Summer is Here!

It’s time for some summer fun on Hatteras Island!  If you’re looking for some excitement, there’s no better place to try out windsurfing or stand up paddle boarding than the Outer Banks of NC!  We offer windsurfing lessons and rentals of windsurfing and SUP equipment for very reasonable rates.  Call or email us to make reservations today!

Want to know why we love windsurfing so much?  Check out this short intro video to get a feel for the sport:

Skate Rat? Come check out our selection of longboards from Sector9, Arbor, Gravity, and more, and shortboard decks from Girl, Element, Enjoi, PlanB, and more! Trucks from Venture, Royal, Thunder, Indy, Gulwing. Wheels from Spitfire, Abec 11, Kryptonics… We have all the hardware you need to go hit the park!

Don’t forget to record your exploits with a GoPro waterproof, wearable action sports High Definition digital video camera!

Spring is Here!

It’s time to put the skis back in the closet and start thinking Spring! The last few weeks have been amazingly warm and windy here in Cape Hatteras- my 3.6 and 4.2m sails have been getting a workout! If that’s any indication of the Spring to come, we are going to have an awesome season!

We have a ton of new windsurf and stand up paddle board equipment coming to Wind-NC over the next few weeks! You can expect to see 2011 stuff from all of your favorite brands, like RRD, Tabou, Starboard, Gaastra, Naish, Sailworks, World Sails, Chinook, Dakine, Aeron, and some cool new surprises for you guys, too!

We’re now proud to be handling the gorgeous touring stand up paddle boards from Tahoe SUP. I’m also really excited to announce our latest fin product lines- We’ll be fully stocked with Makani Fins and KaKu Freestyle and Freestyle Wave weed fins, including lots of demos for you to try before you buy. And last but not least- we’ve been fans of GoPro waterproof cameras for years now, experimenting with all sorts of different angles and catching some amazing visuals. Well, we’re stoked to now be official dealers for the GoPro HERO HD waterproof cameras– the latest batch of cameras from these guys are amazing- they’re truly an incredible product! Come check ’em out and get one of your own!!

We’re also hosting a number of great events this Spring- including clinics, parties, races, and all sorts of stuff. Check out the details on our Events page!

As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. It can’t hurt to make rental or lesson reservations in advance as we’re booking up quickly. And, if you have any specific boards or sails on your wish list, please call or email in advance to make sure that we have exactly what you’re looking for!  Our contact details are here.

Thanks everyone, hope to see ya’ll soon in lovely, windy Cape Hatteras!!

December 1st Gift Certificate Give Away

3 times per year, we give away a $25 gift certificate!  All you have to do to get your name in the drawing is send in some feedback that we can post here on wind-nc.com.  It can be a product review or customer service feedback, good or bad, whatever you want, as long as it’s honest.  Here are the entries from the December 1st drawing.  And here are the results:

The next Gift Certificate Give Away will occur on June 1st, 2011.

Windsurfing Gifts for the Holidays

Windsurfers love windsurfing gifts!  Nothing will excite your windsurfing friend, wife, husband (or any other windsurfer) more than a quick and easy gift chosen from the list below:

  1. Gift Certificates– You just can’t go wrong here.
  2. The Windsurfing Movie II ($29.99)- Just released, this DVD is a “Must Have” for any windsurfer’s winter entertainment.
  3. Neil Pryde Open Palm Mittens ($29.99)- Give the gift of warm hands for their winter sessions!
  4. Dakine Windsurfing Harnesses ($65-$150)- Give their back the support it deserves!
  5. New Footstraps ($15-$25 each)- Nothing freshens up the look of an older board like a new set of footstraps!
  6. A new high wind sail ($400-$700)- Windsurfers hate spending some dough on a piece of equipment that only comes out a few times per season (the truly epic days), which makes this the PERFECT gift, because they’d never splurge on one themselves!!
  7. A new SUP ($750-$1500)- Guaranteed family fun!  Everyone will love seeing one of these under the tree!
  8. Neil Pryde High Hook Flotation Vest ($84.95)- Give the gift of safe sailing with this flotation vest, specifically designed for use with windsurfing/kiteboarding harnesses.
  9. Private Windsurfing Lessons ($40/hour)-  Give the gift of knowledge!  Nothing ignites the passion like learning a new trick, going faster, or nailing the elusive jibe!
  10. Skateboards ($110-$200)- When the water’s frozen, or the wind is light, nothing beats a good skate sesh!  Not to mention the infinite potential of skate sailing!

Feel free to call or email if you’d like some help with personal gift recommendations.

For guaranteed delivery by December 24th, please order before 11AM on Friday, December 17th.  SUPs and Windsurfing boards must be ordered before Friday, December 10th to ensure timely delivery.  All delivery is subject to item availability.

