Alternative to windsurfing
Acolmanj
Tragedy...I've a problem with my eyes that means I can't go in the
water for at least the next 3/4 months. I am devistated. The winter
lows are coming across Ireland and it's the best time to be in the
water. But, my doctor has forbidden any activities that will bring my
eyes into contact with harsh environments...that means surfing and
windsurfing :-(
As an alternitive (no I will not paint my house) I thought that I
might try something I saw a guy doing on the beach one time. He had a
windsurfing sail attached to what looked like a large skateboard. He
was turning and gybing it like a windsurfer and it looked like good
fun. But I don't even know the name of these things....can anyone
tell me what they are called and where I can get one ?
Wishing you all good times on the waves.
John.
Brian
them almost anywhere. You can purchase them on the web, but you could also
build your own if you're inclined to so. I've used larger skateboard trucks
with plywood to sail in parking lots, and I've used my Mongoose ATV board
with a kite in large fields.. both are lots of fun if you can't get in the
water.
http://www.murrays.com/terrasports/sailor/complete.html
Do a search on Land Sailing, and see what comes up.
Hope your eyes get better!
Brian
"Acolmanj" <mccu...@ie.ibm.com> wrote in message
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Badger
board or buggy with a traction kite.
Info here http://www.powerkiteshop.com/
Kev
"Acolmanj" <mccu...@ie.ibm.com> wrote in message
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Glenn Woodell
mccu...@ie.ibm.com says...
>
>As an alternitive (no I will not paint my house) I thought that I
>might try something I saw a guy doing on the beach one time. He had a
>windsurfing sail attached to what looked like a large skateboard.
We call it sail skating. You can use a specialty board or simply attach a base
to a regular skate board. Just be safe and use lots of safety gear. Use old
gear since you will be tearing it up and a 5.0 or 4.0 should be all you need
to get going on hard pavement.
Glenn
WARDOG
> I thought that I
>> might try something I saw a guy doing on the beach one time. He had a
>> windsurfing sail attached to what looked like a large skateboard. He
>> was turning and gybing it like a windsurfer and it looked like good
>> fun. But I don't even know the name of these things....can anyone
>> tell me what they are called and where I can get one ?
Hi John,
Here's a vid clip of recdotters Alan White and Will V on my Gravity longsk8:
http://www.surfingsports.com/sk8sail.asp
More pics:
http://www.surfingsports.com/brian_kim_sk8sail.asp
The board in the Sk8 action vid clip that I shot of Alan and Will V,
is a stock Gravity 47" Hyper Carve longsk8
http://www.surfingsports.com/Gravity.asp
with a Windsurfing Hawaii On Center single-bolt twist on foot, mounted
on the nose...single hole.
Mastoot can also be placed right behind the front truck...
http://www.surfingsports.com/images/gravity_sk8_1.jpg
http://www.surfingsports.com/images/gravity_sk8_2.jpg
http://www.surfingsports.com/images/gravity_sk8_3.jpg
Side to side stability is adjusted by tightening/loosening bushing nut
on truck.
The softer your wheels are, the more traction you will have on the
pavement, which will reduce your ability to tail slide (and, you
probably wiping out with your sail rig) when you are heading for a curb
, car, or other inanimate object.
Additionally, the softer your wheels are, the smoother your ride will
feel, as they will absorb more shock from pebbles, gravel, or roadkill
etc... than harder wheels. I recommend 78a to 80a durometer wheels for
most sk8sailing or longboarding, (72a being super soft and 90a being,
hard and slidey).
WARDOG
http://www.surfingsports.com
Chris
Local guy here in San Francisco makes them. They are a lot of fun
this time of year.
Mat Brown
G-Hoch
Hey John, I will be in Ireland for a week in March. I'll spend 2-3
days in Dingle town. Just how cold is it there in March and what kind
of winds can I expect? I have a link for a local shop, I hope I can
rent a dry suit there. Any advice for me?
Thanks,
Gary
Acolmanj
Thanks for the info. I'll do a little www surfing and see what I can
lay my hands on. Great to see that I'll be able to spend sone time
outside at least :)
>
> Hey John, I will be in Ireland for a week in March. I'll spend 2-3
> days in Dingle town. Just how cold is it there in March and what kind
> of winds can I expect? I have a link for a local shop, I hope I can
> rent a dry suit there. Any advice for me?
>
> Thanks,
> Gary
Hi Gary,
The local shop I'm guessing is the Jamie Knox shop. Its on the far
side of the pennsulia (20 minutes by car) to Dingle in a place called
Castlegregory which is possibily one of the best places to sail in
Ireland. There are multiple launch sites facing almost every
direction and nice swell in the winter. You don't need a dry-suit,
but 5mm with hoodie and boots are a must. Whatever happens you'll
love the place. If there is no wind, the surfing is good.
For forecasts have a look at this site..gives wind and swell for
Ireland...
http://www.surfingireland.net/wam_and_wave.htm
Cheers,
John.
Louis
Check out the following link on the Windsurfing Quebec website. $25CDN
will get you a windskating-specific deck (about 15Euros last time I
checked). It is a simple plywood construction but complete with deck grip.
