If you have kids, you might also choose this song as the soundtrack of your life!
https://vimeo.com/82459154
High Speed Daddy.
Greetings from a High Speed Daddy
If you have kids, you might also choose this song as the soundtrack of your life!
https://vimeo.com/82459154
High Speed Daddy.
Luderitz reflections
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| Loft Speedblade 5.6 2014 - a very beautiful creation! |
The trip to
Namibia was a true experience for sure. The mind-set was to go down there and
participate and get home alive and not with too many damages. I was prepared for a few, but not to be a cripple when returning home. No 50 knot musts! I had prepared
myself as well as I could and in equipment ( e.g. I brought 15 masts) I only missed an SDM-mast for the
smallest sail, (which I did not use
anyway). In general we had a great time. The international speed windsurfing scene
is a very friendly community and has an open and positive mind-set.
With all participators we had many great moments around the canal, at the trailer
back to the start, at the Nest Hotel breakfasts, in Diaz Coffee shop and at the
dinners at various places. We, the Swedes did also a series of Web-TV (will be subtitled soon) and a few episodes with Patrick and Antoine.
About the
sailing. I did only had one really powered up day. That day I felt a bit like a
rookie and it was more about getting into the feeling of making the way through
the canal, rather than trimming the equipment and catching the speeds. This was my first day ever with a smaller board (less than 44cm) in combo with a sail less than 6m2. (I am really only used to 8,6 and + 60 cm boards).
Getting rid
of the ghosts and fear about crashes etc. The runs went better and better
during the day. Started with 42 knots, 42,5, 42, 43,5 44 and 45,5 knots over 500m. Peak 47,7 knots or 88 km/h. 5 knots faster than I ever have sailed. It was super gusty and I had bad luck with the gusts, except of once, but I did not dare to sheet in that moment... I guess that was my chance to break 50. But I thought this was only the start for the next 3 weeks...
I listened
to some advice from Anders Bringdal, to lower the boom quite a bit; it resulted in
some better speeds but ended up in a HUGE catapult in the middle of the course
in 45 knots.
The sailing
challenge in Luderitz is to get on the board quickly in gusty low winds, be
quick into the harness and straps and do the corner with good acceleration. I
never managed to do that all well in the same run…
And the
hardest part then was to find a stance and some wind down the 150-160 degrees
course. Most runs I felt very underpowered with my 5,6 in about 30-35 knots
wind. To stop was easy, since I am used to the Karpathos reef. I wished we had
some more days with 35-45 knots wind to get used to the trim and stance.
I had
brought 5 boards, 15 fins, 7 sails, 15 masts, but ended up only using 2 sail, 2 boards, 2 masts and 2 fins…
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| We all survived this year, and arrived home alive! |
What I did
not like was the level of the water in the canal, about 50 cm too low, the
sailable width was in some parts less than 2 m and very shallow. To have a wall that is 2-3 m high on the leeward
side did not feel good either, if a fin broke we would been mashed or nailed
into the wall. And the almost empty so-called ambulance was something from a
surplus sale from the mid eighties. I expected a modern, fully equipped
ambulance with a team of paramedics…
When Sophie
crashed it became obvious that the wall and the rescue-team was the weakest
part. When she crashed we all did our best and I do hope she will recover very
soon and will be back in business.
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| Cheers - Luderitz 2013 mission completed. |
I would like to thank some people a bit extra that made this trip special; Patrick Diethelm who helped me with the SDM-masts and boom-adaptation and Anders Bringdal for your mental support and my traveling partner Daniel Borgelind. Jeroen and Brad who drove the trailer when the official timing was down.
I also am very thankful to all partners that supported me with ultra high quality equipment and services; Hertz, Tenson, Loft Sails, Carbon Art, Mistral, X-Booms, Gasoil-, Hurricane- and Black Project fins.
Luderitz from here
I post some pics and comments on my Facebook page if you would like to keep up, look at the bottom of this blog page.
Luderitz Booms
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| Jan Maixner with my handmade superlight X-booms with Streamline heads. |
When it comes to simple things as booms. Especially short racing booms, anything will do, right? Well thats not what I think. I have many different makes, and well AL360 is alright. But not any boom in the world can be compared with an X-Boom. A kilo lighter, 200% stiffer, oval grip and the best; cork grip! And I can choose boom-head.
This year I have used X-Booms for the big sails like 8.6, 9.2 and 9.6, but now I also buying for the small sails. They are not inexpensive, but I get what I pay for. And they will probably last for very many years.
This year I have used X-Booms for the big sails like 8.6, 9.2 and 9.6, but now I also buying for the small sails. They are not inexpensive, but I get what I pay for. And they will probably last for very many years.
Luderitz boards 2013
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| Carbon Art SP4X |
The last 2-3 months the designers, shapers and custom builders of windsurfing boards have been occupied. Small narrow blanks; 39-43 cm wide. Narrow but also a bit thinner than usual. Sandwich and high quality carbon... Light. A lot of speculations about rocker lines, v-shapes, aerodynamic deck, assy set-ups etc etc.
When I got the question today - "Do you have any special made board for Luderitz in production" I answered "doesnt everybody has that?".
There are so much speculations about what to build. For me this is a big adventure and the proven constructions is my cup of tea. Off course also with some improvements. So I will bring a handful of boards with me. Stay tuned for more!
