Austin Windsurf Club - News

Party, December 3, 2011 6pm at Robert James

2011-12-02T10:50:00.003-06:00

Check the website for information on the Xmas/Holiday party.

I just looked at the blog and it has been pretty quiet here.

If you are a member or recent member and didn't get a newsletter emailed to you, let me know so I can update your email address.

-Jon

Winds added some speed to Bird trip

2009-06-29T11:40:00.008-05:00

You might have fried an egg on the sidewalk in Austin, but the winds were blowing at Bird Island, June 28-29.

We busted out the GPS on Saturday and clocked some great speeds. I was proud of my 17mph. But of course, Andre hit 25-something, and Nguyen hit 27.7mph. We might have to make that a regular thing on the trips.

The club trip saw some newer faces on the water, as well as some more familiar ones. Among the folks I saw (sorry if I miss someone): Chris D, Andre A, Nguyen N, Steve H, Jayne W, Cassie B, Celia, Steve, Brian M, and a few other Austin folks. Not to mention Mike, Milo, Shawn, and Jay P also took to the waters. The new folks took advantage of the great lessons at Worldwinds. The rest of us enjoyed the flat water and the 15-25mph winds.

Big thanks to Andre for building a big patch of shade--one massive tarp, some poles, and guy wires stood up to the winds and made down time actually cool and comfortable.

Chris and I bought a Futura 155, so we hope to head back to Corpus before the wind completely dies for the summer. See you next time, and happy sailing!

2009 SUP or Sail Thursdays

2009-06-13T11:09:00.006-05:00

Starting this week, I'd like to invite folks out on Thursday nights after work to participate in either some Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP) or Sailing.

From left to right, Michael Tita, Chris Davis (current AWC President) and Kimo SUPing it around the buoys in light wind (actually zero wind) at the Lake Travis Invitational:

With the lake low, the sandy peninsula at Windy Point has become a popular destination. The lake now seems to be attracting kiters, windsurfers, board boats, SUPr's and beach goers of all shapes and sizes.

For the past 10 years, on Thursday nights, one of our clubs most generous benefactors has brought his own personal gear out and allowed people to sail it for free. That individual, Mike Schultz has spent countless hours and thousands of dollars to promote windsurfing in Austin. Now, with the availability of good hybrid vehicles, the state of our environment and the fact that windsurfing is now back and back with a vengeance (here in Austin), Mike will no longer be towing his trailer out to the point (his new hybrid is not capable of towing a trailer). In keeping with his style, Mike has offered to donate his trailer to the club. Mike, on behalf of the club, thank you for your generous donation and tireless efforts to promote windsurfing here in Austin!

I propose, for the new Thursday night program that we come out and either sail or Stand Up Paddle on our own gear. People will see us, they will ask questions and we can answer those questions. Many of the questions will be answered with, "Yes, we have some of the best conditions in the world here in Texas! Learning to windsurf has never been as easy as it is today. Our next Learn to Windsurf clinic is ...... Additionally, you could drive down to Corpus and visit www.worldwinds.net which will set you on a path you will never forget."

In some cases, the conditions might be appropriate for giving a lesson. In those cases, if you're out riding one of your durable and floaty boards with a smaller sail, it might make sense to provide a lesson. If former clinic participants turn up, it might be nice to let them take a turn on the gear you have on hand (if its appropriate for such use). Finally, as good deals become available on craigslist.org or when people donate gear to the club, we might try to refurbish it, create a complete set and give it away to interested sailors on Thursday nights. We might even have a timed race around the buoys on the gear we've refurbished to determine who gets to take the gear home.

First 2009 Learn to Windsurf Clinic

2009-06-13T10:48:00.008-05:00

The first 2009 Learn to Windsurf Clinic went off with a bang (literally) as inclement weather caused us to postpone our planned Saturday, May 16, 2009 date in favor of Sunday, May 17, 2009. Despite the change in date, everyone I spoke with had a positive experience and we introduced more than 10 new windsurfers to the Austin windsurfing scene.

Former AWC President Ron Hensley demonstrates how to turn downwind on the land simulator on Sunday, May 17, 2009.

Below, Marlene greets new students with a smile and displays more information about our Charity (the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation).

The next Learn to Windsurf Clinic is planned for Saturday, June 20, 2009.
As of today, all slots have filled and it looks like we are headed for another great clinic!

Thanks to all who helped out with the last event!

2009 Deniz Tor Regatta + Bird Island Trip

2009-03-21T23:36:00.009-05:00

The 2009 Racing season started with the AWC Race Committee (Tim Marvin, Guy Miller, Darran Rolls, Brian Shepherd(me)) attending 2 separate Regattas. Tim Marvin and I decided to join new Formula Racers Nguyen Ngo and Chris Martin at the "Deniz Tor" Regatta in Corpus Christi Bay for what was planned to be a one day event on Saturday 3/7/2009. The other half of the 2009 AWC Race Committee decided to honor our original commitment and drive the 20 hours to Merritt Island Florida for the 24th annual Calema MidWinters.

As it turned out, the forecast for Calema had been light all week while the forecast for Corpus looked beyond awesome! Darran and Guy left Wednesday around noon for the 20 hour drive to Florida. The Corpus group decided to drive down on Friday afternoon and start the festivities in CC Bay. Chris Martin and his girlfriend Ember left Austin a bit earlier than Tim, Nguyen and myself so they arrived a few minutes ahead of us and discovered a group of locals sailing at Oleander Point. As it turned out, one of the locals was Chip Ducrest the Commodore of the CCWA and primary organizer on the windsurfing side of things for the Deniz Tor Regatta. He welcomed us to CC Bay and told us about the forecast for Saturday which was looking very windy! As it was blowing a solid 20-25 knots each of us pulled out our short boards and small sails and blasted around at Oleander on gear we don't get to use that much at Lake Travis.
At the end of the day, everyone was smiling as we'd all had excellent rides in excellent conditions on gear we use infrequently.

After a few beers and some jawboning, Chris and Ember headed off to a hotel they had reserved in advance and couldn't cancel, while Tim, Nguyen and myself loaded up and headed out to Bird Island to camp for the night. While camping out at Bird we happened to camp next to 22 year old Wisconsin native "Captain Keith". Keith is quite a character, and over a few beers, chorizos and tortillas we learned that he was seasonally unemployed and had been living out of his suburban at Bird since mid November! Apparently Keith had only successfully executed 4 gybes in his life prior to his trip to Bird. As of the weekend of March 7th, he has now executed 2 flat water loops and probably countless gybes of many variations!! This is a tribute to Keith's persistence and skill as well as the awesome conditions we have down in Corpus. After a few more beers, I discovered Keith was missing a board in the 95-105L range so I gave him my F2 Sputnik. He responded in kind and gave me a 125L Tiga! I was pretty stoked with the board as I always seem to be riding something either too big or too small and 125L seems like a perfect size for me. The night ended late but we got up early cooked a big breakfast (with strong coffee) and headed down to CC Bay Yacht Club for the Skippers meeting.

At the Skippers meeting we met up with the rest of the locals, the Race Director (Doug) and Jon Jay Ernst (2008 US Open Champion). We all listened to Doug brief the group of boat sailors (just 2 boats competing) and agreed on some basic race parameters. As we shagged off to McGhee Beach to rig up at around 9:30AM, the wind was probably blowing in the 15-20 knot range and holding pretty steady. It was beginning to look like the 30-40 mph forecasts we'd been hearing about might not happen (but this is Corpus and we all know what happens when the sun comes out!). By 10 AM the wind had started to escalate and sand begin blowing up off the beach and into our faces/gear. I decided to carry my gear to the waters edge and rig up on the wet sand where at least I could avoid the sand blasting. I also thought the longer I took to rig the better off I'd be as I could make some last minute downhaul/outhaul adjustments with the real race conditions in mind. By the time I hit the water with my 9.5m MS-2 and SB162 the wind had escalated into the mid-high 20's with gusts in the low 30's. I couldn't keep my board on the water and felt pretty certain I was about to destroy my mostly new SB162. Fortunately, I made it back to the beach with not one ding! One by one, all the eager racers who sailed out to the start boat ahead of me came back to the beach (in various stages of control). Jon Jay wisely stayed put on the beach with his 10m TR-4 as the wind jacked up into the 30's. Once everyone was back we quickly realized that everyone wasn't back! Chris Martin was missing! Chris had purchased a 6.6m Hucker from a CC local and had rigged it on his Chinook Formula boom. We were starting to get concerned when we got word from the committee boat that Chris was not only doing fine but was actually out racing in the 30+ conditions against the boats!!
Tim and I certainly felt a bit embarrassed as this new Formula Racer had just shown us up in some pretty heavy conditions! So, Tim and I rigged smaller sails and sailed out to the Committee Boat to join Chris for Race #2. When we arrived we discovered Chris sitting on the committee boat drinking a beer with his board tied off to the back of the Committee Boat. He looked to be having a pretty good time! Awesome job Chris!

