A fairly excellent day - I had fun, as did most others, I think.  Thanks to attendees for good work, to club members for coming out & supporting, and to Dave Delorme for organizing.  On a side note, I would appreciate if everyone who was there would be on the lookout for a mast foot of mine that has gone missing - it's a u-joint/cup/pin assembly for a Chinook 2-bolt base.  I last saw it on a rigged Aerotech 4.5 - green, ragged out.  If it should turn up in your kit bag, give me a holler - 404/525-7190.

I would also like to thank everybody that organized and help with the clinic.  I had a great time !
Now I just have to go find myself a board ....

Albert

This is probably the most successful year I've seen in doing this since '95.  While other years have been as much fun, this year we saw :

a) the adults really nail it.  It used to be if we got someone to go in a straight line, tack and come back- the day was a success.  This time we had just about everybody comfortably sailing around. The wider boards and consistently smaller rigs make a big difference.  Hiflys, Starts, Bic Nova, F2 Discovery all helped get people on the water and not in the water. Sails from 3.0 to 4.5 made it easy (none of this teaching someone on your 7.5 race sail).

b) Kids, kids, kids.  A wide board (this year, Randy's Start) and a proper kid's got 4 kids, ages from 7 1/2 to 11 sailing.  The difference between a 3.0 adult rig and a 2.7 kids rig is astounding.  The kids rig is so much lighter, easier to handle and probably much more efficient, it boggles the mind.  Kudos to Hot Sails for letting even young Dorian uphaul and sail away.   Wide boards mean the kids never get wet.  They windsurf instead of spending half the day falling in.  I don't really remember teaching anyone under 12 in years past.

If you want to get your friends on a board, the ingredients are: small as possible sail.  Really, a 6.0 is really too big.  Even a 5.0, too.  A 4.0 is fine or even go smaller for the first day.  Wide as possible board.  As much as we love our long boards and the fact we all learned on one, the success ratio goes up dramatically when folks use a 32-40 (80-100cm) inch board.  There will be a time in their lives when they learn to tack a 22" wide short board but the first day isn't it.  

Oh, and one last thing- you (well, I actually) can plane without a whitecap in sight.  Starboard Formula 175 and Hot 10.3 (thanks Danny and Fred)- and Gilmer reported SW 8-10 all afternoon.  Holy moley... what a wacko feeling to be scooting along and the water is flat.  Don't know if I'd pony up for a 10.3 myself at my size (it wasn't that bad to deal with), but a big board, sail combo will dramatically change our perception of summer sailing in Atlanta.

Thanks to all who organized, provided, helped (let me know if I left your name out and in no particular order): Dave DeLorme, Tim Carter, Chuck Hardin, Chris Pyron, Chris & Ginny Voith, Jerry Farr, Joe O'Leary, Jamie Anderson, Bill Herderich, Mimi Silva, Gene Mathis& Lisa Wise, Fred Dey, Randy Falkenberg, Danny Johnson, Greg Chinik.

-wf

Saturday was my first time ever windsurfing and I had a blast. I had all the gear, which I brought to the clinic, but didn't use it. Chris P suggested I use the beginner gear which helped me learn the basics. I was excited to get up and sail around a bit and now I am hooked!! I can't wait to get out again. Thanks to Dave, Chris, Chuck, Screamin' Gene Mathis, and any others whose name I have forgotten!
Scott

Le me add my 2 cents.  I thought this year's cinic was the best ever, also. As an instructor, I had the most fun I've ever had at one of these.   All the students were so successful! I mean, wehad over 15 people, almost 20,I think adn foks were sailing all over the place. You could feel STOKE in the air. We had lot's of appropriate gear which made a huge diffrence; but, most importantly, lot's of helpful hands. I think the other messages mentioned all the names I know of, but I want to add special thanks to Jamie Anderson for all that downwind retrieval paddling he did with his kayak and Danny Johson for all that rigging and de-rigging and totin' and such. Thanks! (Frankly, this clinic was just work in past years, but next year it will be a anticipated highlight of my summer!)    

Hey,

Would someone be kind enough to write an article about this year's clinic for the next newsletter?  Also, if anyone took pictures, please send copies (preferably electronic) to me at

.

Thanks,

Bill (The Editor)