2019
24 December 2019: Lovely winterday surfing
Friday 27 December 2019
Finally a good surfing day. Wind at the Blokkendam was a bit disappointing. Sailed with JP SingleThruster 99 with Ice 5.3 and 21/13,5cm fins Wind was just too strong for the 5.3 at the beginning, at the end floating to the beach. Was a very good day, not cold at all. Sailed a lot without cap and gloves. Sometimes a short light shower. But certainly first hour of lovely sunshine. [Read...]
08 December 2019: Sunny winter day at sea
Monday 09 December 2019
20 to 40 knots wind predicted, after a front with showers the wind would become slightly less but more stable. To be sure started with the large board: JP SingleThruster 99 with Ice 4.7 and Select 21cm/K4 12cm fins. In the beginning a hard catapult. In the beginning, sailed with maximum trim, ended with less than minimum trim. First real winter session of the season. With a sleek blue sky it wasn't cold, wind good. Nice few hours of sailing. [Read...]
02 November 2019: Strong winds with tricky waves
Sunday 03 November 2019
The whole week SW predicted, but as lately always: Wind ended up being South. Started with FSW 102 with Ice 5.3 and Makani 26cm. Behind the dam no wind, on open water too much wind. Time for something smaller: FSW 84 with Ice 4.2 and K4 Rockets 18/12cm. In the beginning the 4.2 was small, but slowly the wind increased until the 4.2 was too large. Stamina is not back yet, and in these circumstances it is heavy sailing. Nice to have a lot of wind again, hopefully soon again a good ZW instead of Z. [Read...]
18 October 2019: First Autumn storm
Saterday 19 October 2019
All day 25 to 35 knots wind predicted. Sailed the JP FSW 84 with Ice 4.2 and K4 Rocket 18/12. Near shore little wind, further out more wind, but certainly not full powered. Sailed the 4.2 at minimum trim. Some nice jumps. Couple of times nice waveriding, but needed gusts for both. Sometimes wind briefly completely died, then I was happy when I could even waterstart. Wrong choice of sail, 4.7 was definitely better, think 5.3 might have worked as well. [Read...]
27 September 2019: Finally the wind turned to SW
Sunday 06 October 2019
Today the wind would turn to SW and increase considerably. In the morning the wind was still south and not strong. Started with the iSonic 101 with E-Type 6.6 and SL-X 36cm. In The beginning little wind, but increased so much that the E-Type was too large. Also used the Busca 34cm. In the harder wind sailed with the FreeWave 102 with Duke 5.9 and FreeWave 29cm untill that was also really too big. Too tired to get rig a smaller sail: stopped. Unfortunately this day only came at the end of the week, but that didn't make it any less fun. SW, Sun and nice wind, delicious. [Read...]
26 September 2019: Extremely gusty
Monday 30 September 2019
Wind again south, seems not to want to turn southwest. On the shore it seemed almost no wind, started with iSonic 117 with S-Type SL 8.3 and SL-P 46cm. That was in the gusts too big in the windholes too small. Tried the 44cm SL-P: slightly better. Wind increased, iSonic 101 with E-Type 6.6 and SL-X 36cm. That was good in the hardest gusts. Then the: iSonic 117 with S-Type SL 7.3 and SL-P 42cm, that was the best today, but still a lot of standing still. These kind of days are rare in Zeeland. Even with this wind direction it is usually a whole lot better. [Read...]
25 September 2019: Few hours slalom
Sunday 29 September 2019
Wind again too much from the south. Started with: iSonic 117 with S-Type SL 7.3 and SL-X 43cm. Wind slowly increased, some gusts very hard: SL-P 40cm packed. Wind increased further: 7.3 Too large, rigged FSW 102 with Duke 5.9. Wind dropped a lot in strength, sailed with the 7.3 again. Nice sailing, but not really a great day. [Read...]
24 September 2019: Surfing before and after the Rain
Thursday 26 September 2019
The whole afternoon a lot of rain predicted. Before the rain sailed with the iSonic 117, S-Type SL 8.3 and Busca 46cm. Lots of variation in the wind, happy with the variable outhaul. Sailed untill the showers came. In the evening, after the showers went to go surfing again: iSonic 117 with S-Type SL 8.3 and Sonntag SL-P 44cm. Nice sailing until the wind died. Several 490 masts tested. [Read...]
23 September 2019: Lovely afternoon Kabbelaarsbank
Wednesday 25 September 2019
ZW 18 to 20 knots wind, nice day to test the S-Type SL 7.3 for the first time. Sailed the iSonic 117 with S-Type SL 7.3 and Z-Fins 42cm. Was easy sailing and planing, sail did not feel like it pulled very hard, but did plane easily. Great sailing. Wind pretty good, sailed until the wind was gone. Lovely sunshine. The S-Type clearly has a better low-wind through the deeper profile. [Read...]