Tim and I started race #2 and we took off upwind towards a mark that was supposed to be "upwind" but was nowhere close to visible.
At some point, Tim and I separated and I ended up out in the middle of the bay by an oil derrick. Looking around was difficult as I needed to keep focused on the sea conditions to avoid crashing violently. I eventually decided that looking around for a buoy in 3-6 ft seas was pretty silly and I decided to head back downwind to the Committee Boat which was now out of my field of view as well. The downwind run went quickly and with the swell rolling beneath me it was an amazing experience that equals the best times I've ever had windsurfing! Upon my return to the start line/Committee Boat, Race Director Doug yelled "Where's your Buddy?". My downwind stoke dwindled instantly and I tried to slow down and scan the horizon for Tim's sail. Within a few seconds of taking my focus off the seas around me, a big wave rolled me and I wound up in the water. It was abundantly clear that trying to find someone in these conditions would be very difficult. I decided to head upwind and look around a bit in the last area where I'd seen Tim. There was no sign of him and I hoped that he'd headed back to the beach after leaving the Committee Boats view. I headed back to the beach and told the Committee Boat I was going in. Upon my arrival I discovered that Tim had been spotted and everyone was accounted for. Tim actually found the upwind mark and completed the course successfully! Collectively, we managed to make it off the Bay without breaking anything expensive or sustaining any serious injuries. After a quick feasts of bean/beef Nachos, Guacamole and a few beers at the Yacht Club we made arrangements to race again on Sunday. After lunch, and a bit of recuperation time, everybody was ready to do some more sailing but this time on flat water with our small boards. We headed back to Bird and blasted around for another 2-3 hours with the Bird Island posse until the sun and wind finally begin to drop.

While we were having some awesome life experiences in the Bay, Darran and Guy were sitting on the beach in Florida with conditions that were even lighter than what was forecast (and the forecast was light to start with)! By Saturday, the Formula fleet in Florida hadn't managed to get even one race off. Darran had a plan and he executed it flawlessly. It involved driving overnight in shifts and stopping in Corpus to race with us in CC Bay on Sunday! By Sunday morning Guy and Darran had made it back to Corpus and were having breakfast at a diner as we were driving back from Bird to McGhee Beach for a second day of racing. The winds were lighter but good on Sunday and we managed to have 4 reasonably competitive races in 10-20 knot conditions.
Guy won all 4 races on Sunday and took first place overall. Tim did well on Sunday and his first place finish on Saturday vaulted him into second place. Chris Martin, with his first place finish on Saturday and a good showing on Sunday came in 3rd.

While we all had a great time in Corpus, this race is significant for a variety of reasons. For starters, we made a good impression on the CC locals as we arrived in greater numbers than they probably anticipated. Also, our commitment to local racing could not have been clearer as Darran and Guy drove all night to race with us and then performed very well. Next, we introduced Nguyen and Chris to CC Bay which is the 3rd rated venue in North America and a challenging place to sail. It was clear that they were both stoked by the experience and I'm hoping more Austin locals come check out CC Bay next time! Finally, it signifies that racing in CC Bay is still alive and enjoyed by many. Speaking on behalf of the 2009 AWC Race Comittee - we look forward to more events in CC Bay and look forward to wider involvement between our club and the CCWA.

Chris' girlfriend, Ember shot these quite excellent photos of all that transpired (she was actually on the Committee Boat for the Saturday shots and if you've ever wondered what the CC Bay looks like in 20-35 knot conditions have a look at some of her close ups):

http://s117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/embur07/Deniz%20Tor%20Regatta/?albumview=slideshow

Ex-Presidents Shred it up at Lake Buchanan

2009-02-09T21:59:00.008-06:00

On Saturday, December 13th, Ex-AWC-Presidents Ron Hensley, Tim Marvin (VP) and Brian Shepherd (me) headed out to Lake Buchanan for some early winter blasting with Steve Madere (a Lake Buchanan/Gorge Bump & Jump aficionado).

Ron's observations:

Terrific venue and an excellent change of pace within a reasonable drive from Austin. Long fetch provides nice big well spaced rollers. Water seemed a few degrees colder than Travis, but the ice storm we had the other day might be a factor in relative water temp differences. Guess we need real data comparative on avg water temps throughout the year before drawing conclusions... Suggest booties: With water level way down, the shoreline is very similar to the lower island area of Travis with coarse sand and crushed granite and also noticed some broken glass bottles (same as Travis). Only $3 entry fee per person with envelope (no attendant). Note: your Windy Point sticker does not work there... BTW, there is a free county park next to Black Rock Park with what looks to be excellent access which would be very handy if you got to the park without appropriate change to pay the fee. Wind was very "up and down," but didn't seem to have the "fists of wind, gusts within gusts" typical of similar Travis days. Was that just wind of the day or venue related? Wind was cross shore. Not certain, but 2-3:30pm sailing time, I perceive the extremes were 5-35mph and most of the time it was solidly 15-25mph. At 210lbs, I rigged 5.7m with 116 liter board. Pretty sure a more ideal configuration would have been 20 liters less board and 1/2 meter less sail. Had much difficulty keeping the board on the water during the 25-30mph periods, but had some nice jumps and some rather exciting speed runs.

All-in-all a fun experience made better by the collective of Tim/Brian/Steve. Would enjoy repeating.

John Bright Memorial Trophy

2009-02-09T21:29:00.006-06:00

John Bright was taken from us on October 21st, 2008. In the memory and spirit of one of the most dedicated, persistent and fun loving racers on the circuit, we (the AWC Race Committee) awarded the John Bright Memorial Trophy to the single sailor that best embodies the spirit of windsurfing during our 2008 season.

At The 2008 Lake Travis Invitational, in front of racers from across the state, Mike Schultz was awarded the John Bright Memorial Trophy. Congratulations Mike!

Mike was an easy choice. In 2008, Mike took part in training approximately 120 new windsurfers at Windy Point. He also generously hauled out his own gear every Thursday from May to September for others to ride (and has done so for almost a decade!). Mike is truly an inspiration to windsurfers everywhere, and his generosity won't soon be forgotten.

Cheers Mike, and thanks again for all that you have done to promote windsurfing in Texas!

Holiday Party and Board Elections

2008-12-22T15:30:00.002-06:00

by Andre Albot

Although we missed some of you, the party was a blast (as usual). Many thanks to Lyn for hosting the party and providing us with some surprise entertainment. The food was great and the wine was very good. Being French and all, I'm a bit partial to wine, but I've been told that the beer was great too ;-)

Besides friendly conversation and the traditional exchange of windsurfing tall tales, we were treated to some live entertainment. First Lyn surprised us by inviting dance instructors who tried (with mixed results) to teach us the basics of East Coast Swing. That was a lot of fun.

Then Karl took his guitar and sang for us. As I missed last year's party, it was the first time I heard him sing, and I was both delighted and very impressed. Karl is amazing!

There was a short business part to the meeting:
First we thanked the outgoing Board and Mike Schultz for the outstanding job they've done in 2008 for the promotion of windsurfing, with the five Learn To Windsurf clinics and the first Lake Travis Invitational race. The LTW sessions were a big success first by the attendance (all five sessions have been sold out) and also because, as a result, we're starting to see more and more new faces at the lake.

The Race was a huge success and a lot of fun. The stand-up paddle boards saved the first day which was plagued by the absence of wind, and a good southerly breeze on Sunday made it up for the actual racing.

