OBX in a Big House

 I got back down to one of my favorite places on the East Coast the Outerbanks of North Carolina (aka OBX) on the island of Hatteras in the town of Avon.  I was in a big house with around a dozen windsurfing fanatics largely from the Long Island area.  When I say big house I mean a big house.

The best part was the people in the house...

We had communal meals.  There was never time to read even a magazine between the wind and good company.

What I love about OBX is you get West Coast style sunsets as the inland is miles away.

A couple of nice bonfire nights

Finally we came to sail.  We had wind 7 out of 7 days.  Sunday light wind on the 1850 Armstrong foil with 6m wing, Monday 5.6 on 102 Pyscho freestyle board, Tuesday (down patrol) 4.4 on 89l board, Wednesday 5.2 on 82 Stubby wave (amazing how well this small board rides like a larger board), Thursday 4.4 on 74l, Friday 4.4 then 3.8 on 72l (new to me board).

 

OBX with the fam for Spring Break

After a couple of trips to OBX with windsurfer friends for OBX Wind and such with Covid this year and not wanting to fly we decided to make it a family vacation destination.  Besides my younger son Dylan need driving hours!  We stayed in Avon near Ocean Air Sports.   Leaving Boston we had snow and my fingers were freezing strapping the boards on the roof.  

Alas, we escaped for the 12 hour drive.  We made it to Virginia to stay the night.  The cold gave way to warmth and by the team we cross the Chesapeake it was clear sky's and 65 degrees (that felt so warm compared to 35!).  My brave wife agreed to my older son bring two friends and younger son bringing one friend ending up with six dudes on her own. 

But the view, warm weather and the boys not wanting their freedom led to a peaceful time for both of us and mix of wind or calm meant clear times for us a couple and me as a windsurfer and wing man (not that kind of wing man!).   The sunsets were amazing changing from minute to minute and different each night!

Next day day the wind was light so I booked some windsurfing lesson with Graham at Ocean Air (there was grumbling but there were to be no Jet Skis if they didn't windsurf!)

The boys did well and my son's friend B. really got into sailing the entire next day - it was his first time evah!  The wind came up the evening big time, from 12 to 35-40 mph.   The family was like "you're not going out there are you?  That's crazy I've never seen so much wind in my life".   Luckily I had the 4.0 rigged for B., so I was one of the first on the water.   This added to the impression on my boys and wife as it appears I was the only one going out at first - a cool dad moment for sure.

The next day we had butter flat water which was great for the Jet Skis and the sky faded into the water.

We hit the beach and lighthouse - the wing board makes a nice finless knee or body board.

During lighter wind moments I was able to get in some winging - my new light wind favorite.  I can bring a 5 foot board that's light as a feature and two little duffle backs with wings and going in winds down to 12-16 mph.  The 60cm mast was just at the limit so had to fall in the right place or it was a walk to deeper water.

The last day the wind was back but this was a costly day.  I put my head through my sail and later broke my wrist.  Luckily a very minor fracture (catapulted during a chop hop and land on hand while holding the boom) and only 4 week recovery.

Besides that it was a great trip and I highly recommend it!

Foiling

Everybody's foiling now, everyone is learning how, come on a safari with me.  Is what the Beach Boys might say these days.  I got a windSUP foil setup last year and finally getting to writing about it.  And this year I got a foil ready slalom board.  In this post I'll talk about my experience with both and from other setups I've tried and seen.

First, to foil or not to foil.  I've found it extends the sport of windsurfing for lower wind speed, smooths out riding in chop and ads a new dimension that is a little like ice boarding.  It's not too hard to learn if you can already windsurf and you can go down about 2m in sail size so a 7.0m day is a 5.0m.  The feeling you get when you get on a plane now like going to stage one, now you can go from planing to flying where the resistance is even less (only thing less would be ice boarding that I can imagine).

Last year I got the Fanantic Stubby Foil from Phil at our local Inland Sea.

