Gorge Windfest: Let The Season Begin – July 1, 2010

Warm wind and sunshine welcomed sailors to the Hood River Event Site this past weekend. A cool and wet spring ended just a few days before the annual event.  The stoke was flowing as sailors took advantage of the great conditions to try all the new 2010 gear.  Tim and I shared space with Windance and RRD giving anxious sailors an opportunity to get out on the new Panther 2 and Freeride 4.  The winds ranged from 5.0 on Saturday morning to lighter on Sunday when sailors put the larger sails to the test.  The new 7.5 Freeride 4 surprised many sailors with its easy handling while waterstarting and extremely light feel while sailing.  Here are some highlights from the weekend.

 Canines rate Ezzy #1

I couldn’t resist this picture of Dude and Elvis who love sailing their Ezzy on lighter Gorge days.  They were rescued by Barb and came to the Gorge from southern California to live the good life on the banks of the Columbia River.  They told me they love the smooth ride and easy handling of their Ezzy sail.  They also participated in a dog walk fundraiser on Sunday moring from the Event Site to the new Hood River Waterfront Park.

Barb with the “Boys”

The Man behind the Ezzy mast

Jason, Rachael, and their son Jayden stopped by to make sure we had all the Ezzy masts we needed.  Jason makes (he directs the recreation/sports division of the company) the best RDM mast on the market.  Like many young couples they enjoy all the great things the Gorge offers year around: windsurfing, skiing, whitewater kayaking, and cycling.  Knowing Jason and Rachael, I probably left something out.

 I’ll be at the beach doing demos again this summer, so try the new Panther 2 and see for yourself what the buzz is about.  See ya on the beach soon, Gary

Windance Swap Meets Canadians – May 25, 2010

The third weekend of May is a holiday for our neighbors to the north.  And with cool and unsettled weather, only the hardy sailors made the trip.  But hey, Canadians are known for their hardiness and a little cool and unsettled weather is fine with them.  Sailors were treated to great wind on Saturday, mostly at sites east of Hood River, like Doug’s and Roweana. 

Special BC friends from our Windance Rental days stopped to say hi.

Sunday morning Windance hosted their traditional swap meet where sailors and kiters searched for that special something that they just couldn’t live without.  It’s also fun to reconnect with friends back from Baja, Maui, and other winter sailing adventures around the world.  Summer sailing in the Gorge is just a few weeks away.

Windance’s Dave Nunn helps newest Ezzy quiver owner Ali from Portland.  Ali and his wife Holly can’t wait to get out on the water on their new Panthers.

I’ll be on the beach again this summer with all the 2010 Ezzy sails for you to take out for a session.  And if you buy a new Ezzy (or any previous model) and need some rigging tips, I’m here to help.  So if you’re coming to the Gorge check the Ezzy website or Windance for times and locations of my demos.  And please feel to email me (gary@ezzy.com) anytime with your questions.  Hope to see you on the beach this summer.  And don’t forget Windfest the third weekend of June at the Event Site.  Gary

Final Report From Baja – April 4, 2010

As we pack for the trip back to the Gorge from La Ventana its fun to reflect on the season.  We arrived here the end of September to the threat of hurricanes, which thankfully turned to the west before making landfall in southern Baja.  We kept the steel storm shutters handy until mid October just in case…Mother Nature is in Hurricane mode officially until the first of November.  Historically the last week of September and the first week of October is the peak period for southern Baja Hurricanes.

La Ventana Bay: (thanks to Google Earth)

We’ve been coming to La Ventana for 10 seasons and this is the first season for us that a major El Nino was brewing in the eastern equatorial region.  The early season winds in October and November were pretty light for sailing, unless you had big sails and boards.  We did have some sailable winds from Thanksgiving until the New Year, be we didn’t see the typical El Norte pattern of 4 or 5 days of strong winds every week.  Then as predicted the El Nino hit the first part of January and continued until the first part of March.  With record rains lashing California and mild, dry weather in the Northwest the prediction had become a reality.

 The La Ventana Campground on Easter Weekend:  a three day Party!

During January and February we averaged 2 or 3 days of sailable winds per week.  Having sailed here for many years we had gotten pretty good at predicting wind, but with the El Nino I humbly surrendered my junior Weatherman badge.  The wind would come up like normal in the morning and then suddenly die at 1 in the afternoon…or suddenly come up and be great for an hour or two then die.  We use the ocean buoy reports for predicting our wind which are usually consistently accurate.  But the El Nino seemed to affect their reliability too.  But fortunately the first week of March Mother Nature flipped the switch and the great wind that Baja is known for finally arrived.  For the past 3 1/2 weeks the wind has been terrific…and strong.  Most days I’ve been on a 4.5 with several 4.0 days just to remind me that the Gorge awaits our return.

My heart goes out to those sailors who came to Baja for a vacation this season and hit one of the several windless spells.  It reminds me of all the windsurfing vacations from my past 25 years of sailing; some were great, but some were spent windless on the beach.  I would have to include Hawaii, South Padre, the Gorge, and yes, Baja on that list.  The one benefit that we always find from windless days in Baja is that it gives us the opportunity to experience the wonders that this beautiful place offers.  What’s the saying about lemons and lemonade?

 Gary’s last sail:  Even I got to try the new Panther…veeerrry nice!

