The Big Winds Weblog

Board Tested: 2009 JP Australia X-Cite Ride 100
Sails Used: 2009 Naish Sprint 7.3
Location: Columbia River Gorge: Event Site
Conditions: 15-22 mph
Rider: Mike
Gender: Male
Height: 5′11″
Weight: 165 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer, Expert kiteboarder
What a smooth board! It jumped on a plane, held its speed through the lulls and quick [...]

Board Tested: 2009 Starboard Futura 101
Sails Used: 2009 Naish Sprint 7.3
Location: Columbia River Gorge: Event Site
Conditions: 15-22 mph
Rider: Mike
Gender: Male
Height: 5′11″
Weight: 165 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer, Expert kiteboarder
I got fast acceleration and instant planing. I had a lot of power from the 7.3 and got it [...]

Board Tested: 2009 Naish Global Wave 78
Sails Used: 2009 Naish All Terrain 5.0
Location: Columbia River Gorge: Rowena
Conditions: Marginal 5.0 filling in to solid 4.2 conditions
Rider: Joe
Gender: Male
Height: 6′2″
Weight: 185 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
No problem getting onto a plane. The key is to move back into [...]

Board Tested: 2009 Starboard Kode 95
Sails Used: 2009 Naish All Terrain 5.0
Location: Columbia River Gorge: White Salmon Bridge
Conditions: Gusty 25mph
Rider: Joe
Gender: Male
Height: 6′2″
Weight: 185 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
This board popped onto a plane quickly which made an otherwise marginal day into a memorable session. It glided [...]

Board Tested: 2009 Naish All Terrain 85
Sail Used: 2009 Naish Force 5.0
Location: Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: 15-25mph, classic after work session
Rider: Steve
Gender: Male
Height: 5′10″
Weight: 150 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
The All Terrain is the quintessential bump and jump board, quick, lively, smooth and effortless to jibe, with emphasis on effortless. This board / sail combination [...]

Board Tested: 2009 Starboard Windsurf Evil Twin 74
Sails Used: 2009 Naish Force 4.2
Location: Columbia River Gorge: Hatchery
Conditions: Windy 4.2 conditions, flat water, some swell
Rider: Steve
Gender: Male
Height: 5′10″
Weight: 150 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
This board is designed to live in good swell or waves. It doesn’t quite have the [...]

From Lake Pontchartrain, LA.

Futura 101:
First, the 15” True Ames fin was the perfect match with the Retro 6.5 and might work as well with the 7.5 (which I have not used yet). I’ve had two recent sessions in 15-25 knots of wind, very short steep chop. I find I can press very hard on the [...]

Board Tested: 2009 Naish Glide
Date: March 25, 2009
Location: Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: Wind: 12-15 Water: 42 Air: 45
Rider: Steve
Gender: Male
Height: 5′10″
Weight: 150 lbs
Skill Level: Expert surfer, expert windsurfer
“The stability on this board is awesome which was somewhat surprising due to the relatively narrow tail. The solid feeling makes it a no brainer and anyone can get [...]

2009 kiteboards are now available from Big Winds. David gives us a review of the Starboard, 12′6″ stand up paddle board and a couple of paddles.

Rider: Daryl
Gender: Female
Height: 5′2″
Weight: 120 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
The Zone: A lightweight sail, perfect for female sailors.
For years Daryl has ridden the Neil Pryde Zone sails, in every size from 3.5-5.2. The Zone is a forgiving, lightweight sail that is perfect for female sailors. They don’t require a ton of downhaul, and Daryl [...]

Rider: George
Gender: Male
Height: 5′10″
Weight: 180 lbs
Age: 56
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
The Kombat: Fast and crisp, and fun in the swell.
This year, George is riding the 2008 Starboard Kombat 89 Wood in any conditions that demand a 4.0 - 5.2 sail. He finds the Kombat to be a fast and crisp ride that reacts immediately to [...]