• 120 liter 262x74cm 9.1k (20lbs)
• S1 Foil: mast 65 cm, fuseloge 75cm, front wing 80cm (1024cm2), rear wing 38cm

It's a 4-in-1.  waveSUP, Foil waveSUP, windSUP, Foil windSUP.
I finally tried the foil waveSUP combo weekend before last.  I didn't quite get flying as the waves were small but I still felt the foil.  It lifted the nose and made the ride very stable.  Then I saw another guy on a foil SUP (Blue Planet) his first time too.  He got up but then fell after a half hour started to get it.

I like the forward orientation of the foil and the pedestal mount feel solid and is fast to mount (rather then pressing into a deep tuttle).
The foil pops up very quick with a sail.  I found it a bit less stable then other combos but I like the strapless option.  Makes it easier to gybe with out having to get your foot out of the strap.  I have to knock it for how the front wing is attached to the fuselage.  It's just a small flush surface area so the entire weight of me and the gear bends the 3 little bolts and one broke flush. I fixed it though don't have full confidence in it.

This year I sold my Futura 141 Free Race board and bought a used Proton 136 from a very helpful Andy at Wind NC (now in Vermont foiling lakes).  He had a used MFC foil that I couldn't pass up that works well with this board.

• Goya Proton 136 full carbon slalom board - 233x83mc 7.5k (16 lbs - really really light)
• MFC One7 carbon foil 94cm Mast, 92cm Fuselage, 80cm=972cm2, 42cm=285cm2

I tried this with a Severne Reflex 3 7.0m 4 cam Slalom sail.  Holy cow it was so fast I put the board down in the water as I was worried of popping out and it was only blowing around 16-20mph.  It likes to slowly lift with speed where the Stubby likes to pop up with almost no speed.  Though once you are up it's much more stable and locked in feeling and much much faster (MFC has separate racing wings though this is fast enough for me).    It's a different feel, in the straps, fast and low, the cambered sail worked really well though I also tried a 6.2 in 12-18mph winds in larger chop and with the tall mast I could flot over 2 foot swell.  I tried to ride a swell but the extra lift popped me out (at Fogland Beach RI).  Though I'd like to try that again.  The MFC foil is great construction full carbon (not carbon composite) and the wing notches into the fuselage so the bolts only have to pull down and not side to side forces.  Same with the mast to fuselage.  My only nit is the tiny bolts.  The need to take a queue from Slingshot and user larger bolts.  I can see minor galling.  There is extreme pressure on the top and bottom rear and all three on the front wing.   Longer term I expect to replace them.  Without the foil this is a speed machine with the 7.0 and 7.8  Severne Reflex racing sails and bit step up from my Futura 141 (though I learned to sail on that board and love riding it still today).
Getting the foot in the rear footstrap is the hardest part with fin, easy with foil as heal doesn't drag).
There is a cool hum when flying.

If I could only have one?  Wow, I'd have to say the Proton/MFC combon.  With it I can in theory sail 10-30mph with a single sail (7.8 Reflex) - foil in for lighter wind and fin if the wind picks up.  I've done pretty close to that.  At Pleasure Bay in Boston it's pretty flat even in high wind.  While I wouldn't choose to sail at 30 with this setup, somtimes the wind picks up and if you only have 30 minutes of the session left it's nice to have the option to just stay out.  

There's more and more out there.  Here's some shots from a foil fest last year. My board (about to get blown over notice the foil is in the air) and Steve's Naish.

Jeff's Naish

Slingshot Dialer 130 I rented at Big Winds in the Gorge (here at Viento).  I was one of their first renters that didn't need lessons.  Rides well and gets up in light winds and is stable.  Got my first gybes (touched down but kept speed).  The tail is so short be careful to not step off.  I like Slingshot footstraps.  Not your typical windsurf strap (must be kite inspired). 

 The next day I saw Wyatt Miller and his crew throwing forwards and big airs with foils at the Hatchery.  He also has a good video on choosing front wings.

At ABK Hyannis MA trying out demo gear with Jeff and Alex.

No pictures foiling on my actual gear but here's a picture in flight at ABK clinic in Hyannia, MA on a demo Slingshot Dialer 130 September 2018.  Thanks to Andy Brant for letting us try so much gear.