I’ll be doing demos again this summer in the Gorge.  I’m excited and looking forward to meeting you at the beach and getting you out on the new sails from Ezzy.  Thanks to everyone we met (and old friends too) this season in Baja for helping make it the best yet.  See ya on the beach, Gary & Nancy

New Panther 2 Test: What Baja Sailors Think, March 30, 2010

 The buzz on the beach about the new Panther 2 continues in La Ventana.  Several sailors have taken the new sail out for a test session in the best winds of the season as the El Nino subsides.  These sailors are part of the annual contingent of folks who are here from the fall to spring, sailing more than 100 days each season.  Windsurfing is a primary focus in their lives and most have been coming to Baja for 10 or more years.  They’re all accomplished sailors and have a passion for sailing that in most sports would make them professionals…but without the pay check.  No need for a magazine’s “professional test crew”, here’s what some real La Ventana sailors thought of the new Panther 2.  Thanks to hardcore Ezzy sailors Dan and Val for gratiously hosting the test sessions from their spot on the beach.  They both love the new Panther 2. 

 Baja Test Crew:  Dan, Karen, Stewart, Lori, Rosemary, Val, Alan (front)

Canadian sailors Greg and Lori. 

Greg and Lori are from British Columbia, Canada and sail BC and the Gorge in the summer; and call the La Ventana beachfront home in the winter.  It’s been 10 years since they had sailed an Ezzy and were excited to give the new sail a go.  They both thought the new Panther was vastly improved.  Lori’s commented that “The low end power really gets you up on a plane quickly…and it really seemed fast.”  Greg got out on one of the stronger days we’ve seen this month, and said, “it handles the gusts very smoothly and spills the wind so well, you don’t feel the gust.  I really like the power that the sail has on the bottom end.  There’s no hesitation after a jibe…it just powers up and you’re gone.  It took a few jibes to get used to it because my sails don’t have this much low end.  But after a short time, it felt great”.

 Lori heads out for a test of the new Panther.

Stewart is a jibing machine in the waves.

Stewart is from Ontario, Canada and has made the journey to La Ventana with his wife Jo for several years.  He’s usually the first one on the water searching for the swells on windy days.  A local secret is that the wind and swells can be excellent in the morning on big wind days.  I enjoy sharing the Ezzy stoke with sailors who own other brands, and Stewart was excited to put the Panther to the test.  After a long session of riding swells he shared his thoughts on the new Ezzy.  “It’s a very nice sail, with a balanced and light feel.  I really like the low end power…just sheet in and go, no lag at all.”    But one of the best things he liked about the sail was something he saw while I was rigging it on the beach.  “The downhaul and outhaul settings are so clear, that the settings you see in the sail on the beach translate directly to how the sail will perform on the water”.  Stewart’s observation perfectly describes why David has worked so hard to take the guess work out of rigging Ezzy sails (returning to the beach to change the rigging settings uses up valuable time and energy).

 Alan and Rosemary in their front yard.

Alan and Rosemary make the journey from Ontario, Canada to La Ventana each fall to spend their winter enjoying the wind and swells.  I don’t think anyone is keeping track, but I would guess that they rival Dan and Val for the most time on the water for windsurfing couples.  I can always find them at their favorite secret spot when the wind is good (And where is their secret spot?  Come to La Ventana and they’ll show you.)  Rosemary always sails a smaller sail than Alan, and the 4.7 is the largest sail you’ll find her on.  It’s a bonus when you can share a quiver with your sailing partner.  Rosemary’s review of the Panther 2: “The sail is very smooth and easy handling.  It has constant power through the jibes and spills the wind so you never feel overpowered.  And the new color and layout really make the sail a standout on the water.”  Alan added:  “Compared to the ‘08, the sail feels much lighter.  When jibing, the rotation is very smooth, and has great low end power coming out of jibes.”  And since Alan lives for the waves, “it’s very maneuverable when playing in the waves, and after sailing many years on Ezzy sails…THIS IS THE BEST YET!”

 The last sail tester is Karen.  She and her husband Joe are Ezzy sailors from San Diego.  Karen had been waiting for a chance to get out on the new Panther, and finally on her last day here before heading North the wind finally cooperated.  Joe was busy packing the van when Karen escaped for a quick sail.  They love their ‘06 Special Edition Waves, but her immediate impression was that “the sail had a much lighter feel, along with the power I love in the ‘06 SE.  It definitely has the Ezzy feel I love…just improved.”

 There you have it.  These impressions come from grassroots hardcore sailors who live to sail.  Windsurfing is  a more than just a sport or hobby they love…its part of their way of life.  Thanks to each of them for sharing their impressions of the new Panther 2, but more importantly thanks for sharing this special place with us.  Life is good on the beach.  Gary & Nancy

March Roars in Like a Panther (2) in Baja, First Impression – March 1, 2010

Thanks to Tim’s creative shipping and Nancy’s international travel, a new Panther 2 made its way to La Ventana on Sunday.  Of course, we wasted no time getting the sail rigged and in the hands of sailors.  Rigging the sail drew a “Christmas Morning” crowd on the beach as everyone gathered to check out the new Panther 2. 

The Inspectors Gathered

Fortunately for Val, a hardcore sailor from the Central California coast, the 4.7 was her perfect size for the conditions.  She didn’t hesitate when I asked if she would like to be first on the water.  The new orange color really stands out, and the new Tri-Lite scrim distinctly identifies it as the new Panther 2.  Her first impression of the sail was direct and simple as she returned to the beach, “the power, rotation, and balance are perfect, and I love it”.  More impressions will follow as sailors have a chance to take it for a test ride.

See ya when you’re tired.

Val is still out on the bay as I’m posting this, no worries, she’ll come in when she gets hungry or the sun goes down.  Having fun in Baja, come and join us, Gary & Nancy