Foiling on Exocet RF81 with Slingshot Fwind Foil

For a while now, I have been intrigued by all of the windsurfing foilers and kiteboard foilers at Coyote Point and Crissy Field. They seemed to sail fast, even under less-than-ideal wind conditions. After talking to a few sailors, I decided that it would be a great addition to my current windsurfing setup to have a foil board and a windsurfing foil for marginal or light wind conditions (10-15 knots)

It took me some time to research journals and blogs to identify the correct gear to purchase. I selected the Exocet RF81 foilboard and the Slingshot Hoverglide Fwind foil with Infinity 76 wing. I ordered both from Isthmus Sailboards since the Exocet was on sale for $975 on June 24, 2019. Most new foil-capable boards are priced in the $1500+ range (Slingshot Wizard, JP Hydrofoil). I received the board and foil via Pilot Freight on June 29, 2019.

The Exocet RF81 is a short (230cm) but extensive (81cm) board with a lot of volumes in the tail (135 liters). It's expressly designed for a deep Tuttle box foil attached near the rear footstraps. Compared to my Fanatic Freewave 105 STB, it's 3 kg heavier.

The Slingshot Hoverglide Fwind foil includes a large 76cm Infinity Wing and a mast that can be positioned on one of 3 positions (A, B, or C), which moves the center of the lift. Since this was my first foil, I had some difficulty assembling all the foil parts. 

Here is a GoPro Hero7 Black video of wind foiling at Sherman Island:

The foil resembles an airplane and consists of the following parts:

• Fuselage - the long metal tube that holds the front and rear wings
• Front wings - the 76cm Infinity wings used to create all of the lift for hydroplaning
• Rear wings - used to stabilize the foil
• Mast - the long fin-like tube that connects the fuselage to the board through the Tuttle box
• Two masts are available: 24" (for beginners) and 36" for intermediate foilers

There were many different-sized screws (all unlabeled) of various lengths and sizes, making it difficult for a novice to figure out. Since all of the metal screws are in the water, they need to be coated with lanolin oil and Teflon tape to prevent corrosion and electrolysis (if used in salt water). After each session, the screws should be washed and re-oiled.

My plan for learning to foil is to try it at Sherman Island's County Park for a few sessions to get used to flying above the water before attempting more challenging sailing areas like Coyote Point and Crissy Field.

Maintenance will be a hassle as all foil parts need to be constantly re-coated with Lanocote to prevent rusting and seizing.

In addition, I have also purchased an NSI nose pad to protect the nose of the Exocet RF81 against inevitable mast catapults.

Read More

Rick Newman Tennis Lesson 6: One-Handed Backhand

Rick Newman's Tennis Lesson 6: One-Handed Backhand

One-Handed Backhand Notes:

1. At the initiation of the stroke:
• Raise the left shoulder during the take-back part of the swing
• The chin should be near the right shoulder
2. Carefully watch the ball to hit the ball in the center of the racquet (try to read the writing on the ball)
3. Wrist movement provides spin
4. Feet do not move until after ball contact (to keep the stroke quiet)
5. The racquet grip is not too tight - to allow the wrists to flex upwards
6. The stroke should be balanced
7. The Left arm provides the counterbalance on the stroke
8. At the end of the swing, I should be efficiently balanced on my right foot
9. The whole swing path is a semi-circle

Here is a GoPro Hero4 Silver video of my Serve:



Here is a GoPro Hero4 Silver video of my One-Hand Backhand:



Movement Notes

1. Stopping being late on the ball (see Ean's video)
• Keep a wide stance and move without heel-clicking or up/down motion (practice using a ladder on the ground)
2. Split Flow-step (see Ean's video)
• When split-stepping, be sure to land in the direction of the incoming ball (Not just up/down)
3. Recognize the 4 movement zones (see Ean's video)
• Rhythm Zone
• Running Zone

Read More

Windsurfing Crissy Field

After reviewing the iWindsurf.com weather forecast, I determined that the best place for wind on Saturday would be Crissy Field or Treasure Island.

