support

List of costs I had/will have (to post the stuff I post):

- new laptop with an SD card reader
- bunch of SD cards to be able to shoot hours of videos at the beach so that you guys won't miss a thing
- bunch of rechargeable batteries
- various items at ACE hardware to build the different camera mounts
- monthly subscription to dropshots to host photos/videos

That's why I just added a little PayPal button on the right so that, if and when you feel like, you can support this website. If you feel like doing a money transfer instead, email me and I will email you my bank account information.
1,10,100,1000, a million dollars... it's all welcome and appreciated. And when you'll have made up your mind, please give half of that amount to Unicef (or to the homeless people of your town)... there's a new link for that too.
And don't forget to forward the address of this blog to all your friends!

Thank you!

I just changed the number of posts of the main page to 20. Please let me know if it loads faster.

Hereafter just a couple of shots of the latest camera mount I experimented yesterday.





Notice the second camera on top of the mast... that means that when I will edit the clips I will try to mix the shots from the front to the ones from the top...
I don't think I'll have the time to do that before I leave for Italy, though.
Here's my plan: shoot as much as I can before I leave and then edit it over there, since I'll have plenty time...
I hope I'll find a internet cafe with a fast wireless connection... (one more cost to cover!), so that I can post the videos from there.

In the meantime, here's a couple of snapshots from the video clips to give you an idea of what you can expect.
This is Jeff Henderson, Hot Sails Maui founder, who is very impressed by the videos and photos of the magic little GoPro camera.


And this is me after having cut that piece of boom that was on the way (and was quite sketchy indeed... ).


And this is Jeff's dog Patch, who likes to lick the duct tape!
This photo was taken in photo mode: 2048x1536 (or the other way around, since I flipped it 90 degrees).



Lastly, as requested, here are a couple of more photos of the mast mount.


The batten is attached to the mast with two hose clamps. It goes through the mast sleeve of my 5.5 and 5.0. It doesn't go through the one of the 4.5... Let me know if you came up with a thinner attachment...

Gliding in the blue

Friday 4 27.

There was a Hot Sails film-shoot for the 2008 sails. 10.30 at Hookipa was the time and place for the "business meeting".
Me, Glenn, Dioni Guadagnino and Taka (Japanese sailor that gave name to the windsurf move). Tom Hammerton joined us later on for the speed sails shoot.
Just being is such company was a great honor.

This one inspired the title.


The day was gorgeous. I had the longboard with me and, even though there were no 2008 Superfreaks to show, I didn't miss the opportunity to sail an uncrowded Hookipa (3 surfers out when I first got out... they seemed pleased to watch this new thing... maybe they were windsurfers...).
Ok, I may risk to state the obvious... Hookipa is not the best for longboard sailing. At least not the right at the point! Too fast and steep...
I wanted to ride a few lefts at Middles, but there were too many surfers and i didn't invade their space...

Backside ride at the point.


Glenn shortly joined me and for at least half an hour we had Hookipa all to ourselves, before the others showed up. It was so nice...

Look at the glide of the longboard again.


I was riding my new 12.2 Starboard longboard. Here you find a short write-up of a test I did a few weeks ago.
Not much to add about the board... it's a sweet board that works great in small to medium waves. Prolly not as comfortable in really big stuff (like logo to mast), specially if choppy.
This time I had a huge central fin and two side fins. Great drive in the turns, but a bit slow overall. Got to try a smaller central fin.
I went out on a 5.0, because it was 11.30 and I knew the wind would have picked more (as it did). The sail size on a longboard doesn't really matter... or at least doesn't matter as much as it does on shortboard. Overpowered is a bit uncomfortable. Underpowered is not a problem.

Signature move.


Try to erase all you know about wave riding on a shortboard if you're getting to sail a longboard for the first time. The lines you do and the things you do to achieve them are completely different.
If you're a longboard surfer (SUP even better), then the shock won't be that much...
Leave all your aggressiveness and radicality on the beach and bring in some style, smoothness and relaxation. And this is the most difficult thing to do...

Look how my back foot is on the inside rail. Footstraps would not allow that.


The reasons I got these photos on my camera is that I hired one of the lifeguards to take them... What you're looking at costed me a 12 pack... whatcha think? Worth it?
Here are the other ones...

Hitting a mini lip.


Later in the afternoon they gave me a Fluid 6.0 2008. I first put it on my slalom board and reached some ultrasound speeds and then I switched to a 91l wave board. I caught a few backside lefts at Lanes and then I saw the videographer leave his position on the rocks.
"Well, I guess we're done", I thought.
Sailed back to Hoo and caught a logo high lonely beauty that only wanted to be ridden...
The wind had dropped enough for most sailors on shortboards and 5.0s to get back in. I was on a 91l and a 6.0... I was planing most of time and I could easily catch a bunch of head to logo high waves. Of course the wave riding on a 91l board cannot be particularly radical, but it was perfect after the longboard. Plus, I didn't want to wipe out with a brand new all monofilm 6.0... and thank god I didn't! Instead, I had an unexpected huge amount of extra fun...

I don't know how long I sailed, but I was just as tired as happy. We all enjoyed a cold beer sitting on the rail talking about the waves and commenting on the girls that were passing on the beach...

Overall, a grand day. Five stars.

I love Doc. Bird!

I went to see him yesterday to check my foot. He did an x-ray and told me:"No broken bones, even if it hurts, you can go sailing without the risk of doing any further damage. Just ice it in the evening..."
Now, that's a doctor that knows his patients!

I got out of his office with a big smile (never been happier to pay for a visit...) and drove directly to Kanaha where I sailed pretty much all day.
I started on a 4.5, but soon I had to replace it with a 4.2. I usually don't prefer strong wind, but this time, because I had no expectations to sail at all today (and maybe all week..), I just loved it. Not too gusty, a bit choppy for sure, but not too many people out... head to overhead high waves, not a cloud...
The sunset sesh was even better. The wind calmed down a bit and the waves got smoother... a few friends out sharing waves... oh man, can't get better than that!

Talking about friends, here a clip of Glenn from the top of the mast.
It starts with a long sequence of five jumps. Notice how the sail moves like a bird wing when he pumps it... specially before the last jump. And notice how the board moves like a snake during the pumping action...
There's two backloops and a forward (together with a bunch of high jump, a table top and a vulcan)... good luck at spotting them!
In fact, a rotation jump with the camera on the mast makes the world rotate around the sailor and it's quite difficult to understand what's going on... that's why I put a couple of slow motions...
If you can't see it here, try here.

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

What else? I got so much stuff to post...
Monday April 23 was a great day for windsurfing. I took a few shots at Hoo. Mmm... from which one do I start? Oh, what am I thinking...


The sailor of the day was Phil McGain. For two reasons. Not only because he rips at 44 (actually there was a bunch of over 40 out there that day), but also because of the veeery short kilt he was wearing at Andy's scottish party. Somebody told me that it was an hysterical vision. Some other told me he was unwatchable... too bad I don't have a photo of that...
Anyway, here he looks pretty good...


And this is Robby Naish off the lip.


A bunch of more photos here.
Got more stuff to post, but no time. Come back tomorrow.
PS. Hey, check this out: I've been added as an official Hot Sails Maui team rider... you got to be kidding me! How did I get there being such a kook? I don't know... it's one of the things I do...
Thank you guys!