Reflections from Karpathos Speed 2013
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| Stopping and also checking the speed line |
Time to
conclude this years Karpathos speed event. It is the 5th year and my 11th week
on the island. Karpathos proved once again to a very reliable place when you
want offshore wind during fixed dates. I is not many places in the world with
7-9 Bft every day from the same angle and with no rolling sea etc. Also the
service that we have with airport pick up, storage and rescue is unique.
This year
we where less Swedes that participated, but instead more Dutch and Ukrainian
sailors joined the event. We really had a great time together. If you want to
know more about the event and how it turned out, you can read here Karpathosspeed.com
Some reflections
about my own sailing
I have got a lot more used to the spot than the years before. This year my pulse almost never rose at all. And I did not find the place gusty on the upwind at all. It was extremely easy to sail every day. About 800km during 14 days in a row, with speeds around 38-42 knots everyday.
This year
both Daniel and myself used our sessions to practice and trim for Luderitz. The
difference compared to other years is that we used smaller boards, sails and
assy fins. And I also did practice to stop from 39-40 knots on 25 metres many
times.
The boards
that I brought this year where Carbon Art SP44, SP48, SL55 and SP60. I do not
want to write bad about any fin-brands, but on the good side I must say that I
am surprised how well the Gasoil Assy fin worked both upwind and downwind on
the SP44. I tried a lot to trim the new SP48 but struggled with the fins.
Daniel had better flow with this board than I. Maybe a better fin and also the board
size suited his weight better than for me. Hard to say, but I will try to find
more carbon fins in sizes 26-28 with medium lift.
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| SP44 and Loft 6,3 high wind trimmed |
Maybe the
whole combo has got a lot better year by year. Because neither Daniel nor
myself had any problems with catapults or any serious spinouts. Balance is the
word! I feel I am writing a lot of positive bullshit above, pushing my sponsors
etc. Sorry if you feel that, what can I say more than that Daniel and Markus E
where also very pleased with their sails from NP and Simmer!
Next year I
will NOT bring the 7,8 rig and a lot of G10 fins will also be left home.
I made a
little video from this year that explains why we keep on visiting the Island of
Karpathos. It is the reliable offshore wind, but also the fantastic town
Pigadia, the food and all the nice people we meet. The Greeks but also all
others that are visiting the island every year.
from Karpathos with love from Anders BQ on Vimeo.
MAST BUSTERS
Have you
heard on the beach or read a forum thread, a story of a professional slalom rider, that had measured up all his
masts and the difference of the mast in bending curve and characteristic was so
huge that only a third of the mast where usable?
I believed
a bit in that story and when I have read some Magazines test that also between
the lines says something that support that, it could be some truth.
So the myth
is that buying a 100% carbon mast is a lottery.
But the
thing is that I never have felt any difference between masts from the same make
with the same specs. I decided to make the test myself. Nine 490 masts and
seven 460 from all together seven different production batches. A strap, a
table and a fence, 15+10 kg water tanks.
Starting off with the long 490 masts. With 25 kg at the ferrule (the middle); not any
difference at all, about +/- 1 mm. Except one masts that has been pre-bend (happens
when the mast is in the sail for a week with some downhaul). But when turning
it upside down, the same bending curve as the rest. The same results with the
460 masts. Then loading the tops with 15 kg. The same results. Not even the RDM
gave different results, or 490 or 460 RDM. (Yes I have Loft 490 RDM!)
I kept on
until I found one of my oldest masts, a 460 slightly a bit stiffer than the
others. But the difference was about 8
mm. I would say that it is not much enough to feel when sailing.
Conclusion.
At least with the mast I use from Loft, it doesn’t matter which mast I take!
Luderitz Speed Challenge Calling
The
absolute speed experience in the entire world right now must be the event in
Namibia created and hosted by Sebastien Cattelan and Sophie Routaboul. Almost
all other major events like Speed:World:Cup and European Speed Championship are
on hold. Off course we all want to be there this year. Here is the full list of all participators all 6 weeks.
And here I am: http://luderitz-speed.com/riders/anders-bjorkqvist
And here I am: http://luderitz-speed.com/riders/anders-bjorkqvist
Finally all lines on my list are checked and booked.
- v Invited
to the elite weeks
- v Payment
for Elite weeks 4-5-6
- v Hotel
rooms for Daniel and myself
- v Airline
tickets to Cape Town
- v Confirmed
extra baggage 200 kg
- v Rental
bus 25 days from Hertz
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| Myself and Daniel Borgelind will share most things except rooms! |
I could
compare it with the World Championship 2009 at Karpathos when I was new in the
sport. I ended up 31:th but that was one of the most enjoying events in my life
ever. Sailing with the ”big five” in Luderitz is more than enough!
Videos from last year:
Videos from last year:
Test Week in Egypt
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| Lägg till bildtext |
The type of
sailing that Daniel and myself perform here is not the regular ins and
outs or relaxed blasting on slalom boards. We are on big sails, 9,5 and 8,6 on
65 wide, 105 litre speed boards with fins around 25-32 cm.
When the
sails not are 100% tuned, when they are brand new from the boxes, it is hard to
downhaul them properly. With 2 cm less downhaul the rigs are heavy and the load
on the fin the same. Especially upwind that makes a big difference. Only the stiffer
slalom fins manages that well. Off wind it is different, the slalom fins
creates drag and do not release as a thin speedier fin.
Read more about our week HERE http://egyptwindsurf.blogspot.se
Here is a video from our week:
Read more about our week HERE http://egyptwindsurf.blogspot.se
Here is a video from our week:
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