San Francisco Bay Area Windsurfing

Labor Day at Coyote Point

2011-09-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

My friend Ken Follosco took these pictures of me doing a jibe inside at Coyote Point on Labor Day (September 5, 2011)

Click images to see full size

There is a wind shadow at the launch at Coyote Pt. You have to wait for a puff of wind to help you get on your board without grinding expensive fins into the rocks. Then you usually slog out for a few hundred feet to as much as a mile to find good wind. Labor Day was great because the wind was fairly close to shore as you can see the sailor jibing near the wind line in this top photo.

If you want a good picture, you sail into the wind shadow letting the apparent wind keep you moving fairly fast.

Without much wind inside, balancing on a board is more difficult and you have to slog back out to the wind line to get going fast again.

If you click on the photos here and zoom in, you can see downtown San Francisco despite the rather poor air quality. One some days, the views are beautiful.

Sailor: Kirk Lindstrom
Board: RealWind 270XL
Sail" Sailworks Retro 5.5m^2
Photographer: Ken Follosco
Camera: Canon PowerShot SD600
Date: September 5, 2011 Labor Day Holiday

Windsurfing Joke: 3 Old Windsurfers

2011-03-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

Three old windsurfers are chatting about sail size at Kanaha Park, Maui.

First one says, “Windy, isn’t it?”

Second says, “No, its Thursday!”

Third one says, “So am I. Lest go get a beer.”

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Dean Karnazes New Book "Run!"

2011-01-10T08:15:00.000-08:00

Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss

“Dean is not an athlete of clichés but a man who deeply inhabits his life as a runner. He does that with a really solid sense of humor and an understanding that life…and running…can be very entertaining!”
—Bill Rodgers, winner of the Boston and New York City marathons

Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss

“Iron man Dean Karnazes is no mere mortal.”—Time

“Running with Karnazes [is] like setting up one’s easel next to Monet or Picasso.”—The New York Times

“The undisputed king of the ultras, who has not only pushed the envelope but blasted it to bits.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“A ‘short’ run with Dean could land you far from home.”—The Washington Post

“The indefatigable man."—Esquire

“Ultrarunning legend”—Men’s Journal

“Money and fame aside, Karnazes [is] motivated by a primal need more than anything else.”

—Outside

Product Description

In his follow-up to the best-selling Ultramarathon Man—which Sports Illustrated called “fascinating” and the New York Times said was “full of euphoric highs”—world-renowned ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes chronicles his unbelievable exploits and explorations in gripping detail. Karnazes runs for days on end without rest, across some of the most exotic and inhospitable places on earth, including the Australian outback, Antarctica, and the Tenderloin District of San Francisco.

From the downright hilarious to the truly profound, the linked stories in Run! create an unforgettable tableau, providing readers with the ultimate escape and offering a rare glimpse into the mind-set and motivation of an extreme athlete. Karnazes addresses the pain and perseverance and also charts his emotional state as he pushes the edges of human achievement. The tales of the friendships he’s cultivated on his many adventures around the world warm the heart and are sure to captivate and inspire readers whether they run great distances, modest distances, or not at all.

Palo Alto Mud Sailing

2010-09-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

Some of the Palo Alto "Mud dogs" are working on sailing through the mud to extend their sailing time. The one thing you DO NOT WANT to do is fall into the middle of the mud as it can take an hour to walk out. Video and screen capture shots below.

Mike at youtube reports:

Small fin, soft slippery mud and enough wind and it's possible to sail right across the mud flats at the Palo Alto CA sailing site.

On Sept. 20, Jack reported on iWindsurf:

Three of use (Royce, David and I) had a great session from 3-5 PM today on 6.0 and 5.7 with 100L freestyle boards. Because of the ebb the water was flat, flatter and flattest.

The mud was even flatter. I installed my 15cm custom cut mud fin and tried some “Mikey Mud Sailing” (where were you Mike?). What a blast! As you enter the mud/water slurry zone it’s like being on ball bearings. You actually accelerate but have much less fin bite in the mud. You stay on a “mud” plane very easily with the board going a bit sideways. It’s a very weird feeling.

