Well today went out to Jaws.. The biggest swell of the last 40 years I heard but it certainly wasn't that.. Luck for me cause I went up there and EVERYONE was there. All the big wave names were out in the line up. Laird, Dave, Ian Walsh, even Andy Irons was out there checking it out.. pretty intimidating but I still had to go for it. I went out dropped in on perfect wave, had a great ride then when to kick out of the west bowl and just as I went to get out of the wave, the west bowl pitched and threw me right over the falls landing on my back and getting washed like a rag doll in a washing machine. I thought I was going to come up and was almost at the surface when the wave just pulled me back down and held me under just long enough for me to pop up for one second right before I had to go back under the next wave. Not too much fun but I can say I got properly pounded at Peahi today. I have water coming out everywhere, my nose, my ears are full, and I am tired and ready for bed. I hop to see a photo of me going over the falls on my back.. What a KOOK!!
Just wondreing what the most desired manuver is to learn.. Let us know and vote here. On the right hand side you can cast your vote. Is it a backloop? Front loop?? Let us know..
Well "the SEASON" has officially started and while Matt and I are running around today filling everyone's orders, there is still time to get your Christmas List filled right here at Pritchard Windsurfing.com... Check out the shop.. send us an email.. do whatever it takes to get that perfect holiday gift.
Also I am working on getting my photographs up on the shop. I have had a couple requests for them so I am working on getting this feature put up! Have some patience but I think it will come up soon.
If you want to buy something from the shop and get the GREEN Discount type in saveyourgreen in the discount code section and you will receive your Green Discount of 20% off everything in the store!! Hurry up this offer wont last long!!
I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving.... we all have a lot to be thankful for that is for sure!!!
All this talk about Black Friday, where did that all come from? I don't remember hearing of it until recently..... I know everybody goes shopping the day after Thanksgiving but who came up with Black Friday- I don't really like that name, so have decided to go for Green Saturday since the windsurfing was sooooooo good on Friday....
If you are thinking Green and want to save some Green- how about getting some of our slightly used and extremely well taken care of gear? The "GREEN" theme seems to be on everybody's mind these days- save energy, save the environment, save time, save money- I'm all for it. So if you don't want to spend the big Green on the new goods, get the next best thing........No matter what you need and what your budget is, don't be afraid to email and ask what we have......
A couple things that might interest you.... we have new or used-
HPL Carbon Booms
2009/2010 Tabou Boards
2009/2010 Starobards
2009/2010 Gaastra Sails
2009/ 2010 Neil Pryde Sails
PowerEx Masts
Neil Pryde Masts
Chinook Booms
MFC Fins
Gaastra Aluminum Booms- All sizes
Streamlined Base extensions
Miscellaneous Parts, Wetsuits, Fins, Diapers and More
Any questions email:
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See you on the web or better yet, on the water!!!!!
Well not my best production ever but working on it. I think the filming is not too terrible but the editing.. I just have such a hard time with getting the editing right.. Anyhow, have a look some cool moves on there.. Ricardo and Brawzinio going off...
Now with Thanksgiving coming up, check out the Shop and everything in there is 25% off this weekend so click away!!
Most of you guys are all packed up and starting to think about wintertime fun! Here on Maui you can see how spoiled we are by Kev’s great blog shots- Warm wind, sandy beaches, and perfect aqua blue waters with whitecaps as far as you can see!I know, rub it in huh? This is the dream life and someone has got to do it right? I just want you guys to keep your stoke as we come into the winter season. Spring is already around the corner...... well almost!
After spending what seemed like an eternity recovering from my broken legs, I got pretty used to finding alternative things to do since I couldn’t windsurf. This gave me an appreciation of what it is like to not be able to get on the water for 6 months- it really hurts and I have a new respect for all of you warriors out there that have to remove windsurfing from your mind for the cold part of the year.
I will admit, it was a little tortuous to drive by Hookipa and see it firing mast high and 25 knots- I always lived by the out of sight, out of mind theory and this did not help things. I’m guessing if you are reading this blog, you can’t get windsurfing out of your mind...... so in order to keep up on your virtual windsurfing, here are some of my tips to keep you in the game, in the rain and bitter cold winter that is approaching!
Stay fit- even when I was in a wheelchair, I was working out. I was throwing a heavy medicine ball back and forth to my trainer. I was doing sit ups, pull ups, dips and stretching as much as I could. As soon as I was able to pedal on the bike, I was keeping the legs in motion. All the while my mind was in windsurf mode. I was thinking about the muscles I was working and trying to imagine what windsurfing moves activated them- Virtual windsurfing at its finest! Try to take at least a half hour a day and do some kind of routine that will have to replace your water time.... but know that it will make you stronger for that first day on the water!
