RS Aero wave surfing on the Gulf of Mexico - I love it USA
I had the same reaction, i.e. need to bear away down the wave face to avoid taking it over the beam. But how do you get out of the wave on a sailboat? The water looks pretty shallow, so you have to pull up early, before the rudder hits. Watch how quick a surfer turns to get out. No sailboat, not even an Aero, can turn that fast. Or can they?
The black pads are indeed Dion's knee protection solution. Dion likes to sail in shorts in the southern Texas heat and I can understand that having poked my head out of Dallas airport a couple of weeks ago.
Great wave sailing and the Aero looks like it can really take a beating! From my days surfing and sailboarding in Palm Beach I learned to take an incoming wave head-on and to bear away down the face of the wave to avoid wiping out while riding a wave. Catching a breaking wave on the beam will likely cause a capsize. Great fun anyway you do it.
Wow! What a video. I thought I thrashed the RS nicely yesterday and found it amazingly strong. But that video takes it to a new level. Nice sailing Dion. You're nuts. ;)
Question - what are the black pads forward on the bottom of the cockpit? Knee protection?
Dion once again having a ball, ripping it up on the Gulf of Mexico off Corpus Christi, Texas. You don't need to go racing to have fun!
Great to see the RS Aero standing up to that pounding. Especially when the mast hits the sea bottom and the hull is washed onto it with the force of the surf (1:15).
