This documentry looks like one not to miss. It tells the story of windsurfing on Bonaire, and how this has changed so many lives for the better there. Lots of Hot Sails too!

Our crew in Curacao is putting on another big event in early April. The Curacao Challenge is a race and freestyle event that brings in all the locals from the ABC islands, and a lot of sailors from Europe. Last year Hot Sails Maui was particularly well represented with 1st, 2nd, or 3rd places in every single division!

Wow.

This video has none of my sails in it but Jeff Brown on the JBD sail
and I used to work at Hood Sailmakers together in the early 80s. He, I
and Paul Mindnich the guy who developed the Freeskate ice board (seen
in this video) all were way into ice windsurfing. To this day it is
something I really miss. The speed and G forces you can attain are at
the same thrill level as big wave windsurfing, but even more difficult
to find. Here, the really amazing thing about this video is the
quality of the ice they are on. You can not pay for this, you just
have to be there and be ready. These guys lucked out.

I guess i should watch Disney channel more often...

I have offered internships to students around the world, and some have been great and some....well like I said, some have been great.
Vincent Girard from France was our intern a few years back, helping with 3d design work and all around learning about business in Hawaii and how a windsurfing company works. He then went home to complete his studies, graduated and went to work for Eurocopter.
Well he still hits the water hard as seen in this double spread in PLANCHE magazine in France. He is riding a 2009 Smack and Quattro twin fin and making the Mediterranean look pretty darn good! Go Vincent!

I wanted to share this blog from the East coast. It is the first born again (from the dark side) windsurf blog I have found and he just happens to be doing it on HOT! Enjoy!
http://ncpaddlesurfer.blogspot.com

I was in Japan 2 weeks ago and was fortunate to meet this remarkable little girl who is quite the fearless sailor. Kazami Matsuura has been sailing flat water and even racing all summer, but when I met her it was her first time in waves. Oh, and it was blowing 30+!

I had made this special 2.1 Microfire for surf conditions with our RDM310 mast. Yes, the 310 mast is sticking out the top that much!
Though she is an exceptional child sailor, she is just like every other kid and enjoys playing most of the time.

While spending this weekend in Japan, I visited the oldest windsurfing shop in Japan, De Mer.
Started in 1976, it has been a family run business for 35 years. It helped set the path for Japanese shops where not only does it sell gear and offer lessons, but it offers board and rig storage for customers. This also creates a "club" feeling and a simple meeting area is maintained that includes erecting a dome in wintertime that is a heated warm up spot and general gathering place.
Outside is some serious windsurf history in various states of decay, and the surroundings are humble, but very functional. De Mar is one of Hot Sails Maui top selling shops in Japan, and they are strong supporters of kids camps and introducing women to windsurfing.
Shop founder Mr. Ookawa and I pose with his first Windsurfer® wooden boom from 1975 or perhaps earlier. He is now joined by his son Shun who teaches windsurfing and works in the shop along with other family members.

Hot Sails Maui team rider, and overall ripper Amado has been awarded
Sportsman of the Year" award by the govenor of Bonaire. Amado has had an amazing year, pretty much winning every race in his age class.

Other Bonaire sailors also won awards including Hot Sails Maui Freestyle ripper Bjorn Saragosa for "Windsurfing Spirit" award.

We made a new print on some super Freak sails inspired by Niclas in Sweden who wanted the feel of the old Mistral stock sails of the early 80s. We of course did it our way, not a copy, but with a lot of the same feel.

Here are some photos of one of the colors that I borrowed of the blog NC PADDLE SURFER. Cool thing is this guy just got sick of kiting and got all new gear from us! He rips on a SUP too.

Anyways, the fade sails look pretty unremarkable up close, but I like the subtle effect from even a small distance.....

A rare photo of me (Jeff) at my spot on Sunday. Just plane fun.

It just does not get better than this season for windsurfing on Maui. I have lived here 25 years now and this fall has been the best I have experienced. The wind just keeps blowing, the waves just keep coming. The one week there was no wind this fall, it was glassy, perfect surf.
We are supposed to have a huge swell in 2 days and wind to go with it. I have dusted off my 9'2 x 19 gun that I had shaped by Bill Foote in 1987 and is still the smoothest thing in the water when it gets over 1.5 mast high. Not sure it will be that big, but.....

Here is the Interview of Paco Mercader, a 15 years old french Hot sails Maui rider which jsut made 6 in the freestyle french championship in Six fours les plages. Let’s ask him some question…

Hi Paco, can you introduce yourself ?
Hello, my name is Paco Mercader and I just had 15 years old. I’m leaving in the south of France, windsurfing in Six fours les Plages, next to Marseille. I like both freestyle and wave. I’m freestyling in the spot of Le Brusc and wave riding mostly in La Coudouliere.
I’m in high school.

You just made 6 in the French freestyle championship which is a nice result for a young guy. I heard that the level was pretty high!

True and I’m really happy of this result! I use to do more wave than freestyle but I’m still training with my friend when there is no wave which often happens here! I managed to lend my moves in the heat without being anxious or nervous. And it worked!
Some riders had a really good level as Vincent Mellouet or my friend Adrien Bosson and Kevin Allegre and it was really nice to have a competition at home.

Which move did you landed in your heat?
I tried to give variety t my heat. At the beginning the wind was pretty light and I was doing my spocks, double flakas, puneta, slider and other light wind moves as the funnel that I land less easily. After, the wind picked up and I tried to go more powerful moves with good forward loops, shove it and big flaka to score.

You also competed in wave, how did it worked?Yes I did as the championship was wave and freestyle. I had the will to obtain a better result than in freestyle but I was going too big. I really tried to push my cut backs to the max which made me fall and loose so much time! Moreover, I was against the guy who’s going to finish 2nd of the competition. I’m a bit disappointed but it motivates me even more for next year!

Are you working on new moves now?
Currently, I mostly work my freestyle. I’m working on the shaka, the ponch and the switch chachoo. In wave I’m trying some goiters and taka. I’d like to land this moves clean soon!

You managed to try the Bolt, what do you think about this sail?
I tried it in light wind and I was stocked by the acceleration and the handling of this sail. It’s very light and comfortable. For sure I’m going for it this year!

Do you have some plans for this winter?With school and my boards/ sails to pay I won’t have time and money neither to trip this winter. But for sure I will try to windsurf as much as possible and I plan to do the French championship in February

Do you have another girlfriend than your Hot Sails Maui?Not right now but I’d really like to find a windsurf girl!


Thank you Paco!

Super nice video of Sweden riders that enjoy riding nice conditions at home
The colors are just incredible with the darkness. Remember that no matter how cold it is, you just have to rip.

http://vimeo.com/7253587

Aloha spirit is coming right in Danemark as an Hawaiian party is going on the 24th of october.
Our teamrider and Danish importer Thomas sorensen will perform on stage as he's not only a radical windsurfer but also an hardcore piano player.
Thousand people are coming in so if you are not right now in maui, the only way to have a little bit of this spirit is to party hard right there.