Big Winds :: Blog

Big Winds Junior Team had a strong showing at the Pistol River Wave Contest this past weekend. Fiona Wylde rocked the show at the Pistol River SUP event. Seen here getting ready to paddle out with Robby Naish, Fiona, 14, had a great windsurfing contest showing too, placing 5th in the Women’s and 8th in [...]

Updated 6/29/2011: Mosier emerges. For quite awhile, the Mosier launch was farther underwater than a lot of Bank of America mortgages. Finally, it has been bailed out by the dam operators. Updated 5/31/2011 with images of Mosier. The flooded Mosier launch site, looking north under the I-84 bridge The flooded Mosier launch site, looking north [...]

Here are four images of what you’ll find at the Event Site in 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SVMwSSKzzg

Here’s one, and here’s another.

July 17th-18th, July 31st-August 1st and August 14th-15th, 2010 These single day clinics place a strong emphasis on instruction in a small group environment stressing the fundamentals of windsurfing necessary to master a wide variety of skills. The Big Winds team of instructors will cover a variety of skills including stance, harness and foot straps, [...]

Playing on a YouTube near you…

The Starboard Gemini, a tandem windsurfer, got put through its paces last week. Here’s the video.

Big Winds is offering free windsurfing lessons at Windfest, CGWA’s big weekend event at the Hood River Event Site, this weekend, June 26-27. You can demo gear, attend clinics and party it up with music by Tony Smiley Saturday night. There’s a big ol’ swap meet at the Expo Center Sunday morning, too. Toys!

The crew at Big Winds is super stoked to announce our Big Winds Beach Bash on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at the Hood River Event Site. The latest new gear from all our great brands in Windsurfing, Kiteboarding and Stand Up Paddleboarding will be available for free demos from 10-5. More details will be forthcoming [...]

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 the [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Some goings on and special deals at Big Winds.

The announcement of the bench dedication for Dave Kincaid.

The following is the text of a press release issued March  30, 2009 by the U.S. Coast Guard: (SEATTLE) — Coast Guard Sector Portland, Ore., is investigating a bridge allision involving the Tidewater Tug Defiance and the Hood River Bridge on the Columbia River in Ore., Saturday. At 3:20 a.m. the Tug Defiance was pushing [...]

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 [...]