MikeyZ will not forget RochWindSports!

[mikeyz]

Guys, dudes, dude jams, brohams, broheims, bro juices, bro spices, bro pies, bros, bro socks … I peaced out to San Fran. I got a job in a town called Livermore, which is about 30-40minutes from the San Francisco Bay. I just wanted to inform you guys that you freaking rock.

When I started sailing here (Fall 2006) I had only sailed long boards and had no technique. I had never gotten into my footstraps and never sailed on a big body of water. I did not rock. You guys pushed me and made me want to get better. My first day sailing in the Rochester area was at Durand. At that time there was another RIT student (Jim) that used to windsurf and he came with me. Our impression that day was that you guys were some kind of super human/crazies because you went out so far you looked like specks on the horizon and you could sail FAST in that unorganized mess of huge chop.

The next spring (2007) Jim and I headed up to Durand for some windsurfing and we met Doug. Right from the start Doug was super enthusiastic about having us around, this made us feel really welcomed and it was good to know we had some experienced people looking after us. Soon after I met Ken and Bill. Immediately these two guys started coaching me. I also found the constant stream of insults they dished out to each other amusing - it was clear that these two were great friends if not brothers : )

Summer came and I met Joe, Gary, Greg, Jimmy K, Art, Lyn, David, and Howie. Everyone was really cool. Eventually I met Rick. He had sailed up to Durand all the way from Webster. I was really impressed.

Anyways, the purpose of this post is to thank you all for being awesome guys. There have been so many times I probably looked like I was drowning trying to waterstart and somebody would come and check on me. It always surprised me when I got back to shore that you all had comments about my sailing; it definitely gave me a sense of security to know you were watching. I remember Joe saying, “we’re all watching out for you Z”; it made me feel great.

The other thing I need to thank you guys for was the encouragement and all the lessons. I think everyone did a great job with this. There were definitely a few instances that really standout so I’m gonna split this into paragraphs.

Ken made me get my feet in the straps. I will always remember him sailing behind me screaming at me to get my back foot in the strap. That was a big one. One time Ken got me to go 2 miles out into the lake. That was another big one. You can’t talk about Ken and not talk about Bill too! Windkid, I love seeing you at the launch with a big grin. I’m always trying to keep up with you, out jibe you, and have as much fun as you do on the water.

Joe Herbert. I’ll never forget the day Joe told his last wife, “Honey, Joe Herbert never drives faster than he can see”. She then asked him, “Joe, why you drivin’ sixty???” He replied, “Honey, if they made outlaws in 2009, Joe Herbert’d be one. And the ladies looovvve outlaws …” Can you believe he uses the third person?!? … Anyways, Joe got me to raise my boom - it was the first thing he said to me, and he wasn’t joking, straight faced like the grim reaper, “raise your boom”. It was good advice cause I’m tall. He also gave me hours of advice on jibing, and taught me to sail safe at Hamburg. He taught me the importance of board speed when swell sailing – point the board straight down the wave until my eyes are big like saucers and then hook in and go for the straps.

Gary is just about as pumped about this sport as you can be. Sailing with him always means it is gonna be a good session. He taught me about gear maintenance, helped me with my jibe, invited me on trips, and was a great person to talk to about windsurfing and all other aspects of life. He also said, “hey check out this windsurfing blog [www.humancatapult.blogspot.com/] about the San Francisco bay area”, this ultimately lead me to the bay and my new job.

There’s another person. A truly unusual person out there running the whole show, drinking coffee, scarfing down customized baked-ham sandwichs on monster rolls. DOUG WILLARD they call him when they’re not calling him more trouble than he’s worth! Doug taught me how to pump and he was always up for racing – this was great because it got me to sail hard. Doug and Rick would also call me up for skate sailing/hangouts during the winter months. Rick was also another one of my jibe instructors. He also told me lots of crazy stories about sailing in Western, NY, this made me really want to get better so I too could have some crazy stories about places like Hamburg. He inspires for sure.

So what now? I don’t know! But I’ll keep you guys posted. Cause I'm not going to forget about you guys anytime soon.

