Pushing the Envelope: Tandem Shortboarding

Since our buddy Endo is on hiatus, somebody has to push the envelope to the fringe of what might be insanity (but, after all, who's to say what is genius and what is insanity...and I'm bored with the cold and rain anyway), so here goes: Parachuters do it, paragliders & hang gliders do...so why not try it in high speed planing on a windsurfer? Strap a know-nothing customer on your back, climb onto a monster widebody with giant bad-ass fin & sail and tear out into glory? Sure as heck no less dangerous than those other activities. You could also have a fighter-pilot-like quick all points release harness to detach yourself from the customer if you got into the water. Anybody ever try it? This would be a great summer part-time job at the shore if it works. It would work great the younger, and slimmer, (and more female) the customer. No cows, please. I could just look at my highly scientific calculation charts (that I made up myself) and say, 'Sorry, just can't do it.....you don't meet the specs.'

Why not just buy one of those old school boards with foot straps and mast base connections for two sails and hence two people.

As you said - insane idea. More acurately, a moronic suggestion.

The problem with the old school two person board is that both people have to know what they're doing. My idea lets you take somebody out who knows nothing. You as the pilot would just have to get used to a squirming 100+ pound lead weight strapped to your back. No problemlemo. I never said it was going to be a piece of cake, but then again, pioneers have to have extraordinary skill and courage and be willing to take some lumps.

Ever tried waterstarting with a coz strapped to ya ass then? Hey actually that is what u could base ya chart on....

Nawwww..I don't think waterstarting would be on the agenda early in the development stage. No jibbing either. Just beach starts, pure beam reach speed runs. Hit the quick release disk & jettison your passenger, do your jibe, let the passenger scramble back on (remember, this is a way big board), click his sorry carcass back in & take off again. The passanger would probably enjoy the bombing run as much as the actual ride.

I know it's not what you were asking, but I remember a mag article about tandem wave sailing from about 10-15 yrs ago. Craig Yester (is that right?) and some other guy on the north shore of Oahu, got a blank for a racing longboard and stuck 2 sets of straps and mastbases in it (no centreboard).

I think it was better for jumping than riding - they said the guy on the front got a real sensation of high altitude in the jumps.

Cheers

I saw a photo in Windsurfing a few years ago of Robert Teritahau <sp?> with a tandem harness sailing along with honey on his lap. Looked pretty intimate.

Wal