I performed a duck jibe on my most brazen run into the mud. David will vouch for it as he was slogging out thru the mud/water slurry as I jibed in front of him. As I hit the mud everything turned to slow motion just like I was in a dream, it was really bizarre. I intended to do a donkey jibe but thought better as I didn’t want to crash in the slurry (negotiating a sail and body 360 seemed a bit beyond my expertise at the time). Luckily I had a lot of slow motion time to think about it. This was the slowest and strangest full planning duck jibe I’ve ever done. I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about it tonight.

Coming in to the dock at 5pm I went thru 40 yards of pure mud accelerating thru it then slowing down to a slog as I entered the channel.

A couple of things to keep in mind.

You need a really short fin. 15cm is 5.9" inches.
You want to make sure you can sail in the water with these short fins before you attempt mud sailing with them
Make sure the hose works at the cleaning station so you can wash yourself off should you fall into the mud.

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Click Stills for larger images:

GPS for Windsurfing

2010-09-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

September 8, 2011 update: Despite being advertised as "rugged waterproof design" the Forerunner 301 is only moderately water resistant. If you don't keep it in a dry bag, it will eventually leak and fail. If you tell Garmin if failed while windsurfing, they won't honor the 1-year warranty! I told them Amazon.com advertise these for winsurfing and they advertise them for "triathletes" which implies swimmers and they volunteered to repair or replace it for me for $34. I will probably use a dry bag and eventually upgrade to the Waterproof 310XT that they recommend for swimmers and windsurfers.

It is really nice to know how fast I am going while sailing by glancing at my wrist and I really liked knowing how many miles I sailed and top speed reached.

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Original Article:

I used my Garmin Forerunner 301 GPS Personal Training Device for the first time yesterday windsurfing and loved it!

It was so easy to set up and use.

It is water proof and you wear it on your wrist like a watch. I set up the custom view to show my current speed in big type so I can easily see it with a glance while sailing. I found I was also able to see the smaller text I set for max speed and total distance.

This is the bike handlebar mount I bought so I can use it for biking.

At the end of my first "workout" windsurfing for 1hr and 35 minutes on a 6.5 sail in flood tide at Coyote pt yesterday the heart monitor said I burned 1718 calories in 22.85 miles with pk speed of 24.4MPH. I was not able to get upwind enough to let loose on a downwind run to try and break 30MPH.

I am not sure how the heart monitor does calories since I have not entered weight yet. Avg HR was 135 BPM - easy training session. After only a single use where I have not had time to read the instructions yet, I am very pleased and recommend it to all.

Windsurfing Video: US Nationals at Crissy Field

2010-07-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

Video clips from the Windsurfing 'Expression-session' freestyle competition. Part of the US Windsurfing National Championships held at Crissy Field, San Francisco, California on July 20-24th 2010. Clips are from July 23rd.

Competitors included: Tyson Poor, Andy Brandt, Wyatt Miller, Whit Poor, Rob Warwick, Jason Voss and many more.

Jacqueline "Jacqui" Kuni - RIP

2010-05-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

Jacqueline "Jacqui" Kuni collapsed while doing the sport she loved with the people she loved at the spot she loved. A beautiful life ended far too soon, but her spirit and love of our sport and friends will live on in our memories.

Our Bay Area windsurfing community learned of Jackie's passing when SUba-rude posted a note about the sad event on the iwindsurf message board titled Tragedy at The Stick today:

Posted: 30 Apr 2010 20:20
I am so sorry to say. We lost one of the best sailing comrades ever. Jackie, the nice lady that drove the van and organized the BBQs was brought ashore unconscious. I cannot say her condition, only that the EMT were unable to revive her. It happened suddenly. One minute she was out having the time of her life, the next I see someone swimming to the beach with her. Even if you don't know who she was find it in yourself to say a pray for Jackie. Asked the Ambulance Driver and he said she is going to SF General. They would tell me nothing on the phone. Not even if she was there. She was a real gem. First rate person.

Hats off to the young man that rescued her. He swam easily 1/4 through strong winds and ebb currents and got her ashore. He kept her head above water the whole way. I never met him but its nice knowing we have sailors like that around.

