11 November 2024: Finally wind again, and also sun
Tuesday 12 November 2024
After two weeks of windless and gray weather, finally the weather changed, finally sailing. Sailed with the Banzai 5.3 on the One 95 with MFC 22.5/11cm thrusters Waves were nothing special, but sometimes a nice front-side hit. Wonderful to have sailed again. Waves weren't great. Sunshine was lovely. It was busy for a Monday in November, Belgians had a day off. [Read...]
01 October 2024: Great but overcast day
Saterday 05 October 2024
Forecast looked like very strong winds, really a storm. The morning itself the wind was a lot less. Sailed with the Banzai 4.7 on the Slate 96, later on the One 95. Demolished 2DaKine Core Contour footstraps. Except for a few small showers, it was completely dry. Especially the first hour was great, wind was the best and the waves too: top afternoon. [Read...]
28 September 2024: Light wind session after a storm
Sunday 29 September 2024
Day after the storm: decreasing wind, until about 2 to 3 o'clock there was good wind predicted. First checked the Grevelingendam, but there the wind was too north and not strong enough. Sailed with the Banzai 6.0 on the F-Cross 113 with MFC 32cm Wind sometimes completely gone, but for the rest a really nice freeride session. More sun then expected. [Read...]
10 September 2024: Gusty evening session
Friday 13 September 2024
Finally good WSW wind predicted: another evening sessions. Sailed with the Banzai 4.7 on the Wave Slate 96 with MFC 16/11 quad. Wind was very gusty, very often very strong, sometimes almost completely gone. It was tough, sometimes very hard gusts 30+ knots, other times standing still. Water from almost flat to more than 1.5 meters of waves. But despite the circumstances, nice sailing and had fun. [Read...]
09 September 2024: Short intense session
Friday 13 September 2024
Forecast was very good for a nice evening session at Brouwersdam south. Too bad the direction was NW and it was high-tide: the infamous shore-break. Sailed the Banzai 5.3 on the Goya One 95 with MFC 21/11cm Often beautiful and high waves. Wave riding with left foot front, little experience and front-side I can't go in that direction. Short session, still a bit tired from yesterday morning good wind again. Nice to ride wave left foot in front, I definitely need to practice more often. Waves were really nice and high at times. [Read...]
08 September 2024: Nice weather, but gusty
Monday 09 September 2024
Wind was predicted to be south, not my favorite direction, Sailed wit the S-Type 7.3 on the iSonic 111 with SL-X 43cm. Wind was gusty, but weather was still nice and warm. Was nice to surf after a long time. [Read...]
06 July 2024: Unexpected summer storm
Sunday 07 July 2024
Today Breda Live festival, but the bands before 18:00 were less interesting and the forecast with 30 to 35 knots was too tempting. Unfortunately I had forgot my smaller wave boards. Sailed with the Banzai 3.7 with Fanatic Grip 93, first with 18/10cm thrusters, later with 14.5/10cm quad set-up. Extreme strong wind! First impression of the Fanatic Grip 93 in these conditions is not bad. Thruster seems to give more controle than as a quad. Almost everyone found it impossible to sail or complained much harder than I did: it was really windy: 50+ kts gusts. [Read...]
04 July 2024: Wonderful evening session
Sunday 07 July 2024
Forecast looked good for days, good wind in the afternoon and evening. Started with the Banzai 6.0 on the F-Cross 113 with Supercross 34cm. In the beginning: minimal, later too big and fast for the waves. Switched to the Banzai 5.3 on the One 95 with 21/11 thrusters. Jumping over both sides possible. Back-side wave riding fun. Sometimes even multiple hits on one wave. One of the best sessions of the year: lovely sunshine, lovely constant wind. [Read...]
15 June 2024: Gusty but nice morning
Tuesday 25 June 2024
Wind was predicted SW and would turn to south around 1 or 2 o'clock. So you want to sail before 1. Doubted between te 4.2 and 4.7. Sailed the Banzai 4.2 on the Grip 93 with MFC 20/10 thrusters. I couldn't plane all the time, wind sometimes really dropped. Wind was very gusty and turned a bit, but the weather was very nice. It was very busy with a lot of surfing buddies on the water! [Read...]
01 June 2024: Finally surfing again
Monday 03 June 2024
For weeks there was little wind and a lot of rain and unfortunately I couldn't get away from work at the moments when there was wind. Today finally good wind. Sailed the Banzai 5.3 on the Goya One 95 with 21/10 MFC Thrusters Some steep waves for jumping, and others for an occasional back-side hit. It was a tick overcloud, but the wind was very constant. It was super busy and that made the water even more choppy. Sailed through until I was completely empty: nice. [Read...]
