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Jump n' Jibe Journal

February 2021

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A Message from the Commodore

Shots anyone?  Let’s all have a round!

Hello Everyone,

Shots anyone?  Let’s all have a round!

This February finds us all living the new normal, but getting closer to the “back to normal”… Thankfully the vaccine is here and hopefully we all will get a shot although it’s most likely not your favorite kind of “shot” to have, personally I prefer Fireball, but right now I’ll settle for a Pfizer. What is there to do Club wise you ask? I’m sorry to say there are no SPSC Club meetings at present. We are looking for a new club meeting venue with a few possible new options on the horizon. There are some club members heading to the Fiesta Key RV resort February 13th to the 21st for the “last” keys trip. I’ve heard that “last” thing before, but I don’t believe it or maybe just don’t want to as I still would like to go back again someday.  All other club events have yet to have a date pinned down, but please check back next month. Until then we will have to settle for celebrating February’s holidays.

So here are few of the lesser known Holidays in February for you to celebrate if you are so inclined. My favorite starts off the month on the 1st with Spunky Old Broad day (I kid you not- go ahead and Google it). Then on the 3rd is feed the bird’s day, stuffed mushroom day on the 4th, Bubble gum day on the 5th followed by Tooth ache day on the 9th go figure! Moving on to the 11th for don’t cry over spilled Milk day which coincides with make a friend day. Now, on the 13th you get to pick a new name as it is- Get a Different name day or maybe that’s the day someone just calls you a name so just be nice. Of course we all know the 14th is National Ferris Wheel day, Organ Donor day and that other one with all the hearts, which is ironically followed on the 15th by Single Awareness day. I would think the singles were already aware the day before? There are so many more Holidays this month like Fat Tuesday, Super bowl Sunday (GO BUCS!), Ground hog day, Pizza day, umbrella day, be humble day and the list goes on and on but I’ve given you enough to plan for this month. Until next month stay warm and well.

All my best,

Rose McCaffrey

Commodora

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SPSC Website by Bob G.

Folks,

For those who don't check in, the SPSC website ( 20knotsnob.com) has a lot of new information.    Currently we have all the upcoming lessons listed, and as events dates become known, they will be added.  For those who wish to come down on practice days, they are the Sunday after a lessons day and are not listed to ensure that only members come down.

 

Also, tWeather stem has joined WindyTV and Windfinder in order for you to plan your sailing day at the beach.

 

There is LOTS of information under the resources tab, such as where to sail, where to stay if coming to Shell Point, which vendors support our club and who we should support in turn, etc.

 

If you are wanting one of the coveted Wind ceremony shirts or Endless Summer shirts from 2020 you can purchase right from the website if you just scroll down a wee bit on the home page.

 

Deb has done an incredible job on the website.  Visit and enjoy it often.  Poke around and discover new things such as what's for sale (SPSC Forum) and read the latest and archived newsletters.

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Way to go SPSC !! - $700

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Wing Foiling: a new extension of wind surfing

by Mark Powell

 

Tired of dicking around for 30 minutes getting your mast in, your boom on, and your downhaul just right?  Want to try something new and exciting?  Want to have your teen son or daughter think you are cool?  I know, impossible! But hear me out.

 

If you were windsurfing away back in the 80’s you may have remembered something called the “wind weapon”. Basically a sail that turned into a wing that would have you flying after a wave jump.  Well, that idea has been refined by a bunch of folks, most notably Robby Naish, into a new type of windsurfing called Wing foiling.  Being a parent who always strives to do stuff on the water that my son might take some interest in, I thought it looked pretty cool and since I ain’t getting any younger, I figured I better get on it while I still have some time in this world.

 

So off we went on a father-son roadtrip  to North Beach Windsurfing in St. Petersburg.  North Beach is run by Britt and Karen.  Karen and I were on the US windsurfing team back in 2006-2007 and Britt is a very experienced racer and among the first to pick up wind surf foiling.  He set us up with one of his instructors on a very cold December morning at “Scenic Point” on the Skyway bridge causeway and we each learned the basics of the wing sail (how to inflate it, how to hold it).  Then we got on the water using beginner windsurfing boards with centerboards.  You have to be a bit careful not to get tangled since there are two leashes, one on the wrist for the wing, and another on your calf for the board.  You start out on your knees, then get enough lift on the wing to help you stand on the board, then you can configure the wing to go upwind, tack, downwind, and jibe.   That was basically all we did for a couple hours and it was fun!  We did not get up on the foils, that comes after we get comfortable sailing, taking and jibing on the wing.  To do that, you do a few more practice sessions using the wing on a wide beginner windsurf board. 

