New Secret Weapon

In the never ending struggle to catch a fish on hook and line, I stumbled upon this gem earlier today. The secret to picking the good stuff? Look for the lures that are almost out of stock - if they're good, they'll be sold.

Shiny scales, bright red head, what fish wouldn't want to take this guy down as an easy meal? Throw in some clicking sounds from the ball bearings used to weight the lure on the cast as you reel it in - 'click - click - I'm an injured finger mullet that needs to be put out of my misery'

Kiting in North Winds

North - to NorthWest winds are offshore down here on the Gulf Coast.

Today we had offshore winds.

But today, something was different. Joe, a fellow kitesurfer (and CEC Officer), showed me Dauphin Island.

Google Earth this place and you will see the closest thing to kitesurfing paradise this side of the Outer Banks. North winds are onshore here. 1.5 hours door to door. Makes you wonder what it would be like ripping downwind from Gulfport to Cat Island - and have someone in an inexpensive john boat waiting to pick you up and take you back to the mainland.

Of maybe Mississippi should build a bridge to one of their barrier islands...

46 degrees when I was pumping up an old (but in great condition) Naish X4 12m - 3/2 fullsuit with a hood - nicely powered - awesome session! It did warm up nicely. BUT NO PICTURES TODAY - after I came in for a break, I rigged the GoPro, launched and the wind died. Better luck next time (or I should have rigged it from the start). I did get several large jumps in (but no photo evidence this time).

And to top it off - the last road on the way to the Western part of the island (where we were kiting) is named Velasco - destiny!!!

Picture is not of me - but it does set a nice mood doesn't it???

Blanks

I need to call to see what the shipping costs are but I am close to pulling the trigger on the blanks I posted about the other day.

OF COURSE I HAVE TO CLEAR THIS WITH ADMIRAL LA...

But the next best thing to playing in the surf is shaping boards to play in the surf! And she knows well that kept in drydock too long, I'll get dryrot and start to come apart at the seams (that is going stir crazy to you landlubbers out there).

Should be fun!!!

New Garage

Busy at work lately - sorry no posts.

Also not much time out on the water - I really hate dragging the family out if it is going to be cold (which it usually is this time of year... something about the sun not spending as much time in the Northern Hemisphere). If there's wind, there's wind chill...

Anyways to break the silence, here is a picture of the garage in it current state of evolution.

In the near future (after I can get a few bucks saved up), I'll be ordering more than a few EPS blanks and mowing foam again. I didn't want to do it too soon and have the boards sit until the temps rise above 70 (epoxy resin). A wide, stubbie; a sub-9'6" for La to take to the beach (one that will fit inside the van); a lightwind kiteboard; a Noe paddler; a Marlon SUP; and an expeditionary SUP for Ray Rojas.

More to follow on that.

Fat Tuesday and Dry Watersports

Today is Mardi Gras down here in the deep south!

La and the kids went to the Biloxi Parade - cold, cold, cold!!!

I had to stay back and work, but they had fun!!!

On the way back to the car, they saw a guy kiteskating - funny because I was landsailing just the other day...

Done!

BMW Oracle took the America's Cup!!!!!

Race postponed

But there is wind forecasted for Valencia, Spain -

That's ok - there's frost on ground outside so it's not like we'd be leaving soon anyways. Nothing but time today!

Hopefully we'll have a race and the America's Cup!

Stay tuned

Not so new occupant

Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)

Smaller individual - was a little spooky when first introduced (about 10 days ago), but has since gotten a heck of a lot braver (even postures against the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a).

Nice fish!

There's a Foxface Rabbitfish in the background of one of the pictures too - got it at the same time (both from a local fish shop) - this is spooky still - more pictures when there is less spookiness

Spoke too soon

Race Control hasn't dropped the postponement flag yet...

America's Cup is on!!!

Light winds...

:10 to the start

Log onto

http://bmworacleracing.com/en/news/livestream/index.html

For livestreaming

OOOoooooooooo!!!!!!!

I am wiping the drool off my keyboard...

This board looks really cool - wide but short.

A study of volume redistribution.

A bold statement of "there are thousand ways to skin a cat"

These guys at Starboard have always been out of the box thinkers.

Me likey!

Too bad I DON'T HAVE ANY WAVES DOWN HERE!!!!!

I SUCK!!!!

This race is got too little wind, and that race day has too much wind - maybe day three will have just the right amount of wind...

This is turning out to be a rather embarrassing situation...

For all the yapping I did at work about how the AC is going to be way more awesome than the SuperBowl, there has yet to be a single day of sailing (and more lawyer activity).

And to top it off, yet another day of getting up way too early.

Those F$%^#^%ers better start racing or I'm going to watch a rerun of the SuperBowl and go running around the office declaring victory for the Saints and how awesome the game was.

Delay of Game

It's 4am CST and the America's Cup Race 1 has been delayed due to extremely light winds (2 Knots).

I'm going back to sleep.

On an different note, I've never seen a close up of both boats together.

The A5 looks huge!!! The BMO has better proportions aesthetically (in my opinion).

Photo credit to the guy who's name is in the left hand corner (sorry dude - it's 4 am where I'm at and I'm still mostly asleep).

GoPro on the Weta

NW winds today 10-20 mph.

Straight offshore conditions here. The only thing to do was take the trimaran out (oh twist my arm...).

I got rigged up and out by 1600. The GoPro was bolted to a suction cup, just aft of the mast. Got 1054 pictures on the 2Mb card. The guys that make this camera really got this right. Next time I go out, I'll use a hose clamp to put a mount on the bowsprite (and a second mount on the mast base for the GPS).

Fun run - almost capsized the thing when a heavy gust ended up being heavier that I thought it was going to be. Didn't get that on the camera - the GoPro will take almost an hour of continuous pictures - I was out for 2.

Only had the main up (not the jib). Without La, the jib would have been too much. Did deploy the kite (screacher) - doubled my broad reach speed.

Go Team GOOOOOO!!!!!

I don't watch sports on TV (because I live in the US of A and they don't televise sailing, surfing, kitesurfing, or windsurfing as sports in this country), but I will be watching the 33rd America's Cup online!

Not too hard to guess which side I'm routing for...

This picture says it all to me. Technology, water, human ingenuity, what the possibilities are if you have a bank account that you cannot possibly spend down in your lifetime, and the drive to see water parting as you move across it at ridiculous speeds.

Do yourself a favor - on Sunday, get some carrot sticks and some lowfat veggie dip to eat as you watch the Superbowl. This game comes once a year, every year. Truthfully, the teams aren't even that good. Save the chicken wings and beers for a real contest - one won through skill and determination. No I'm not talking about the regatta - I'm talking about the damn litigation this race is still stuck in!!!!

With all the money that has been thrown at this contest, I bet the syndicates have spent more on the lawyer fees than on the boats..

I'm still hopeful the racing will start next week.

Fair winds -



Photo credit to the BMW Oracle photographer.