Kiting the Bay

[rider1200]

A friend who lives on Irondequiot Bay said he saw a kite out there recently. He said it came near his house (German Village) then went under the bridge. Think he said it was neon green...anyone claiming the fame?

I'm really looking to see where you launched/landed in the Bay. And maybe how nervous you were going under the bridge (and maybe if my friend is full of crap). I'm also surprised the high hills would allow for steady wind, less it was due south.

I might give launching from the boat another shot tonight after 6, I have a few more ideas. Any cares to join me its 585-733-2440.

Brent

[rider1200]

Got out last night around 7 or so in the 22 ft ski boat. I'd laid out my 11m waroo in the lawn earlier & wrapped the bar & lines as carefully as possibly leaving enough slack to lay them right up against the center strut without disconnecting them from the kite. I'd rolled the kite up from each side (so the rolls met in the middle, with the leading edge deflated) as neat and tight as possible which kept the bar & lines in.

I drove out a mile or so with a friend, hooked the LE to my ski pylon while he kept the boat going in to the wind so I could inflate the LE with the kite upside down. Once inflated I put it in the water LE into the wind and unwound the lines while my friend fed them out. At this point I could not have unwound the lines cleanly w/o my friends help. I believe the boat made a shadow & started drifting faster than the kite...this happened before but we caught it and gently moved the kite to the front of the boat (still in water) and let it drift off the bow. We got the lines all the way out but the boat was directly downwind of the kite. I sat on the back & kept the lines straight while he drove in a big circle to get upwind. I was able to get the kite up while on the swim platform though it was in the power zone so it pulled me off. I put the board on and away I went!

Well, not really. For safety sake I was using my 11 in 10mph winds...I used a small kite in low winds because I was in an usual situation. My friend has experience both with the boat and the kite. There are a lot of new guys out there and thats great, just remember safety is key. So this underpowered experiment miles from people or other boats was meant to formulate a plan for a windier day. I learned alot and will go out underpowered a few more times before I attempt it powered up...and thats only if everything goes well!

Back on target it was time to get a plan for stoping. I was able to get back on the swimplatform (ski boat...large swim platform). Brought the kite to the edge of the wind window, touched it to the water and immediately pulled the lower back line in 10 ft or so...I did this by pulling the OS handle from the back of the bar & around the ski pylon, which acted like a pully, then I tied it to my rear cleat when I was sure the kite was flagged (the line I pulled was at least 1.5 times the length of the kite.

The kite was secure but I still wrapped up as quickly as possible without relaxing till I had my hands on the leading edge. I deflated the LE & wrapped up the kite & lines into a tangled, wet mess. I think it took an hour to untangle when I got home.

I have a long way to go but the idea is possible! The coolest part was not caring if I was upwind or downwind, never having to transition or worry about getting back to shore. And I was riding in Rochester in a South wind...and I wasn't in Long Pond (sorry Doug)!

[residenthooligan]

Good to hear you tried this again. My wife and I are both trying to learn how to kite and were a little intimidated by the launch near the chamber of commerce at Seneca. We were also shooed away from the state park and told there was no swimming there. Our next plan is to to try the bay at this spot to see how it would work:

maps.google.com/?ll=43.183199,-77.528169&spn=0.003642,0.008256&z=18

[waterauthorityrick]

residenthooligan,

I windsurfed from that launch 25 years ago when I first bought my gear. Good luck to you, it worked for me then hope it works for you also.

H2O Rick

[David]

Seneca was on yesterday wsw and there were a few windsurfers from Ithaca there. Winds were a not so smooth 7-42 mph with about a 2 hour period the winds were "smooth" between 22-32. I was fully jacked on a 7m and windsurfers were on 3.7-4.2 with moderate chop. Caught some good air and the swell was about 2 - 3 feet. Overall not bad but it was not full combat like Hamburg must have been.

[rider1200]

Residenthooligan, I'd say the spot is a no go for kiting, specially for learning. The parking lot is not big enough and full of rocks. Very likely to hurt your kite there. The spot may be doable but someone would have to hold the kite in the parking lot while the kiter walked out into the water (or vice versa). I think the bottom is either large gravel or muck...sink up to your shins muck. If I'm wrong let me know, I'd love to find a place closer to Seneca in a South wind. Don't forgot in the beginning you will almost never end in the place you started...usually a few hundred yards downwind.

For you for now Charlotte may be what the Dr. Ordered! After labor day the lifeguards leave and the giant beach is pretty much abandoned. That means lots of room for learning and no one to chase you away. The soft sand is easier on your kite and if you can get an E or NE wind the pier will give you some smooth water, though it will work in NW wind also (just stay waay away from the pier). There's only two guys I know that kite there and they're always willing to help out a new guy. The next month should yield at least a few quality days. Have fun & take it slow!

[Researcher again]

who shoed you away at seneca state park??

[residenthooligan]

I went to the park entrance, it was the park attending working there. They said there was no swimming.

We headed down near chamber of commerce but didn't set up because it didn't seem like there was much room, the launch was loaded with duck crap, and there was pretty much no wind.

A girl working at the chamber of commerce told me that area (the state park) is patrolled by park rangers and I would have likely been kicked out had I started to set up.

[Researcher again]

No way - they wont kick you off.

I live in Geneva and have gone all summer when the warnings were up (essentially our lovely WWTP overflows and the ecoli is up). The "patrol" kids wont bother you. Besides they will be closing for the fall anyhow.

[Researcher again]

One of the Patrol kids even gave me a launch....beach was cleared of all people because of no swimming....as far as duck crap goes - thats representative of our town - its a s***t hole.