The news was later reported by the SF Examiner in Windsurfer fights for life after rescue off Candlestick Point

May 1, 2010: A windsurfer was in critical condition Saturday after being dragged to shore by a doctor who was also windsurfing in the chilly waters off Candlestick Point on Friday evening.

The woman, only identified as Jacqui, was face down in the water for about two minutes, according to Dr. Juan Vargas, who pulled her to shore at about 6:30 p.m. Friday. Her injuries are not believed to be windsurfing-related.

It took about five minutes to swim to shore and another five minutes for paramedics to arrive, Vargas said. From the beach, she was taken to nearby San Francisco General Hospital where Vargas is the chief of obstetrics and gynecology.

Another windsurfer on shore was a physician as well — an emergency room director — and helped resuscitate the woman.

According to the SF Examiner: SF windsurfer, 66, dies after water rescue

May 3, 2010: A woman popular among Bay Area windsurfers died at the hospital Sunday morning following a striking rescue from the waters near Candlestick Park on Friday evening. The woman, identified as San Francisco resident Jacqueline Kuni, 66, likely had an aneurysm, according to doctors.
Dr. Juan Vargas, who was also windsurfing that evening, swam Kuni to shore around 6:30 p.m. after she had been face down in the water for about two minutes.

“I knew it was Jacqui because I recognized her sail, and she was not breathing,’’ said Vargas.
He jumped in the water, kept Kuni's head afloat and screamed for a fellow surfer to call 911 while he swam her to shore for “what felt like an eternity,’’ he said, but guessed was about six minutes.

Two physicians tried to resuscitate Kuni while they waited for the ambulance to arrive and take her to San Francisco General Hospital.

Jacqui's Memorial Posted: 03 May 2010 11:32 by chand2

Jacqui's memorial will be this Saturday morning at Candlestick Park. We will meet at 9:30 am. Location in the park TBA.

There will be a paddle-out to place lei's in the water and scatter a few ashes. If you want to participate in the paddle-out, bring a board with you.

We are creating a book of pictures and stories for the family. If you have any pictures of Jacqui, or any stories to share, please contact Ellen at chand2@earthlink.net.
Thanks.

KevinKan posted this note and photo of Jacqui

Posted: 03 May 2010 13:30
This is one of the only pics I have of Jacqui. She was still in a good mood and smiling even after the wind died and she got stuck downwind and had to come in on the rocks.

She was one of the regulars at Da Stick, and it was strange not seeing her yesterday. Such a nice lady, and it's nice to read all the nice stories about her here.

I remember I dropped a board off to her late last year around Christmas time, and she had a bottle of wine and some caramel corn all wrapped up w/ a bow for me.

It is people like Jacquie that greet everyone with a smile, stay late to make sure everyone is in safe or are there to give a helping hand to beginning sailors or experienced sailors unfamiliar with the local conditions that make this such a special sport.

Rest in Peace Jacqui

Robby Naish at Hookipa on a 4.7

2010-04-01T20:17:00.000-07:00

What a day. I got to Kanaha early to sail around Noon and got in a short "survival session" on a 4.5 sail at "Uppers." There was SO MUCH WIND that staying upwind was not an issue. Since I had most of my day left, I decided to check out Hookipa and see if anyone good was sailing. As great fortune would have it, I got to see one of the best in the world, Robby Naish, sail.

click images to see full size

Here are a few more of the photos I took.

Good to see I am not the only fan of tri fin boards

Camera: Nikon D60
Lens: Nikkor 55-200 VR
Photographer: Kirk Lindstrom
Date: April 1, 2010
Time: 2:04PM to 3:30PM Maui time

Today's wind:

Team Red Bull Photo Shoot Maui

2010-03-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

Kai Lenny, Sergio Cremisini and friends tear it up just below "Baby Beach"on Maui's North Shore

After sailing 5.0 three days in a row and 4 of the last 5 days, my old body needed a "take pictures" rest day.

Click any of the images to see it full sized.