21 September 2019: Warm start of Autumn
Sunday 22 September 2019
ESE Wind predicted, never the best wind, but also 22 degrees and sun. Nice day to try my new S-Type SL 8.3 Used the iSonic 127 with S-Type SL 8.3 and Boss 44cm. Jeroen was there too. Chop was low, yet quite tricky. Wind varied a lot, shifting and gusty, and lots of windholes. Sailed a lot of rakes together with Jeroen. It was delicious, sun, warm and wind, okay shifty gusty winds. First time S-Type SL was nice. [Read...]
11 September 2019: Nice breeze, but wet
Wednesday 18 September 2019
Good wind: SW and some showers predicted, wind was good, but all afternoon rain, from drizzle to real rain. All afternoon use the Ice 5.3. Sailed both the JP Freestylewave 102 and the SingleThruster 99, the latter both with and without thrusters. Great sailing. Ice 5.3 was top today. Was not so warm. [Read...]
07 September 2019: Once again Brouwersdam South: nasty chop
Sunday 15 September 2019
Wind would increase in the afternoon. In the morning a lot of showers. iSonic 101 with Crossride 6.6 and SLX 36cm Waves/Chop were tricky, quickly grabbed the Busca 34cm, lot better. Until the wind increased further, took my Single Thruster 99 with Duke 5.9 and Select 21/12cm. Better, but few good waves to jump or wave ride. Was nice, but is a tricky spot. Saw a seal. [Read...]
06 September 2019: Good wind, few waves
Sunday 08 September 2019
Good prediction, from noon the wind would increase to 25 knots. Started with the Ice 5.3: testing between the FreestyleWave 102 and SingleThruster 99. Sailed the SingleThruster 99 for the first time without thrusters: works very well. Wind increased, time for the Ice 4.7, so no more testing with the 100L boards, but delicious with the FSWF 84, used the K4 Rockets (18/12) under it. Looking for waves to jump and wave. Was a really lovely afternoon, very good wind, unfortunately no sun. [Read...]
17 August 2019: Difficult Afternoon at Kabbelaarsbank
Monday 19 August 2019
Good wind predicted, but a wind dip around 12:00, so some late to Zeeland. On arrival everyone was on the shore, no wind. Used the iSonic 127 with Warp 9.0. Wind was sometimes almost gone, other moments very strong. In the stronger wind sailed with the iSonic 101 and Crossride 6.6. Was a tricky day, wind ranged from around 10-14 knots to 18-22 knots. [Read...]
10 August 2019: First time Kraaijenbergse Plassen
Sunday 11 August 2019
Away with friends for the weekend, but storm in the Netherlands. Then you want to go surfing anyway. So to nearest spot: the Kraaijenbergse Plassen. Used the iSonic 101 with Crossride 6.6 and SL-X 36cm. Wind was, as expected on an inland lake: on/off. So often floating, but also often planing. Difficult conditions, but still nice session. [Read...]
07 August 2019: Sunny and Gusty
Thursday 08 August 2019
17 A 20 knots predicted, took the afternoon off. Went to the Kabbelaarsbank. Used the iSonic 101 with Crossride 6.6 with SL-X 36cm and Busca 34cm fins. Wind was extremely gusty and turned a lot. In the stronger wind, the 6.6 was just not too big, and could almost always plane. That Busca is great. It was crowded on the water, so had to pay close attention. Lovely afternoon, wonderfully warm, tricky wind. [Read...]
DaKine Core Contour can be broken
Monday 05 August 2019
After more than 15 years of sailing with DaKine Core Contour footstraps, one is broken, one that I bought used. I have many sets, but this is the only one with cracks. Also the other 2 of the set are still have no signs of cracks. [Read...]
31 July 2019: Nice day at sea
Sunday 04 August 2019
Good wind predicted: 20 to 25 knots, so of to Zeeland. Used the Ice 5.3 al day. Sailed a lot on the JP Single Thruster 99 Pro, tested with different fins. Also used the FreestyleWave 102 to compare. Sail was often a bit big. Weather was delicious, nice and warm and the sun showed itself. Today, the SingleThruster 99 was more fun than the FreestyleWave 102. Was nice to sail together with Martijn and Marvin. [Read...]
Best slalom competition video ever
Sunday 28 July 2019
Yesterday the final of the PWA - Fuerteventura - Elimination 6. Drone in the air. Antoine Albeau and Matteo Iachino were 2nd and 3th in the ranking, and could both take the first place if they were to win. So both went for it. That became a very exciting race! And the drone pilot has made super spectacular images of it. Best EVER!! [Read...]
01 July 2019: Lovely Sunny
Sunday 21 July 2019
Had missed a beautiful sunday afternoon, so took a couple of hours of from work to go today. My 2nd Warp F2010 8.0: Training sail used for the first time. Tested with the iSonic 117 with different fins: Z-Fins 42cm, 44cm and Sonntag SL-X 43cm. Wind was minimal, but with a few pumps I could planing. Not a lot of pressure in the sail, but planing. Clear blue sky, delicious. Little getting used to the curve of the Severne boom. Delicious sailing, 8.0 quite the time not full-power, looking back the 9.0 would have been better. The sun made it a very lovely day. [Read...]