GAASTRA SAILS

I'm really happy to be able to announce that for 2010 i'll be riding the Gaastra Manic sails.  

This was my first session on the sails, i was really impressed with them, it's a very easy to use sail that's a piece of cake to rig .  It's smooth delivery of power and precise feel to the sail is what i first noticed about it and straight away gives you confidence in its performance,  i now have a sail that when i want power it gives me that instantly, if i want to ditch power it goes in a flash, nothing like my old combats used to feel, they were super soft with a sloppy, spongey, springey delivery of power in comparison, they were about 18 months old though!!

So far i only have three manic HD's the 4.2 (red) the 4.7 (gold) and the 5.3 (red).  The rest i will collect when i get home to the UK.  It's made a massive help to my sailing already, it feels good! so when it feels good, you sail good! that's kinda how it works!
I'll also be disposing of all my pryde stuff so if you want to ear mark any sails, masts, booms and so on for the big clear out when i get home you better get emailing me! it'll go fast...
pix Liz Metcalfe - www.capesessions.com

Massive Waves in Cape Town!

You might well have read elsewhere that things have been going off down here, well, it's all true!

It got to one stage where all the beaches were maxing out, things were getting out of control!!  This shot was taken by Ingo Meyer www.windsurfersmag.de
There were some sets rolling in at way over mast high, i've seen a couple of other pix around where it looks almost double mast high!
This was taken at Haakgat, it's one of the few beaches that holds a big swell, but, even this place was closing out in the channel and the currents and white water were making it difficult to get out.
I went out at one time and i was sure i was way out back and then the horizon was just looming up ahead of me, it was rising like a tidal wave, the ocean disappeared down as the water was sucking in front of it, i had to bear away, head down wind and managed to get around the thing as it broke, it was a mass of white water upwind, like an avalanche, had i gone down on that i don't know what would have happened??

I still managed to throw the odd cheeky jump out there ;)

a tweaked pushy this one.

In 7 years of coming here i've never seen the waves that big with a South East wind blowing....
The second day wasn't as big but haakgat wasn't happening either, too chopped up and nasty, i headed to big bay and had a fun sail there, even though that was closing out between the rocks, still i find big bay a strange place to sail? i really don't see the attraction?
Blouberg beach front has been the best session in the last few days, i had a fun session on my new 4.2, more of which i hope i can tell you about soon..

Thanks Oxbow Africa wetsuits

Big thanks to Tom and the OXBOW team here in Cape Town....
They sorted me out a treat when i got in a bit of trouble yesterday, i arrived at the beach and my old Pryde wetsuit suffered a double malfunction! nightmare! best swell of the season too!!
They gave me a new 4/3 long arm suit so i wasn't freezing my nuts off which was lucky as it was pumping out there!I was super impressed with the suit actually... i thought it was a bit tight from the christmas puddings i'd had but it's super flexible and the L fits me like a glove.. i did feel like i was a bit naked out there though... feels like you're not wearing anything!!
Perfect for action water sports like windsurfing....
Cheers OXBOW!
Phil Horrocks

thanks to Liz Metcalfe - www.capesessions.com for the pix

2009 Done and dusted

Here's one of my favourite shots from a couple of years back, i took such a pounding on this wave, it was a hell of bump when i landed! shot by Liz Metcalfe

All done and dusted for the year now...
It's been a bit on and off recently here in Cape Town but this last week has switched on again and we've had some of the best sailing this year.
Christmas day was a fun little session, nothing special but always nice to get out on the water on those special days.  A few days break and then the swell started rolling in and it was pretty much all time!!  I had two consecutive evening sessions where the swell was logo to mast high and unbelievably clean waves!! Full power riding on some of the best waves of the year, big air's and fast powerful carving turns where your board is cutting like a knife through butter!
It was a couple of days where the wind was slow to fill in and the impatient people flocked to sunset and big bay, we waited a little longer and sure enough i was out on my 4.5 and 74 Twinser almost on our own!  The first day there was maybe 4 of us out there and the second it got busy with about 8!
Things have changed now though, the wind is totally pumping, 4.2 overpowered by early afternoon today.. great for jumping :)  Not a bad way to bring in the New Year...
Roll on 2010....