Featured Articles
Harness Round-up
By Ken WinnerA Guide To Getting Hitched: PART 1 — Buying a harness is like buying a raincoat: You go for function. If you go for style, you're probably going to get wet.
Sea Nymphs
By Douglas FaulknerThe poetic muses of Faulkner’s work leave us with memories of an underwater world of gentle giants. Hints of their presence are often sighted as we windsurf across the surface of the ocean. The once crystal clear waters of this Manatee heaven, not far away from our Florida test center, has been lost forever.
Forecast
Editor’s Note: Issue 6.5
By John Chao
Welcome to the incredible shrinking machine. If you haven’t noticed, we shrunk in size again. It wasn’t easy to give up our oversized format. But with our plans to reach more readers in the coming Millennium—this new size will serve that function well.
Contributors
Hot-rod WindMaker
With this issue, Sam Moses comes onboard as the new Senior Editor (at large) based in the Gorge. A frequent contributor to American Windsurfer, Sam first came to Hood River on assignment for Outside Magazine in 1989, and his resulting cover story put Hood River on the national map.
Air Mail
Utterly Amazing; American I’m Sorry
With curiosity I read the letters about “the case” of the photos with the naked woman. Typical American! Here in Europe no one would even look at it.
Makin’ Waves
The Waves They Are a’ Changing
Well, if this trend continues, windsurfing in the middle of the Atlantic might be the only place left. Don’t even think about it. But the next TransAtlantic Windsurf Race is heating up.
King of Style
By Trip Forman
The First Annual King of the Cape Freestyle Pro-Am, sponsored by North Sails/F2 and held over two days at beautiful West Dennis Beach on Cape Cod, quite possibly marked the beginning of a new movement in windsurfing.
Cat’s-PawWind
Hatching Windsurfers
By Alice Berlow
The event was unique: an entirely free windsurfing clinic. Over 200 children, ages 6-16, participated. They stood on Windgliders, fell off of Windgliders, sailed Windgliders, paddled Windgliders, relay raced, and leap-frogged their way through hours of watery fun.
Workshop
Fundamentals: Art of Tacking
By Mark Archer
Windsurfing is the sprit of escapism, freedom and the feeling of achievement. Having a divine dance with mother nature is what makes windsurfing such a special and meaningful sport.
Home Grown Paradise
By John Chao
HUBERT BAUDOIN had a vision. He wanted to build a windsurfing hideaway for himself and his friends to enjoy. It wasn’t his intention to become a resort developer.
Equipment Tests
Harness Round-up
By Ken Winner
A Guide To Getting Hitched: PART 1 — Buying a harness is like buying a raincoat: You go for function. If you go for style, you're probably going to get wet.
Equipment Tests
Harness Lines Round-up
By Ken Winner
Are these trick new lines worth it? Well, most windsurfers still don’t need all the features the fanciest harness lines boast. But some might. To know where you stand, you have to understand the features.
Business is Booming
By Sam Moses
The good news is that in many ways, choosing a boom is the easiest equipment selection to make. The decision can be based on objective criteria, because booms are not nearly so style-specific (nor mysterious) as boards or sails, or even harnesses.
Equipment Tests
1999 Equipment Test: All-around Boards
By Ken Winner
These boards might be called all-around boards. Generally, they are about 13 feet long, and most have a centerboard, which enables the rider to float with stability and sail in virtually any direction.
1999 Equipment Test: Race Sails
By Ken Winner
As race boards and sails become faster and faster, fewer and fewer sailors find they want, or are even able, to sail the fastest stuff.
Portfolio
Sea Nymphs
By Douglas Faulkner
The poetic muses of Faulkner’s work leave us with memories of an underwater world of gentle giants. Hints of their presence are often sighted as we windsurf across the surface of the ocean. The once crystal clear waters of this Manatee heaven, not far away from our Florida test center, has been lost forever.
Interviews
Peter Thommen: Master Shaper
By Ken Winner
PETER THOMMEN was impressed. The celebrated board shaper had finally created something he thought was “perfect”. In his eyes, it was the hottest shape on maui. “It puts everything into perspective,” said the shaper as he watched his 22lb baby boy splash across the pool.