ir777

Monday, April 27, 2009

If you don't go...

As they say: If you don't go... you will never know!

After only being there on Wednesday, the forecast quickly turned out for possibly another classic weekend in Belmullet. And boy did we get it.
We scored sweet cross off starboard tack sailing on Saturday, with a reef break linking to a beautiful beach break. Not that big - just about logo high in the sets - but we got sunshine, clean glassy waves, and great wind for 4.5/4.8m all day long.
Everyone could not believe how good it was to be out in sunshine and green waves. So much so, that no-one wanted to stop and take any pictures!
Good crew on the water too: Carlos the Mexican & his brother in-law Danger Man, Kidge, Tom Big Pole, Tom Little Pole, Laoise & Cormac from UISCE, Mikey & Brian (Mr.Beach-Telegraph).

After 6 hours wavesailing, I went down and joined the speed boys for the first round of the Irish Speed Champs. I probably should have gone sooner... but at the wave beach everyone had insisted on parking my van in (well thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it). Went for a burn on a borrowed Speed board, and then on a Slalom board - which was able to handle the choppy conditions better, and after an hour or so managed to squeeze a max of 32knots to get me 3rd overall. I would love to get my own speed gear and have a decent bash at some good times on a proper course.

On Sunday, it was back to the reef that is pictured in my last post from Wednesday, where Cormac & I got a nice session on 4.5's in the rain. Oh well, at least it was sunny on Saturday.
Belmullet - never fails to deliver!

www.surfdock.ie

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Mullet with Bells

Firstly want to say thanks for all the positive feedback and comments on the Lucky Man video. Glad so many liked it!

Just back in the door from a day trip to Belmullet. Forecast was for 27 knots Southerly all day, so thought it was definitely time to hit the road again.

We scored a whole mix of conditions.... though all of them cross off and perfect for my 4.2fly and 68 twinser :) As the tide came in, the better waves were moving between 4 of Belmullet's reef breaks. And we finished the day with a sweet session on the reef in the picture. Really reminds me of Scarborough Point in SA, minus the sharks and sunshine. Though I can report it was sunny for at least 25 minutes of the 6 hours I sailed today !

My french buddy Tibo was unlucky to crash out a big pushloop, and ended lying winded out the back with suspected cracked ribs. We had to paddle out through the break to him on surfboards and help him swim back in. Bit of a mission, and also for his friend Francois who swam after Tibo's kit and finally caught it after 15 minutes in logo high waves and 30 knots cross off.

Anyway, lucky for us Tibo was so grateful.. after a quick rest and being peeled out his wetsuit, he even volunteered to sit beind the camera and fire off a few pics for us.

I did get the helmet cams out again, so will have a look through the footage and see if I managed to get a few good shots for another video.

UPDATE: Got a text from Tibo. Confirmed: he has 2 broken ribs. OUCH!
Get well soon Tibo !
www.surfdock.ie

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Lucky Man

Lucky Man from Surfdock Watersports on Vimeo.
I finally finished editing the video footage from the windy day in Rush last week.
Join me on board for a day of full power on 3.9m FLY and JP 68l Twinser. Filmed using 2 GoPro Hero Cams (1wide & 1regular), this was my first decent day using the camera in the waves. It was the usual Rush day... a complete jump-fest!
Hope you enjoy the vid as much as I enjoyed the sailing.
www.surfdock.ie

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Emerald Green Waves

Emerald Green Waves from Surfdock Watersports on Vimeo.
After a day of full on 3.9m cross-on jumping in Dublin on Thursday, Polish Tom and I flew the Vito on Auto-pilot to Magheroarty in Donegal, for some sweet cross-off waveriding in super-green waves. Light enough wind on 5.7m and 90l, but just look at the colour of that water ! The green ones are on the beach break, while the darker waves are up at the reef.
We have had a few more days sailing in Skerries since Good Friday, a couple of nice sunny days with good sea breezes for 6.1 and 99 Freestyle Pro (particularly Easter Sunday), and the last couple of days it's been North Easterly with Port tack waves.. but quite grey and wet.
That's Ireland... 4 seasons every hour!
Let me know what you think of the video in comments section. I will put up one from the windy Rush jumping session soon too.
www.surfdock.ie

Friday, April 10, 2009

Mmmmmm... agheroarty

Sweet session today in Magheroarty. Only light at first, but well worth the trip. Amazing green water and smooth waves, and plenty of wind for 5.7m and 90l board.

Polish Tom was a wavesailing virgin until today. First time he has been to the west coast, and he was blown away by it. He caught his first ever waves... and what a place to do it. !

Steve Thorp (Wavejam organiser) also there, and he got some sweet surfing in the morning, before joining us on the reef for some windsurfing.

8th day in a row now on the water..
Happy Days... Happy Easter.
www.surfdock.ie

Thursday, April 09, 2009

On the seventh day.......

We went wavesailing.....

