While certainly not among my finest sessions, it certainly felt supremely good to get such a thorough rinsing. It was a lovely day to do a little swimming too.
... out there. And the performance was beyond my most optimistic expectation. That 85 was feeling faster and the move to the lip was far snappier. The feel in general, not just on the face, was looser and more responsive. The only thing I seemed to lose was a little of the grip on the outbound tack and that’s ok. Way worth it for sure as the agility on the wave was so powerfully enhanced.
A large Mahalo out to Mark Angulo by way of Vinnie Armato for inspiring me to try this combination. Like most change for most of us, it took me awhile to get around to trying this and I’m giving myself grief for not getting it together to give it a serious try a couple years ago.
Maybe I wasn’t ready. Maybe I’m still not completely ready. But something tells me I’m gonna be running “the poor mans thruster set up” in that Quad until I rally the funds to replace her. Sure it’s more work as every time the wind switches and you have to change all four placements (that’s including the plug I made for the empty thruster box), but it’s worth it.
I haven’t forgotten to switch them yet to be able to say how wrong it will feel backwards. But I’ve tried the asymmetrically sized primary thing in both twin and twinzer and can definitely feel that’s backwards when it is -- as in no angels singing any more. So if you’re going to try it, put the big fin under your heel going out / under your toes for the bottom turn -- using the thruster side for off the top. It’s pure magic unless I was having some kind of tactile hallucination this day. And I hope to have some more feedback on this by the next post.
It felt like I was on a new board ...
Much gratitude to staff photographer for Boardhead International, Nancy Pruitt for driving down to be on hand for the second sesh at the Cape Tuesday. And it was feeling like a summer day on the Oregon coast. Uncharacteristically warm weather. Fun conditions. While I’m apologetic for my less than stellar performance, I tried to rally some action. Yeah, I’m still lacking confidence and feeling weak after a series of recent beatings. My trainer
has been getting with me large and I do feel like that’s helping
me get my Mojo and timing coming back.
Just in time for the Spring sessions.
I was completely stoked to have some company this day. And here you have Clayton ripping what must have been the strongest and best timed move to the lip this day with a 4.7 on his 75 LS Quad. Also in the house for a sesh this day were Greg, Mark, Luke, Jason and Crash. Check a new facebook page Greg and Susan put up for some photos Susan took during the first sesh that include some more great views to include in your vision of this day. Further apologies to you as well as Luke, Jason and Crash that I didn’t shoot anything of the later sessions, but I was trying to get all I could out there and struggling with it a bit as it was.
Yeah, even my loops were feeling weak. It’s a confidence thing and I do feel it starting to come back now. Just hate it that I didn’t have more for you this day. I’ll be working on it though.
A good solid off the lip is a game of centimeters and milliseconds. And there’s nothing like a photo sequence to remind one of just how many of both the perfect line was missed by. Still, the attempt made for a couple nice photos and hopefully, the lessons they bring will not be lost on me.
I’m stoked to leave you with this, one of my more shining moments. This edit may bely the degree to which I struggled with my timing, my preparation and my mental game this day -- but much gratitude goes out to Nancy for making me look a lot better than I was feeling out there. Riding my “new board” certainly went far to enhance the sesh as well.
With respect and gratitude. ______________________\_
3/16/14
“The poor man’s thruster”.