board: Starboard Kode 86, Starboard Kode 94         sail: 4.5 Gaastra Poison, 5.7 Maui Legend

Looked breezy but not like it was going to build much. Rigged the 5.7/94 and had a pretty good time on it for about an hour. Then it really did jack up and I just pinched up to the launch overpowered, but not tailwalking or anything. Rigged the 4.5 which was probably too small and took out the new 86 Kode I just got! Should have gone with the 5.0 and would have had easier time making up ground upwind but had plenty enough to try the new board. I demoed it last year so knew what to expect. Much easier to slash around. A bit easier in the chop, still not as smooth as I'd like. Loads easier to jump. Gotta keep it moving or sinkola. Interestingly, this board fits in my old F2 bag--the narrower outline is similar. It reminds me of my old F2. My jibes have gotten better of late but I'll need to be more careful with this guy, or lose 30 pounds.

board: 240 JP 92 L FSW PRO         sail: 5.8 EZZY WAVE PANTHER

079 - Got a little more than expected starting off with holes everywhere, filled in well midway and almost pver at the last until it dropped.  Mostly BAF to SI#2 and back along the drop-off.  Did quiet a few just BAF in the IWC at the high markers and SI#2.  Lots of chop going across smoother in the flats and a little path through the chop on the return.  After short break added down and out haul then stayed well powered for whole second out just BAF to SI#1 and up on the sandbar coming back.  

board: Quatro Custom Freestyle 140         sail: 6.3 Severne S-1

Definitely worth the drive for a few hours of planing wind. I have to thank Mike for driving from Houston! It was way more fun having him there. We sailed for over 3 hours straight. I saw him make a sweet one handed Spock. Very inspiring. My ability to pop is going down the tubes. I need to scrap and try to relearn everything all over again. Very frustrating! I need a sports psychologist. I had trouble pulling off my C360s until the end of the session, and finally pulled off several. Still not able to keep both feet in the straps...

board: 08 JP Freestyle 99L         sail: my NeilPryde Expression 5.7

It had been a really long time since I had sailed at Lake Travis, so that made for a nice fresh water sail.  Was rockin' out the monkeys.  Never enough power to try a vulcan pop.

board: '07 JP Freestyle 100         sail: '09 NP Firefly 5.7

Love, love LOVE the boom regrip! Super soft and supple! I would've finished L's boom too, but ran possibly  too low on the nobody-but-tax-IDd-cobblers-and-opthamologists-are-allowed-to-obtain-this adhesive. Luckily, L was the voice of reason and suggested that we wait until we KNOW that we have enough. I had already applied the cement to the beveled edge of the new grip, and was in that panic-driven state of every-second-counts-do-or-die when logic and reason was intravenously injected. So, in the living room, one side of L's boom is super soft and supple. Meanwhile the other is cold, hard, and carbon-fiberous.

Planed a few times. Made a light wind V. Missed a S attempt.

PSB: Independence Stash IPA

board: Starboard Kode 94         sail: The Robby Naish 4.0

Morning session. Arrived to nuking conditions only to see them peter out by the time I was on the water. Yes, I did get lots of runs on the 4.0 but also lots of sitting around waiting for a waterstart. That gusty. Suckola.

board: Starboard Kode 94         sail: The Robby Naish 4.0

Afternoon session. Smokey from a fire burning near Lyle. Perfectly powered on a taut 4.0. Windier than last time at the Wall but gustier. Not enough to make it uncomfortable though. The swell wasn't as big--maybe the wind was flattening it out? It was certainly cutting the peaks off the swell though. I only got 3 backie attempts. On one I really did come all the way around but my board submarined on its side and I couldn't recover. My Kode starting to delam between the front and back footstraps. Sigh.

board: Starboard Kode 94         sail: 4.5 Gaastra Poison

Classic day at the Wall. Powered to slightly overpowered on a pretty taut 4.5. Loads of backie attempts with all the swell--none really much better than before. But they aren't scary to attempt any more.

board: Quatro Custom Freestyle 140         sail: 6.3 Severne S-1

 LWF :P

board: Starboard Kode 94         sail: 4.5 Gaastra Poison

Got to the Wall and immediately had a semipowered 4.5 short session (it was blowing 30 at Doug's so thought it would ramp up) before the wind quit. Had one backie attempt but the wind yanked the board off my feet at the apex. Stayed out for a while after the wind petered out because of loads of sucker gusts which REALLY sucked. I should have just come in. Came in. Waited, and waited, and waited. Sturgeon fishing guys went out a few times on their canoe to delodge their tackle. Sigh. A smaller guy went out on a 5.2 and was doing OK. Not a good sign. Eventually the clouds to the east got very dark and a sun splotch appeared over us and a cloud bank was to the west... weird-o. But the wind came on very late and it was good and smooth. Super powered on the 4.5 with plenty of full planing jibes on some good swell. Derigged and drove home in the dark happy after all.