Grab Bag #3: Look Good at 50 Knots, Mystery Board update, other stuff

Breaking the 50 knot barrier with a wind-powered vehicle is being pursued using several types of watercraft: Freakishly expensive and elaborate sailboats, slightly less freakishly expensive boats that are not seaworthy for any waters other than speed ditches, kiters, and windsurfers. While I'm not writing today to root for the windsurfers (go Finian!) I do want to share a video compilation of all these craft going at it. I do this because I think it shows that the boats are either ridiculous or freakishly expensive (or both) and the kiter...just does not look happy, thus leaving us with the windsurfer (go Finian!):


(I first found this video on LiveSailDie.com.)

The mysterious subject of Do You Know This Board has been identified by two people. Ron Malmgren identified it as an early '80's Blue Marlin. From Australia, a sailor using the handle Greenleader added that in Oz the same board was sold as a Sunsurfer, and in other countries the Thai-built board had more names. Thank you Ron and Greenleader! If we can get Steve to take his Blue Marlin/Sunsurfer out for a sesh, we'll get a photo.


The Long Island windsurfing season kicks off for many people in May (windsurfers for whom a reasonable chance of warmth is a priority.) It's an exciting time as more sails will be on the water. Don't forget the swap meet or the ABK clinic if you're just returning.

Last and least, earlier this week The Peconic Puffin reached two milestones: The 100th post (probably fifty too many, but we're chatty at the Puffin) and the 20,000th page read (or at least looked at, or perhaps sworn at by a dissatisfied Google search customer.) We will try to do better, but it's hard to know what people like that we want to write about. How could Bowling for Puffins get no comments? Don't you CARE???

Comments

[Jeff]

Don't forget "looking insane at 50 knots": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIJ1jZQcSSY

[bonnie]

Yowza.

What else is there to say?

GREAT video. Think I read about that Sail Rocket thing on Horse's Mouth or somewhere - cool to see it in action.

[Peconic Puffin (Michael)]

I am a disaster as a shaper of public opinion. You're supposed to dislike the Sail Rocket...it's a silly specialized...gadget! It's the windsurfer (Finian Maynard) whom you're supposed to admire! Is he making it look too easy?

ALSO can someone at least pretend to like the puffins? I get it...a few puffins go a long way in the blogosphere. The problem is that puffins like a crowd.

Back to the drawing board...

[bonnie]

I Like Puffins!

Sail Rockets are Silly!

Go Finian!

(do I get something free now?)
....O
:D/>
.O

[bonnie]

btw if you're feeling bad because I'm making fun of you, go check out this clip.

http://www.sailrocket.com/images/movie9.wmv

Should make you as happy as a puffin with a beakful o' fish.

[Peconic Puffin (Michael)]

Now that's what I'm talking about! Let's look at the "sailrocket" crack up. In the bit after the crash, the fellow explains that they had the gizmo up to 34 knots, like that's a big deal. A good windsurfer could go to a swap meet and spend less than $2K on gear he or she could wind up to 34 knots. And should this sailor wipe out, they would just get back on the thing and sail away, not carry all the parts back to the lab in tears to glue them back together (see the video clip that Jeff recommends above.)

Thank you, Bonnie, for coming to see the light! We have no stuff to give away (and I never got a can of spinach from Joe, though Live Sail Die did come through with some great stickers.) You do, however, now bask in the fine regard of puffins everywhere, which should stand you in good stead (unless one crashes into you upon landing!)

[bonnie]

Puffin approbation works for me!