Last weekend the wind started light so I decided to go whale watching with a stand up and a 5.3 sail/ On Maui you don't ahve to go far to find some whales. I found 3. You could see them jumping/breaching from far. When I finally got the camera ready they stopped breaching off course and started slapping with their fins on the water surface. Amazing creatures , specially when you get that close.
Today everything was right waves, the wind picked up and a good crowd in uppers. Diony came from Venezuela to join us on the water.
This week I also tried out the new BOLT, a 4 batten, light weight sail for free style and wave.
Last week many good days in Hookipa. There is a whole Scandinavian Crew sailing in Hookipa and Kuau. Pilip Wallin shot a nice video in HD which you can see below. Hot Sails riders Ola & Andres & me and other riders Mark Angulo (always there and always sailing amazingly) and Robby Swift who hurt himself this session as did Robby Naish a few hours before. Pilip gives a niceview from the hill overlooking Hookipa beach a place where you can spend days just watching, the sailing, the waves, the crashes on the rocks and everything else what's going on down there.
Last week I had a few sessions on the Quad 71. I use the 76 as a alround light to medium wind range board and the 71 in Medium to stronger wind conditions. The 76 is very forgiving, and easy to get through the white water but still radical, with snappy top turns. In big waves where you generate a lot of speed the board is a bit wide. Still it is my all time favorite. The 71 feel a lot smaller and is not so forgiving on the wave. But It handles tight turns and lots of speed. Last week we were looking to go to Jaws for w windsurfing session in the end it didn't happen because there was to much wind chop which would make it impossible to stay on you board coming down wave size that big.n For days like that were you don't need tight turns but most of all control I think a narrow single fin board with some double concave is the best option. For everything else a Quad.
MALIKO DOWNWINDER
This weekend I made a downwinder with Dagmar. Nice day, medium trades, sunny and many turtles.
The Maliko to Kanaha Run is about 1 hour and 35 minutes if you take it easy and 1hr and 15 minutes if you go full on.
A Downwinder is a nice combination of paddling & surfing. You are basically riding the wind chop/swell the whole way. A few strong strokes and you catch chop ride 50 meters a few more strokes an other chop.... Good training and lots of fun.
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