01
May
2005
Bruce Peterson
Interview
You are a well known sail designer and the
director of the Sailworks company. Please tell us about your
passion for sailing and the design/development of high
performance windsurfing sails.
I've been windsurfing for 26 years since my
sophomore year (15 years old) in high school and been a
sailmaker for 23 years. I grew up in Victoria, Canada and got
hooked on high wind windsurfing very early. That was in the early
80's when windsurfing equipment was going through almost monthly
design evolutions. It became apparent to me very early on that if
I wanted the freedom to chase the wind I had to be employed in
the sport. I started out selling and repairing windsurfing
equipment, and that quickly lead to sailmaking. I've always had a
passion for the technical aspects of the equipment. How it works,
how it's made, and of course, how to make it better. There's a
lot of satisfaction from taking the raw materials sailcloth,
battens, a mast and making a three dimensional wing that you
can go blasting across the water with. I also enjoy helping other
windsurfers understand their gear better. My windsurfing
background is rooted in highwind sailing. I've always been a
speed merchant and a racer at heart. I raced on the pro
windsurfing tour for a few years in the late 80's and early 90's.
I still compete in our regional and national events.
In what way are your sails different compared
to sails of other brands, regarding the sail design and
characteristics?
I like power and lots of it from a sail. If you
have excess power you can always tune it out. If the sail is not
cut for high lift, then there's little the user can do to
increase the power without reducing the rig tension, which causes
huge stability problems. I've always been more interested in
streamlining the drag effects of a very powerful sail, as opposed
the making a low lift sail have ultra low drag. For the most
part, windsurfing is about acceleration, so give me the power.
I'm also a big fan of adjustability, or variable geometry, within
a sail. An adjustable outhaul is an extremely valuable tuning
aid. I've completely changed the way I design sails based upon
the ability to change the shape and tension of the sail, while
sailing, with the outhaul. Windsurfing sails are all about shape
and tension. It's the quantity and quality of these two
attributes that dictate performance. The rest is just fashion and
marketing noise.
|
| :: sailworks loft in hood river :: (c) river-rippers.net |
The Sailworks R&D loft, your workplace is
based in the high wind area of the Columbia River Gorge. What is
so great about the location and why did you decide to move
there?
I came here in 1983 for the wind, and stayed
because of it. All the Gorge launches have side shore winds. Its
easy windsurfing, but it can be extremely intense when it gets
very windy. The prevailing summer winds (westerly) blow against
the current so there's lots of reaching and it's easy to get up
wind. Many launches have grassy rigging areas, and it fresh water
too. Summer temperatures are 80-100 F (26-38C). It's a power
sailors dream. In my early years here I travel in the winter
months so I could sail all year round. Now I stay closer to home,
but you can still sail most of the year here. In the past year,
December was the only month I didn't get to sail in. Hood River
is a vibrant small town. The area has many other outdoor
activities to offer. It's cheap to live here compared to the
cities. The schools are good. It's a great place to live.
What rigging and tuning secrets can you
share?
Use a mast your sailmaker recommends. Take the
time to understand the effects of outhaul and downhaul on the
performance of the sail. Slowly pull and release the downhaul on
your sail a dozen times and carefully watch the effect the
downhaul tension has on the sail. If it doesn't feel right make a
small change to correct the rig balance. Sail with better more
experienced sailors and watch what they do. Use an adjustable
outhaul system. Use a good fin.
What is your sail of choice and why?
Currently, my favorite setup is a Hucker 4.8 sail
on a thin little Roberts 265 slalom board with a 30 cm Tectonics
fin. This combo in the Gorge on a 25-35 knot day is wicked fast
and supports amazing hang time for jumping. We get lots of days
like that in the Gorge in the summer time. It's a whole different
way to sail that what most Gorge windsurfers are into like
speeding through a parking lot on some days.
|
| ::bruce / flying high with the hucker :: (c) sailworks.com |
When, what and why was your best windsurfing
day ever?
I had a couple of days last summer on the 4.8
Hucker that were unbelievable. Blasting around on a stretch of
river between launch sites with no one around. Every jibe was a
10-G turn, hanging the longest floaty jumps I can remember, pedal
to the floor the whole time and not falling for hours. Complete
awareness and total control. Soul sailing at its best.
|
| :: Hucker 10/G turn :: (c) sailworks.com |
Your favorite playgrounds are??
The Gorge is a fantastic outdoor playground. You
can windsurf, ski, kayak, fish, climb, mountain bike all right
here. Its small town rural living, quite removed from urban life,
yet still very economical. It's a great place to raise a family
too. I've been to some other places that are fantastic
windsurfing playgrounds. I spent three winters in Western
Australia and sailing non-stop in a great variety of
conditions.
|
| :: gorge at its best :: (c) sailworks.com |
About your life and your future?
I have lovely wife and two beautiful daughters to
share my life with. My girls are learning to windsurf now, but I
only help them with their own interest, not because I want them
to be a windsurfing star. They like to help in the loft too and
are learning to sew. I'm deeply involved in all aspects of my
business. I like the financial side of business, not just my own,
and have a keen interest in macro-economics. We live in
interesting times given the debt level, fiscal leverage and
global financial imbalances. Heavy stuff, but very
fascinating.
|
| :: rigging :: (c) sailworks.com |
Add comment