Of all I tried I like them in different ways.  The Naish's pop up super quick and were more stable than the Stubby.  The Proton is well racier though I like the locked in feel.  The Slingshot seems the sturdiest built and most likely to last the longest and rides nice thought it's heavy (mostly matters in carrying to the water) though I don't like the idea of a dedicated board, I do like the swapping of parts.  I've seen Tyson Poor on Neil Prydes and they very nice.  So I spent a little extra with a second foil I mostly wanted a SUP and a slalom board, ok, really an excuse to get a foil.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.  Checkout what Balz Muller is doing and Windfoil Zone's great article on foiling in light winds.

OBX Wind - Cape Hatteras

After hearing about Cape Hatteras from so many windsurfers and videos like this one, I had the pass from my wife (my younger son in 8th grade going on the Washington DC trip and my 16 year is working and at his girlfriends) to head down during Spring Break - April 12-20 2019 to see what all the talk is about for OBX Wind.

I got a rental house at Island Creek just behind Ocean Air Sports so we could rig once and sail for the week.  Only had to rig a second time to check out Canadian Hole about 10 minutes away due to the wind direction being better there on Friday.  I was joined by other local Boston area sailors Martin, David and phenom now on the West Coast Graham.   David and Martin and I were working on car pool options but had too much gear each drove separately.

We arrived after long drives with wind and sometimes heavy rain to sunny warm day.  I was glad not to have wind on arrival in order to unpack and settle in to the house after pretty much an all-nighter driving.    He we are settling in me, David, Taylor and Graham  (Martin had not yet arrived).

Sunday - check in then sail
There was the skippers meeting with forecast building wind  - and I started on my 7.0 Slalom then 5.4 then 4.2 by the end of the day.

 During a break I got a pictures.
Martin Shauer

David Castanon

The water in the sound stays shallow for miles so it warms up quickly and you can beach start most anywhere but the boat channel. 

Taylor made a turkey, we had stuffing, cranberries and green beens and plenty of turkey for sandwiches for the week.  I did the same thing on a ski trip in college.  Make a turkey next time you are in a group.

We ended this fine day in the hot tub at the house with a beer.

Monday - Long Distance Races

The next day was the long distance race.  With wind in the high 20's to 30's in the forecast.

It was too much for my Slalom combo so I put two rear foot straps on my Goya One and was over powered on my 4.2 (pictured is my 5.4).

It was wild, big chop and 35mph+ winds.  I should have brought a seat harness as my sides started hurting and I had to take breaks - so I didn't do well.  This video captures it best.

I walked to Ocean air and bought a seat harness so I was all set for race 2 after lunch.  The forecast dropped a little so some folks were rigging up.  It was still high 20's and so I kept the 4.2.   This time the sail size was just right and the seat harness felt much better for the roughly 3 mile tack to the boat.

Unfortunately, about a 1/3 of the way out the wind dropped and nearly everyone was slogging.  Even worse it changed directions so the mark was not effectively more upwind.   After schlogging back in I changed to my 5.4 (in photo) and was planing but the mark was too up wind and the time rigging after 4 miles of slogging by the time I was near the mark it was moving away (the race was over).  Only 146 about of 234 racers finished that race.

Nothing a beer and the hot tub can't wash away - it was still quite an experience.

Tuesday - light wind day

Even this day started out with a kick sailing the 4.8 from 9-10am then the 5.4 and faded by noon though was fun to do some light wind freestyle.  Took the car to the shop to check the oil warning and got food.  I checked Magic Seaweed and it said 1-2 waves and had a blue star so I spoke to Martin and ask if wanted to go wave SUP.   He said sure let me ask Joe.  Joe said sure let me check with the crew.  Six of us went to the pier and had fun little waist high waves and even saw some dolphins.

Back at the house Tyson was foiling behind a jet ski.  I love this picture.

I dropped by the skatepark for a short session.  No crowd - just me.

There's more than windsurfing so I also saw a tourist site with David.

We picked up some fresh Tuna and Thresher Shark to cook up on the way back.

Tonight was shop talk with Andy Brant - I always learn something new

Then it was off to the hot tub for a beer with Martin and David.

Wednesday - Slalom day 1

I've only race twice before at East Coast Windsurfing Festival.  I had my new Goya Proton 136 from Andy at Wind NC.  The wind was light and I had my 7.0 Severne Reflex III cambered race sail.  I got some tips from Joe on rigging tips.  There were 4 heats that day and more the next day.

