My first wind foiling session

The wind started on our Victoria Day holiday Monday as predicted. It was rainy and gusty so I started out on my 6.2 North Duke Sail and 108 Skate to get a sense of the conditions. It was "pump onto a plane in a gust" type wind (around 15-20 knots) and I had fun ripping back and forth and feeling more competent in my transitions than I had in Morocco in the competition just over a week ago. Flat water helps vs. rolling ocean swells!

The GPS trail of my traditional windsurfing session and foil session.

I windsurfed back into shore and swapped the freestyle windsurf board for my BIC Techno 148 windsurf board with the Slingshot Hoverglide Foil. As per the advice I'd been given at Silent Sports, I also left my harness on shore.

Launching the foilboard even with the "medium" 24 inch flight school mast meant really watching out for the rocks and walking far out into the water. It was easy to beach start though in the deeper water.

Foil speeds are lower than fully planing runs on the regular board!

At slow sub planing speeds, the board behaves fairly normally. When I tried pinching upwind, I could feel the long blade below me - it is longer than the fin I normally use on the Techno. And then when I sheeted in the sail to get going I could really feel the lift of the foil!

It was actually fairly easy to get the board out of the water - and easier to control than when I was being pulled behind the boat. I did get the nice sensation of the board becoming quiet as it hovers over the whitecaps. But since it was quite gusty wind, I couldn't get any extended distance up on the foil. Most of the time I'd just drop back onto the water. And several times I crash landed in the water that had just been ice 6 weeks ago! Brrr...

I quickly realized that it will be good to have inboard footstraps (and no booties) as controlling the board is crucial to keeping the foil steady. And a smaller sail would have been good too. Waterstarting was easy, but I kept my kicks to a minimum to avoid hitting my shins on the foil wings.

The highlight had to be the last part where I was running almost downwind on a broad reach. All of a sudden things got super quiet. Unlike the upwind foil moments I had, going downwind there wasn't even wind in my ears. Just silence.

My next session won't be until 3 weeks from now - hopefully the water will be warmer then. Based on my first few runs, I think I'm looking forward to nice warm light wind days to get this new kind of windsurfing dialed in.

No pictures of my kit from today - check out my first foil session behind the boat for more details about the foil gear.

First wind foil practice!

The foil all ready to go behind the boat

OK, so foiling is all the rage. I was inspired by Kai Lenny's SUP foil video and Sebastian Kornum's windsurf foil successes. I knew I'd need to get one.

Tom Soltysiak was wearing his Silent Sports hoodie in Morocco so I when I heard through my wife that Silent Sports had just received a shipment of windsurf foils - I dropped in. I picked up the Slingshot hoverglide windfoil #1 and the flight school learning kit.

After the fairly complicated conversion of my board (see tech talk below), I took the advice of first trying the foil behind a boat. It also wasn't very windy, so I couldn't actually try it with a windsurfing sail. Thankfully my wife and daughter were up for towing me.

Here's the summary of my first 8 attempts. I got up and promptly fell the first 4 times. I wobbled so much on those first few attempts I wondered if I would be able to do it at all.

But since the speed is so slow, only one of the falls I had hurt! By my 5th and 6th tries I was amazed that I was actually foiling and shouted "This is so f@c&ing cool!".

Here's the video of rides 5-8. Thanks Katie for the footage.

My first windfoil practice from Canadian Guy on Vimeo.

Happy about my first 4 foil attempts & 2 rides!

I took a break and on my 7th and 8th attempts I was simply enjoying the sensation of floating over the water. It was so quiet I could hear the bubbles coming up in the boat wake. Those rides were each around 2 minutes long. My smile says it all.

My 7th attempt!

I can't wait to try the board and foil with a windsurfing sail.



Technical notes:

Here's the tech talk about how to modify a BIC Techno for a Slingshot foil.