Thanks again to Brian Shepherd, Tim Marvin, Darran Rolls, Mike Schultz and every one of you who volunteered to help for these events.

Then we elected the new Board for 2009. This was a hotly contested election (just kidding :-). The new Board members are:

Chris Davis - President
Dylan Van Meter - Vice President
Jon Penner - Treasurer and Webmaster
Andre Albot - Secretary

Finally, many thanks to Vanessa for for her outstanding work as the Club's Newsletter Editor.

On behalf of AWC, I wish you all a Happy Holiday and Happy New Year. See you on the Lake.

Race Results from Lake Travis Invitational

2008-12-22T15:14:00.010-06:00

On November 8 and 9, the club hosted its first formal race, the Lake Travis Invitational at Windy Point.

Our pres Brian S and vice pres Tim M hatched the idea of a local race while they themselves were out on the race circuit. As Tim states, "The Lake Travis Invitational came about on the long trips to and from race sites."

On Saturday, we almost got through one race (most of the B-Fleet completed; some of A-Fleet got towed back). We finished the afternoon up with a 4-team (7-8 members) Stand-up Paddle Board relay race.

Sunday provided with us with great winds that allowed for 7 races.

Results:

A/FORMULA FLEET:
1. David Grogono
2. Guy Miller
3. Peiter Botha
B FLEET:
1. Andre Albot
2. Michael Tita
3. Jon Penner

In addition to the great prizes, a raffle of extraordinary gear, t-shirts, and other windsurfing goods went out to every participant! The best of the best was a complete Maui Sails rig, boom and mast. If that weren't enough, a BBQ buffet meal was enjoyed at the park. Lucky folks the next day enjoyed those leftovers.

Big thanks to our sponsors: Maui Sails (thanks to Tim), Chinook, Clif Bar (thanks to Jon P), and the Austin Windsurf Club. Even bigger thanks to everyone who threw in a helping hand that weekend to make the event outstanding: Darran, Brian S, Erica S, Guy, Vanessa, Hayden, Nguyen, and Kate (sorry if I missed including your name).

Checkout the photos in Bill Bunton's great images and the AWC gallery.

Club Trip to Bird Island

2008-10-01T13:14:00.013-05:00

A wonderful weekend in Corpus Christi

With stunning warm days and cool nights, Bird Island Basin provided the setting for the latest club trip to Bird Island Basin.

Our pres Brian gathered up some of our newer sailors and showed them a great time at the coast. On September 18 and 19, Kelly, Jeetu, and Eugene brought their enthusiasm and camping gear for a Saturday night stay-over. They all did really well due to the great wind conditions for newer sailors.

Chris and Vanessa also came in for board repairs and chillaxing (chilling plus relaxing). With lower winds, Vanessa tried out some duck gybes after moving from the 8.0 to the 6.5 sail -- the reach up to the boom is pretty high with a bigger sail. Brian showed Chris a few freestyle moves that had Chris pulling off a couple of shaky helicopter tacks after several unsuccessful attempts, including one which resulted in a broken mechanical universal joint and provided a great excuse to upgrade to a two-bolt tendon mast base.

On Saturday night, the group had a barbecue on the beach with Larry, who was in from New Mexico. In addition to the fun, Brian arranged for some great deals through Worldwinds. If you're hankering to get some equipment, these trips are a good way to check out the gear first hand.

For those who couldn't join us in September, Brian has another trip planned for October 18-19.

Letter from SPF

2008-09-29T12:24:00.000-05:00

August 22, 2008
From: Spastic Paraplegia Foundation, Inc.
To: Austin Windsurf Club

Dear Friends of SPF,
Thank you for your thoughtful donation of $1,450. The Spastic Paraplegia Foundation greatly appreciates your support.

The mission of the SP Foundation is to discover the cures for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia and Primary Lateral Sclerosis by funding research, providing information about these disorders and creating opportunities for mutual support and sharing.

With your support we hope to find a cure for HSP & PLS. This year the SPF will award $400,000 to researchers in an effort to do so. Since its inception in 2002, the SPF has awarded almost two million dollars to help find a cure.

Please remember that your gift is very much appreciated. Research can't go forward without thoughtful donations like yours.

Sincerely,
Jim Sheorn
President
Spastic Paraplegia Foundation

Fastest Way to Corpus Christi

2008-09-20T09:37:00.004-05:00

The good folks on the chat list shared their thoughts on what's the fastest way to Corpus Christi:

Karl's preferred route: I-35 south to Hwy 123 in San Marcos. Hwy 123 south to 181. 181 south to 77. 77 south to I-37. I-37 to 358. 358 straight out to the island, national seashore and Bird Island Basin (that's if you're heading to Bird, which you should be).

It's a nice drive, and you miss the San Antonio traffic. It is two-lane, however, but I've rarely got hung up behind slow traffic -- there are wide shoulders, and most folks will pull over so you can pass.

Tony says: I used a GPS and it took me to 183 south, 80 south, 181 south, 77, 358. I stopped in Flour Bluff and the total time was about 3 hours 15 minutes.

From Ron: If heavy traffic and leaving from just north of downtown, sometimes we take 183 to Luling and down 80. If leaving at peak traffic time, we often take 281 to San Antonio with hopes things will be settled down by the time we get to SA. Sometimes we take 37 to SA, then 35 to Austin if we are pulling a trailer or expecting heavy rain. Some of the smaller road routes are a little subject to flooding.

I went on to AAA website and used their route plotting s/w to compare distances. Our starting point is typically Lakeway (west of Austin) and ending point is on the island. Longest path from Lakeway was thru SA via hwy281 = 252 miles, via 35 = 248. Shortest route was via 123 thru Seguin @ 230 miles. Via 80 was 234 miles. Via 183 to Refugio was 236 miles. Tight grouping for that many alternate routes...

Vanessa's take: Perhaps the most reliably traffic-free route is this, albeit not
always the fastest:

South on Hwy 183 all the way down to 77 (Refugio).
Right on 77.
In Refugio, left on 774 south to 2678 (becomes Hwy 136).

Right on Hwy 35, which merges with 181.
Follow the signs to Corpus.
Take the 286 (Cross Town Expressway) to 386 (SPID).
Ta-da!

As an aside, I like Rosie's Tex-Mex in downtown Cuero on 183. Cheap dinner specials for the after-work drive to Corpus. Closes at 9:00.

Ike brings the wind in typically calm September

2008-09-19T15:23:00.007-05:00

With the influx of wind and coastal friends, Ike gave no rain, but great winds.

On Saturday the 13th, the serious windsurfers were out at Windy Point on Lake Travis. Due to the North-ish winds, most were launching from the point and heading across the channel.

I saw a range of gear -- formula boards, big sails, sails as small as 4.2 square meters, low volume boards, and even dacron sails. I also saw some familiar faces like our pres, Erica, Darran, Laura, and many others. Brian was trying out a vulcan right next to the shore, so you could see his technique in action.

Wanna see if you can do that move yourself? Check out these links:
The Vulcan and The Spock.

The awesome thing about these big winds is you get to see people's chops too. Darran caught some great video footage that day. Check it out here: www.youtube.com/user/AustinSailWorks

Summer's Last Fling: Learn 2 Windsurf

2008-08-24T09:25:00.007-05:00

A forecast for rain did not stop the last Learn to Windsurf clinic for the year. Cooler temperatures, but low wind, found our students sailing placidly.

One student, Jon, said, "I'm ready for my lesson in humility." But on such an easy-going day, all our students really excelled at the basics.

With twelve registered students, Mike S kept the on-land instruction running from 10-2. Our water coaches, Brian S, Tim M, and Chris D provided one-on-one help to the students. Without Erica S on registration and set-up help from Brian N and Alex, the event would not have gone so smoothly.

This August, the cove is smaller due to the low water levels. With yet another coaching twist, our water coaches easily were able to keep up with their students. Ditching the sail, they sat on the old-school boards and paddled with the centerboard!

As always, a big thanks to everyone who lent a hand (sorry to those I missed). And even bigger kudos to our president Brian S for driving all five clinics throughout the summer. The club trained approximately 107 students throughout the season.

In September, learn-2-windsurfers and more advanced sailors are invited to join the club in Corpus Christi at Bird Island Basin. Watch the email list for more details.