Out with the old and in with the new.  Futura 141 - the board I learned on starting in 2013 (sold) and the new Goya (also got a MFC One7 foil).

Unfortunately the wind was light.  So it would be more like racing in the East Coast Windsurfing Festival - schlogging - even with my big board :-(   I didn't listen closely enough to the start flag sequence training and I was driving to the line so I jumped in the water.  Then everyone went and I didn't have enough wind to beach start.  So I had to toss the sail and uphaul - bad start.  I made my gybes and caught sailor but then was passed at the last mark.

I came in last.

Next heat.  A better start but still.

Second to last.

Next heat I figured I stay on the board a little further back from the start.  With 30 seconds I slowly drifted towards the start and was off, well more like I was now drifting across the line but with the other racer.  The folks with 8.6's could plane so they left us.  I made my gybes but was to slow on the sail flip and getting back in the harness so I was being passed.

I ended 3 to last.  Same the next heat.

It was back to the hot tub and beers with Martin and David to lament the day.


Thursday - Slalom day 2

Today we had wind and the races were on.  Planing is a different race.  I beach started near the line, though when the horn went off there was a rush of planning racers who had started way back.  I made my gybes, though was being passed coming out of my gybes and slow to get back on a plan.

Still 3rd to last (16/19)

This time I started way back with the fast ones.  When they started I started.  I got onto a plane and passed the boat just after the horn, passing a the folks starting on the line.  I was traffic at the first mark (rather than after the party).   There were two sailor down from blown gybes.  I went inside and slipped through, made my gybe and back on the plan - I was still with the pack.  The next mark, more carnage.  Three sailors down and not much room and it's downwind, I tried to slip between the mark and a sailor going very slow I was drifting and touch boards "not cool man" I heard.  "Sorry", and off I went back on the plane - still in the fast pack though Aron Etmon, Phil Soltysiak were already near the finish.  I made my next gybe and it was the final stretch.  I was neck and neck with Vicky Abbot the Goya Rep and she passed me just at the line as hit a lull.  I looked back and there were a lot of sailor coming in still!

I was 9 of 19!

The next heat I started way back again and this time I didn't hit anyone (and we made up at the finish by the way).   I made all my gybes was neck and neck with Vicky and in the pack.  This time was my revenge, no lull and I came out of my gybe and onto the plan and beat her to the line - Goya beats Goya!

I was 11 of  24!

The last race I blew a gybe but still ended up 15 of 24.

Now it was time for the freestyle competition and to cheer on our housemate Graham Fedderson.
David and I sailed out as the wind was better a little ways out due to the wind shadow.   While we had wind everyday we had wind from the North, South, East, and West in 7 days!  The photos will do the talking (these photos from Facebook since I was in the water).

Youp Schmit

Andy Brant - on fire!

Aron Etmon

    Graham Fedderson

   

   Mike Burns

   Aron Etmon

Insane in the membrane - see the video here.

Today it was celebration time in the hot tub with beers with Martin and David!

Friday - Canadian Hole

The crew was going to the Hole so Martin, David and I followed.  Patrick was there with an injured foot - and was worried he was out of commission day 5 of 10 - luckily he was back on the water the next day.   It was a 4.0 day and there was more freestyle action.  Graham gave me some pointers on Shockas and I got the feel of a couple I think.  Also made a couple of loop attempts otherwise duck gybe and gybes on the 89l Angulo Triumph.

 Graham Fedderson

   The talent level was so high

This this one is less clear because it's from my phone when talking to Patrick.  Graham hit the shallow water on the landing and hurt his foot.  Luckily he was back after a few minutes.

   Mike Burns

Taking a break and watching was as much fun as sailing.

After lunch, I noticed a group of folks across the street at the top of the sand dunes.  I grabbed my camera and walked over.

Chris Eldridge

    Tyson Poor - launches

 

Besides not cleaning my camera lens I was happy with the shots.

After that it was off to the Mad Crabber for awards.  Graham got 5th in freestyle - talent in the house!

It was time to head back to the hot tub for a beer with David and Martin.  Sadly this was the last night before packing up.  Where had the week gone!