I decided to drive to Crissy Field, which was closer and more convenient. When I arrived around 13:30, the wind was just picking up. iWindsurf's station at Anita Rock was reporting 14-15 knots. When I looked at the other foilers, I saw them rig from 4.5m to 6.0m sails. I decided to rig my Ezzy Elite 5.7m sail and my Fanatic Freewave STB 105-liter board.

Crissy Field had a lot of boat traffic, as I saw numerous boat races. It looked very crowded.

When I was finally ready to sail, the wind dropped suddenly, and I waited a bit for it to pick up before launching. I finally started flowing at 15:15 (much later than expected). The first 100 yards were prolonged, but the wind and waves began to pick up as I neared the center of the Golden Gate Bridge. I had a fantastic windsurfing session with many nice jumps off large rolling swells.

Here is a GoPro Hero7 Black video recorded during a part of my windsurfing session:



On Sunday, June 23, I enjoyed another windsurfing session at Crissy Field. For example, on Saturday, I used my Fanatic Freewave STB 105-liter board and my Ezzy Elite 5.7m sail. The wind was light near the shore and picked up near the center of the Golden Gate Bridge.

I used my Apple Watch Series 3 to record my sailing. My maximum speed was 20 knots in the heavy Crissy chop.



My Relive also generated a video showing my sailing:



I also recorded another GoPro Hero7 Black video of my windsurfing session:

Read More

Rick Newman's Tennis Lesson 5: Slice Backhand

Rick Newman's Tennis Lesson 5: Slice Backhand

Slice Backhand Notes:

1. Grip: Continental
• Knuckle-facing net for the slice
• Knuckle upward for a backhand drive
2. The Hitting zone is on the side (not in front like in a single-handed backhand)
3. Hit the back of the ball (not the bottom of the ball)
4. Start the stroke with the racquet, and open and close the racquet when hitting the ball.
5. Try to read the lettering on the ball
6. Use "bounce" and "hit" for timing
7. Play from the shoulder
8. The racket head should be high
9. The wrist and elbow do not move

See the following video with Greg Leseur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf5ShlFyI_g.

Serving Lesson Notes:

1. Focus on up and up-and-out swing path of the tennis racquet
2. If the ball lands outside the service box, the racquet is opening up too early
3. Before contact, the right hand should have 15 degrees of elbow bent. The elbow should not be locked before ball contact.
4. Try to keep the racquet closed until ball contact. The wrist needs to snap forward for more power.
5. Use more of the shoulders to get power
6. Don't lean the body; bend your knees to get more power

Forehand Drive vs Forehand Shape

Drive
When you hit the ball when it ascends (after a bounce), it's a drive.
On a drive, you are more aggressive and are trying to hit the ball at its apex, swinging across the body.
You typically execute a drive if you have the time (on a slower ball). It's an offensive shot. You are trying to take time away from your opponent.

Shape
When you hit the ball when it's descending (after a bounce), it's a shape.
On a shape, you are less aggressive and are trying to swing upwards to give more topspin to the ball.
You typically execute a shape if you don't have time (on a faster ball). It's a defensive shot.

Read More

Dining at Black Sheep Brasserie

For Father's Day, Inna surprised me with a dinner at the Black Sheep Brasserie in Willow Glen. I selected the hard Washington Apple Cider for drinks, but I did not like it (it was too sweet). Inna tried one of the unique cocktails - the Lava Flow Punch - and she liked it a lot.

LAVA FLOW PUNCHST. BENEVOLENCE RUM | GIFFARD BANANE DU BRÉSIL | PINEAPPLE JUICESTRAWBERRY | COCONUT CREAM | LIME JUICE | MILK CLARIFIED 13JIMMY MARINO

12OZ CIDER WASHINGTON GOLD GOLDEN DELICIOUS, CHELAN, WA 5

For an appetizer, we shared the Buffalo Mozzarella with Manresa Bread.

BURRATA | PADRÓN SALSA VERDE | EARLY SUMMER BLOSSOMS AND HERBS | MANRESA LEVAIN 15

For entrees, I selected the Gnocchi, while Inna selected the Salmon. I preferred the Housemade Gnocchi over King Salmon. Typically, I like Inna's baked King Salmon, but this version seemed too bland for my taste.