Slingshot deep tuttle connector

I'd heard that my BIC Techno 148 could be used as a foil board from some of the US mailing lists I'm on like Isthmus Sailboards. But I wanted to buy local. And if I'd had more time maybe the Kerfoil would have been a good option - and with no board modification needed.

I knew I'd need to drill out the fin screw holes on my board to accommodate the bigger bolts for the slingshot deep tuttle box adapter. I was a bit worried that would impact the future use of one of my favourite light wind boards - my BIC Techno 148 - the same type of board I'd used in 3 HIHOs.

That conversion turned out to be harder than I thought. I did have the perfect sized drill bit to expand the M6 holes to accommodate the M10 bolts. But the metal washers inserted into the bottom of the holes on top of the tuttle box started to spin as the drill caught the last bit of material. The rotation started to slightly damage the inside edges of the board. So I stopped drilling - a bit frustrated that I might be permanently damaging my board.

My solution to the bolt problem:
 some pipe cut to make sleeves and transfer the
 load to where the fin screws normally seat

Also, there was the issue of how to get the M10 bolts with the big hex heads to sit up high so they don't damage the board and yet still transfer their load to the box? I solved that by cutting some pipe of 2 different diameters to make sleeves for the bolts.

With that problem solved, I went back with a round file and made the mostly drilled out holes in the washers slightly bigger and drilled the holes in the box from the bottom as well.

Top view of the cut pipes I used as spacers

Now the bolts sit a bit proud from the board - I'm ordering some M10 allen bolts to see if that will provide a flush mount.

The upside of the Slingshot kit over some of the fixed masts is that there are different lengths for learning. I used the 24 inch flight school mast which was recommended by the shop for first timers. I can graduate to the longer ones when I get better.

PS, a while later, Slingshot published this video about moving from M6 to M10 bolts: https://blog.slingshotsports.com/diy-convert-your-board-10mm-foil-hardware/

IWT Morocco 2017 Windsurfing Wave Contest

Here's my daily journal from my trip to the 2nd IWT Morocco wave windsurfing contest! Flipping though the pictures gives a pretty good idea of the trip!

Friday May 5
‎I was lucky to have an easy connection through Munich on my way to Morocco. My flights were relaxing and I started changing from city to windsurf mode.

I arrived in Marrakech and was greeted by a nice taxi driver who drove me the two+ hours to Moulay Bouzerktoune. There a tent city had been ‎built on the beach for us to sleep in. Other tents and structures indicated that there was going to be a big event soon.

The taxi ride from Marrakech to Moulay Bouzerktoune

A Fantasia "horse culture performance" fair setting up on our route in Had Draa 

I arrived at the beach to an international welcome!

I caught up with a bunch of the IWT regulars ‎and we had our first dinner in the beach tent city illuminated by the generator powered lights. The forecast was looking good for the opening day of competition. ‎

Saturday May 6
The next morning I hit snooze too often and actually only woke up because it got quiet when everyone headed up to the skippers meeting. Luckily I could register, get my lycra and pick out my rental gear before the first heats started. ‎

Syncing my watch before my first heat

I was in amateur heat 4 and headed out to windsurf for the first ‎time in 5 months - on rental gear. But I was set up OK, and could water start and got out through the shore break. I caught 2 waves and then was struggling due to the low wind in the relatively easy shore break. With still 2 minutes left in the heat I headed in to shore to save myself for my upcoming masters heat.‎

My masters heat was also ‎a short 17 minute adventure. JP and I were the only two 45-55 year olds (another was on his way) so we were out with the two grand masters Colby and Gerhart who I sailed with last year. I caught a wave, did a bottom turn, hit the nice lip on the wave and was a bit afraid of my ride in the serious whitewater. But instead of letting go in fear like I'd have done in the past, I held on and made it. (Later one of the judges noted that they actually have seen an improvement in my windsurfing - specifically thinking oh Carl's gonna let go - wait he held ‎on!)‎ I caught another wave toward the end of the heat and then sailed right back into shore with no drama.

