VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I will always be the only Hobie 16 when winds are at 25 or greater out of Jericho. Hope y'all don't mind my kind here!!!

whatever rings your crank i like to say...
you might find thewindsurfer.com is more geared to jericho and mainland weather discussion though.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind... I'll also be out to the west coast of the island sometime soon for some wave jumping! Stear clear!!!

Seriously? You can jump those things?

If you come out here I want to go for a ride!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9frzM-8h ... re=related

check out this 15 second clip, i'll have you converted before X'mas!!!

There is a possibility that video was made before I was born.

Great music too, out of a 1930s film.....

yep, likely Nanmoo...that 15 sec clip is from 1978/79 around the time when Hobie 18's first came out, and that pic that Pasta posted is from Life magazine, titled, "The Cat That Flies"....it was part of the exhiliarating, high action advertising that converted our parents from monohull into Hobie cat 14 sailors.

I have often pondered posting my Prindle 15 sessions but it kinda doesn't fit....it's sorta like logging my kayak sessions
Jumping a cat is kinda like doing forwards towards the beach, ya takes yer chances. I know my rigging would just snap or eventually the rig would fall apart with all that stress, no design for that the times i FELT I got air with the prindle I ended up barely staying on the thing
u can bet they de-turtled, bandaged, the boat and first aided, untangled the guys plenty of times before they got that shot and yeah, u weren't even a twinkle then, Moo

not sure how this double post occurred

There's no doubt about the risks of damaging self or property in this attitude, but I have sailed awesome days off the east coast at Kennebunk Port, Acadia Ntl Park's shore, Cape Cod, and the St-Lawrence River where I'm from. (french-canadien!) It is by far my favorite way to end a day. Before beaching her, rolling the evening gear out of the dry sack and turning in to a good fire, there's nothing like a few good leaps in broad reach to crank your adrenaline level and let it be the highlight of a fabulous day out. The next morning, you wait for the right moment to go, between sets, and make it back to home port.

Trust me that video isn't that far out there, you just need the right wave pattern and a stiff boat! My crew Glen and I had more than 70% of the total hauls surface out, right here on English Bay on Thursday April 22nd in swells up to 8 feet near West Vancouver and winds well above 25 while gybing behind tankers! As you know the 16 is nearly impossible to tack under more serious conditions, and you have to rely on your ability to gybe (with nothing snaping). A great opportunity for a taste of the perfect crest and days in a real coastal region that offers them. Glen knows the waves well off the island's west coast. He's a local that surfs, kayaks and paddle boards your waters since he was a kid. He knows how much I can skip KRAZY and we will find those sweet spots. Safety is my priority in any actions I carry beacons, strobe, cell phone and radio, but (knock on wood) never needed rescuing on water or mountain. I am a father and want to make it home to see her graduate 1 day! She's 4, my hero and already a crew on "Nice Dreams" and a skier like me! We do wind dances and snow dances together on a regular basis!!! A Bientot, chez-vous!!!

Now let it howl!

Meet "Nice Dreams" beached at Wreck this past Monday... (Photoshopped my ID# for privacy)

I haven't been on a hobie in years, but I can remember it being a lot of fun when you could pitch pole or cartwheel it in heavy weather. I always wondered what would happen if you hit the rigging or mast while being launched though! Ouch!

Can you reef the sails on it when it gets big or are you flying with it all up all the time?

You can reef the main down by about 2 feet and furl your jib but that doesn't help you fly. I have rarely sailed one without full power. To do so will really reduce your ability to get where you want. I have snapped a shroud and had the mast come down in heavy weather but somehow was able to salvage everything, strap it across the frame and we barely paddled our way back in. Fortunately I wasn't too far, I never really am on a serious day. Sure was an eye opener though. I since carry a small basic rescue tool kit with thimbles, sleeves and a crimper, shackles, a few feet of 1/4 inch shock cords (for trapeze rigs), clews, small wise grip and sail tape.

That sure was a "faaaaaarrrrrk!" kind of day!