HOUSEMADE GNOCCHI | MUSHROOM BROTH | RAINBOW CHARD | FROMAGE BLANC 22HEARTH

ROASTED KING SALMON | FORBIDDEN RICE | UNI AIOLI | PICKLED RAMPS 35USDA PRIME NY

Alex ordered the NY Steak, which he really liked.

STEAK | PANCETTA HASH | CRISPY PARSNIPS | VEAL DEMI 38

For dessert, we shared a couple of sweet things:

NUTELLA PUDDING | BANANA BRÛLÉE | CANDIED COCOA NIB | HAZELNUT BUTTER | SHAVED COCONUT 10

 WARM CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING | HUCKLEBERRY JAM | VANILLA GELATO 11

Overall, the entrees were above average, though not at the level of Michelin-rated Bouchon in Napa Valley.

Read More

Windsurfing Sherman Island

In the morning, I planned to stop by the Boardsports Shop in Coyote Point to participate in the Windsurf Foiling demo hosted by Wyatt Miller of Slingshot.

2019 SLINGSHOT WINDSURF, KITE & SURF FOIL DEMO & BBQ SAT 6/15
with special guests:  

Wyatt Miller & Maui Mike*Bonus – we will have the 2020 Slingshot SLING WING for demo as well. We will have a SUP available to demo with the SLING WING 

When:
Saturday 6/15/19 11:30am-5:30pm 

Where:
Boardsports California Shop ALAMEDA (forecast is for eddy pattern and WSW flow on Saturday, which favors Alameda and is poor for peninsula, so we are going with Alameda to catch rideable winds for the event). 

Time:
11:30am-1pm FREE Foil Gear Lineup & Intro to Foil Clinic for windsurfing with Wyatt Miller and for kitesurfing with Maui Mike
1pm-4pm demo gear on the water – high tide is 12:30, so come early to get the higher water for foiling. Foil only demo – bring your own kites/sails/sups. Pre-req Intermediate riders only
4:30pm-5:30pm Maui Mike BBQ (he’s famous, don’t miss the best BBQ action)

The demo was initially scheduled for Coyote Point but changed to Alameda a few days ago. I was not informed of the change and arrived in Coyote Point at about 11:24, only to learn that the demo moved to Alameda. I drove to Alameda (50 minutes away), and the demo was on the way, but I did not miss much.

Wyatt explained the significant differences between various Slingshot Foils, with the Infinity 76 recommended for beginner to intermediate foilers:

• 2019 HOVERGLIDE FWIND FOIL - 76cm Infinity Wing, recommended for most beginners

Wyatt also talked about the various Slingshot foil boards, including:

• Wizard 125 - most recommended for beginner foilers
• Wizard 105 - for advanced foilers who want less swing weight on the nose
• Wizard 103 - for most advanced foilers (cannot be easily uphauled)
• Levitator 150 - for beginner foilers who have no experience with windsurfing

Since the wind at Alameda was very light (about 11 knots), I decided to drive to Sherman Island to windsurf in 20 knots (as reported by iWindsurf.com). This decision was wise, as the wind was best at Sherman Island.

When I arrived at Sherman Island, the wind was about 17-20 knots, and I rigged an Ezzy Elite 5.7m. I also prepared a new Fanatic Freewave STB 105 board with the new True Ames 36" fin.

Here is a GoPro Hero7 Black video session I recorded.

After a few runs, I ate my turkey bagel and relaxed. Since the wind picked up, I re-rigged to an Ezzy Elite 5.0m. It was much windier, and many windsurfers and kiteboarders were out.

I had a fantastic time trying to complete planing jibes and getting large jumps.

