Rig Cam Video

This qualifies as the best rig-mounted camera work I've seen so far. Nothing too fancy here, but you can get a pretty good look at how ebrandhorst sails. You can see examples of a waterstart, hooking in, getting into the straps and jibing.

Though relaxing, the flick has me itching to get back on the water. I hope to see you in Corpus soon.

Where Boards Come From

My parents told me that baby surfboards are brought by storks. Instead, the process seems to involve a spray of styrofoam, plastic bits, the application of form-fitting vinyl, and lots of resin rub-downs. Oh, and don't forget the bad elevator music.

JP Australia Videos

JP Australia's site features several hypnotic windsurfing videos. The highlight videos function mostly as ads, but they are educational because they illustrate the various branches of windsurfing. The other films skip the sell, so be sure to check them out.

I suggest peeking at the air-tastic Maui-07 video first. Cabo Verde also gets a nod for the unusual music and dream-like quality. Groovy.

Does anyone know how surfers retrieve their boards when they fly away? Could they possibly slog through those waves and find them again? The surf looks a lot more intimidating when the guy transforms from a graceful rider to a tiny swimmer.

Maybe one of the benefits of having a sponsor is that they just give you a new board when the old one blows to Nepal. Must be nice to have a sponsor (or live in Nepal).

Link.

The Peconic Puffin

The Peconic Puffin blog has posted two interesting videos recently.

The first features a couple of kids showing off their crazy freestyle skillz at night. They look like they're having a blast. I'm jealous.

The second has a video summary of attempts at breaking the 50 knot sailing speed barrier. The current world record is held by Finian Maynard, at 48.7 knots, or 56 mph. You'll see him in the video: he is the giant riding a toothpick. Can't miss him.

Hydrofoil Windsurfing

This video isn't really exciting, but it does show that hydrofoils can work in windsurfing. I've been wondering about that for a while. It also shows that adding a hydrofoil is a bit pointless.

The board doesn't seem to be going any faster with the foil (watch for the traditional board in the background). I expect this is because the foil requires a lot of drag to create the necessary lift. The foil does make the ride smoother, but that seems boring. Maybe the foil would come in handy in wave sailing?

The Columbia River Gorge

I'm probably cheating by posting videos three days in a row. You'll survive though. Watch for the guys who confuse their rig for a hang glider.

Wave Sailing Video

Do you think worldwinds will teach us to do these moves? Launching 15 feet in the air looks fun...

Windsurfing Antarctica Video

Check this out: windsurfing in Antarctica. Icebergs, mountains, seals, penguins, and desolate loneliness.