July 2008 LTW Event

2008-08-02T10:03:00.014-05:00

The fourth installment of the 2008 AWC Learn to Windsurf series was held on July 26. Concerns about volunteer availability led us to reduce the class size to three students and the number of hourly classes to four. This adjustment worked out quite well, and we even managed to squeeze in a couple of students from the waiting list.

Mike S was definitely the heart of the operation. He brought all the gear (as usual) and ran the whiteboard and simulator instruction. Water coaching was handled by Brian N, Dean, Andre, and myself. Kate kept things running smoothly at the registration table, and Tim and Mike joined everyone else in equipment setup and tear-down. Apologies to anyone I forgot to name or give proper credit for their contribution.

I only managed to take a couple of photos at the beginning of the day, before getting too busy and forgetting about the camera. My usual m.o. at these events is to wander around, assist where I can, and maybe even sneak off for a little sailing if the wind is good. Since there was plenty of work to go around this time, I ended up spending most of my time coaching students on the water - my first real experience in this capacity. I even gave the "towing method" a try, which worked out pretty well except for a couple of incidents where the wind died completely and we got a little tangled. But I don't think I inflicted too many scars on the students - mental or physical.

All in all, I think it was another successful event. The wind was mostly cooperative and the students seemed to enjoy themselves. In fact, a couple of them are already shopping for some beginner gear - resulting in a great discussion on the Austin Windsurf Club mailing list.

Windsurfing on the BIG Screen

2008-07-10T11:02:00.003-05:00

Last night, club members gathered at the IMAX theater to check out Extreme. Brian, our president, held a short meeting afterwards at Scholtz Garten.

The movie idea was actually not my own. A few years ago, the club tried to see this IMAX movie, but was turned away at the door because some software company had rented out the whole theater. Bah dot.boom.bust.

When I saw it was playing again at the Bob Bullock IMAX Theater, I jumped at the chance to see 30-foot windsurfers. In addition to some great footage of Robby Naish, Josh Stone, and Bjorn Dunkerbeck, the movie featured other extreme sports like snowboarding and skiing at the top of Juneau, Alaska. It was interesting to see tow-in big wave surfing back in 1998. Then, 30 to 40 foot waves were huge. Obviously, we're seeing even bigger wave surfing now.

After the movie, the group grabbed some beers and food at Scholtz Garten. Brian lead some discussion about the next Learn 2 Windsurf, Lake Travis Invitational, and the possibility of storage at the point. Among the club members in attendance were Andre and his boys, Mike S, Brian and Erica, Chris D, Jay P, Jon and Shelly P.

Thanks from the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation

2008-06-28T10:52:00.001-05:00

On behalf of the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation (SPF), I thank the Austin Windsurf Club for choosing the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation as the charity chosen for the 2008 Learn to Windsurf Weekend.

Funds generated from the weekend will go to the SPF research fund. Over the past few years, there are advances in knowledge from the funded researchers about Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP) and Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) that we believe will help lead to the cures. Funds raised through various events such as the Learn to Windsurf Weekend are the funds generated for research grants.

Thank you to all who helped make the weekend a success!!
Marlene Doolen
SPF Ambassador for Texas
www.sp-foundation.org

Learn to Windsurf - All Summer Long!

2008-06-28T10:27:00.009-05:00

In a new move for 2008, the club is holding Learn to Windsurf events throughout the summer.

The warm-up event was April 26, where our president, vice president, and several other members taught adults and children alike on a lovely afternoon. Our new rigs of Starboard Starts and Ezzy sails are really paying off for our students.

Our main event of the year, the Learn to Windsurf Festival, was held on May 31 and June 1 this year. As in previous years, we had Roger and Ellen leading our clinic with their fantastic teaching skills. This year, we were blessed with breezy winds, about 10-15 mph.

With 4-5 students per hour from 10-2, the club introduced lots of new people to the sport. Roger's towing method keeps the instructor close to the student at all times, so the instructor can coach and the student observe at close range to see how it is done. We also signed up several new members in the process. Check out the photos.

Big thanks to all the volunteers (too many to name here) that worked hard to make the all these events a great success, including barbecue, gift bags, registration, set up, tear down, coaching, and smiling faces.

But the club is not resting. On June 28, the club hosted 18 students on a hot, but windy day. Notwithstanding white caps beyond the buoy line, our water couches brought the new sailors through their first time on the water. Look for announcements for the remainder of our Learn to Windsurf days later in the summer.

Don't forget that Mike S hosts our Thursday evening sessions for new sailors. Of course, all club members are welcome to sail, hang out, and even lend a hand. Mike announces details on this email list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/austinwindsurf-practice

Newsletter Editor Position - Open for 2009

2008-06-27T15:08:00.004-05:00

Did you ever think, "hey, I got a few things to say!"? Perhaps you have a flair for the written word or looking for a little job experience. Then, the club needs you as Newsletter Editor.

After two years as the Club Newsletter Editor, I have new leadership responsibilities in a communication professional association, so my time will be very limited starting in 2009.

Some fresh blood will bring a new spark to our newsletter. Contact Vanessa at newsletter@ausintwindsurf.org for the details. All our volunteer positions come up in the fall.

The Goods at AWC Swap Meet

2008-04-17T19:58:00.006-05:00

Back on March 22, the club had its first swap meet of 2008. This time, the meet was held at the boat ramp at Windy Point Park. If you haven't attended a swap meet, you're missing out on great gear at even better prices. In the past, I've bought both beginner and intermediate gear at amazingly low prices. But don't be fooled; some of the best gear is in the advanced category.

I talked with Chris D about the goods and the gab.

Q: Would you say it was a good turnout, both equipment and people?
A: At least a dozen or so people where there while I was at the park. It was a nice sunny day without enough wind to interfere with the bargaining. Some of the folks out there were Brian (the pres), Karl T, Ron H, Andre, Aaron, J.B., among others.

Q: What kind of gear did you see?
A: All kinds... Low volume boards, boards on the shorter side, a couple of formula boards, a bunch of sails, miscellaneous gear, and even complete rigs.

Q: And the popular items?
A: I'd say boards. Sails, to a lesser degree.

Q: What did you come home with?
A: An impact vest.

Our Pres intends for more swap meets throughout the year, so look for announcements on the email list.

Sailing the Spring Winds on Padre Island

2008-04-01T15:42:00.011-05:00

I know I'm coming out of my winter hibernation when I head down to Padre to sail Bird Island Basin.

Bird Island Basin, a mecca for both the beginner and the serious windsurfer, is only 230 miles south of Austin. What I love about the Bird is the warm water, strong winds, and chest-deep water that goes on forever. The flat water and lack of boats sure add to good days on the water. Check out this satellite map.

Last weekend, the water temperature was a perfect 72 degrees. The air temp was about the same. The wind was 15-20 mph on Saturday, puffing up to 15-25 mph on Sunday. That meant the 5.0 sail had me blasting across the laguna. Bird Island Basin is part of a body of water between Padre and the mainland known as Laguna Madre.

On Saturday, I met Brian (the Good One) and his Laura from Austin. They had done an amazing packing job in their Prius. They had 2 boards, sails, and all their gear inside the car. So if you say you can't get to Corpus because you don't want to strap stuff on top of the car, let them be your inspiration to play tetris with the inside of your car.

Laura and Brian were showing their chops with some freestyle moves. Laura was excited about pulling off some Helicopter Tacks and Duck Gybes.

Other tidbits about sailing down at the coast:

Bump and jump fans love to head into Corpus Christi Bay
Wave sailing seems to be the most popular from Port Aransas
Rental gear and lessons are available at Worldwinds right on the Bird
Tons more info from the local club, Corpus Christi Windsurfing Association

As a parting shot, my favorite route is to avoid the traffic and road rage of I-35. Instead I start island time all the way up in Austin by taking US-183 South to US-77 to FM 2678 to FM 136 to the Crosstown Expressway in Corpus to Hwy 358 to the island.

Winter newsletter

2008-03-09T22:11:00.002-05:00

New Launch Point from Park Cleanup

After a mild winter, our home park, Windy Point on Lake Travis (Bob Wentz Park) could stand some brush clearing. Indefatigable president, Brian, lead the charge this year. On February 23rd, we tackled a larger launch spot near the boat ramp and away from the swimmers on the cove and point.

