The collection of wing masts and odd rigs and boats had also grown. Every player had a new toy. Peter Bridgman, a sailmaker from Italy, showed up with a truck full of hard wings all sponsored by a clothing company. Gary Efferding was there from Florida with Hood Sails new wing mast. Gaastra had a wing from somewhere and Pascal was now on their team. And the wild ideas for everything else you could imagine were fully in evidence.

Fred had gained a bunch of weight, (like thirty pounds) in the hope that the extra ‘ballast’ would help him carry more sail area. We had gotten in touch with Descent, the people who made the suits that the speed skiers used to reduce drag. They were silver gray and one piece with a hood. It made Fred look like some kind of cartoon character, but he would be slick and smooth for sure. For sure wrong that is.

Peter Bridgman and his hard coarbon wings. Note he had a suit like Fred's. Everyone was looking for the edge already. Many were trying things that we still are not using to go faster, like body fairings, and board coatings.

To use the harness, we cut small holes for the hook to stick out. This let the water into the suit, and Fred quickly filled up like a balloon. He could hardly get water started, and would drain out the legs for half the course. It was pretty funny for awhile. But we missed some of the best conditions while he struggled with the silly suit. We abandoned that quickly.