Harty mentors a first time Maui survivor
Two issues ago I posed the question in this very column ‘To Maui or not to Maui?’ The theme was originally inspired by a flurry of emails from Chris Grainger. You may remember Chris from an article a while back about returning to windsurfing. I plotted his wavy aspirations and progress after a long absence from the sport.
Anyway Chris felt that his windy life would not be complete without a trip to Maui. Hence the ‘should I go?’ question was laid at my door (so at least he’d have someone to blame should it fall short), which I chose to answer in a suitably non-committal article. “It’s the best and worst of times ... it’s what you make of it etc.”
The trick to Maui is to manage expectations, which are generally stratospheric. If you book into a 6 star $600 a night hotel in Mustique, you spend the whole time running your finger along the ledge looking for dust and flaws in a way you don’t in a scummy B&B in Bognor. So off he went and I insisted he kept me informed with daily ‘warts and all’ updates.
IRELAND VS. HAWAII
It was always going to be an angst-ridden start because the Maui project had replaced a trip with me to Kerry, his second favourite place in the world (Donegal being the first, Chris is Irish) – and his mood was helped even less by our Facebook posts of Irish sun and waves, while his first few days hadn’t quite lived up to the image.
“I think you are in Ireland at the moment? I wonder who has made the better choice!!!! It’s not at all how I expected it. Without your warnings I would be a very unhappy chap right now. No wind on the north shore. I have rubbed shoulders with world champions, but on the other hand it has rained constantly. I have been in waves once and I have spent £3,500 to get here! Should I be happy...? Or sad...?”
Denne historien er fra Issue 377 - July 2018-utgaven av Windsurf.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 377 - July 2018-utgaven av Windsurf.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New School
Slingshot’s windsurfing brand manager, Wyatt Miller, has noticed that kids are drawn to playing with wings and puts forward an interesting case as to why he thinks this could help entice them and others into windsurfing.
Changes
Wave sailor Flo Jung reflects on our changed world during his lockdown in Germany.
THE LAST WAVE
Lockdown stirred the creative juices of reader Björn Alfthan, who peers into the future to present a fictional story set in the wild waves of Norway, five years from now.
STILL IN THE GAME
After a horrific fracture in his leg from a crashed aerial in 2018, Alessio Stillrich is back! John Carter talks to the highflyer from Gran Canaria about his move to the Simmer team, recovering from injury and how he learned to windsurf in Gran Canaria!
MOVE ON UP - GET ON THE FRONT FOOT
This month we look at how our front foot weighting can affect and improve different aspects of our main windsurfing moves.
SOUTH' KIPA
Nik tweaking it over home waters.
A NEW NORMAL
On a trip to La Tranche-sur-Mer in France last year, Tris Best estimated over 80% of the windsurfers were foiling. This summer in Portland Harbour, foiling activity has increased dramatically too he reports. With the market offering plenty of choice to recreational windfoilers, our test team check out some of the latest foil offerings.
TACKING – THE SEQUEL
Having given you time to practice, Harty concludes his tacking series by critiquing various tacking options, including the carve tack, as well as offering solutions to common slip-ups.
‘NO VAPOUR TRAILS TO SCAR THE SKY' *
Realising we may be about to enter an extraordinary period in our lives, Harty decided to keep a windsurf-centric lockdown diary. Here are some of his choice excerpts.
REDEMPTION DAY!
Renowned for its windsurfing and variety of spots to sail at, Kimmerdige Bay is a wave sailing jewel on the south coast of England. Timo Mullen gives a guide to its shores while reflecting on why a recent session there was a reminder that there is no place like home!