This area to the East of the boat ramp has ample space with a wide beach, but too many bushes. The LCRA staff helped us to identify native trees (such as oak) and butterfly bushes that we kept. All the rest got the business end of a saw!

Future plans include the park staff moving sand into this area and continuing to maintain the picnic tables and cleared brush.

It will be nice to have a choice between the two sides of the boat ramp. I for one will enjoy more room for water starts than we have immediately West of the boat ramp.

Speaking of that little area West of the ramp, the park staff cleared away more brush in the rigging area and will plant grass seed. This clearing made more space up under the trees and widened the overall available space. Take a peek next time you’re there. I bet you set up a chair in the shade for those few moments when you are not on the water.

As part of a day at the lake, we had the opportunity to spot a Great Blue Heron, up close. Just another reminder why windsurfing on Lake Travis is so great.

Big thanks to our hard-working club members for their time and energy: Brian S, Mike S, Darran R, Vanessa W, and new member Bryan. Obviously, we can’t make any of this happen without the cooperation and assistance from our park rangers, Ram and Tim. Hats off to them! –Story and photos by Vanessa

Planning Meeting for Learn to Windsurf Festival
March 19 at 7:30 pm

Our next club meeting will be at The Boathouse Grill to discuss the Learn to Windsurf Festival. The club is looking for volunteers to help with all aspects of the event: registration, coordination, water coaching, equipment, publicity, and goodie bags. The festival will take place the weekend of May 31-June 1.

Also, if you are interested in helping out with any of the open positions for committee leaders (see list below), the club would love to hear from you. So come enjoy a hamburger and great company. The Boathouse Grill is on 620 at 2222.

Grab the Spring Winds on Club Trip
Bird Island Basin, Corpus Christi

Yes, the winter winds have been amazing this year. But for those folks who like their water a bit warmer, a club trip is in the works.

Vanessa W and Chris D will be heading to the coast for a weekend of sailing at Bird Island Basin. If you haven’t had a chance to sail the “spring season” down there, you’ll get to rub shoulders with folks from around the world. The Bird is famous for its great spring winds and mild weather.

We’re hoping for a weekend in late March or early April, or both! After a day of sailing, we’ll gather for a casual group dinner on Saturday evening.

We’re watching the weather and water temperatures. So just look for an announcement to the AWC email list.

What’s in Store for AWC in 2008
President’s Thoughts

1) Start a Zero wind minimum racing program in conjunction with our friends and fellow sailors at the Austin Yacht Club. Thursday night has been mentioned as a possible/favorable day for these races and given the relative warmth of Lake Travis I'd like to see a racing season synchronize with Daylight savings time (March 8 - November 4) or at the very least Windy Point Summer time hours (May 1 - September 9).

2) Perform a large Learn to Windsurf weekend with all proceeds going to charity (our current charity -SPF- will be my continued recommendation for this event) and hopefully including Roger and Ellen from the Sailworks/Starboard "Taste of Windsurfing Tour"

3) Perform several smaller Learn to Windsurf events every month from April to October with all proceeds going to the AWC treasury. I envision a small fee of $25-30/student and smaller classes in the 10-20 student range, but more would always be great as gear and volunteers to teach become available.

4) With the funds gathered during the smaller monthly LTW events (point 3 above), entrance fees and local sponsors, I would like to hold a 2-day weekend sailing event "The Lake Travis Invitational" in which invitations of some kind (could be as simple as an email) will be sent out to local and regional participants. Ideally, trophies, T-shirts (I'm thinking Tie-Dye with the slogan "Keep Austin Weird - Windsurf!") and a party/dinner can be accomplished. It would be awesome if a local band or funds permitting "*Van Halen/The Eagles/Engelbert Humperdinck*" could perform at the party/dinner. Fall 2008 seems like the logical time to hold this event as it will provide time to gather funds and to train up our local racers with the Thursday night series.

5) It would be awesome if we could hold 2 swap meets this season (near the start of the season March/April and end of the season October/November) and to continue our refurbishment program. Old longboards with a few problems and antiquated mast foot hardware seem to be in relative abundance in and around Austin. If you have a board like this (or any other board for that matter) that you never ride and are tired of seeing collect dust in your garage, feel free to donate it to the Austin Windsurf Club. (Question for club members with Accounting Experience: As a non-profit organization can we offer donors a receipt that can be used to write off the donation on their income taxes?)

6) On windy days and weekends - "Fill the lake with sails". The more sails on the water we display, the safer we will all be. I'm not sure why, but it sure seems like the more sails/sailors that show up at our beach the more exciting things become. If you haven't sailed in a while, ask yourself "Why not?" and start making plans for what I hope will be a very exciting new year for windsurfing in Austin. –Story by Brian S.

Holiday Party Snags Some Great Door Prizes

Back in December, Lyn V hosted the annual holiday party for the club. The food was fantastic with Lyn providing Turkey, Salmon and a fantastic garlic mushroom cream sauce. The rest of the food was also fantastic with an awesome cornbread (made by Lisa H), a multi-bean salad (made by Darran), several pizzas, several salads and a variety of excellent cookies. Much Eggnog, beer and wine were also present and readily consumed by the attendees. My apologies to anyone who brought a dish I didn't name here, but I really did try to personally sample everything and it was all fantastic.

A Raffle was held and the following items were handed out to the following winners:
$50 WorldWinds Gift Certificate - Robin F
$25 Sail & Ski Gift Certificate - Erika S
$25 Sail & Ski Gift Certificate - Mike S
$25 Sail & Ski Gift Certificate - Guy M
$25 Sail & Ski Gift Certificate - Alice J
An O'Neil wetsuit top from Sail & Ski - Hayden J
Trivial Pursuit (SNL edition) - Karl T
Super Soaker Water Gun - Lisa H
Christmas Candle - Jon P
Blue Flame Sun Shade - Marlen D
House Bowling Set - Linda P

Once again, Karl T entertained us with his music as he pulled out his guitar and put on an impressive performance. While I didn't personally see any dancing this year, I'm sure things would have been different if Tim could have been in attendance (he was running the Trail of Lights 5k with his wife). –story by Brian S, photo by Jon P

Calendar/Events

March 19 7:30 – Planning meeting for Learn to Windsurf Festival

March/April – Club Trip to Corpus Christi

May 31-June 1 – Learn to Windsurf Festival, Lake Travis

Fall newsletter

2008-03-09T22:00:00.004-05:00

Long Board Saves Vacation

If you've been reading any of the windsurfing literature or looking at new gear offered from any shop anywhere you have probably noticed that the windsurfing industry is now awash with long boards.

I hold a certain personal affinity for long boards as my first board was a cheap, heavy long board that I purchased 4 years ago from a college friend.

I rode it each and every day after work and totally enjoyed every aspect of my learning curve. My first planing run, waterstart and fully planing gybe were performed on this board at Windy Point.

I recently realized that in the past 4 years I have spent more time riding long boards than anything else and in that time I've owned, ridden, sold, and kept at least 10 different long board styles.

I recently took Long Board #9 (Mistral IMCO One-Design) on a trip to South Padre Island. While September is the least windy month of the year in South Padre, I figured it would be windier than Austin and I hoped that I might get a few Formula days in the Gulf/Laguna.

I also hoped that I would get some solid 5-10knot sea breezes to ride my longboard and for teaching my 2 newbie friends. (Continued on next page)

Things worked out better than I could have anticipated and I sailed 6 days of 7 with the exception being the very last day which I sacrificed to make the 6.5 hour drive back to Austin during daylight hours while preserving our late breakfast tradition. Of the 6 days of sailing, I spent 4 days on the longboard and 2 days on the formula.

During the first few days, at least one and sometimes both of my newbie friends would ride pretty far offshore and I'd get to utilize one of the cooler properties of long boards, they can go upwind very nicely in light air. So well in fact, that I was easily able to tow my friends back upwind to the beach each and every time they were blown downwind.

