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surfing and wave sailing

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190
wimp.com/epicsurfing/

January/ 20/ 2011 at Jaws was a mon-u-mental day and night!
I was hesitant to post this when I first saw the video but I have had soo many comments from all over the place that I thought what the heck.

I really hate the fact that surfing Peahi has been turned into somewhat of a sideshow.
Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190
Kirk Miller · · Catalina, AZ and Ilwaco, WA · Joined May 2003 · Points: 1,824

Keep 'em coming Olaf... Probably the best thread on Mountain Project. It's always a gas to check out "surfing and wave sailing" for us landlubbers.
Night surfing = Insane sickness!
Cheers,
Kirk

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190

Hi Kirk, Thanks for posting and thanks for the compliment and most of all thanks for all the great times we've shared over the years stomping around down in the Platte looking for and putting up those routes with you,Ken,Noel and the whole gang.

This thread started out as a whim and now it sorta has an energy of it's own.

I really enjoy sharing my daily surfing and wave sailing experiences here on MP.I sometimes get a little insecure about it and think that it would be more appropriate to be posting this ongoing update on my personal blog at rockerwaves.blogspot.com/ but I feel that this thread reaches is a very unique group of folks that feel like my ʻohana holoʻokoʻa (extended family).

I'm also honored by the feedback like yours that this tread has generated.

Soo post up guys!

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190

I just received an e-mail from my friend Samantha Bittner the organizer of the 2010 Pistol River Wave Bash and the organizer/promoter of the 2011 American Windsurfing Tour.
Sam was kind enough to use one my blog posts as a promotional tool for the upcoming events. I am very pleased that she thought my images projected the stoke of all that attended.
I would appreciate it if you would take a peek at it.
Here's a link to that e-mail. Click Here

Here's a photo of Sam receiving the prestigious 2010 Kuau Cup award (with the 2009 winner Frank Sabb in the background) at the annual 4/20 party held each year at the launch.

trundlebum · · Las Vegas NV · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 85

Yo !
As stated up thread...
"Kepp'm come'n Olaf" :)

Cool to see the pic's of Ezzy and Hayward.

At one point BITD...
I lived in a cottage between a main house and the cane on the outside turn of Ulumau rd. Fred lived at the top of the road, just near Baldwin and at the cul de sac end of the road, Johnny 'V' had a tiny, clandestine, shaping/glassing room in an old wooden, stand alone, garage. The room was built by myself and a carpentry co worker. We traded 'V' the work for three shapes each. We bought the blanks and got the shapes glassed. It was an awesome deal all around.
His (Johnny 'V') pirate, shaping room was awesome. It was built like a stand alone structure under this old wooden garage. It had 8" walls stuffed full of salvage insulation. You could not hear a thing outside. 'V' built his trade mark water/air filtration system that plumbed out the roof with a salvage piece of 8" PVC pipe. You could not smell a thing either.
It was a fun 'Hood', bet it still is...

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190
trundlebum wrote:Yo ! It was a fun 'Hood', bet it still is...
Yep !
Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190

trundlebum,That's a good story I wish you had some photos of the Johnny V shaping shack. I haven't seen or heard from Johnny V in a few years.
He is a real piece of Maui history.
The last I heard he bought land at Kaupo. He also mentioned that he had some issue with a Park Ranger while driving home.
Lets not forget our roots!
youtube.com/watch?v=5f8HcmI…

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190

Super Bowl Sunday I decided to cruse down to the beach and check the surf before committing to watching television,drinking beer,and spewing surf stuff.
I just had my surfboard with me and I found that the conditions were not ideal for me that day.
When I drove by Lanes I came across Robbie Swift(red sail)and Marcillo Brown (white sail) just killing it at Lanes so I pulled over and shot these images of their session.
As far as athletes go, these two guys are in the top 1% in their sport.
They were the only two sailors out and I was one of maybe three others watching them.
It was definitely a world class show!
I missed the game.
I miss every game.

Marcillo Brown @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

Robbie Swift @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

Marcillo Brown @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

there was one surfer out as well

Marcillo Brown @ Lanes Super Bowl Sunday

Robbie Swift @ Lanes Super Bowl Sunday

Robbie Swift @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

Marcillo Brown @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

--- Invalid image id: 107033157 ---

Robbie Swift @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

Robbie Swift @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

Robbie Swift @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

Marcillo Brown @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday
Robbie Swift @ Lanes on Super Bowl Sunday

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190
Heyun · · Charleston S.C. · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 455

Good stories here and thanks so much for the pictures. Some of them I can smell even....

I may have put this up already but considering the mention of Johnny V, here's a board he made for me in the fall of 1990. I still ride it today when it's big enough.

And how's this other one? Ever heard of a dude named Buckwheat? On the stringer it say's "SHAPE BUCKWHEAT" and also "TAO". Found it down in the gulch below my house. 9 footer.

genuine Johnny V 7 foot gun, still in action.