19 April 2024: Strong wind, and chilly
Saterday 20 April 2024
Good WNW predicted, some showers in the morning, later less rain. Sailed the Banzai 4.2 on the Grip 93 with MFC 20/10cm thrusters. Nice afternoon: Wind was stronger than expected. It was only 9 degrees and with so much wind: quite chilly. I didn't wear mittens, and sometimes that was only just possible. [Read...]
09 April 2024: Tail end of storm Pierrick
Thursday 11 April 2024
Strong winds forecast all day, up to 40 knots. In the evening it would start to decrease. Was able to leave work a few hours earlier. I was at the dam just before 4. Sailed the Banzai 3.7 on the Grip 93 with quad fins. 4.2 would have been better. Luckily not much rain, but a bit chilly, compared to last weekend. Was a fun session. [Read...]
05 April 2024: Great day, cold is gone
Sunday 07 April 2024
Forecast for 25 degrees this weekend, 15 degrees on Friday and up to 40 knots turning from S to SW wind. Sailed the Banazi 4.7. First on the Wave Slate 96, later on the Grip 93. Lovely afternoon, clear blue almost all afternoon and not cold. I'm getting more and more friends with the Grip, I'll put Dakine Core Contours on it. I find the original foot straps much too soft. [Read...]
24 March 2024: Cold but better wind
Sunday 24 March 2024
The forecast was wind and rain again, in the morning the rain didn't seem to fall in Zeeland. Wind direction W to WNW, so perfect for the Grevelingendam. Started with the Banzai 5.3 on the One 95. Later took the Banzai 4.7 on the Grip 93. It was cold, really cold. In the beginning even with mittens on cold fingers. The wind was a lot better than yesterday and it was a lot busier on the water. [Read...]
23 March 2024: Gusty, a short period perfect
Sunday 24 March 2024
Good wind has been predicted for the weekend for days. Wind forecast remained, but the temperature was a lot lower. Used a lot of equipment: Banzai 6.0, 5.3 and 4.7. In the beginning very gusty, then 1.5 an hour of good sailing. Menno and Jurjen have also done a lot of re-rigging. It wasn't very cold, we sailed almost all the time without mittens. After stopping, the hail came and the temperature dropped quickly. Even with the neoprene jacket on, I had cold hands: brr. [Read...]
15 March 2024: Briljant day at the Brouwersdam
Sunday 17 March 2024
Very good wind forecast and also warm for the time of year. Sailed with the Banzai 4.7. First on the Wave Slate, later the Goya One and ended on the Wave Slate again. Another 4 seals were released, went to have a look. Not very cold, no cap or gloves needed. Lots of sun. Especially at the end there are also nice waves. [Read...]
04 February 2024: Cold but nice afternoon at the Blokkendam.
Monday 05 February 2024
Good wind forecast, SW and dry. Few surfers at the Blokkendam. Sailed with the Banzai 5.3 on the Goya One 95 with MFC 21/10cm fins. In the beginning wind was not strong. Later the 5.3 was too big. It was cloudy, certainly not warm. Especially in the last hour more and more nice waves. [Read...]
03 January 2024: Nice start to the year
Sunday 07 January 2024
Tail of storm Henk, should stay dry for most of the afternoon. Sailed with the Banzai 5.3 on the One 95 with MFC 25/8 thrusters. Wind was WSW, so mainly sailing along the beach. Because of the direction you could find waves on both sides to jump. In general, the water was very flat. While jumping, almost hit Gert-Jan. Nice start of the year. Nice session, too bad there were so few waves. [Read...]
28 December 2023: Afternoon front-side wave riding
Thursday 28 December 2023
The wind had turned more to the south. Sailed with the Banzai 4.7 on the Goya One 95. Outwards almost sailing square into the waves. But that also offers opportunities: front-side wave riding. It turned out to be a great day for front-side wave riding. Collision with Henk: no damage. After high tide is was lovely. Amazing how many times I was able to ride front-side today. Often 2 or 3 times per run: learned a lot. It was extremely gusty, but the 4.7 was a good choose. In retrospect, the last hour was perhaps the best hour of the day. [Read...]
21 December 2023: Storm Pia was a bit disappointing
Thursday 21 December 2023
First day of my Christmas holidays, 11 degrees and wind force 7 predicted: Storm Pia. Sailed with Banzai 3.7 on the Goya 81 with K4 Scorcher 20/10cm thruster set I found Pia disappointing this afternoon, 3.7 with minimum trim was just too small at the end. Temperature was not disappointing, sailed without gloves. Had no rain. Even a short bit of sunshine. [Read...]