I took a stroll down to Sugar Cove to see how big the waves were and if anyone good was sailing. While taking a few photos of windsurfers doing better than I could have done in those tough condition, a couple on the seawall invited me to join a photo shoot of some good sailors who would be in close to shore. They said it was a photo shoot for a video they were doing. They said it was "a short drive upwind" just below "Baby Beach." They took off in a cart. Not wanting to drive and in need of a walk, I took a short hike to "Baby Beach" to find them.

I took over 250 photos and these are a few of my favorites. These were taken between 12:45 and 2:05PM Maui time.

Sailors:

US-1112 Kai Lenny

US 7777 Sergio Cremisini

I wonder how big the waves were outside on the reef...

How windy was it? 20s and 30s.

Kanaha Beach Park Wind, just downwind of where the pictures were taken.

The Kahului Airport Wind Graph says it was gusting over 40

Indeed it was a good day to rest!

Camera: Nikon D60
Lens: Nikkor 55-200 VR
Photographer: Kirk Lindstrom
Date: March 30, 2010

Note: I had the VR off (not on purpose, but I sat on the ground and used my knees to steady my arms.)

After taking pictures, I thanked Martin Lenny for inviting me. He lives a few homes from the beach and his 17 yr old son Kai (US 1112) was one of the young gun professionals. No wonder Kai looked like he was playing in his backyard in difficult conditions, he really was! If you are interested in real estate, see

The Maui Real Estate Team Welcomes Martin Lenny

Weird Wave at Kanaha Hawaii

2010-03-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Between the waves named "Uppers" and "Lowers" at Kanaha Beach in Maui, Hawaii is a place appropriately named "Weird Wave." Locals advised me to avoid Weird Wave because if you fall in that area, you "may never get out."

The weird wave breaks at odd angles and comes up from nowhere. When I sailed towards the gap below Uppers where the normal waves there came straight at me or from the windward (starboard/right) this weird wave would seem to move upwind from my port (left) side. It is truly weird.

More Pictures of someone sailing Weird Wave

Maverick's Big Wave Contest Video - Feb 13, 2010

2010-02-23T11:17:00.001-08:00

Some boat side footage "JohnAndRadChris" got from the Maverick's contest - Feb. 13, 2010.

Don't miss Grant Baker's 40 foot closeout barrel at the end.

Crissy Field & Third Ave Video

2010-02-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

Windsurfing Wave Sailing Fort Point Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco Chronicles Bill Weir

Dedicated to local San Francisco Bay and Crissy Field windsurfer, Bill Weir, who passed away Summer 2009. This is a clip from the San Francisco Chronicles 2003

Mavericks Wave HD Video - January 2010

2010-02-02T11:23:00.000-08:00

Mavericks 2010-01-10 as experienced by Bart Willems

For HD, click the arrow on the video that defaults to 360p and slide it to 720p HD

From Bart:
Bart Willems went surfing in +- 15ft waves at Mavericks on 2010 - 01 -10 and documented a session on GoPro HD camera. The 3 hour surf session was condensed into 5 minutes of highlights.

Music by Jamie Shelly - Cherrybubblegumcity (thanks for making good music Skulpie)

World's Longest Windsurfing Board

2010-01-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

Video of World's Longest Windsurfing Board with nine sails. The video shows the team pulling a skier on short, wide skis.

Longest board made by Joop Nederpelt from the Netherlands.

Dale Cook Massive Jump and Bail in 50 MPH Wind

2009-10-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

Dale Cook bailing on a massive jump in 50 MPH wind at Doug's Beach in the Gorge on August 7, 2009.
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Gear: Sailworks 4.2 Hucker & Roberts custom jump board

Hint of the day: Try to stay upwind of people doing big jumps!

Doug's Beach : August Wind Archive at iWindsurf.com

Luke's 2.0 Day at Coyote Point

2009-10-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

Luke sailing a 2.0 sail at Coyote Point on October 2, 2009

Heading out into the Bay:
Starting the jibe:

Sheet in and go!

A good dismount to end the day.

Board: RRD Easy Joy 111L
Sail: Ezzy 2.0 kids rig
Goggles: SPEX

Camera: Nikon D60
Lens: Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED DX VR Zoom-Nikkor
Photographer: Kirk Lindstrom

Best digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras
How to buy the best, new digital SLR camera

Worlds First Windsurf Hydrofoil Board

2009-09-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

Video of the Worlds First Windsurf Hydrofoil Boards in action.