It didn't take long to announce the results, ‎JP had bested me just like he has in the half dozen or so heats ‎we've had in the last two years.

Happy after my first heats

JP Wins round one!

Part of the tent city includes a pair of restaurants where I had a great 'salade compose'. I took Mat from Switzerland up to Lawama's where we watched a bit more of the contest from the nice balcony there. Then back to the beach to watch the last of the amateur, women's and pro finals.

View of the event site from Lawama's cliffside bar

After cleaning up with quick hand held bucket showers, we all boarded buses for the 30 minute drive to Essaouira. Our first stop was the Cultural centre, where Boujmaa's efforts in creating this event were lauded ‎by the dignitaries that were in attendance. By then, the very hungry riders and staff were ready for the hors d'oeuvres. Later, we headed to Taros for the opening party. My phone actually remembered the WiFi code from last year and I got my first emails. Back in the tent city we had a third bite of dinner, now much quieter under the full moon as electricity had been extended to the camp. ‎

Headed to the opening ceremony!

Opening ceremonies in town!

Sunday May 7
Another nice sleep in. Only Tom (also from Toronto ‎and whose name I knew well but had never met) slept longer than me. I headed out on a big 172l SUP and slowly got used to the conditions. I had several very nice wave rides on the big SUP. Lunch was wonderfully French at the well stocked Fanatic centre.

We had a lovely yoga session looking out onto the sun setting on the Pacific. The group ate a quiet dinner under the bright moon. I fell asleep listening to the organizers of the tent city playing their traditional instruments with the rest of the windsurfers slowing joining in and eventually finding their rhythm.

Yoga on the beach

Dinner in the tent with a very international group of windsurfers

Monday May 8
There was a bus organized for us to go to Essaouira ‎so 20 of us headed into town. Boujmaa gave us a tour. For lunch, he bought some fish at the dockside market and we headed to a restaurant where they cooked it for us.

Exploring the markets in Essaouria

Windsurf  world champion tourist in the fish market!

The boats that caught our lunch

The crew after the freshly prepared fish lunch

I tried a few cafes for Internet and finally got connected to work and did the few minutes of tasks I needed to complete. I also looked at the photos ‎from our family trip to Morocco from 20 years ago. It brought back many great memories. In many ways things remain very much the same here. What was indeed different is that when I suddenly wanted to share my memories with those back in Canada I could easily phone home and talk to my wonderful wife.

Laptop overlooking the harbour

We headed back to Moulay on the bus with everyone showing off their purchases. There was another yoga session planned, this time the local kids joined in which made it very entertaining as they tried to be serious but inevitable giggles took over. ‎

Tuesday May 9
Wow! I woke up earlier and in time for ‎the beach cleanup that was planned to help raise awareness for the Trash Hero campaign.

Photo op after the trash hero beach cleanup

I headed out for a short SUP session that was very hard for me in the occasional large set.‎ So I had another lunch in the tent restaurant and then caught a ‎cab to Essaouira. I was off to meet my sister who had planned a tour of Morocco that nicely had a stopover in Essaouira during the contest window.

I caught up on Facebook in the Hotel and then met up with Veronica and her tour group who had just returned from the desert. After a nice shower in the quaint Riad, we went to watch the sunset from a terrace overlooking the Atlantic. That was followed by a fun dinner complete with African 'trans‎' music. I ordered the lobster because the trip notes from 20 years ago said I'd enjoyed it back then. It was delicious again. I also got to know many of the people in her tour group who were all very nice.

My sister's tour group overlooking the sea and ready for dinner!

Wednesday May 10
The tour group set off from the hotel for a 3 hour walk through the streets and medinas of Essaouira. Even though I know my way around pretty well now, ‎I discovered some of the exact spots we'd visited 20 years ago.

Exploring Essaouira with Veronica's tour group

Surf's up is a theme in this town!