Another cool property of long boards, you can achieve reasonably high speeds in relatively light winds and thus go on a bit of a journey. On one of the more consistent 5-10 knot days my friends appeared to be managing things well, so I rode my longboard several miles North in the Laguna up to an area where there were no buildings blocking the wind and the water was extremely clear. As I hung off my boom skating wistfully above the sea grass and sand I could see several varieties of small colorful fish swimming around below me. I was clearly beginning to fall into some kind of a trance when I noticed a rope running out to a boat that I had noticed earlier near the horizon. I narrowly missed the anchor line with my dagger board and as I passed by, I saw an older naked man jump off the boat into the water and start washing the boat attached to the rope.

This startled me, and I became aware of just how far I had traveled! While attempting to honor the old man’s privacy and turn around as quickly as possible I swept downwind and behind his boat in a large arc and headed back towards the shop (www.windsurfinc.com).

On the 6th day, I deemed it too light for towing as the wind was due offshore and blocked for the first 50meters off the beach. After testing things out on the Laguna side with my longboard and pumping pretty vigorously to keep moving the whole time, it seemed like a good day to skip. Since this was the 6th day of our vacation, my newbie friends and wife were sore and happy to skip a day of light offshore sub 5 knot winds. On that day I thought I'd try sailing in the Gulf of Mexico with my longboard for a half hour or so just to say I'd done it. To my great surprise, I was able to punch through the small waves generated by a sub 5 knot breeze and sail for several hours in beautiful water with flying fish and 1-2 foot rolling waves to propel me back toward the beach.

Outside the surf zone the wind seemed to freshen, and I was able to gybe comfortably and actually pick up enough speed to catch waves. On several rides I rode so far up the beach that I sunk my 38cm fin into the sand and was left high and dry as the waves receded! Fortunately, the sand was soft and I noticed no damage whatsoever to my board/fin. Despite the fact that day 6 had the lightest winds of our vacation, it was by far my most memorable ride and I can't wait to go do it again!

Had I not brought my longboard, I very seriously doubt my newbie friends would have sailed more than 1 day after trudging home on foot through 6 inches of muck and swimming across the channel next to the beach. I certainly wouldn't have bothered sailing in the Gulf on the lightest day of the vacation and I wouldn't have had the patience to ride a Formula board several miles from my origination in 5-10knots. In short, my longboard saved our vacation. –story by Brian Shepherd

Holiday Potluck and Board Elections
Saturday, December 8 at 6:00 pm

The holiday spirit is bringing another year of food, festivities, and surprises to our club. Lyn V will host this great event that has seen live music, giveaways, and live deer sightings in the past.

Please join the club as we celebrate another year, elect our Board for 2008, and share our favorite dishes. Lyn lives at 11903 Mustang Chase in Austin (78727); her number is 417-2721.

Driving from either direction on Highway 183, exit Duval (north of Braker, south of Oak Knoll). Turn East towards Mopac (coming from the south, turn right; coming from the north, turn left). Go past the nursing homes, Davis Elementary school on your left, past the big stone blocks on the left. Take the first left on Mustang Chase after the school, about 1/4 mile from 183. Proceed 6 houses up on your right to 11903, look for balloons on the mailbox.

Don’t forget to bring a covered dish or treat to share with your fellow windsurfers.

Welcome New Members

Here’s a big Welcome to AWC’s newest members: Christopher N, Kat K, Glenn C, and Oliver S. We hope to see you at the holiday party and of course out on the water.

And if you haven’t heard, Lake Pflugerville is full of weeds and is currently un-sailable. The city has been notified, but currently weed abatement is not in the budget.

Jellyfish: Do’s and Don’ts
Everything You Didn’t Want to Know about Jellyfish and Portuguese Man of War

First off, the jellyfish season in Corpus Christi is typically in the Spring. So, you have some time to find the perfect combination of sailing patterns, clothing selection, and vacation plans.

Per the Padre Island National Seashore web site, “Portuguese Man-of War are found at the park throughout the year. These attractive, blue jellyfish cause a painful sting, which is usually accompanied by redness and some swelling of the affected skin area. If stung, seek first aid. A very small percentage of those stung will experience an allergic reaction, which can cause difficulty breathing, numbness in the arms, legs or elsewhere, severe pain and/or disorientation or unconsciousness. Visitors experiencing these or other symptoms should notify a park ranger immediately and seek medical attention.”

Some other jellyfish include Sea Nettles, Moon Jellies, and Cabbagehead (also known as Cannonball) jellyfish. Of these three, Cabbageheads are harmless to people, but, in most cases, Sea Nettles and Moon Jellies can produce a rash similar to poison ivy, if handled. According to the Parks Department, windsurfers typically find Sea Nettles in Bird Island Basin and Portuguese Man of War on the Gulf shores.

Fashion Advice to Avoid Stings
So now that we’ve got that out of the way, what do these nasty critters have to windsurfing? Our local enthusiast, Karl T, provided some excellent tips about what to wear to avoid stings from Man of War as well as other types of jellyfish that populate the waters around Corpus Christi.

Full-body lycra suits will provide the most protection, especially for your legs. You’ve probably already seen the Corpus locals wearing these year round. You can find these suits through dive shops and some sports outlets. If you’re thrifty, you can try out the pants of a nylon track suit. The material dries fast, and often comes with elastic around the ankles to keep the pants from riding up. For other nylon options, sports retailers such as REI and Academy have convertible pants, where you can zip off the legs to have shorts.

Help! I’ve Been Stung

The Corpus Christi Caller Times provides this helpful advice to treat stings. “When stung by a jellyfish, a paste of rubbing alcohol and unseasoned meat tenderizer is recommended. The tenderizer works with the body’s natural proteins to break down the injected poison.” Additionally, rinse the affected area with salt water only. Fresh water can further activate the sting and worsen the reaction.

• Use protective gloves or cloth to remove any tentacles still in contact with the skin.

• White vinegar along with meat tenderizer can help inactivate any remaining tentacles and may help decrease symptoms.

• Use over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to control pain symptoms.

• Watch for an allergic reaction in response to the initial sting.

• Seek medical attention. These suggestions are in no way a substitute for medical advice. Some stings may require immediate medical attention.

Calendar/Events
December 8 – Holiday Potluck and Board Elections
January/February – Windy Point Adopt-a-Park Cleanup

Summer Newsletter

2007-08-19T17:12:00.000-05:00

New Sailors Take to the Water at Learn 2 Windsurf Festival
The annual Learn to Windsurf Festival brought new and experienced sailors out on May 19-20. The club received a great deal of positive comments from students and volunteers alike about the quality of the event. I think we signed up 60, and about 55 showed. I saw lots of smiles on students’ faces. There were quite a few that expressed interest in Thursday nights with Mike. Several joined the club on the spot, and several others indicated interest in doing so. The party on Saturday turned out to be a good addition to the program.

This event couldn’t happen without the fantastic support from our main instructors, Roger Jackson and Ellen Faller from Starboard-Sailworks. Their enthusiasm and energy get all ages sailing so quickly.

It is terrific to observe the giving spirit of our club members, especially those that put in the behind-the-scenes prep work that provides the structure to enable a great event.

As always HUGE thanks to all our volunteers who helped make the day such a success. –story by Ron Hensley

Spastic Paraplegia Thank You for AWC Contribution

Dear AWC officers and club members,

Thank you everyone for your support for the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation being selected as the nonprofit organization to receive the contributions from the 2007 Learn to Windsurf Festival. Thank you to everyone who participated in making the
weekend a fun event for participants.

Through these contributions, research continues in finding the cures for the rare disorders Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia and Primary Lateral Sclerosis.

Recent research funded by the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation has helped a scientific team destroy a long-standing rule about neurons in the brain: that new ones
cannot be created--that you have all that you will have at birth. The researchers discovered proteins that can activate stem cells already in the brain to turn into motor neurons that begin to develop axons that project down the corticospinal tract. This discovery could lead to making an affected individual able to walk, stand and keep balance without difficulty.

I appreciate your help in making research possible.

Thank you,
Marlene Doolen

BBQ and More at Summer Party

Our mid-summer party brought out some great chefs for a pot-luck spread, which I know you’re sorry if you missed it. The Doolens kindly hosted the festivities, coordinating the barbecue and fixings.