9' country

9' country

"the" logo of logo's

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190

Hayne, Thanks for posting up. Your input adds a great deal of credibility to this thread! It's very interesting that you have and are still ridding a Johnny V shape. I know that he would be very proud to here that and if our paths cross at any time I'm going to mention it and perhaps send him the image that you posted. In fact a couple of the images that you posted have given me inspiration. The boards in a circle is one I don't know how many boards we have on this property but their are enough to make a good sized circle of our own. The image of your daughter on a board is another. I have a small collection of kids on thier first rides and I think that would make a good post as well.

BTW:here's a link you might be interested in:

malibushirts.com/t-shirts-h…

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190
Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190

I know that I have been bombarding you guys with “Jaws” stuff. But, I think that hiking down the steep trail to the bottom of the cliff with your surfboard and jumping into giant shore pound off those boulders at the bottom and then paddling out and surfing waves of that stature deserves notice and my respect!
Here’s another interesting bit of Jaws news: My friend Griffin rigged his wind surf gear on the beach at Maliko Gultch earlier this week and sailed up wind for one and a half hours to Pehai “Jaws”. He got some good waves and then sailed his wind surf board back to Hookipa.
I said this to him in a fb comment this morning: “Way to go Griffin!
I just saw Chris's video and would like take this opportunity to congratulate you on your successful and totally adventurous day of north shore wave sailing.
My friend, the purity of your session validates the credibility to our sport!”

My buddy Giampaolo said this in his blog mauisurfreport.blogspot.com/ post this morning: “I'm not a huge fan of Jaws related stuff.
But when it's my buddies that do that kinda stuff, then it's different.
This video is a tribute to Griffin.
It's not the first time that someone sails from Maliko to Jaws. That's actually how Kauli did it his first time. It doesn't matter if he stayed cautiously on the shoulder. What I like is the spirit.”
Griffins friend Chris Murry produced this video” tribute” to Griffin and his adventure.
youtube.com/watch?v=JG0Qfyf…

Heyun · · Charleston S.C. · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 455

Ah, who could get tired of Jaws's footage? It's interesting to see the waves fly by the guys paddling in. Put's a different perspective on it from the tow guys already up. The most pilau place in the world I could imagine being caught inside would be over by the big rock at the Jaw's left.

One time my buddy stuffed me in the pit while surfing the righthander at Honomanu. Crazy wave the way it smacks up against the cliff and lurches. One where you 're paddling as hard as you can but the rip is sucking you up the face until you hit the top.... then you drop. Backside for me... anyway he stuffed me bad and I got a beating. At one point I was standing on the rock bottom in waist deep water with my board in my hands, looking up at about a 15 foot wall of water. Good times looking back on it now, but then I was so mad, I left and drove back to Haiku without him.

How about Kuiaha Cove? That was our spot we could drive to through the pineapple fields. Drive by Jaw's then go surf Kuiaha if the swell was North.

Wish I had more current surf stories and images but it has been dismal here....in the meantime... another board from the wall of fame... 66/68? Dewey Weber Feather. The board I "cut my teeth" on.

Weber Feather, paisly deck.

trundlebum · · Las Vegas NV · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 85

Olaf:

Yeah last I heard Johnny 'V' was working on his land out in Kaupo.

No pic's of the shaping room. I do have pic's of the board quiver I got out of the deal. However they are buried in storage right now.

If you see Fred ask'm about his 'peeping tom' back in those days.
There was a local kid that starting skulking around. My room mate at the time was Raybelle, 'V's G.F and the sister of a gal I had dated/lived with.

One morning Ray wakes up and says 'I think we have a peeping tom. I dismissed it until the sun hit the front, plate glass windows. There, clear as day were hand smudges left by someone trying to look inside the house.
Shortly after Fred woke up in the middle of the night to find some kid at the foot of the bed he and his wife were asleep in.
Fred chased the kid out of the house and down our street.
Word was that the kid used the alley alongside our cottage to access his get away into the cane.
I put an end to that. I thought "How to set this kid up without threatening the local pets/animals?"
I strung a cut broom handle stick across the alley. I ste the stick about 6'6" off the ground. From it hung numerous fishing treble hooks at various heights, the lowest being about 4' off the ground.
It worked splendidly. About two nights later we heard feet quickly padding down the alley, the stick's duct taped being ripped of the T-111 siding of the house and the block wall. Then a shriek and the sound of someone falling over the back wall into the cane. I found the stick about a hundred yards down the cane road. Some of the hooks were bloodied.
He apparently either ended or relocated his nocturnal pursuits from that point forward.
We all had fun heckling Fred for his naked 100' yard dash that one night.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hayne von Kolnitz:
Ahhhhh Yes : HONOMANU !
One of my favorite places on earth.
I am a googfy foot so I love the lefts.
That right is truly a hard hitting, tough to take off on wave when it's on. It reminds me a lot of the outside right hander at Kalihiwai bay, N.shore Kauai.

One time I as surfing the lefts at Honomanu and the way, way outside rights on the west side of the bay mouth were just giant and throwing hard. There were three guys out there ripping it up. The guys inside the bay were in awe and curious who they were.
I forget who the other two were but one was Lopez.
That was a sight to see.