In the afternoon my sister and I headed to the long sand windsurfing beach. I rented gear from Ion Surf and had an almost frustrating first hour. I went back out then for two more runs and then I finally started ‎getting comfortable. Every time I came in, I would head out for one more ride. I caught some great waves and even had a party wave with JP. Two and a half hours later I finally came in. I met up with my buddy Chris from Maui board tests who had come to Morocco with friends. The set up reminded us of Bonaire. Just add camels (the real kind, but the Europeans were smoking there too!).

Heading down the French inspired shore-side toward the windsurfing centres

Camels on the windsurfing beach!

That's me on one of the many waves I caught out there.

Coming in happy!

After a very satisfying session Veronica and I walked back to her hotel and then went out for a wonderful French / Moroccan fusion dinner.

Thursday May 11
After a quick ‎breakfast in the Riad in Essaouira I got into a petit taxi to go to the spot where the grand taxis are. But my driver had an idea to have his friend take me. I got a bit anxious when we headed the wrong direction and stopped at the back of a building way at the edge of town. But the petit taxi driver eventually found the grand taxi he'd called and we headed to Moulay.

I got there just in time to hear that we were going to run more amateur heats in the relatively good south wind. ‎My first heat was against JP for the masters double elimination and I barely caught one wave. I was definitely struggling but at least got back to the beach OK. My next heat was a free pass as a few of the amateurs did not show up for the double elimination. Apparently many of the local amateurs didn't like the unusual port tack conditions. Then I was up against JP again and Stephano. This time I caught 3 waves but barely rode them and wasn't surprised to come in 3rd. My amateur heats were over but I cheered JP who won 5 straight heats.

Later in the afternoon I took on the role of beach marshal to try and keep the recreational windsurfers out ‎of the competition area. It worked pretty well and for one heat only the two finalists were on the water. That made things much easier for the judges.

Carl as beach marshal! (flight director)

We all headed to Lawama's which was super busy. I checked out the accommodations at Tatanga, and will be looking at the place next time...‎. After another fun dinner talking about awesome things like windsurfing Jaws with one of the first women to do it, I headed to bed and had another good sleep in the tent.

Friday May 12
We got up this morning knowing that it would be a strange media day. No wind, but the ‎photo crews from France and Morocco wanted beach scenes. So we got on tour buses and headed into Essaouira.

The beach side hotel I stayed at 20 years ago - still there for fancy tourists!

We did the boot camp exercise class on the beach that had been arranged. There was great WiFi at the luxury hotel across the street so we were going back and forth from camels and sand to 5 star poolside showers. Then the chefs at the hotel brought out trays of sandwiches for us.

Beach media

Boujmaa and Tom entertained us with some tow in windsurfing. ‎Boujmaa got 3 jumps - Tom was doing it for the first time and he got going nicely on his second run. Yeah Canada. ‎

Boujmaa and Tom Soltysiak entertained us with tow in windsurfing

After a ride back to ‎the tent city and a nice photo opportunity for Tom and me at the IWT road sign, we headed to a nice Friday night party at 'beach and friends'.

Canadian photo op on the road to Moulay!

Saturday May 13
There was wind building slowly from the correct direction as predicted so head judge Duncan ‎started the heats at 12:30. It was rotating through pros and women and youth so I was put on beach marshal duty. I had fun helping Tom and Ben who were doing the colour commentary on the PA system. I also worked to try and figure out what sails the local kids were on.

In the midst of this, I was happy to see my sister arrive from Marrakech. Her bus was late getting to Essaouira ‎but she had met up with the driver that Boujmaa had very nicely arranged for her. Yes, Bouj was running EVERYthing and doing an amazing job.
‎
There was a mix-up on one of the women\'s results which was sad for the ladies and ‎frustrating for me. Tom sailed his last amateur heat against local Yves and kept his 2nd place.