- mikeyZ

[Windydoug]

I'm gonna guess a lot of you need a tissue right about now. I did. Gonna miss that knucklehead Mikey Z. He was getting fast, too fast.
I guess we will never know if you can sail at night with glow sticks. No more of those MikeyZ messages where he is describing how awesome Long Pond is looking....and that he is rigging up his 8.5.
I'm a little mad at that guy actually, he was gonna be my sailing partner for years to come. The Dick Miller to my Rick Griffin. The Ken to my Bill. The Barney Rubble to my Freddy Flintstone. The Lucy to my Ricky. Now it is all ruined.....and for what???Money? A job? Sailing more than half the year? How selfish MikeyZ!

Miss ya man!

Let the love fest continue.

A sad windydoug

[mikeyz]

Lucy? I'll take what I can get. These sound like feelings that can only be described in song - dare I say 80s power metal ballad:



Hey I forgot to mention that if you guys are cool with crashing on the floor you're welcome out here if you want to do some sailing. I am probably going to live 15-20 minutes to the bay and during the summer 5.0 is a pretty much the bread and butter sail just about everyday.

[Gary]

Winds out of the NW and building here in Buxton. 4.7 and 76 liters was the best 2 hours yesterday. More is coming. I ran into Shawn from Ithaca and Andy Brandts free clinic. Great smiling face with lots of energy! But Mikey! Mikey! I miss that young man who sails 'til he's way past too tired and it's dark and then wants more!!
Now there is a Big Spirit!

[Windydoug]

Ditto Gary,

Keep the Hatteras updates coming.

D

[mikeyz]

Hey Guys, how's it going? Its time for a little update. So after living in hotels for the past two months I finally got a place aannnndddd my gear! Wonderful! That happened last weekend. Today the wind came up. I've also got some new friends down at the berkeley marina. One of my new friends, who's name is Sofien a.k.a. "Sofy", is an ultra good windsurfer. He's sponsored by RRD, he competes every year at the gorge games, and I think he does pretty well. Anyways, today he and I went exploring for wind. We ended up at Coyote Point for some pretty darn good conditions. The water is bit brackish (think long pond) and the wind is surprisingly smooth (think ... not long pond - no offense to long pond or anything, I still love you).

I rigged my 103L Synchro with a 6.0 and Sofy rigged a 100L freestyle board (that actually belongs to Jason Voss) and a 5.3. We headed out and I was feeling a little bit nervous about sailing in a new place even though it was very tame and maybe also because I've basically sailed once in the past 3-4 months. But I did my first three jibes clean and was really happy/surprised that I was dry. Confidence levels went right up and I started having fun. The salt water is nice and I think the board felt more buoyant, which made things easier. As for Sofy's session? ... I'd have to say that he's a lot better than I am. hahhahaha. hahhah. ahhahhahhhaaaaaahhhh. aaaahhhh ahha hha ha haaa I've pretty much never seen anything like it. I mean, I don't even know what the hell he was doing out there. hahhahaha. Sorry about all the laughter I'm still pretty stoked about the whole thing. Just to help you guys visualize what was going on here's a video of some of the best bay area sailors. Sofy is the guy doing the clew first forward loop about 30 seconds into the clip.

vimeo.com/6673995

Here's another one that is pretty good too.


A lot of the things that Sofy was doing I don't even understand and I can't really comment on, but one thing I did notice was that the last hour of our session was puffy and Sofy made excellent use of the wind. I noticed he would always throw his tricks right before the wind died or before he reached the wrong side of the windline. Joe Herbert would have been delighted. I was having a lot of trouble just reading the wind - it wasn't gusty and the lines weren't clear. Anyways, Sofy is a great guy and I'm having a great time over here. Today's maiden voyage on the bay was a great success amongst great company. The new apartment is really nice and spacious in case anyone wants to come for a windsurfing vacation out here and needs a living room to sleep in.

Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty good and I look forward to heading down to the berkeley marina for some more sailboardin' yeeee hhaaaW.