Longskate decks tend to require a longer turning radius (too long) and most
are narrower than the 10 inches you would like. Add some Indy 215 trucks,
decent bearings and wide, soft wheels and you're good to go. About $200CDN
in total. With a 4.5 - 5.0m sail you will be "planing" easily in 7-10
knots.
http://www.windsurfing.qc.ca/annonces/detail.php?cat=7&de=3562
A boom bra will help to protect it from the usual mishaps. Gloves and a
helmet are highly recommended. The greatest danger is to your knee
ligaments because you WILL occasionally fall in slightly awkward positions
and the pavement is very grippy. Rarely will you wipe out in the classic
sense.
My windskate is by far my best sailing investment. Given a choice between a
so-so day on the water and an hour of windskating, I'll choose the latter
(public transit parking lot, quite deserted after 7PM). It is also a
popular winter activity here as long as the surface is free of the abrasives
they use after a storm.
Check out the Windsufing Queebc forum for a good example of a prolific
windsurfing community.
Cheers,
Louis
.
Acolmanj
Just to update you on the alternitive to windsurfing for folks with
eye problems (me).... I found a good mountainboard made by Scrub. It's
a little over a meter long and has 10" tyre wheels. There was room
near the front to drill a hole to attach the mastfoot. And I was set !
So, Jan 1st found me on the beach... beach starting the strangest
contraption that I'd ever laid hands on. A tiny little deck with an
old 5.7m sail and no nice soft water to land in if anythig went
astray. The new-years day walkers were more than a little curious as
to what would happen next.
Well, of course the first few seconds contained a steep learning
curve, from "hey, this is actually working" to "shit this is fast" to
"oh God how do I control this" followed by a graceful dive over the
front a forward roll and a crash landing on my back in 1" deep water.
Just enough to soak me.
The curiuous onlookers had become amused gawkers and I needed to
regain my face. So, after sticking at it for a while I slowly learned
how to control the board and not try to 'windsurf' it, but to
skateboard it instead. The really great thing was that it gybed
really well and I found myself learning things about gybing that had
often passed me by when doing it on the water. You have so much more
time and no fear of loosing the plane. So you can take time to think
about what you're doing with the sail. I'm sure that this is the
right place to learn the duck gybe and will eventually make me a beter
sailor when I get back to the water.
When going in a straight line the speed feels comparable to planing
speeds, just a lot scarier looking at hard packed sand whizzing by
instead of water. Knee, elbow and head gear are a must. I'd taken the
footsraps off the board as they were angled for mountainboarding, but
have since put one lengthways for my front foor which kept slipping
away. Don't think the back one is needed, and anyway there's not
much spare room on the deck.
So, that's about it for now. Happy sailing in 2004 !
John.
Charles Ivey
now...helmet and pads certainly a good idea.
CI
"Acolmanj" <mccu...@ie.ibm.com> wrote in message
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LooseClu
three 16" spoked wheels. In addition to the padding on the sailor I found
it quite reassuring to add a foot operated brake (after discovering that you
have no brakes if you 'draft' a van also hauling up the beach). The brake
has come in handy often since greatly reducing the fear of a sandy face
plant. The RollerSurfer has an adjustable mast track and footstraps... I've
never put up anything larger than a 3.5 on it after my first jaunt over a
grassy field with an 8.0 in the early 80's. My wife refers to it as the
widowmaker.
Roy
Mike F
ice blades or snow skis). I used to go to packed dunes, newly bull-dozed
housing developments, grassy city parks, any patch of grass or dirt that had
wind. But so many buds tore up their ankles land stepping off those suckers
that our group of half a dozen land sailors with half a dozen varieties of
gear finally quit.
It HAS a brake. Just slam that sail forward and into the apparent wind and
that sucker STOPS.
Mike \m/
"LooseClu" <Loos...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
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brian
Some good info on this page
http://www.streetsailing.com/sub_pages/workshop/wrkshp_frameset.html
There was this guy that came to the 02 Midwinters and was selling some
he designed himself. He used wheelbarrow tires. You could go through
anything. Sand, mud puddles
LooseClu
"Mike F" > It HAS a brake. Just slam that sail forward and into the apparent
wind and
> that sucker STOPS.
>
> Mike \m/
Not once I caught up with that van then foolishly got in behind him-no air
between us and a lot rushing in from everywhere else- car approaching
head-on to the left, soft sand on the right, surf if I took a fast hard
left- put the brake on it that night (I went for the loose sand and
spectacular launch over the front wheels)
Ben Kaufman
>All,
>
>Just to update you on the alternitive to windsurfing for folks with
>eye problems (me)....
<snip>
Sex ... and it should be ok for your eyes <g>
Ben
Mike F
Mike \m/
"Ben Kaufman" <spaXm-mXe-anXd-p...@pobox.com> wrote in message
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Acolmanj
Ben,
I think you've come up with the best suggestion...but it set me
wondering how many people on this group would pass up a cuddle with
their sweetheart for a few hours in 4.0 weather side off with logo
high sets ?
How many of you have sneaked a look out the window at the treetops
while giving your significant other a hug ? com'on you know you've
done it !
John.