7 days sailing in a row now, and a few more before that... we sure are having a good spell.
Today was Rush beach, on 3.9m FLY full power on 68l Twinser. It was one of those days you didn't want to miss, and it just kept getting better and better.
Had 2 cameras on the run at the same time, one on mast tip, and the other on the helmet.
Sailed for nearly 7 hours, so should have some footage from that ! Probably take a while to edit, so here's a screen-grab for now. Off to the west tomorrow for some surfing and hopefully waveriding as the wind kicks in later on.

www.surfdock.ie

What comes around

What comes around from Surfdock Watersports on Vimeo.

Yesterday was a quick freestyle session on 5.1m and 99 FS Pro. Got to try out the mast tip mount of the GoPro, and I'm pretty happy with the results. I like the way you can see the movement of the board. 30 knots southerly today, so going wave-sailing at Rush again, and will try and get decent wave footage and see how that turns out.
www.surfdock.ie

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Another day at the office

Just after the Slalom on Sunday, went and sailed LowRock on 5.1m. Soooo nice to be back on smaller gear again !

Monday brought yet more wind, and we went back to LowRock, a good crew of people there including a couple of the UK guys who had come for the slalom. 4.5m this time and more waves, but a bit colder.

Today Rush Beach was the place to be with Southerly winds, picking up as the day went on. Spent a load of time filming with the helmet cam, but ballsed it up when downloading the 2 hours of clips off the memory card. DOH!

Thursday is looking sweet for Rush again, so this time will see if I can get some better footage, and not mess it up this time.
www.surfdock.ie

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Sch-lallllom-ing

Spent the weekend Slalom racing at the IWA Slalom Champs, 1st round in Malahide.

JP & NeilPryde kindly came over and supported the event, as part of their 'Irish Sea Challenge', the next round of which will be in Rhosneigor in North Wales in a month or so.

I raced the whole weekend on a NP RS Slalom mkIII 7.2, and a new JP Slalom 68 (112l), which was absolutely flying for all the races in 12-20 knots of wind(ish).

I have not slalom raced properly in a good few years, so it was nice to jump on some super fast kit and burn around a few buoys again, even managed to get 2nd overall behind current slalom champ Pearse Geaney...

Hmmm, imagine if I had actually done some practice !

Congrats to Pearse, and great too to see so many on the water. Think there was 55 entries.. nice 1 !

Thanks to Terry Faulkner for the pictures. I'm sure there will be loads more in the coming days on the IWA website and Surfdock website as more images appear.
www.surfdock.ie

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Favourite weather presenter

A good friend of mine is up for an award at the TVNow Magazine Awards, in the category 'Favourite Weather Presenter'
Ursula is one of RTE's newest weather presenters, and has windsurfed in such tropical places as Jeri in Brazil and Malahide Estuary !

If you have 30 seconds, please click on the link and Vote for her: http://www.tvnowmagazine.ie/showFavourites.aspx?id=11
Thanks !
www.surfdock.ie

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Boom mount flaka

Quick test boom front mount from Surfdock Watersports on Vimeo.

I like this angle using the boom mount for the GoPro camera. Not so that you can see my ugly mug, but because it shows the wake and the speed of the board, and also what the hands are doing for the move. Will edit more of these and the rear mounted stuff, and next on the list is trying the camera on the tip of the sail.
www.surfdock.ie

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Go Pro Hero WIDE

GoPro Wide Cam Test from Surfdock Watersports on Vimeo.

Just go a new Go Pro Hero5 WIDE camera to try out. This is a test video I made today. Didn't spend too much time editing, just wanted to try it out and see the quality. The compression on Vimeo has reduced the quality a bit, but you can download the original file on the Surfdock Vimeo page. HERE
www.surfdock.ie

Monday, March 23, 2009

Skerries session

Nice jumping session in Skerries north beach today on 4.5m. This is the only place to get waves in Dublin in this wind direction. Breaks at about only chest high, but enough for sticking plenty of backloops, which is always good enough in my book.

www.surfdock.ie

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Slalom Masterclass

Due to popular demand, I'm putting together a 1 day Slalom Masterclass, in time for you to get tuned up for the first IWA slalom event at the start of April.

It will be based in Malahide Estuary (where the event will be), either this weekend (if there is any wind.... sea-breeze might be possible), or the following weekend.
I will have a boat and race buoys on the water, and the general course itinerary will cover:

Slalom Racing Starts (all important)
Racing tactics, rules
Gybing at speed & overtaking
Kit set up and tuning, early planing & overall boardspeed
Practice races
Mental and physical preperation
There will be theory and LOADS of practice, from 9.30, on chosen day, until 6.

If you are interested, contact me on ir777(at)hotmail(

dot)com

Oh yeah - in case you don't remember... even though I prefer spinning around in circles most of the time... I have won more than my share of Slalom & Racing Championships. More than anyone else's fair share too ;)

And if you are really up for it, I can teach you the showcase finish line move... the forward loop over the line ! But that's another day !

www.surfdock.ie

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Robbie Maddison, absolute legend.

You think it's impressive going up... wait till he jumps back off it!! Incredible!!
Check out his website for the training of this jump HERE
www.surfdock.ie