Don't you guys worry. I'll be haunting this forum from time to time with tales from the wild west.

- mikeyZ

[mikeyz]

We had another day of wind!!! I rigged up today in the morning and set out from the berkeley marina with a few other people. The wind was straight north and straight OFF SHORE, but its ok cause it is shallow. As you would imagine it was really gusty. I was on my 5.0 and really overpowered in the gusts. After what I think was only three or four reaches I walked back up wind to the club house.

A few other people went out on smaller gear but everyone was having trouble ... actually there were a few really good guys/girls (Sofy and his wife Asma) making it look very doable. After about 3 hours the wind shifted and let up a bit. I gave it a second go with great success - I did my first switch stance jibe! It wasn't too glorious, I mean I made it around and all, but there was some wobble and my speed was reduced to a schlogggg. Fun day though!

- mikeyZ

p.s. Oh and just for a little comedy and something completely different; I live just a few short miles away from where it all started. What is "it" you might ask? Well its the whistle tip! Check out this news clip from Oakland and let Bub Rub explain. wooo woooooottt!!

[Windydoug]

Mikey Boy,

Most of theother guys around town are busy, so I will reply (this of course is not MY blog but OUR discussion board...I hate to see my name so much). People have been talking about your previous post...wow, you're in legit land now! And a switch stance jibe???!!! When you grow bored with the consistent winds of SF and move back here, we'll welcome you with open arms.
So what is a switch stance jibe? Are you entering with your feet switched and then flipping the sail and leaving with everything where it should (more or less) be? Keep the updates coming from the San Francisco branch office of Rochester Windsports. By the way is the Rochester Windsports office out there still in the same complex as Dunder Mifflin?
WD

[mikeyz]

Hey Dougie and other busy people, the "switch stance jibe" is the kind of jibe that Joe Trouble Herbert, Rick Bunyon Griffin, and everyone else in choppy choppy Rochester do. I didn't know what to call it so I called it "switch stance" because you flip the sail first and sail out of the jibe with your feet switched. I learned to jibe from Dasher and that british dude who switch their feet first - "the step jibe". I'm pretty pumped about this switch foot jibe cause I want to learn how to duck jibe.

I'd have to say a small few of the guys I saw sailing were pretty good, but I'm still totally impressed with everyone in Rochester. If I had to take an average of the people I saw sailing out of Berkeley or Coyote Point last weekend I'd have to say the average skill level of the Rochester windsurfers is higher. I think the bay is really tame compared to the great lakes. Lake Erie on a 6.0 day produces bigger swell than the bay on 4.5. I've heard the locals out here tend to only sail at one spot so they really adapt to those conditions, for example Berkeley guys can jibe but can't jump and Coyote Point guys can jump but can't jibe.

Hey Doug, The Rochester Windsports San Francisco Branch is actually located where the old Michael Scott Paper Company was. And yes, it is still windowless ... but at least we got the rotten fish smell out of it. ;D

- mikeyZ

[Joes Wife]

Hey Z,
It would take Joe 3 days to key a short message so thought I would drop you a note. Hope you had a nice Xmas. Thinking it was too soon for you to have vacation time to make the jaunt back to Utica so instead you probably enjoyed sunny CA, hopefully with some wind! I will make sure he reads your post about the fellow that does the Gorge event. If Joe can track him down out there then surely there will be some sharing of Z stories! Not sure that is a good thing. Glad to read that you are making some connections with people - certainly is what makes the sport more enjoyable. Keep in touch, love the updates, nice to know you are doing well.
Eileen for Joe

[mikeyz]

Thanks Eileen, I'll keep the updates coming. I'll want to hear about Joe's gorge plans when he makes them cause I might try and head up that way. We can have a little Roch cha cha reunion gorge style. Or if he wants to do shoot down here at the beginning/end of his trip that would be cool. I've got a sweet pad now equipt for visitors.

I did make it back to Rome to visit my folks and relatives. It wasn't long enough of a visit.

I might call joe sometime soon to get a review of his goya one. I'm thinking about buying a used one.

