Windsurfing Pe’ahi aka Jaws is what an elite group of wavesailors dream of and live for. After a near two year hiatus, the select few got their chance in late January, when one of the most powerful storms of the Pacific winter so far, lit up the most famous big wave break in the world. We caught up with Jason, Robby, Morgan, Levi and Marcilio Browne for the scoop on the day.
JASON POLAKOW
First Jaws windsurfing of the year Jason, anything different in your training, approach and equipment this year?
JP – I have some new boards from Werner and they seemed to work really well. It was my first time on my new big wave board out there so was just trying to feel the board out. I went with more concave and the length has come down a bit to 7’8’’. I switched to thrusters for Jaws as I like to have a little deeper fin in the water to draw a nice bottom turn.
Training this year I have been riding my motocross bike more to get the cardio training I need. It’s way more fun than cycling on the road, however doing both is the best for sure. It’s been almost 2 years since we sailed Jaws so everyone has been in a state of flux. It’s hard to prepare with no real conditions. Glad we finally had this swell to do some more testing.
Tell us about the ride up…
JP – The ride up was all good then it was a disaster for me. I lost my mast somewhere in the line up and could not rig my gear. Robby Swift also had to wait as his gear was on the boat that was meant to be at Jaws in the morning but they had to rescue a distressed boat and did not get to Jaws until after 3 pm. To make matters worse, Kevin Prichard asked if I could anchor his ski as he wanted to get out there asap and I had to wait for the boat to come up anyway to get my spare mast. I jumped on his ski and got the anchor out only to find the world’s biggest birds nest of rope. I sat for 30 mins, unwinding all the mess not knowing that I had drifted down wind and almost onto the Jaws shore-break. I looked up and panicked as it was getting way too close. I started the ski and because all the rope was floating on the water, the engine sucked the rope into the impeller and I was stuck. Everyone was upwind looking at the line up and I had to swim the ski out to sea. Eventually Robby came down on my ski to help. Myself and Robby had some good ones but the wind started to die out and swing offshore right when we started our session. All the surfers hit the water as well, so it was a zoo out there for sure.
You were right in the line up with no wind as a clean up set was approaching – what goes through your mind at moments like that?
JP – Yes normally I would have come in with the rest of the windsurfers but because of the late arrival due to unforeseen circumstances I wanted to get a bomb set. I sat closer and closer to the lineup as the wind was so light and offshore you had to be right on the perfect spot. I had actually gone in the wave before and was on the ski talking to Brawhzino and Levi. We watched as two huge bomb sets rolled through and I couldn’t resist getting back out there to get just one more.Typically one of the biggest waves of the day came through right when I was in the lineup. When I first saw it I thought there was no way to make it over the wave. I stood on my gear and tried to sail to get some forward momentum. The spray and wind gusts from the previous wave made it super difficult for me to sail. I knew though these small gusts were my only option to make some ground and tried to focus as much as possible on getting out to sea. I tried to calm myself and drop my heart rate if that’s possible. You have to focus and not get worried. I always look for my best option and direction to go. Confidence is the key. If I had not gained those few meters earlier while sailing out I would not have made it for sure. I hung onto the sail as long as possible while going up the face of the wave as you get a burst of updraft wind which helps you climb the wave faster. I was ready to try and throw the sail in the air to try and get it to fly as the wind was almost offshore.This time I got lucky and just squeezed over.
The wind looked really light and offshore, most people could barely catch a big wave in those conditions let alone rip – what are your tactics?
JP – Yes by the time we got out there it was more difficult to sail than earlier when it was windy. When the wind is that light the wind drops out sometimes at the bottom of the wave and you lose your drive instantly. Also the wind goes from super light in the bottom to super windy off the top especially at Jaws because the wave is travelling so quick and the wind is so offshore.
The best tactic is to find the right wave. What I’m looking for at Jaws is a wave that pulls tight and stays smooth, then you can really push it. That’s what I was trying to do but it was super hard with 50 surfers in the line up by late afternoon.
What gear were you on?
JP – I was on a custom Jaws board around 84 L, 7’8’’ x 21 1/4’’ and a Fly 4.8.
The level of paddle in surfing at Jaws just seems to be getting higher and higher, does that help push you?
JP – I guess a little. Those guys are trying to get barrelled where we are more trying to set up a super deep bottom turn and sick cut back off the lip. My biggest problem is trying to get enough time at Jaws to be super confident on my gear. 99% of the time I’m on new boards every-time so it does make it difficult. I’m always searching for that perfect board /
sail combination.
What do you do after a good day at Jaws, pizza?
JP – I always don’t eat too much the day of the swell especially after as the adrenaline is still surging through your body.The next day I eat all day long. Most times its like fish or chicken with pasta / rice,smoothies , lots of eggs etc.
“ My first wave was the gnarliest, steepest, heaviest drop I have ever taken and one of the best rushes I have ever experienced on a windsurfer ’’ Robby Swift