt cold. Things that went wrong: I knew that the wind on the inside was not enough, and I still went out. I was alone, bad idea. I launched too close to the wall, worse idea.
Today Lake Michigan showed me its true power, and I am grateful that I got out of the water in one piece.

Fortunately the ladder I climbed was not covered with ice.

Lake Michigan

... and some room for artistic expression :)

Thanksgiving

Today was a clowdy day. There was also the fine rain and the chilly temperature. I used to love days like this in New England, days made to rip...
I paked the Goya, a 6,5 and a 5,2 sails, and headed to Wolf Lake. To my surprise, the entrance to the lke was closed, and I had to use the accesory entrance, which I don't even think is legal... but hey, it was only me and the crazy old man in overall adn rollerblades in the parking lot, and he didn't seem to care.
6,5 seemed appropriate, and it was for about two hours until the wind piked up, but it was all right, for me it was time to go anyway, Thanksgiving diner was waiting.

I felt kind of rusty doing my jibes today, that's what happens when you work too much. December here I come, until Papa Midwest winter lets me play.