Rider: Andy
Gender: Male
Weight: 85 lbs
Age: 12
Skill Level: Intermediate windsurfer (working on his jibes)
Gear that stokes the advancing grom.
Andy uses Sailworks Rippers as his main sails, in the 2.5 and 3.3 sizes. The Rippers are just as durable as adult sails, but are designed with the height, weight and strength of kids in mind. Andy can [...]

Rider: Dane
Gender: Male
Height: 5′5″
Weight: 135 lbs
Skill Level: Advanced kiteboarder
Board Tested: 2008 North Pacific Round Squash Wave 5′3″
Kite Used: 2008 Cabrinha Switchblade 3 8m
Date: June 4, 2008
Location: White Salmon Bridge, Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: 18-28 mph, huge glassy swell
North Pacific is a local Hood River surfboard company run by Art Colyer, who has been hand-shaping custom polyester [...]

Rider: Daryl
Gender: Female
Height: 5′2″
Weight: 120 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
Board Tested: 2008 Naish Pro Wave 65L
Sails Used: 2008 Naish Session 3.4 - 4.7
Dates: Winter 2008 and Spring 2008
Location: Kanaha, Maui, Hawaii and the Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: High-wind wave and swell riding
A great board for smaller riders who love shredding waves.
Daryl sails the 2008 Naish Pro Wave [...]

Rider: Jodie
Gender: Female
Height: 5′2″
Weight: 115 lbs
Skill Level: Advanced windsurfer
Board Tested: 2008 Starboard Kombat 79 Wood
Sail Used: 2008 Naish Session 4.7
Date: May 27, 2008
Location: Event Site, Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: 15-25 mph, flatwater, medium chop, small swell
Two nights ago, Jodie had an opportunity to ride the Starboard Kombat 79 and the Naish Session 4.7 right out front [...]

Kiteboards Compared: 2008 Naish Sol 128, 2007 North Jaime Pro 128
Kites Used: 2008 Cabrinha Switchblade 3 6m, 8m and 10m, 2007 Cabrinha Omega 7m and 9m
Dates: Spring 2008, Summer 2007
Location: Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: Everything from flatwater to swell-riding, underpowered to insanely overpowered
Rider: Dane
Gender: Male
Height: 5′5″
Weight: 135 lbs
Skill Level: Advanced Kiteboarder
Howdy! My name is Dane, [...]

Kiteboard Tested: 2008 Naish Sol 128
Kites Used: 2008 Switchblade 3 6m, 8m and 10m
Dates: Spring 2008
Location: Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: Mellow 10-18 mph, moderate 16-24 mph, and intense 22-34 mph
Rider: Dane
Gender: Male
Height: 5′5″
Weight: 135 lbs
Skill Level: Advanced Kiteboarder
Even though it’s still quite cold out there, I’ve already been riding the 2008 Naish Sol 128 kiteboard quite [...]

Board Tested: 2008 Naish Global Wave 78
Sails Used: 2008 Naish Force 4.2 - 4.7
Dates: Fall 2007, Spring 2008
Location: Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: “Fully powered-up to light and funky.”
Rider: Steve
Gender: Male
Height: 5′10″
Weight: 150 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
Steve is a lighter guy than Joe, and he wants to take a moment to share his own experience riding the [...]

Board Tested: 2008 Naish Global Wave 78
Sail Used: 2008 Naish All Terrain 4.0
Date: May 6, 2008
Location: Rowena, Columbia River Gorge
Conditions: 26-39 mph winds, swell riding
Rider: Joe
Gender: Male
Height: 6′2″
Weight: 185 lbs
Skill Level: Expert windsurfer
Joe tested the 2008 Naish Global Wave 78 the other day, and I was able to corner him and learn what he thought [...]

Board Tested: 2008 Naish 10′6″ Stand Up
Paddle Used: 80″ Werner Spanker
Dates: May, 2008
Location: Event Site, Columbia River Gorge
Paddling Conditions: glassy flatwater, and 10-15 mph wind chop
Windsurfing Conditions: swell riding in 10-30 mph winds, 4.7 meter sail
Rider: David
Gender: Male
Height: 6′0″
Weight: 170 lbs
Skill Level: Expert stand up paddler, expert windsurfer, expert kiteboarder
David has recently been spending a [...]