Watch video’s- if you are working on jybing, google for videos and how to’s! If you are learning to wave sail, watch the maui blogs and see what’s going on. For a great library of moves, check out continentseven.com. There is a TON of cool stuff online and you can study whatever you need to learn.
Do other sports- the more fun you can have the better! When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!I love that saying, sometimes you just have to go with what you got! So if it is freezingcold and snowing, pick you pleasure and get out there. If it is rainy and yucky, go running just for the challenge. The point is to keep active and keep challenging your body to keep going. As soon as you stop, things seize up and to get them working again takes a lot of hard work.
My recovery has been going incredibly well. A lot of it was probably attitude and a lot of it was just plane and simple hard work. No matter where you are or what you have to do, consider yourself lucky- we all love a great sport and even if we only get to do it a couple times a year, there is nothing wrong with virtual sailing everyday! See you out there!MP
THe beautiful sights we get to see. The swell has dropped off and so has the wind and in comes the rain!! But good to get things going and get stuff done that I love to put off!!
It is still good here. Fall has set it and it is firing. Looks like it is not going to stop.. I had to check the forecast cause I was starting to get tired and see if it was going to die or what but nope, doesn't look like it.. Everyone is really starting to rip out there, Levi looks good on his new Quatro's, He is really playing around with the fin set up, going from Quad to Twin and back.. Not sure what he likes but sure seems to be ripping on whatever so that is good. Brawzino looks amazing out there, putting together his freestyle moves on the waves, just needs to be a bit more consistent and he will be unstoppable. Good to see him out there working on the moves in the big Hookipa waves. Ricardo is here as well and is ripping too.. To me he is the most underrated wave ripper out there. I guess it was from his 3 Freestyle world titles that people seem to overlook him in the waves, but man that kid rips. I wish I had the talent he has... He has the power and the eye for the wave.. he sometimes gets a little over amped and I see him on the rocks a lot.. but that is what it takes sometimes..
Matt and Kdog came over for breakfast and that was pretty fun.. or funny to watch if someone was looking.. seeing Matt and I take care of Kaden.. who would have ever thought.. but we did pretty good, the three boys, just hung out, had some male bonding.. he didn't cry or anything.. was good.. Matt has been doing some workouts with him for some added weight. Matt is also back on the water doing some lessons so if anyone wants to have a 3 Time World Champ teach you how to do a loop, rip a gybe, or just sail better in general, send him off an email! I mean what other sport can you get lessons from the best of the best.. I did here Michael Jorden was doing camps these days...
What a week it has been!! Wow.. If you planned your trip to Maui this week.. oh how lucky you are!! Wind and waves for everyone. Hookipa was not even crowded today.. maybe everyone is just too tired. I had a bit of a fun day. Had some good fun waves and then broke my universal and swam in after my board, went in on the rocks, jumped back off the rocks looking for my rig, couldn't find it, lucky the lifeguards came out and helped me look for it and found it down near lanes.. So I was stoked to find it.. Would have been real expensive to loose the whole lot..
Check out this kite shot it got.. I love it with the sun burst and the burst bouncing off the board.. Too cool. Did a shoot with Kristin Boese and was super fun, super easy to work with and I got this shot.. Pretty cool.
Man this is why you live on Maui.. Wind, waves and fun.. The only small problem, well not really a problem, is Remi from Starboard is up here to test out the 2011 boards.. So when it is firing, I have to go down and test out the new slalom boards. It is pretty dang hard driving past hookipa when it is firing.. But you you got to pay to play sometimes. But still cant complain one bit casue I get to work on the water.. Not too bad.
Yesterday I got out at Hookipa, then down to the Harbor to test out some light wind stuff, then back to Kanaha for a evening session which was super fun. It is always nice to go out at and have some rippable waves and not just make or break type of waves. It was windy, fun waves, and totally rippable.
Darrell Wong caught wind of my new 7 D and wanted to give it a try. I said well only if you take a couple shots for my blog readers.. So here you go.. as you can see, it is not the arrow, it is the idian, as another Charles used to tell me when I wanted to get the latest and greatest camera.. so I cant say the camera is bad cause Darrell sure knows how to use the thing!
This is a video filmed exclusively with the Canon 7d. For all of the action I used my 500mm 4.0 lens and an 85mm for all of the other stuff. All of it was filmed in with manual focus so sorry for the blurry stuff. this is my first try with the camera set up so hopefully will get better as time goes on.
So I am trying to get more traffic to my site to try an sell more stuff... Although I am pretty sure Pritchard windsurfing sold more Starboard Isonics than any other shop in the US, I am still wondering why the shop doesnt sell more. Do you think it is casue we dont have enough products up? Do we need to advertise more? Do I need to blog more? Do you guy need to tell your friends where to get the best stuff in the world??