We watched the women's final then the Pro men. Yes, Bouj was still doing a million things at once; running the event, arranging taxis and picking up litter, but would still go on to win the Pro double elimination against Kevin Pritchard. Wow.

Boujmaa - the winner of the Pro event!

I had selected my gear, the same 110l Severne twin fin and a 5.7 Severne Gator sail. We were going into a final combined master and grand master heat to determine 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

Ready for my final heat - nice to have my sister cheering and taking pictures!

As the 6 of us headed into the water at the end of the pro final, my rig felt strange. I looked down and saw that my universal was broken. Grrr.

Oh cr&p, my universal is busted

Luckily Soufian who works in Bouj's shop and who I knew from Cap Verde and last year saw me and ran to my aid. He grabbed the universal from his rig and set me up to go.

Soufian to the rescue

Soufian helping me with his universal

I'm proud that it didn't really phase me. I just headed out and got ready to look for waves.

The Masters / Grand Masters ready to go

Heading out for the Master / Grand Master final heat

I caught 2 small waves in the heat but didn't do anything noteworthy on them. I wasn't surprised that JP kept his first place. We smiled at each other on the water while I was heading out and he was riding in on a sweet wave. Simeon had also arrived from Maui to join us. In the grand masters luckily Chris Pow was able to compete and then raced off to catch his taxi to the airport just as the wind started building more.

The event was now complete and I finally had enough wind ‎to waterstart consistently and enjoyed some great free sailing in the waves. It was crowded but it felt like I knew most of the people in the water. I even got planing a few times and kept upwind OK. I got my best waves of the week and returned to shore with a big grin.

I packed up and ‎we headed to the closing party. I'd booked a Riad (hotel) right next to the Ocean Vagabond so it was easy to drop our bags and still make it to the awards ceremony in time to pick up my 2nd place trophy! I was great to see Boujmaa taking the first place Pro prize. He deserved it!

The Masters podium - I was thrilled with 2nd!

Event results:
2nd in masters, 17th in Amateur simply because I showed up for all my heats!

The party had a super warm feeling and there were a lot of Moroccan officials ‎to thank in the speeches. We all slowly said our goodbyes. I hadn't drunk all week but bought a few bottles of the organic wine with the Boujmaa labels. Maybe I'll import some for the Toronto Windsurf Club events.

My sister and I went back to the hotel and got our bags ready for the next morning and reflected on the wonderful closing day of the event.

Sunday May 14th
Hotel, taxi, plane, car, visit my nephew in Germany, car, hotel, plane and taxi. Back to reality. ‎

All smiles for the event video (timestamp :032)!

IWT Featured Rider - Preparing for Morocco

It was a huge thrill to be profiled as one of the International Windsurfing Tour's ‎featured riders. The IWT asked me 20 questions and here are my responses:

https://internationalwindsurfingtour.com/featured-rider-carl-spiess/

The most fun part of that was when Boujmaa Guilloul reposted the article and said I was an inspiration.

That coming from one of only 3 windsurfers I know of  to attempt a triple forward loop. His passion for the sport is an inspiration to me! Watch his triple forward attempt video at:

Boujmaa Guilloul about his triple forward from Mysticboarding on Vimeo.

Boujmaa also had a pretty epic wipeout at the Aloha classic last year that I watched live from the beach: http://windsurfing.tv/video/wipeout-of-the-day-moroccan-canon-ball/ It really is inspiring how Boujmaa really goes for it!

I'm now heading to Morocco for the first IWT stop May 6-13. We'll be sleeping on tents on the beach.

I will admit to being a bit anxious. Even though I went to Boujmaa's Moulay event last year, the time away from family and work stresses me.

Well, I'll admit the foreign country, remote surf location, potential for big crashing waves and high level competition ‎all provide a bit of stress too.

Oh well, here goes. Stay tuned at:
https://internationalwindsurfingtour.com/morocco-spot-x/