3 March 2010

Embedded Google Wave

This example post is to test embedding google wave into this blog, you will need an account with google wave to read it


1 March 2010

New Gaastra Vapor video from Kevin Pritchard

Gaastra 2010 Vapor from Kevin Pritchard on Vimeo.

1 September 2009

Thomas Traversa in Morocco

We saw a good forecast for the next four to five days for Morocco and Boujmaa Guilloul invited me to come over and check out his place. A plane, a taxi et voila! After that we enjoyed good meals, wind and waves! I’ve been going to these spots for the last ten years, it really is a good place with a very calm and special vibe to it. It was also a possibility to show this beautiful country to my girlfriend Sophia, while hooking up with Boujmaa and the Moulay crew, training together, having fun. Besides this Brendan came over to capture the action on film

See the pics

14 July 2009

Alex and Thomas train at Pozo

Alex Mussolini & Thomas Traversa Pozo 2009 from umi pictures on Vimeo.

3 April 2009

T1 Goes Bamboo.


T1 is known for its audacity to think outside the box: The first to promote and firmly believe in a compact, user-need driven product range following its ‘One Man. One Board.’ concept.
T1 then set new industry standards with its Version 3.0 introducing the revolutionary ‘revoXskin’ and ‘CarboX’ construction. Now, T1 is taking board building to yet another level with their technology called ‘BambO²/CarbonX’. As of Version 4.0 T1 embraces and incorporates Bamboo veneers in all T1 boards! It is a logical step for this innovation driven company to make the best built boards not only better but also Greener and even more durable. T1’s ‘CarboX’ construction uses strategically oriented carbon layers, mirrored inside and outside the PVC sandwich skin, paired with T-stringers in deck and bottom to tune and control torsion and flex in its boards depending on their range of use. RevoXskin is a UV-resistant and 100 % waterproof finishing film eliminating the use of any fillers and primers. By integrating full BambO² decks and bottoms in its ‘Version 4.0’ range, T1 is able to further boost the resilience* of its windsurf boards and enhance stiffness and toughness at the same time: Customers will be rewarded with longer lasting products that will keep their crisp and snappy “new board feeling” for many years. The bamboo fiber excels with an immense tensile strength rivaling many metal alloys but also features a strength-to-weight ratio better than graphite (carbon). This makes the bamboo fiber one of the most resilient natural materials known to man. * ‘Resilience’ is the property of a material to absorb energy when it is deformed elastically and then, upon unloading to have this energy recovered. www.thommen1.com

17 March 2008

New Gaastra Plasma lightwind sail

Technora Laminate Version:
Monofilm Version:
Unlimited Progress
The 2008 Gaastra Plasma redefines low-end power. Brought to you by Dan Kaseler, the inventor of modern short luff sails, the Plasma features a low aspect outline that facilitates liquid, easily handled power. Held solid by a pair of Cams, the Plasma boasts the most shape of any sail in the Gaastra range making it ideal for attaining maximum stoke in light wind conditions.
The Plasma can handle a wider range of conditions than other sails and still remains supple in the hands. So, if it’s a deceptively small sail with inconceivable power you crave, this sail will replace your entire light wind quiver. The Plasma is the pinnacle of low-end windsurfing technology.
The Plasma is available in two constructions. The first is our standard layup, consisting of a carefully designed balance of monofilm and Xply, coupled with our industry leading standard features.
More exciting is our Ultralight Technora Lay-up. The weight savings and performance increases delivered by our Technora panel layout are staggering.
Have you ever sailed a sail that is virtually silent as it bends and
breathes? Borrowed from Dimension Polyant lamination and Teijin fiber technology, Technora outperforms nearly every other modern sailcloth, especially when subjected to repeated abuse. When combined with our exactingly designed Plasma, the result will re-write your notions about light wind windsurfing.
Rig one up and be the envy of the beach as you plane on a whisper. Coming in three exactingly chosen sizes (6.7, 7.6, and 8.3), there’s a Gaastra Plasma designed for you.


15 October 2007

Gaastra Manic HD all X-ply wave sail


Gaastra Manic HD (heavy duty)
Interview with Gaastra sail designer Dan Kaseler
What brought about the Manic HD's development, and why opt for a no-monofilm sail now?

With Gaastra we have been super successful with the Manic. It's proved to be great sail, whether ripping in Hawaii, Hatteras, or the Gorge. For the new season we originally focused on re-working the Manic, adding more tension and stability to the 5.3 and 5.7, while redesigning the Gorge sizes around a 4 batten frame to free them up. During the same time we had started thinking more seriously about offering a fully x-ply version to really push the durability. With the Manic HD I think we really stepped the evolution forward a notch as compared to our competition in the full x-ply market. Many brands are still missing the basic design features and details that can be even more important than selecting x-ply for the basic skin material. The Manic HD is built around a tri-radial concept, where we keep all the primary seams radiating out from the corners. I can almost guarantee that you cannot pull a tack or a clew off these sails. Additionally we've continued to set new standards with 100% fold-back tack patching, and low body and sock seam protection, particularly important since 90% of the world is riding on Cobra boards with decks like sandpaper. The bottom line, I wanted a sail I could really punish on the Oregon Coast. The Manic HD is that sail.
Versus a traditional Manic, how much extra weight is incurred with the no-mononfilm layout. How about price – same as a Manic? More?

The weight goes up a little bit. It's not a huge difference, but the extra mark cloth, and the x-ply window add a bit. We keep the shape low and forward in the sails, and we work hard on the rig elasticity. With these design targets, we manage to keep a very light and crisp feel, despite the increase in laminate weight. Our custom x-ply definitely adds to our x-factory pricing as compared to monofilm. We are still looking to enter the market with a reasonable and competitive price for sure.
How does the sail compare in feel? Did you have to reapproach the Manic's design to compensate for the material change at all?

There's a little bit of tweaking to the HD, but basically the same setup. The increase in x-ply gives a slightly rubbery feel. This is true across all brands. It's nothing like adding a heavy PVC window that feels like a worn out rubber band, but it's there if you test back to back and concentrate on the feel between your hands. The other small sacrifice is visibility through the window area. The glue inside the x-ply gives you a slightly cloudier view no doubt. As the sail ages, however, the raised x's in the laminates actually keep the surrounding films from getting as scratched up, so after a couple of seasons, the visibility might actually be better than a sail with a straight up film window. Either way you go, Manic, or Manic HD, I'm pretty sure you'll be stoked!