Evening Windsurfing Clinics with Andy Brandt!

We’re hosting Informal Windsurfing Clinics at Wind-NC for the next THREE (count ’em, 3) Weeks!!  ABK Boardsports and Wind-NC are teaming up and sponsoring these absolutely FREE Evening Windsurfing Clinics, taught by none other than the man, the myth, the legend: Andy Brandt!

Who: You, all of your friends, and Andy Brandt

What: Informal Question and Answer Windsurfing Clinic.  Come with Questions!  “How does one Uphaul?”  “How does one Forward Loop?”

When: 7PM on Thursday October 14th, Wednesday October 2oth, and Thursday October 28th, 2010

Where: Wind-NC, 41074 Hwy 12, Avon, NC 27915 (behind Village Video and Hatteras Island Boardsports)

Why: To make YOU a better windsurfer!

New Feedback Page

I’ve just added a “Feedback” page to the site here at wind-nc.com.  Feel free to check it out, or better yet, add to it with your personal experience or gear review!  To give you some incentive, you’ll be entered in to a drawing for a $25 Gift Certificate when you submit your feedback.

Thanks for your continued support and constructive criticism!

This Could Be Yours!

New Windsurfing Gear Arrivals

Head’s up- The store is brimming with new windsurfing gear for you to check out on your Fall trip!  We’ve received a ton of stuff in the last few weeks, with more coming in almost every day!  For example, we have:

Aeron V-Grip Aluminum Booms starting at $269

The 2011 Gaastra IQ 5.0!  Best Wave Sail Ever!!

2009 and 2010 Gaastra Sails like the Manic HD, Poison, and Swift!

2010 Naish Sails!!!  AND Naish SUPs on the way!  All-Terrains, Sprints, Boxer SLs, and Glides, Manas, Nalus, and Hokuas!!

2010 Naish All-Terrain 5.0
Super Light Naish Sail Scrim

Sailworks Retros including a closeout 5.0 for you to break the Speed Record with!

More and More RRD Windsurfing and Standup Paddleboards!  FSW 120s, 105s, a WaveTwin 99 for you to demo, the twin fin FireRide 155, and Wood Diamond 10’6″ and 11′ SUPs!

More and more Tabou windsurfing boards including Rockets and the best bump and jump board ever- the 3S 76!

World Sail Surges and Blasts, starting at just $409 Brand New!!

World Sail Blast 7.5

Chinook hardware by the truckload!

A full selection of NoLimitz masts!

What else??  Who knows!  Swing by the shop and check it out!!

Hatteras Wave Jam Week!!

The 2010 Hatteras Wave Jam is poised to begin!  This is the fourth installment of the Hatteras Windsurfing Festival Series, and it just gets better and better every time!  It looks like we’ll have plenty of waves, and our fingers are crossed for some decent wind during the event window.  The forecast models keep changing directions and velocities, keeping us on our toes in anticipation.  But hey, if the wind doesn’t show, we have plenty of SUPs to get you guys and gals out there enjoying the water!  One thing is for sure- we’re going to have plenty of wave action as Hurricane Igor builds steam and pushes us some swell!

Starting Wednesday morning (September 15th, 2010), we’ll have Daily 10AM Skipper’s Meetings here at Wind-NC.  During these meetings, we’ll discuss the plan of action for the day- where to go, what to expect, what type of gear to bring, etc etc.  Feel free to purchase that 85 liter wave board you’ve been eying up 🙂

Wind-NC is also hosting a Free Evening Clinic on Thursday night, starting at 7PM.  The clinic will focus on basic wavesailing technique and equipment tuning, safety, and how to keep your gear and body intact while negotiating a wave break.  I’m happy to move along at the pace of the group, so if y’all are more interested in learning about aerial-off-the-lips than dealing with shorebreak, just let me know.  This is an informal gathering.  Coaching and snacks/refreshments will be provided courtesy of Wind-NC!  Feel free to support the stoke by purchasing any little odds and ends you may need- The store will be open before, during, and after the clinic!

Hope to see y’all there (here)!!  Feel free to contact the shop if you have any questions:  252-995-4400

Hurricane Earl- Over and Out!

