Equipment for Sale

This is a list of windsurfing equipment that belonged to Tom Connelly. If interested or want to check availability contact Debbie Snowberger at 561-325-1048 or debsnow12@yahoo.com

Board Stolen

Exocet Speed Slider 67 stolen off Jon Plasters trailer. It is 118 liters, 67 cm wide and 267 cm in length. It is aqua color top and bottom and has a white deck pad. It also has 2 epic back foot straps, missing vent screw and has a tuttle box. If you have any information regarding this board call Jon at 405-821-0021

Fun times on the river yesterday even though the wind was a lot less than forecasted. The last 45 minutes was the best, sailed fairly flat water in the channel.

Storm Sailing

This afternoon some local storms stirred things up, which was nice because I haven’t been on the water in several weeks. I got to the causeway around 2:30 and it must have been blowing around 18-22mph out of the SE with plenty of sunshine. Ronald Ternullo, Dino, Jerry and I headed out and I was well powered on a 7.0 and a 101 liter board. Their was some pretty heavy chop on the water so we headed south towards the House of Refuge and Jerry stayed just south of the causeway. After 30 minutes or so some low dark fast moving clouds came through and the wind came up more. I was making a run heading west passing between the spoil islands and saw a dark thunder storm with rain to the southwest. I figured it would be awhile before it would hit us so I sailed out to the channel, jibed and headed back east. In that short amount of time the rain had come in. Ron headed into the spoil island and Dino must have headed back to the causeway. I stopped at the spoil island, stinging rain was coming down and the wind was still up. I hauled board and sail up to dry ground as lighting roared overhead. There was a 4 foot wall of sand where the water has eroded the island and above it is a fair amount of pine trees that cover the island. I dropped down in the sand at the base of that wall as the storm raged. Ronald Ternullo joined me, and it seemed like the storm wouldn’t stop. Several more times the lightning flashed and roared overhead and the wind and rain was hitting us head on. I recalled the off hand remark I said to Tammy as I left the house. She questioned me about getting stuck in a storm and I said facing death and living is what this sport is all about. Ron said that it is times like these that you really feel alive and I had to agree.

Meanwhile Jerry had a short sail back to the causeway. He noted that the storm had settled down and covered the river in short order. It was just a wall of rain to the south with lightning flashing. Dino tried to make a run back to the causeway but when the lightning started he was in the shallows just east of the channel so he stopped, brought his sail down and waited it out.

Finally the storm seemed to back down some with the sound of thunder in the distance. Ron and I jumped on our boards and made our way back.

Saturday Brings Sunny Skies and NE Breeze

Saturday I arrived at the causeway around 2pm. Art, Canadian Dave, Tom, Jim and a few others were on the water. Wind was supposed to pick up but was blowing 15 when I arrived. I rigged an 8.5 and decided to shoot some photos and video with my new gopro. Water looked like coffee due to discharges from Lake O. It was pretty choppy and most of the wind was on the west side of the river. To see the video click this LINK.

Stuart Causeway 2/5/16

Jim Manta shot the following video at the Stuart Causeway.

Sanibel Causeway 5/7/16

I was able to sail the Sanibel Causeway this past Sunday. Wind was averaging 25mph out of the NW. It was mostly sunny at 55 degrees with a wind chill of 48. Their was a good turnout of windsurfers and kite boarders. I was well powered on a 4.7 on

an 85L board.

Great Windsurfing This Weekend

This weekend provided some great windsurfing. Saturday the river was covered in whitecaps with the wind blowing out of the NE. The weather was very nice, low 70's and mostly sunny, we had a great turnout at the causeway. Sunday the wind clocked around to the SE and had backed off some. It was great to sail two days in a row. Click on this link to see photos.

Windsurfing gear giveaway

Warren has some equipment he would like to give away. He has a 4.5, 5.3, 5.6 ,6.4  sails and also a kids rig that he used on his skateboard, carbon fiber mast and a windsurfing Hawaii boom and a bag of boom extensions and fins. He also has a  mast base and harness. 

He can be reached at 772-597-5111

Update to Windsurfing Cookout

Nouveaux Honkies will be playing briefly for us so try and get there at 5:30pm

Change to windsurfing cookout

Hello again windsurfers! Looks like we have a change in plans regarding our cookout. It will now take place at Tom's office building. Their is plenty of room, chairs, balconies on riverside and a good setup for music. We will also have use of a grill. This all takes place Sunday December 13th at 5:30pm at 465 SE Riverside Dr in Stuart. And remember we will  do this the same way as at the causeway. Bring a meal, desert and beverage for yourselves and some to share. Ice, cups, plates, napkins and eating utensils will be provided.

