Broken Boom

I've broken my boom yesterday.

I was just getting to plan, starting to speed up, when the tube in the front of the boom just broke. No warning, no twisting, nothing. Just total failure and into the water I fell. Coming back was a bit of and adventure..

It's not as if it was a particular good boom. It was just a ok boom for a beginner (which I am). The right price and quality for a startup gear.

It sucks because I'm having a long weekend next week and I wanted to go on some windsurfing travels (maybe to Viana do Castelo or Lagoa de Lagos). Now that's a bit out of scope unless I find a replacement.

I'm now looking at the North Sails booms and thinking that a Silver HD New Style is exactly what I should be aiming for. Sadly though the market for windsurf stuff in Portugal is quite small and as such there's only one shop selling North Sails gear and they don't even list the booms (only sails).

Fortunately the day was not completely lost as I could take a lend rig to keep on practising my tacks and jibes. After the windsurf clinic at Lanzarote my tacks have improve a thousand times but I still need to do a lot of training in my jibes to get to do them planning all the way through.

Update: added some photos.

PHD Movie comming soon.

PHD Movie Trailer from PHD Comics on Vimeo.

The coach at the Windsurf Clinic @ Lanzarote 2011

I went to a windsurf clinic to see if something could be done about my bad windsurfing style.

To my surprise yes, I can be cured, with the proper training and with some coaching I might still be able to become a more or less effective windsurfer - planning early, managing to go upwind, faster and more accurate. In time I might even be able to pull out a push loop (I'm going for it...)

Anyway, for this post I just wanted to share this small video with Tom Brendt (the coach at the clinic) doing his thing. After the clinic was over he was finally rid of all the "patients" and could also score some fun.

Going to this clinic was one of the best things I could have done with the small amount of vacations I have. I feel that my windsurf skills has been pushed up quite a lot. Now I know what I was doing wrong, I understand how to fix it. Just need wind and water to practice.

I am quite sure that I'll be joining other clinics... In the meantime I'll be posting some of the pictures and some of the stories of this really nice event in future posts.

Four in a row!

Yeah! Four weekends in a row with windsurf sessions... and this weekend didn't end yet.

Today it was different from the other weekends. South wind, as usually it was warm but gusty. And fun. Lot's of fun.

Lets see what tomorrow brings... It looks like the north wind is coming back but not that strong.

Trip to Romania in Autumn

In the beginning of this Autumn we made a trip to Romania, and boy was it nice.

We were even lucky enough to see some snow in the high Carpathian Mountains when driving though the Transfăgărăşan, the same wonderful road Top Gear enjoyed (check the video, it really is worth it).

We started our stay by staying in this great mountain house. Doesn't it look great?

That was our base for going around, either by foot or by a old Suzuki Samurai.

We went to see a cave where there was Ice frozen for some thousands of years (or something like that) and to see the great Alps like mountains scenery.

If you have the opportunity to visit Romania do go around, don't stick to the cities. You'll enjoy it.

Three in a row

Three weekends in a row with wonderful conditions for windsurfing.

Today it was another great day. North wind, 25 knots (13 m/s) with gust reaching 30 knots (15.5 m/s).

Spent the entire afternoon, from lunch until sunset, riding. Perfect afternoon.

Unfortunately, again, I have no photos to share. Got to get a water proof camera...(hear that Santa Clause?)

Another good Autumn session

After the storm that hit most of Portugal, with strong wind and heavy rain, comes a great day for windsurf. At least that what happened today.

Monday is usually a working day, but today it's a holiday (a religious one) so I had a free ticked to go and ride.

The ocean was to ruff to go inside, although it wasn't as bad as yesterday (photos are of yesterday), therefore I (and others) decided that the Ria de Aveiro was a good choice.

This time I don't have any pictures of the windsurf session (no photographer available) but here is my report:

tide

high at 10:39, low at 16:50

wind

35 knots (18 m/s) during the morning, with gusts up to 40 knots (21 m/s), decreasing to 20 knots (10 m/s) as the afternoon progresses.

It was easy going and fun. The wind was mostly constant and the water was flat until the tide started to lower. Then it became more interesting, with the tide waves creating nice ramps for jumping.

In one jump a classic board and rig goes with the wind, rider goes down happened to me, with the front foot locked in the strap and being twisted in abnormal ways. It hurts a bit, but with daylight saving time gone (meaning sunset it's around half past five) and the wind forecast being rather dull I'll have time for it to get well.