Designed by Joop Nederpelt in the early days of the sport as the late 1980's boards, sails and booms show.

Freestyle from PWA Fuerteventura

2009-08-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Freestyle Podcast PWA Fuerteventura episode 1

Skip ahead to 1:44 if you just want to see the action.

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Source: vimeo.com
This is a late entry of a first episode of Freestyle Podcasts from second freestyle PWA event in Fuerteventura.

Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Race 10 Final

2009-07-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Race 10 Final

Slalom racing is "back and forth" between two buoys compared to "course racing" which has upwind and downwind legs over a "course" with many buoys.

While course racing needs special, large boards and sails to go upwind and downwind quickly, slalom racing is all about speed so the boards are smaller and faster, more like the boards us recreational sailors use to go fast.

This video shows the epic final of the tenth round of Slalom at the 2009 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam.

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Source: www.youtube.com

Treasure Island Summer Solstice Party Hosted by West Marine

2009-06-16T05:03:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, June 20th, West Marine is hosting a Summer Solstice Party at Treasure Island.

The emailed announcement from West Marine says:

It's your local celebration of the global sailing holiday, as the Bay Area hosts one of the event's best attractions at Treasure Island!

Sail in, anchor out and enjoy a full day of music, marine exhibits and sailing festivities. West Marine associates and Rigging Truck will be there to greet you. Check out the weekend activities and register to win at www.summersailstice.com/sf

By registering you'll be eligible to win:

-A Week-long BVI charter with The Moorings
-A new Hobie kayak
-A Fast Track to Cruising Course from Offshore Sailing

Plus over 400 other prizes from West Marine and other event sponsors! We look forward to seeing you at the event and wish you smooth sailing.

The web page says:

FREE ADMISSION! Summer Sailstice brings together everyone who loves wind, water and sail! Sail in, motor in, or just come down for a full weekend of sailing, cruising, racing, windsurfing and onshore entertainment.

If you don't have a boat, don't worry... you can get FREE sailboat rides, watch sailboat racing and enjoy live music at the festival village. Or see if you can hook up with a ride on the Latitude 38 crew list or visit the new, complete Bay Area access to sailing resource: gosailingsf.org.

For boaters: On top of all the other fun there is free anchorage with complimentary water taxi and dinghy dock availability to enjoy one of the most idyllic spots on the Bay. Racers unable to anchor or stay overnight can raft up stern-to at the Treasure Isle Marina guest dock as space permits.

More details

==> Very Best CD Rates with FDIC <==

Josh Angulo Wave Sailing at Cabo Verde World Cup 2009 Video

2009-06-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

When you think of wave riding, you think of Josh Angulo. During the world cup in Cabo Verde 2009 he showed he is one with the waves, always sailing in the critical section, with vertical smacks in the pocket and big aerials. Angulo’s effortless and fluid style was captured in High Definition enabling us to show some of his rides in slow motion. Dream away with us on this one...
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Josh at home from umi pictures on Vimeo.

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From caboverdeworldcup.com

Situated in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa you can find a world of your own with the islands of Cape Verde.

The archipelago is made up of 10 islands and 8 isles of volcanic origin. We have a variety of beaches an conditions with levels range from first-time beginners to experts and we welcome all. On the left side of our station there is a nice bay, with crystal green flat water where the wind is not entering with its full power, so it’s always perfect for beginner lessons, and a fast advancing is guaranteed with our instructors.

The 2009 World Cup ran eight dayss from February 14 to February 21. For more:

Kirk Lindstrom on 6.5 Sailworks Retro

2009-05-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

Click for full size image

PHOTOGRAPHER: Chu Nguyen
DATE TAKEN: May 13, 2009
LOCATION: San Franscisco Bay, Palo Alto CA
WINDSURFER: Kirk Lindstrom
BOARD: Real Wind Power Surf 270XL
SAIL: Sailworks Retro 6.5m^2

Wind Graph for Palo Alto Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Click for full size image