 

 

We ended up buying a wing foiling package (6.0 meter Airush/Starboard wing, 7 ft Starboard wing board, and a Slingshot hoverglide V1 foil) for under $3 grand.  I have also picked up a SLingshot sup fin and now can use my wide SUP (formerly known as “babe board”) to practice with the wing.  The water temp is now in the 50s so its a bit too cold for me to practice right now but it won’t be long before it heats up enough for Riley and I to get out again in our wet suits and trade off with it.  The wing board with hoverglide foil attached needs about 3 feet of water depth and we will take some time to get to where we can go fast enough to generate the lift needed to start getting up on the foils, and then to learn how to balance on the foil.  I’ve seen videos of folks as old as me with beer bellies in tight wetsuits doing flawless tacks and jibes while foiling so it should be accessible to many of our SPSC sailors.  I’ve also heard that once you are up on the foil, a lot of the drag is gone and the physical exertion needed goes way down.  We’ll see about that!  Anyway, my vaccine shots are approaching and Riley and I are stoked to get moving up the learning curve so we hope to see you all down at the beach!

 

Links:

 

https://www.nbwindsurfing.com/wing-foiling-gear-lessons-and-rentals-in-st-petersburg-fl.htm

Wing Foiling Videos

SPSC Board Meeting February 2, 2021

 

Place:  Bob Graves home.  Supper consisted of Munchies Pizza and a wonderful salad assembled by Sandy topped off with strawberries, pound cake and whipped cream.

Attendance: Wright Finney, Rose McCaffrey, Mark Powell, Bob Graves, Dave Denmark, Jack May, Kristin Korinko, Joe Sisson (zoom), Deb Berlinger (zoom)

Commodore: Impressed with the ROADies work and she now knows everyone’s secret identity, so they are no longer secret.

Vice Commodore:  He has nothing, then, somehow, his comments devolved into talking about crossing the equator, which Dave has done several times, reminiscing about the hazing that takes place.

Scribe: Asked Mark to write an article on the Wing lessons he took at North Beach Windsurfing.

Purser: We have $12,767.97 in the bank, paid taxes of $158.58 and deposited $80 from shirt sales and $299 from dues payments.  We owe $868 to Stan for training trailer back doors.  Shriners were given $700 from the club member donations and wrote us a truly kind letter thanking us for it during these hard times.   Deb is going to get a copy of the letter to publish. We are at 59 members.

Action Items:

  • Flagpole:  Need a warm day to paint pole.  Need to sand it first.  Wright will set up day.

  • Windy:  Need calm day which we have had none of.

Training: Dates are set and published under Events on the website.  Going to keep classes small at around 4 or 5 with practice days the day after a class.  Practice days are not listed on the calendar. Wright mentioned we may need to move trailer in a couple years due to tidal encroachment and he called the county to see if they were going to do something about the beach erosion.

Fiesta Key:  Everyone has cancelled but get ready to grab a spot for next year early!

Wind Ceremony:  No practices scheduled yet.  The date will be pushed from the original end of March.

Events for 2021:

February:     Fiesta Key: Cancelled

March:          Mid Winters: March 12-14

Wind Ceremony: TBA

April:             Stephen C. Smith Memorial Regatta: April 24-25 (or TBA)

May:

June:             NIMBY: TBA

July:

August:         Rum ‘n’ Root Beer: August 8, need a chair

September: 

October:       Endless Summer: October 16-17

                       Atlanta Fall Classic: TBA

November:   Presnell’s: November 18-22

December:   Christmas Party: December 11

                       Festivus: December 19

 

New Business: Bob asked the board meeting time to gather for supper be moved to 6:30 instead of 7, and the meeting itself start at 7 instead of 7:30.  It was agreed to with 8 members voting yea and 1 member voting nay.

Club Meeting Locations:  Checking into District 850 and Momo’s but the consensus was not to call meetings yet.  We all need to keep looking for locations.

Board Meeting Locations: NOTE:  Dave and Kristin switched. March 2nd (Kristin), April 11th (Mark), May 4th (Jack), June 1st (Joe), July 6th (Dave), August 3rd (Wright), September 7th (Rose), October 5th (Deb), November 2nd (Bob), December 7th (Wright)

 

Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:30pm

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