Hurricane Earl blew through Eastern North Carolina on Thursday evening, September 2nd.  Wind-NC was closed from Thursday, September 2nd through Saturday, September 4th due to the mandatory evacuation of Hatteras Island.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.  Luckily, Hatteras Island was relatively unharmed by the close encounter with Hurricane Earl.  Route 12 is now open to all traffic (albeit a bit wet, so take your time), and most of the local businesses should be back up and running within a day or two.  Wind-NC will resume partial operations with normal store business hours on Sunday, September 5th.  We should return to full operations by Monday, September 6th.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Announcing the 2010 Hatteras Wave Jam

Mark your calendars, folks! The 2010 Hatteras Wave Jam is being held Wednesday through Saturday, September 15-18, 2010. The main goal is to get aspiring wave sailors out into the ocean, improving your technique and self confidence, so that you can safely take your sailing to the next level. This event is designed specifically for Ocean Sailing Noobies! The only prerequisites are:

  • you need to be able to confidently waterstart
  • you need to be a strong and confident swimmer in rough water

If you can handle that, and you’re interested in experiencing the unbelievable thrill of windsurfing in the waves, then you can handle the Wave Jam!

It’s going to be a heck of an event- Head organizer Bill Bell has been putting mega effort into this year’s plans. We’ve come up with this super rad schedule:

  • Wed Sept 15
    Morning: 10:00am Event Registration/Skippers Meeting: Wind-NC, Avon
    Day: Freeform/Expression session;
    Night: Wave Jam Welcome gathering at Atlantic Coast Cafe, Avon
  • Thurs Sept 16
    Morning: Skippers Meeting – 10:30am: Wind-NC, Avon
    Day: Freeform/Expression session;
    Night: Wave Sailing Clinic at Wind-NC
    – sponsor prizes giveaway!
  • Friday Sept 17
    Morning: Skippers Meeting – 10:30am: Wind-NC, Avon
    Day: Beast of the East III competition;
    Night: Hatteras Wave Jam Party at OceanAir Sports featuring the Hatteras premier of The Windsurfing Movie II, raffle for some killer prizes including new 2010 windsurfing sails from Goya, RRD, and MauiSails, live music, food and beverages!
  • Saturday Sept 18
    Morning: Skippers Meeting – 10:30am: Wind-NC, Avon
    Day: BoE III competition;
    Night: Sunset beach cookout and awards presentation to wrap Hatteras Wave Jam 2010.
  • Sunday Sept 19
    Backup day, though if conditions are good, likely Freeform/Expression sesh

All day and night events will include photo and video coverage for Event media. All night events start at 7:30pm. The Freeform/Expression Sessions are geared towards fun sailing and noobies. The Beast of the East is a structured wavesailing contest with brackets for all ability levels, noobie up to pro!

Check out this promo video to get you stoked up for the event:

Booyah! Looks fun, eh?? Well, what are you waiting for? Sign yourself up! If you need a place to stay, we even have some prime rental houses blocked off with Sun Realty, at reduced rates, for you and your friends to rent!

Windsurfing Equipment for the Hatteras Fall Season

The Hatteras Fall Windsurfing Season is quickly approaching!  I’m in the process of placing orders to re-stock the shop with windsurfing gear, and would love to know if you have any specific requests.  It’s impossible for me to stock everything under the sun, so don’t leave it to chance if you really need to have that Pink 3.7 Gaastra Manic!  Please let me know and I’ll have whatever you want ready and waiting for your Cape Hatteras Windsurfing Trip.  Contact me by email or phone, whichever is more convenient for you. I’m happy to help you weed through the plethora of gear options, too, so give me a call if you need any help choosing the right product for your needs.  Hefty discounts may apply to pre-ordered closeout gear!!

RRD and Tabou Windsurf Boards

The following is a list of windsurfing brands that I’m a dealer for:

Roberto Ricci Designs windsurfing boards, sails, and stand up paddleboards

Tabou windsurfing boards

Starboard windsurfing boards and stand up paddleboards

Naish windsurfing boards, sails, and stand up paddleboards

Gaastra windsurfing sails

Sailworks windsurfing sails and masts

World Sails windsurfing sails

NoLimitz windsurfing RDM masts

Chinook booms and hardware

Aeron booms

Dakine windsurfing harnesses and accessories

Neil Pryde Waterwear

Let’s get that wish list together and make sure you’re ready to hit the water this Fall!

Plenty of New Arrivals

Hey hey- Head’s up-  We’ve had lots of stuff showing up in the last few weeks, including some great new gear from Dakine (harnesses, rashguards, T-Shirts, rack pads and straps, SUP accessories, harness lines, mono-lines, backpacks, etc etc), some brand new SUPs from Boardworks in the 11′ and 12′ sizes, Severne Synergy Windsurfing Rigs, Gaastra Windsurfing Sails (including the 2011 IQ)…  the list just goes on and on!  Swing by the shop and check out some of the goodies!

Fully Stocked Skateboard Section

Arbor, Sector9, Gravity, Element, Habitat, Girl...