Conversation stayed mostly on our rainy season, currently about twice the normal for this time of year. I did hear some discussion of the current fashions to avoid jellyfish at Bird Island Basin. Look for scrubs and lycra suits on our local members next time you’re down that way.

Aspiring Windsurf Professional
More tales from our newest sailors

So everyone is usually a little timid when they are trying out a new hobby. I was more excited than anything when I decided to go to the windsurfing clinic in May 2006. For one, any activity or sport where I can become one with the water is right up my alley.

I remember after a couple of hours of on land training learning about the boom and mast and what a jibe was, an instructor tied my board to his and we hit the water. I
continually fell off as if I was on a balance beam trying to become one with the water.

Shortly after that, I started attending the Thursday night instruction at Windy Point where Mike Schultz is always kind enough to provide boards for us to learn. Thursday
practice is a good way to see just how serious you are about the sport.

Well, by the middle of the summer I had my balance down, but my largest problem was that I could never "zig-zag" back from where I started so I came back this summer for more instruction.

In June, we were up at Lake Pflugerville since Windy Point has been washed out. At one point, I was in the water just leaning on my board watching the sun go down feeling a bit discouraged because I can't seem to master the "zig-zaggedness" of windsurfing. Mike asked me if I was done for the day. He tried to encourage me by saying that no one can really get back from where they started from. I said,
"the professionals can". Of course, it's hard to become a professional, when the rain keeps ruining every Thursday night. But the love of the sport will help me persevere.

Well, I don't know if I will ever be a professional, but I sure would like to give them a run for their money. I encourage everyone who isn't already a professional to do the same and maybe, just maybe someone from the Austin Windsurfing Club will win a World Cup. –story by Ken Wilson

Escaping Texas Doldrums in the Gorge
Guy Miller’s summer vacation in Oregon

This summer brought more than its share of wind woes: first the never-ending rains and then our typical windless days. For some, summer windsurfing means packing it all up and heading to the Gorge in Oregon.

What’s the Gorge? According to the Gorge Sailing Guide: “The strong summertime winds funneled through a massive natural gorge more than 90 miles in length blow against the constant ebb of the Columbia River, snaking its way downstream to the Pacific Ocean. This collision of forces is what makes windsurfing here so special. The wind opposes the river's current creating rolling swells for jumping and riding. The current also means that it is easy to stay upwind here.”

Guy was in the Gorge a total of three weeks during which time he competed in the Gorge Blowout, which is a 20-mile downwind run from Stevenson to the Event Site. Only about 50% of the starters finished (he was one of them) due to extreme gusty conditions (in excess of 40 mph) for the last seven miles or so, and the large sail sizes being used (he was on an 8.5). “I swear that my arms felt several inches longer.”

He also joined up with Robert James and his kids Sabine and Hayden, Roberts's girlfriend Elizabeth, and Guy’s own son Colin, as they toured various sailing spots.

The kids tried their hand at windsurfing at the Event Site, but most of the time it was either too windy, or on rare occasions not enough wind.

The most memorable time for Guy was out at an Eastern spot called Roosevelt, where they enjoyed more winds in the 30 - 50 range. There was more carnage too as Robert broke a brand new mast at Doug's beach, and Guy had to sail a spare mast out to
him so that Robert could get back to shore.

There are smashing times in the Gorge, too (see photo inset). Guy says, “Moral of the story is don't borrow your girlfriend's ex-husband's board!!! He was pretty cool about the result of a little too enthusiastic sailing, but yours truly had a heck of a long swim back from the far shore.”

Other fun activities include hiking, camping, swimming in freezing cold rivers, bathing in natural hot springs, picking berries, kayaking, and golf. Robert actually drove cross country with his trailer full of toys, and some of Guy’s toys too.

All in all the kind of summer vacation to remember, that is until you arrive home to be confronted with weeds several feet high in the yard !!

So you want to know more?
Check out the Gorge Sailing Guide:
http://www.windance.com/west_coast_guide/gorge/
sailing/gorgelist.htm

–interview by Vanessa Wilburn, photos by Guy Miller

Summer roundup from the Pres

2007-08-19T17:09:00.000-05:00

(I'm posting Ron Hensley's summer round up of latest happenings with the AWC Club. --Vanessa)

While it has been rumored that most of our local windsurfing tribe should be committed, I can attest that they certainly are - at least when it comes to planning, preparing and executing a terrific LTW event. We have managed to create several new windsurfers, generated a tremendous amount of positive perceptions of windsurfing and donated significant cash to the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation. The volunteerism from our club members is deeply moving.

Austin Windsurf Club once again joined forces with Roger and Ellen’s “Taste of Windsurfing Tour” to host our annual Learn to Windsurf event. This is our 3rd year teaming with R&E and the equipment their sponsors provide for our long standing LTW event. They have been instrumental in helping us to enhance the quality of our annual charity event. I am personally deeply grateful for their support and that of their sponsors. The support provided by the event sponsors positively impacts my perceptions of the windsurfing industry and unquestionably makes their products the first in my mind at purchase time. I wish we could send each of the sponsors a bottle full of the enormous enthusiasm and excitement beaming from our students along with a bottle of appreciation from the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation.

The success rate of Roger and Ellen's process is staggering, especially when considering our deep water venue. It is amazing what the right combination of world class gear and instruction can accomplish. At any given time over the length of our event, if you looked out over the water, you would have likely seen a cove full of newbies eagerly, confidently and even competently sailing on Lake Travis. Students and volunteers alike were impressed by the sailing confidence and competence resulting from R&E's learning process. Several students sailed back and forth across the cove several times and never even got their hair wet… Not bad for a “learning to windsurf” experience. Ellen is truly gifted at using the simulator to establish skills and correct issues before students hit the water, and students absolutely love Roger's tow surfing introductory approach. Tow surfing is perfectly adapted for our deep water venue and, following the tow introduction, most students are immediately able to sail away solo with confidence. After completing their solo session, those that desired additional sailing time were provided club gear and additional coaching if necessary. One lady was so stoked after her lesson on Saturday that she sailed for several more hours on club gear then came back on Sunday morning for more club gear sailing and expressed interest in buying gear of her own. We had many, many newbies possessing high levels of excitement and sporting permanent ear-to-ear grins.

The cold statistics don't do this event justice, but I will include a few for reference... It seems we hit around 90%, 30%, 10% - stoked, committed, and converted. On 19&20 May, we provided 55 newbies (60 registered) with a "Taste of Windsurfing" via our LTW event. I'm guessing our youngest was around 8 years of age. About 50 of these appeared to be truly stoked about their successful windsurfing experience. About 15 indicated a strong desire to continue their windsurfing this summer and 5 or so are actively windsurfing. By combining our volunteers with R&E, we were able to create windsurfers at an average of 5/hour. I must admit this is a rather slow and instructor intensive process, but the positive student experience was well worth the efficiency limitations. We raised over $1000 for the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation. Absolutely all proceeds from the event go to charity. All expenses not covered by sponsors come from the club coffers. We received many complements on how well the event was run and on the quality of the student experience.

Finally, please note that the Austin Windsurf Club does not stop our support of newbies with this event. Via "Thursday Nights with Mike," the club provides free use of club gear and further assistance with learning to windsurf throughout the summer. FYI, the club added another new board to the Thursday Night Fleet and Mike added some new sails. Several members also answer questions and provide other help via the Club message boards.

Thanks again to all that provide your support to help the Austin Windsurf Club promote windsurfing and generate money for an under funded charity to find a cure for a disease which one of our most cherished members endures.

STATE OF AWC WINDSURFING

The winter and spring offered some terrific sessions and the record low water level of Travis is one of my favorite venues. We had a very beneficial Windy Point Clean-up, resulting in many of the stump hazards being removed.

The LTW was a grand success despite significant challenges with coordinating the event date relative to other events around the state. This year the LTW date was unfortunately in conflict with the Texas State Championships. The US Wind and Water Open (formally the Velocity Games) moved off of their traditional date of Memorial Day weekend. That resulted in a shuffle of event dates and we quickly ran out of May dates.