[Windydoug]

BUY IT. Sweet board, Art and I both sailed it in the Gorge and loved it.

Joe will say the same.....and does all the time. He also reminds me when his hair is not wet, his sail is dry, and he made every turn. Also, about Joe's Gorge Plans...let me check his calendar......yeah, he's open.
Joe also says "that was good laughing". Hopefully the above was!
Doug

[mikeyz]

Dougie, I'm having board issues. So what I've been told is that 5.0 is going to be my most used sail. I remember sailing Gary's 85L JP Free style wave with a 5.0 and it was amazing. However I also put a 4.2 on it and it wasn't amazing. What I need is a board that is going to be a amazing from 5.0 to 3.8. 3.8 is pretty small .... I've been told that RRD's 85L FSW will do it. And the humancatapult blog writer rides his Fanatic FSW board on 3.8. I need to talk to Joe and ask if the 85L Goya can do this. I'm a little heavier than Joe ~173 - I've gained like 5 pounds since I moved! So maybe with a little more weight it would work. Gotta go!

- mikeyZ

p.s. I put a link up to our ice boarding movie we made last year on the local windsurfing forum. The guys out here are eating it up ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D .

[mikeyz]

i'm haunting the forum at 3am (your time). This has nothing to do with windsurfing ... actually it does. They both kick A$$.



I'm suddenly realizing that I have been put in a position of extraordinary power ... There's about 3000 miles between me and Doug (the forum Czar). I can do whatever I want muhahahahah.

[mikeyz]

I'm hoping this will touch in today. Time for a big breakfast.

[mikeyz]

It never touched in

[mikeyz]

Ok, I have a sick WINDSPORT youtube video for you. This first half of this video was taken at Fort Point which is just upwind of Crissy Field. And if you don't know where any of that is it is basically right at the Golden Gate Bridge. The windsurfer rides down mast high waves on racing gear. SICK. SO SO SICK. Some of the kiters throw some really nice ariels. Then there is a bit more commentary by Josh Stone on another Bay location called 3rd Avenue. I'll probably post this again at some point because I like it so much.



Ok and I have one non-windsport video for you, but this one is still sick. My downstairs neighbor's little brother is a professional downhill skateboarder. This video is him and his buddy skating down a hill near my house. They reach speeds of 50-60 mph and pass cars (because you don't drive more that 30 down this hill). The beginning is slow so fast forward 3minutes into it and don't ever EVER EEEVVVERRRR show your teenage son this video.



- mike

[mikeyz]

Hey guys, we got our first day of the season out here. The temps came up and the thermal happened. There were a lot of people out on the water. I was on my new board and 5.0 Ezzy SE wave. The board is great and goes into jibes super smooth. I never got the sail completely tuned in, I always have trouble with that sail and I think I've found that it needs more downhaul than I think it does.

I still made a few jibes here and there, and I kind of wish I had made more. Candle Stick Park is pretty interesting. The wind funnels between two hills and blows straight off shore. The park is a peninsula and you launch about half way down it where the wind is side shore It is definitely a little weird. You sort of break the no windsurfing in offshore wind rule. It was super gusty and I ate a lot poop. I got tossed around a little, but it was still fun. The september sessions video I posted was all filmed there. Here it is again:

vimeo.com/6673995



In other news things are in general really awesome. Boats. Music. Cool peoples. Good/fun job.

I also think I figured out why there are so many hippies/environmentally conscious people out here. It is much dryer. The only reason crops grow is because they are irrigated. I would definitely feel really bad chopping down a tree here. I really don't think one would grow in its place without some help. When I was a kid back in Potsdam we would chop trees down just for fun. You can't do that out here.

- a tired mikeyZ

[mikeyz]

Hey guys, I just heard that my friend Asma was featured in the new edition of Windsport Magazine on pg. 36. She definitely deserves it. I think she is one of the most dedicated sailors I know out here.

- z Z ZZZ MANNNNNNN!!!! (as joe would say)

[mikeyz]

Windsurfers, I'm not really sure how to put this. Well, .... I just took up kiting

For real. I'm kiting from now on.

- Z