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190

Thanks to da braddas Hayne and trundlebum for talkin story from the day! Keep um coming!

trundlebum, That dude should be very pleased that Fred didn't catch his ass. Fred is a "Big Bugga"!

Hayne,I'm diggin your sick stick picks! They are sort of like ʻohana holoʻokoʻa.
More of you dudes should post up your favorite board images!

There is so much good stuff on Jaws lately,it's a media magnet and every one is getting on the wagon. My neighbor Rick shot and edited a little Jaws video of the morning of 1/20/11
youtube.com/watch?v=1dW9W5N…
feature=player_embedded
The north shore is foretasted to have waves in the 8'- 14' faces (depending where you go) today and very light wind so I am hoping to surf somewhere.
Just for grins here's a photo of another north shore wind surf legend
.

Mark Angulo
Here's another photo of Fred
Fred Haywood

Timmy shaping his new board in the back yard.

trundlebum · · Las Vegas NV · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 85

Olaf:

Yep "Fast Freddy" is a bi iiiig dude.

Interesting the development of speed sailing.
At first it was thought the bigger the sail and the stiffer the breeze the faster a sailor would go. One still proves true.
Originally Fred was a very fast competitor. Then lighter, smaller guys with smaller/narrower boards started to put in faster times.

In the beginning I did not think that bigger was better, but I took it on faith. If the top guys agree then... hey?
Later I started ice sailing. The speeds are relatively so extreme that you learn a lot about what is fast/er. In speed comp/trials, drag races it's more about efficiency. The detriment of small inefficiencies become geometrically compounded at high speeds. No different for anything going fast enough to generate serious windage issues, race cars etc.
Today you can look to ice and dirt boats as examples. True the larger craft do put in better times. Yet, at both ends of the class boat spectrum huge sails just don't work. Smaller, hybrid wingmast/sail combos are much more effective.
Unfortunately I can not find the video...
There is a great video of Fred and Laird sailing off Ma'alaea. They are just playing around, drag racing, crossing each other and generally have a total gas.
~~~~~~~~~~~
topic change:
Years ago a windsurf magazine published a page of incomplete sentences that explemplified Maui sailing culture.
A quip/quote from Fred:
"Going to the airport to test roof racks..."
BITD, before the airport expansion, when the terminal was inside of what is now the baggage pickup... Yep that tree in the middle of the floor, that was outside the original, little terminal building... N.E way, back then the field was much shorter and the planes would turn to line up for take off right in front of the blast deflectors. The road has been rerouted in a big loop around the end of the runway. Before the road was only a cpl dozen yards from the end of the runway. If you past by in a car (or parked at the side of the road) right behind the deflectors as a plane took off... well you got an albeit brief, but very high, cross wind wind test site.

Speaking of island airports...
I had often lived out of a pick up truck during my years in Hawai'i. Most of the islands airports Maui, Hilo, Lihu'e... are on the windward side and the take off puts the planes immediately over the water. At each of the three airports mentioned you can pirate bivy between the end of the field and the shoreline. If you have a fishing rod (just tie an old spark plug to it and cast it out there for bivy camo) no one will hassle you. As well you have an added advantage if you have a morning, start work, time.
First flight - alarm clock !!!

~~~~~~~~~

topic change:
Speaking of wind tunnels and testing.
If you ever get or build a new sail and your dying to set it and check it, but the wind is not coming up or not enough to really test a high wind sail...
The best place to test sails in a light breeze is at the Peahi light house. On the winward side of the point the breeze will venturi as it updrafts th cliff. If it's 10kts at Spreck's it'll be 16-18 on top of the cliff at the light house.

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190
supthemag.com/news/kai-lenn…
Ya gotta root for the home town boy!
Heyun · · Charleston S.C. · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 455

Speaking of Spreck's... best waves I ve ridden in all my life, if I had to choose one session, it would be a day at outer Sprecklesville. I pulled up in the little orange dirt parking lot and could see the waves peeling WAY out there... then a dude named Roy from Jersey I knew from up in Haiku pulls up, the Huelo Don, scraggly headed log longboarder pulls up. The 3 of us convince each other to go have a look see. Absolutely no wind, flawless waves around head and a half or bigger.... just perfect peeling rights where you'd kick out just so you wouldn't have paddle so far back to the take off zone..... plus having a few people around you that far out on the reef lowers your chances of being the one that gets eaten..

That day and maybe a day when I and my same buddy who stuffed me at Honomanu that day went over to the Bay. It was way too crowded and huge so we ended up at a spot he called Little Makaha. Parked by some tennis courts and kind of snuck through some condos. Huge soft walls... so easy to drop into.

I picked this board at Second Wind in Kahalui for 25 bucks, (I think), it was either 25 or 50, rediculous considering it's such an old Al Merrick.....

Channel Island

Channel Island

old CI logo

Al Merrick laminate

glasser Bob

one more logo image

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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