Need Wind? Come to Long Island!

Here on Long Island the wind has been cranking on a near daily basis. We've been getting at least 4 days a week of sailable conditions on the Great South Bay for the past few weeks. Last week, if you wanted, you could have sailed 6 days in a row. One day I would have needed a 6.9, so I passed and took the 5 days of 5.3 or less. This week we've already had 3 days in a row of 5.3 or better conditions and it looks like today and tomorrow I'll be breaking out the 4.2 and 3.7 yet again.

This spring really has been incredible, and not only for wind. With all the wind we've been having the local freestyle crew has really been stepping it up a notch. John Marwalter is in the air spinning the board around on almost every single run, not to mention I think he's got more carving type maneuvers under his belt than I do. George Pav is no spockable! He made his first spock a few sessions ago on an Easterly at heckscher and he's really coming close on almost every one he tries. Joe Natalie made a breakthrough yesterday in the perfect SW 5.3/4.7 breeze at Heckscher. His rotations are now looking like a loop rather than a cartwheel. I saw him make the closest attempt to date and he said the next one was even closer. I'm sure this is Joe's season for getting it. On Wed. I sailed at Tanner with Kevin O'shea. He proclaimed as he rigged his 6.0 while I was rigging my 4.7 that he was taking a big sail becasue he doesn't do any flippy-dippy stuff. Then I see him sailing backwinded, thn with both hands behind his head fully planing, the duck jibe then do an arm drag through a jibe. No flippy-dippy my ass! Kev, your most basic of animal instincts are telling you to start spinning and flipping! Just let yourself go and follow your true path.

I'm finally getting some good days on the Rodeo. I've been using the JP simply because it's been blowing 3.7 almost every time I go sail and the 98 ltr Rodeo gets a little big for a 3.7. The 89 ltr JP however stays in control nicely in those conditions. But on the Rodeo is where I want to be and the last few days sailing it has been like a drug. It's getting me closer to new moves faster than anything I've ever sailed. I need to sail it again, and if you're in the market for a freestyle board, grab one while you can! You can only get them at Ocean Air Sports. Brian was smart enough to grab every single one that was available in the country to sell at the shop, and I know that most of them are already gone, so grab yours before it's too late.