If you’re on Hatteras Island and looking for skateboards, we’ve got ’em!  Decks, Wheels, Trucks, Bearings, Bushings, Shortboard and Longboard Completes!  We just received a giant shipment of Arbor Longboards, and man they are looking sick!  Everything from the 26″ Pocket Rocket Bamboo Deck (Complete with 8″ Gullwing Mission trucks and Arbor 65mm 78a street wheels) to The 44″ Blunt (Complete with 10″ Gullwing Chargers and 70mm 78a wheels).  The Arbors all have either a Bamboo or Hawaiian Koa top sheet on ’em- sustainably farmed, and carefully oriented to produce a one of a kind flex return.  All wood by-product is reclaimed for re-use, and the ultra clear grip is composed of long lasting crushed recycled glass.  So, not only do these sticks rip, but they’re very carefully put together to reduce strain on our environment.  Ditch your car, save on gas, and Skate To Work or School!!!

If you’re more of a park rat, swing on by and check out the decks and completes from Element, Habitat, Girl, PlanB, Alien Workshop, Speed Demons, and Hoopla.    Also, Wheels from Spitfire, Bearings from Bones, Lucky and HKD, and Trucks from Independent, Theeve, Royal, Thunder, and Randall.

Independent, Theeve, Thunder, Royal, and Randall Trucks

New Tabou Windsurf Boards In Stock

We’ve had a bunch of shipments come in over the last few days- Including some new Tabou boards!  They are looking SICK!!

Check a few of ’em out-

2010 Tabou 3S 96 LTD $1899
2010 Tabou Rocket 135 $1599
My Favorite- The Tabou Twister 100 $1999

I’d show you some of the other boards, but my camera batteries just died…  Anyway, the Twister 100 and the Rocket 135 will be going into the demo fleet, so swing on by and try ’em out!

Free Windsurfing Clinic with Andy Brandt!

Head’s Up!!  Wind-NC and ABK Boardsports are hosting a free windsurfing clinic with Andy Brandt- Thursday, May 13th, 2010 at 7PM, at the shop!  Come with questions- We’ll provide the snacks and beverages, you provide the topics, and Andy will provide the knowledge!

Hope to see y’all there!  Feel free to request any specific snacks or beverages in the comment section below!

New Wind-NC T-Shirts are in!

Man, we have been rockin’ and rollin’ in the shop- Non-Stop wind and warm temps surely helps the cause!  Anyway, we’ve had lots of new gear show up in the last few weeks, like Chinook’s brand new Pro-Alloy booms, starting at just $225.  Everyone has been loving the Neil Pryde “High Hook” Flotation Vest, too- built specifically for use with windsurfing harnesses ($84.95).

We just received some new shop T-Shirts, as well.  Check ’em out:

Black shirts, large logo on the back, small text across the chest. Available in Medium through XXL
White Shirts, large logo on the back, small text across the chest. Available in Small through XXL

$20 per shirt, and we can ship a T-Shirt anywhere in the US FOR FREE!

Mustache Update

For those of you hoping to take advantage of the mustache discount, you’re in for a tough race…  Ken is now sporting a mean ‘stache:

Remember- Mention his stache and receive 1% off your next purchase at Wind-NC!  Beat it with a better mustache of your own, and receive 2% off your next purchase!

There are some rules- the mustache must stand alone- No beards allowed!  Sorry, Ralph!

Giant Shipment of RRD!

Ken and I have been hard at work unpacking and putting footstraps on a giant shipment of Roberto Ricci Designs (RRD) Windsurfing and SUP Boards. I never get blisters from windsurfing, but hand screwing more than 150 footstrap screws will take it out of you! Anyway, the boards are looking absolutely beautiful, so swing by the shop and check ’em out!

Ken Unpacks the RRDs

A Few Hours Later...

We received:

2010 RRD LongRider ($1525)(SOLD)

2010 RRD 11′ SUP ($1249)(SOLD)

2010 RRD WaveTwin 90 ($1950)

2010 RRD Twintip 109 ($1960)

2010 RRD FSW 85 X Tech ($1750)(SOLD)

2010 RRD FSW 96 X Tech ($1750)(SOLD)

2010 RRD FSW 101 Limited ($1950)(SOLD)

2010 RRD FSW 115 X Tech Twin Fin ($1650)(SOLD)

2010 RRD FSW 120 Limited ($1950)(SOLD)

2010 RRD Fireride 125 ($1650)(SOLD)

2010 RRD Fireride 135 ($1650)(SOLD)

2010 RRD Fireride 145 ($1650)

2009 RRD Wave Cult 85 ($1399)

2009 RRD Wave Cult 90 ($1399)

2009 RRD FSW 95 X-Tech ($1319)(SOLD)

2009 RRD FSW 100 X-Tech ($1319)(SOLD)

2009 RRD FSW 115 Limited ($1519)(SOLD)