Secret Weapons

bustingbladder · Since 12 Jul 2006 387 Posts Seattle Obsessed

So our dear Stringy was just in SF for the Nationals and paparazzied this shot. Then I saw Winner walking quickly at fast pace to stash, straight off the water with his version right before he went and won the Nationals in the Masters. Ah by the way, great job if I might say so myself Ken. Very cool, but whats the gig here? Looks like they go upwind like a weapon.... Anyone know the skinny else? If you enter a course race, quoting Slither " You Betta Wreckignize"!... Thoughts?

tautologies · Since 24 Aug 2006 602 Posts Oahu Addicted

I'd say that exactly whats going on...simply because he will not loose any ground going off and between chop. Everyone else is loosing ground every time the board leaves the water..long fins will hold that ground...otherwise the fins must be shite to ride...not that I have tried...maybe they are great Smile

a.

jbruxer · Since 24 Jul 2005 398 Posts Beaverton, OR Obsessed

I don't know, dude. Does the fact that he has custom fins mean that he has an unfair advantage and that he shouldnt be allowed to race? There are tons of people out there building their own boards (and doing a great job) becuase 1) board prices are too damn high, or 2) they think they can make something better (or at least better for themselves).

Do we really want this sport to get regulated like sailing (thanks for the lesson, spike)? I say, go out and ride what you want; and if its on 2 foot long fins, so be it. .....just know that you will have an asteric by your name on the winners list. Wink

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

No doubt about it Mr. Winner has some great ideas and should be considered one of the pioneers of wind sports tech.

too bad he has such a low opinion of everyone else.

that's right don't come back to Flo.

kitemasters · Since 09 Feb 2008 24 Posts

FYI this is Chip Wasson on the picture with his customized POW Neptune board...

barfly · Since 31 Mar 2005 1216 Posts Portland BRACKISH

rich · Since 30 Nov 2005 306 Posts portland Obsessed

I saw someone at the sandbar on sunday with what i would say is the same board. I can't say for sure w/out seeing the other end of it. The sandbar guy definitely had that same fine setup, same tail

Chooch · Thu Jun 26, 08 9:47 am

I caught a quick look at the same board at the sandbar sitting with the 09 vegas proto's. It was very similar to the POW board excapt it had a North emblem on it. Guessing they will be putting the board into production for 09 for the racing faction? I am pretty sure it is a copy of the board Sean Farley uses when racing.

marina c · Thu Jun 26, 08 9:53 am

we'll be podcasting with Chip and Nils S. from NJS designs July 11 re; the boards designs that came out of the nationals.....

gabe · Since 16 May 2005 491 Posts Obsessed

Last weekend I saw Sky and I think Ken speed testing their race setups upwind of the bridge. I was decently powered on my skim and turned to follow them to see if I could keep up. Nope. Holy shit, I have never seen anyone crank upwind like that. They must have been pointing 15degrees higher then me, and at full speed. It reminded me of watching the formula windsurfers—a bit of lift off those fins. I can’t imagine being competitive in current racing without an optimized board.

bustingbladder · Since 12 Jul 2006 387 Posts Seattle Obsessed

Gabe, that's what I was after with this thread. Folks, you can no longer be competiive without something like these boards in today's course racing. I thought I was gonna have a chance with a suped up twin or or some shite! Or even a regular surf board! No way Jose! If you are signed up for the course racing for the Games, "Wreckignize"!

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

those fins are so fukin old that was like 1985 when they first showed up
on the windsurfers
and they still use them

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

All about the jibe. Anyone can ride on a board and point it, but if you are a sloppy/incosistant jiber (like me) you'll lose ground every time and maybe even fall. These guys who have been riding surfboards for the last few years for "fun" are carving out a competitive niche for themselves which they can dominate.

Have you ever seen Sky jibe? Make sure you don't blink!

Besides the short course races of GG, It will be interesting to see what people show up to KB4C this year. Directionals are great but sticking jibes for 7 hours is tough. Though I guess Cory did it...

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

I am not so sure Phil. If you can seriously drive off the fin and get enough lift to point very high, sacrificing a few seconds in a sit down tack may not matter that much. Well let me reword that, in our KBC contest it may not matter that much. For the serious course races with the pros it probably would matter.

Being able to get a nice solid tack is probably harder than doing the jibe.

One thing I think that I think has hurt my kiting upwind ability in my transition from windsurfing to kitng is definitely the style used to go upwind. In windsurfing when you are cranking along on a shortboard/formula board it is all about just riding the fin, whereas in kiting you utilize the edge of the board much more than the fins. Hell the best twin tip board for going upwind that I have riding has essentially no fins.

In windsurfing you basically only have a few feet of your board in the water. The amount of lift generated from those fins is scary, and so are the forces acting on them. I once tried to fix a centerboard I had in one of my coarse racing boards that broke in half. I drilled out two holes and put in two steel rods slightly offcenter of each other, then epoxyd it all back together. The first time I took it out I bent both rods 90 degrees.

Sella · Fri Jun 27, 08 10:04 am

BustingBladder has a very valid point;

"you can no longer be competiive without something like these boards in today's course racing. I thought I was gonna have a chance with a suped up twin or or some shite! Or even a regular surf board! No way Jose! If you are signed up for the course racing for the Games, "Wreckignize"!"

Cory was out on a directional / air chair hybrid yesterday in no wind just CRANKING !! His skills with a pimped board.....adios amigos!

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

How about a production board?

Kraemer · Since 24 Apr 2006 1736 Posts Sky Pilot Unicorn Captain

Rode a race-board at Sauvies last friday-- made it up to nude beach in 4 tacks. So solid I could put my beer on the board without spilling--up and downwind. It was incredibly stable and unbelievable upwind.