Anyhow, I figured that if I put Jaws photos, all the people who RSS and whatnot will come to the site to check it out.. So now is the time to tell you what I have for sale.. I have most all of my racing stuff sold, but I have a 133, 122, 111, 94, 86 and 76 I sonic all left, one of each so first come first serve on that. I have some racing fins, some wave fins, I have lots of wave sails ready to go out the door! So if you are looking for something please send me an email and we can get you some of the finest tuned up gear on the planet.
And now since you have heard all my blah blah blah about selling stuff I will show you some of the photos from Graham Ezzy and Connor Baxtor out ther ripping up Jaws. It was a small day but I am sure that they had tons of fun. I went out for a couple waves but was nothing too special. Just trying to get some photos taken of me at Jaws so I can become cool.. or famous.. one of the two..
Check out my new MFC KOne freeride. We have had so much success with the K one wave fin, with everyone from Victor Fernandez, to Kauili, to Ricardo all using it in there single fin boards, that we went for the same concept in a freeride fin! I love it! Works great with the Futura, or bigger Kodes, also Matt tested it with his Rockets and 3S's so it is ready to rip in whatever you have. I will try and get it up on the shop soon!
The windsurfing at Lake Isabella as we know it is about to change forever. The days of camping at waters edge,being able to set up camp, rig your equipment and enjoy the convenience of being right there within a few steps of the water may be over before you know it. The latest proposal put forth by the Forestry prohibits vehicular travel to 300 feet from waters edge. You can still sail and you can still camp but no vehicles closer than 300ft. Now that I have your attention I would like to post a letter sent to me by Chris Horgan, executive director of The Stewards of the Sequoia . A grassroots organization we can credit with bringing this whole issue to light . The Forest service has combined the issue of trail travel management with the issue of vehicular access at the lake. Many of us windsurfers are also off road enthusiasts . This proposal affects everyone... windsurfers ,kiters,fishermen, campers ,anyone that enjoys access to our Sequoia Forest areas. Thanks, WS
I wanted to give you an update on the proposed closure of traditional Lakeside Access at Lake Isabella. Many people are not aware that earlier this year the US Forest Service released their Draft Route Designation Plan. That plan called for the elimination of ALL traditional lakeside access that has been enjoyed by windsurfers, boaters, fisherman and campers.
Fortunately Stewards of the Sequoia a local grassroots volunteer organization researched the 600 plus page Draft Plan and discovered the proposed closure. Stewards hired NEPA and other specialist to draft their substantive comment and organized local opposition to the closures.
WHERE ARE WE TODAY? Due to Stewards efforts and comments, the Sequoia Forest Service has added a Modified Alternative 3 to the FEIS plan document (Page54), which now includes historical vehicle Lakeside access in the newly proposed 20 Recreation Areas around the Lake, including the Ghetto. This will allow the public to enjoy reduced access to the Lakeside compared to today. The public will still be able to drive down to the Lakeside, but they must then stay within 300 feet of the shoreline. Stewards further research has found that some of the boundaries of the new Recreation Areas do not extend down to low water.
Stewards will be submitting another comment to address the reduced Lakeside access that our research has brought to light. We feel the Forest Service will listen.
What has driven the positive changes we have seen in the planning process is the in depth research and substantive comments by Stewards of the Sequoia. It has cost Stewards tens of thousands of dollars to perform this public service including hiring NEPA and other specialists. Stewards are totally membership funded, but our funding has not been able to keep pace with our efforts. Our membership is made up mostly of off roaders and mountain bikers, yet we are effectively working to represent windsurfers, fisherman, boaters and the community.
HOWEVER THIS IS NOT A DONE DEAL This planning process must be followed through to the end and may require legal action to help defend the Forest Service access position from lawsuits by closure activists. Stewards also need to review, research and respond to the 1400 page FEIS planning document.
In order for Stewards of the Sequoia to continue our planned efforts to preserve Lakeside Access we need financial help from more people. I hope the windsurfing community will respond. I have been fortunate to windsurf for over thirty years and know how wonderful Lake Isabella is. I hope each of you will realize it is worth $50 or $100 to help keep it open.
We want to raise $10,000 in the next month from new members like you. All donations are tax deductible which may help. You can learn more, become a member and donate here:
Please keep in mind that only stakeholders like Stewards can respond and comment on the FEIS document. We do not recommend that the general public be urged to contact the Sequoia Forest. While we successfully enlisted public outrage to the prior version of the Forest DEIS plan, that would be counter productive at this phase of the planning process. We need the Forest Staff to focus their limited time on working with organizations like Stewards on constructive solutions.
Together we can preserve our access, economy and way of life.
-- Chris Horgan Stewards of the Sequoia Division of CTUC 501c3 Non Profit
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