Picking next year’s LTW date… I’m targeting LTW 2008 for the weekend of 17-18 May, as this is ideal for water temp, volunteer availability, and favorable weather probability. I’m attempting to initiate coordination with Abilene’s event, R&E availability, the Gulf Coast Championships and the Texas State Championships. The LTW can’t be earlier than May without requiring wetsuits of the newbies – a really bad idea. The US Open is indicating May 10-11. The SPI Blowout is always? the first weekend of May. Holiday weekends are bad for volunteer availability and provide increased boat traffic on Travis, so that rules out Mother’s Day (weekend of 11^th) and Memorial Day (weekend of 24^th). The TSC has always? been on Mother’s Day Weekend. The Gulf Coast Championships were in April last year.

The club purchased another new learner board in continued effort to support introducing new windsurfers to the sport. Several newbies are making good progress despite flood, rain-outs, and venue changes. Thanks to Mike and Brian for their continued support of the newbies. I've joined the few times that I’ve been in town and have enjoyed those sessions. We taught a rigging clinic on one of those Thursdays (about 1/2 the clinic was taught from inside the car while it rained buckets).

The Doolan's hosted a nice summer party (or so I'm told). I’m sorry to have missed the party, but am glad to have finally made it to Cabarete. I’m sure someone will write a summary of the party. I can only tell you that Cabarete is an excellent June windsurfing destination.

I tuned the TV to the radar channel on Friday and heard NOAA broadcast that Austin has had 39 inches of rain this year - 19 more than normal. Hmmm, twice as much rain as typical – is that all? Seems like I should be tuning into Noah, not NOAA… The lake went from record breaking low levels to flood conditions in typical Travis fashion – in short order. There are rumors that Bob Wentz Park is open again, but haven’t seen any reports from our local sailors yet. Anecdotal data suggests that it has been a light sailing summer thus far. Maybe it is just that when I try to sail, rain and/or lightning drives me back to shore. On the positive side, it has not been nearly as hot as is typical of a Texas summer and some of the storm winds have been strong if totally unpredictable.

Looking forward, late August thru late September mostly offer the doldrums (or is it dull-drums?). I think August/September require serious travel to log serious wind. I should note that there is a small craft advisory for CC on today and I’ve had many good August sessions there in the past. Otherwise, it may be time to work on freestyle moves and/or perhaps build up "honey-do" credits.

It is coming up on time to schedule some sort of fall event. Historically at this event, we elect officers, grill up some grub and pray for wind.

Karl's breakthrough weekend

2006-12-19T07:17:00.000-06:00

I just got back from a four day weekend at the bird, and thought I'd share my adventures with my fellow sailors.

I took my new popup (nicknamed the Birdie -- short for the Bird House). I didn't get there until late afternoon Friday, so no sailing. Saturday there was no wind in the morning, so I went into to town for some Christmas shopping. When I got back around 2, it was blowing around 15 to 20 I guess. I rigged the 7.0 and went out for a bit, but couldn't get planing. I also tried a few water starts (chest/shoulder deep) with no success. I thought I'd try the 9.8, and started rigging it. The guy in the RV near me -- his name is Dan -- lives at Hood river the rest of the year and winters at the bird. He came over and helped get the 9.8 rigged, and then took a look at the 7.0, which I've had a lot of trouble rigging. He showed my how to do it properly, and said it should have a lot more power now, so I put the 9.8 away and took the 7.0 back out. More power, but same result -- couldn't plane or waterstart, just fought the sail most of the time.

Dan said my problem was my board -- way too big and way too heavy. We talked about different boards and sizes for quite awhile. A little while later, I was talking with Don at Worldwinds, telling him my planing problems and the things Dan had said. Don also had some opinions on the Start board -- not putting it down, but also saying it really wasn't suitable for someone trying to advance as fast as I am. He showed me the boards they start people on, and the next board up from that, and the next one up from that, and we talked about the learning curve, and how fast they transition folks from one to another. I told him I would come up the next day and try one or two of those boards.

The next day, around 1pm, it was blowing a pretty steady 16. I took my Start out with the 7.0 and sailed back and forth a couple of times, never planing and always fighting the sail. I then dragged it to the shore at Worldwinds. Don had me take one of their transition boards -- this one was a JP New School 180. Interestingly, it has the same dimensions and displacement as the Start, but a very different design, and is much lighter because there's less EVA on the deck and no retractable daggerfin. I just switched my rig to it and took it out to the dropoff. I started setting up to try a water start, then thought maybe I should just uphaul, since I'm supposed to be seeing how this board rode. I decided I'd try a couple of waterstarts (shallow ones, about chest deep) and then uphaul and sail. Well, I didn't have to -- I got pulled right up onto the board the first try -- I was surprised, but not nearly as surprised as I was less than ten seconds later, when I was planing across the water. All the various things I've read or been told came to mind -- I was no longer fighting the sail (not fighting to just hang on, anyway), and when a gust hit me, I just hauled on the boom a bit and went even faster -- way cool! I had been told that steering while planing can be done by pointing or lifting the toes, so I tried that, and the board carved some arcs through the water before going out of control and dumping me rather spectacularly (note to self -- buy a helmet).

I was unhurt by the 16 mph crash, and way too stoked to do anything but set up for another waterstart -- this time in neck-deep water. One try, and I was back on, and planing again. I'm not sure how a board can make that much difference in a waterstart, especially when it's the same dimensions as the other, but this one did make a difference. Over the next 40 minutes, I got the board planing six or seven times, almost effortlessly and pretty much on demand. I spent quite a bit of time working on sailing upwind without a daggerfin, but at any point I wanted, I could bear off the wind and be planing in seconds. Most planing episodes ended in a crash as I tried to learn to control it -- I wasn't in the footstraps yet, and after the first two crashes, as soon as I was planing, I unhooked the harness, so the inevitable crash would be a little safer. I also did five or six waterstarts. It was
awesome!

So anyway, I bought that board. I've put my Start board up for sale on consignment at Worldwinds. I would have liked to keep it for Linda to learn on eventually, but I can't afford both boards right now. I'm selling the Start for $450. It's been used for learning, so it's a little beat up, but it's only three months old and still in great shape and was $750 new, and comes with the clipper wheel (a $69 accessory). The Start is a good board for learning and for safe, underpowered sailing. I've even watched Tim get it planing, and if you are able to, I think it's probably much more stable (less squirrelly) on a plane. Unfortunately, I was never able to get it planing. So, if you know anyone who's interested, please email me.

Anyways, today (Monday) there was very little wind -- I sailed a bit on the 7.0, but it was just slogging. I actually did try the 9.8, but with so little wind, it was just too unwieldy. Finally packed up the Birdie and drove on home.

So my four day sailing weekend really only yielded one decent session, but oh what a session! I've been working on planing and waterstarting for weeks. I still have plenty to learn, even about those two things, but to have finally made the breakthrough is a wonderful experience. Woohoo!

I hope everyone has a really great holiday -- I know I am!

Karl

All I want for Christmas is...

2006-12-04T14:48:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year, when you can make a list, check it twice, and hopefully take your Christmas loot to Corpus.

So in the spirit of telling Santa (or that significant other that just doesn't know the difference between a power box and a deep tuttle), here's a list of goodies that would make any Christmas bright:

Windsurf bag to fit my F2
Roof rack, Thule or Yakima
Gift certificate with Austin Sailworks at http://www.austinsailworks.com/giftcertificate.html
Weekend for two, Bird Island Basin

Got your own favorite list or think there's a better brand? Post a comment saying what you're really hoping to see under the tree this year.

Holiday Party - Saturday, December 2

2006-11-20T10:22:00.000-06:00

Get the holidays started right with our AWC holiday party.

Saturday, December 2
7-10 pm
Lynn's House at 11903 Mustang Chase, 78727

Map

It's a potluck, so bring a covered dish. The club will provide some food and sodas. BYOB.

Blogging begins for Austin Windsurfers

2006-11-18T09:47:00.000-06:00

Howdy Sailor, it's the beginning of the blog for the Austin Windsurf Club.

Catch up on the latest news, announcements, and personal stories on the new club blog.

Check back often because new content from the AWC board, local luminaries, and other notables will be showing up. Feel the need to be part of the voice of AWC? Contact Vanessa to start blogging with the Austin Windsurf Club. My contact info is on the AWC Board page.