Windsurfer Cookout

Hey windsurfers we will have a cookout Sunday December 13th at 5:30pm. Tom Connelly has graciously offered the use of his property at 26 S.E. Seminole St. in Stuart. The grounds will be lighted and the pool heated for our enjoyment. We will need to bring beach chairs or folding chairs. It doesn't look like we will have any grills so plan your food accordingly. We will do this the same way as at the causeway. Bring a meal, desert and beverage for yourselves and some to share. I will bring Ice, cups, plates, napkins and eating utensils.

Five Days of Windsurfing

After a week of salivating over the weather forecast it finally arrived this weekend. Some of our group sailed at Virginia Key, Stuart causeway and Ft pierce inlet. I chose the latter since sailing waves is such a huge change from flat water and it is close by.  Their was six of us windsurfing with about a dozen kite boarders. We had a great time but the wind really came up around 5:30 but by that time I was wiped out. The wind is supposed to stay up till Thursday turning easterly so hopefully I can get out again.

Hurricane Joaquin

Hurricane Joaquin has been churning in the Caribbean for a few days and Saturday we finally felt some of the effects. It turned out to be a pleasant day, mostly sunny with drier air coming in from the NW.  The river was a bit choppy and the water looked like coffee. We had a good turnout of windsurfers; the locals plus sailors from Jupiter, Vero and even Hawaii.

West winds are alway gusty so sailing was like driving the interstate at rush hour, sometimes you are hauling and other times not so much. It's a lot more work but after a light summer of sailing it was all good.

Tropical Storm Erika

Hurricane Erika was like an over hyped super bowl. For a week we were seeing epic windsurf forecasts and then she fell apart. Saturday afternoon the highlight was a local storm cell that lit up the river for about 20 minutes.

Sunday however was a different story. The remnants of Erika was over the state bringing cloudy skies and some strong S winds to our area. When I arrived at the causeway the wind had backed off some but by the time I rigged the wind came in with a vengeance. If you are carrying board and sail down to the water and both are flapping in the wind like a dish rag, you might want to rethink what you are doing. On the water I had way to much speed, little control and I was in the air to much for my frame to endure. Then this blinding, stinging rain came in that reduced visibility to zip. After battling my way back to the causeway the wind and rain backed off and the rest of the afternoon provided some great windsurfing.

Art's big day

Well I think Art's birthday and "major award" went off rather well. It was a sunny, windy day and a good group of people showed up. Art arrived at 2:00 and we were afraid he would rig and we wouldn't see him till 6:00. Art felt the wind would build and conditions would be right at 3:00, so he was content slowly assembling his gear and talking to all these people showing up. The rest of our group and the cake showed up in the nick of time as Art was on his way out. We had to call him back and as he made his way up to the grassy area we started singing Happy Birthday! The look on his face and reaction.... priceless. He wanted to turn around and go back out on the water.... and he started to! But he was a good sport and joined in. We presented him with a plaque which read, "In recognition of Arthur "Art" Delaossa with honor and appreciation "an inspiration to all windsurfers" Treasure Coast Windsurfers May 21st 2015. Then the cake was cut, the wind filled in and we went windsurfing. Thanks to everyone who participated and contributed to this event. For more photos click here.

Three Fronts In Five Days

We have had several fronts push through the area in rapid succession. Saturday afternoon I was able to sail the Sanibel causeway on a sunny NW wind. I first rigged a 6.0 on an 85L board but was overpowered and went back out on a 5.2. There was about 8 windsurfers and a half dozen kiteboarders on the water.

Monday after work I sailed the Stuart causeway on a NW wind. Brandon, Tom and Dennis were leaving when I arrived but they agreed a 5.2 on the 85L board would be good. I took off from the beach like a rocket got out a half mile and the wind faded. I caught some gusts and made it back.

Another front is coming through Wednesday afternoon.

Causeway Cookout & Swap Meet

Sunday February 8th, Stuart Causeway east island. Bring your favorite cookout food, beverage and appetite. I will bring ice, eating utensils, plates, cups and charcoal. I will fire up the grill around 2:00 pm. Talk this up among the group because I don't have everyone's email address.

We can do a swap meet on the same day, so inventory your gear and bring out the excess.

Whoo Hoo, Sailing Again!

I finally was able to sail this past Sunday afternoon. The wind came up late in the afternoon out of the North. Ron and I sailed out of the Mansion at Riverside Park. I had 2 expectations either I would end up back on crutches or be pleasantly surprised and fortunately it was the later. I rigged a 7.0 and was fairly well powered. Ron was on a 92L and a 6.5. My ankle was a bit tender, I sailed for 45 minutes and all my jibes were dry.

East Wind Blew All Week

We had a high pressure system set up off our coast which provided an east wind. It did push frequent rain cells through so it was a wet week as well. I was at the causeway around 3:00 pm on Monday. The wind had just dropped and Brandon was stuck and had a long swim in. I am still hobbling around on a sprained ankle and found out Jon sprained his playing volleyball. Art, Ron, Rolf, and Clark had been on the water.