Here is another GoPro Hero7 Black video of my windsurfing session on a smaller Ezzy Elite 5.0 sail:

Read More

Rick Newman's Tennis Lesson 4: Two-Handed Backhand

Rick Newman's Tennis Lesson 4: Two-Handed Backhand

Two-Handed Backhand Notes:

1. Shoulder and hip rotation provides two-handed power
2. Wrist movement provides spin
3. Need to select the right combination of power  + spin
4. Feet do not move until after ball contact (to keep the stroke quiet)
5. The racquet grip is not too tight - to allow the wrists to flex upwards

Here is a GoPro Hero4 Silver video of my tennis lesson:





Serving Lesson Notes:

1. Focus on up and up-and-out swing path of the tennis racquet
2. If the ball lands outside the service box, the racquet is opening up too early
3. Before contact, the right hand should have a 15-degree elbow bend. The elbow should not be locked before ball contact
4. Try to keep the racquet closed until ball contact. The wrist needs to snap forward for more power
5. Use more of the shoulders to get power
6. To slice the ball, hit around the ball (like around an orange)
7. The swing path follows wherever the ball is tossed.
• Toss the ball forward for more power
• Toss the ball left, and you will move left

In-Game Adjustments

Forehand/Backhand Drive

• If the tennis ball hits the net:
• Aim higher, above the net
• Need more extension on the swing
• Check racquet grip
• Need a less upward swing (more power, less spin)
• Need more power (more shoulder turn, more wrist)
• If the tennis ball goes out:
• Aim lower
• Use more wrist for more topspin
• Use a longer low-to-high swing path

Serve

• If the tennis ball hits the net:
• Toss the ball more forward
• Hit with more power
• If the tennis ball goes out:
• Hit with more topspin
• Hit more up and out
• Hit with less power

Read More

Bouquets to Art at de Young Museum

With time running out to the once-in-a-year Bouquets to Art Show at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, we decided to visit the beautifully arranged flowers next to fine paintings and sculptures.

We had difficulty finding parking when we arrived at Golden Gate Park, near the de Young Museum. Eventually, we found an open spot and walked to the museum. A couple of bands played various kinds of music, including a theme from "Superman!"

We walked inside the museum, and Inna renewed our museum subscription. Afterward, we received two tickets to the Bouquets to Art show.

We found many attractive floral arrangements that matched the accompanying artwork, but not as many as the year before.

Read More

Windsurfing Coyote Point

Having sailed on my 1999 Mistral Flow Classic 276 for 19 years, it was time for an update. I tried out the Fanatic Freewave STB 95-liter version in the ABK Windsurfing Camp at Sherman Island in July and thought it was a nice board but lacking volume for lighter wind days.

The Stubby, as it is affectionately known, has a unique outline with no nose and parallel rails. It's quite different in design from my ancient Mistral. It is more expansive and can sail with 1 or 3 fins, with the tri-fin configuration intended for the waves.

Today, I finally sailed my Fanatic Freewave STB 105 at Coyote Point. It handled chop much better than my ancient Mistral Flow 276, though it felt er. It also did not point as well as my Mistral Flow, but this is likely due to the included fin, which is too short.

The day started out with 14-17 knots of NW wind. Iwindsurf.com predicted stronger wind in the later afternoon, but it never materialized. The wind picked up in the outer channel with solid gusts and large swells. Once in the channel, I rode the Fanatic in the straps, enjoying surfing the chop.

I look forward to sailing it again with a new True Ames 36" fin (by fin screw turned out to be too long).

Here is my GoPro Hero7 Black video at Coyote Point:

Read More

Rick Newman Tennis Lesson 3: Serve & Forehand

Rick Newman's Tennis Lesson 3: Serve & Forehand

Serving Lesson Notes:

1. Focus on the UP and OUT swing path of the tennis racquet
2. If the ball lands outside the service box, the racquet is opening up too early
3. Try to keep the racquet closed until ball contact. The wrist needs to snap forward for more power
4. Use more of the shoulders to get power
5. The swing path follows wherever the ball is tossed.
• Toss the ball forward for more power
• Toss the ball left, and you will move left

Here is the GoPro Hero4 Silver video of my forehand practice:



I found an excellent Jeff Salzestein video about the ball toss: The left arm tosses at a 45-degree angle while the rest of the shoulder turns.

Forehand Technique Notes:

1. To hit the ball further, increase the extension of the swing
2. To hit accurately, minimize movement of the head & body (quiet everything)
3. For a long drive, aim for the ball many feet above the net (vital for a topspin forehand)
4. To aim the ball left, hit the ball on the right
5. To aim the ball right, his the ball on the left

Here is the GoPro Hero4 Silver video of my forehand practice:

Read More