Thursday 8/26

[flashpipe]

Thursday's looking pretty good. Might try to make it out to Durand early afternoon if anyone else is going out:
www.windfinder.com/forecast/lake_ontario_buoy

[Windydoug]

I just saw that on iwindsurf.............hope we don't jinx it by discussing it though!

[buoy]

ARGHH!!!!!!!!!!

[edg]

rider are you going? I'll be there!!! Anyone please call with reports....


5o3 8o6,,.,.45...II

ED

[rider1200]

I'll be there. I seem to have misplaced my spreader bar but luckily Brian brought an extra one he's going to let me use. Last time out the wind died on me and I had a long drawn out self rescue in decent swell, followed by a little hike back to Montana. I was fighting a cold, lost my voice & kind of got worn out...before you offer me a whinekin and some french cries, my point is I can't remember if I had my spreader bar when I got home or if I left it at Montana Beach. If its gone I'll have a good excuse to order some new lines.

Oh, the only good thing about the whole self rescue thing was I got it all on helmet cam! I'll post it as soon as I find some software that'll fast forward. I'm not sure its worth watching at all but its definitely not worth watching in regular motion.

[edg]

Good time had by all, except my:( I'm so out of shape and my skills are all rusty, but it great to meet everyone.

[flashpipe]

Don't feel bad edg, I got frustrated between trying a kite I hadn't flown before, not being able to find my wind groove (again) and pulling TONS of algae off my lines. Still, it was a great time for the short bursts I was actually on the board, and, I was able to help Brent out with the spreader bar, so it was worth going.

Even better, it was great to see so many people out there, meet new kiters and get out of the house.

Need to take a week off and go somewhere I can kite every day. I feel like I'm right on the edge of actually enjoying it a lot.

[rider1200]

Thanks again for the spreader! It turned out to be a great day for me because of you. I came in to see if I could give you some pointers, maybe look at it from another angle, but I could tell the day had already drained you...I've been there before! You were dealing with bad wind for one thing; on the shoreline I had a lot of trouble even keeping my kite in the air. It wasn't until I got out 100 yards or so that it was consistent. And the further East I got the worse it was, it got pretty much offshore making it gusty & swirling where you were.

Part of the Algae on your lines was because the lake flipped (upwelling). Thats one downfall & the other is the 55 degree water (according to NOAA). My hands & feet were numb by the time I stopped.

I recommend the Outer Banks for a trip. If you go after labor day you can get good rates on accomodations, you're almost guaranteed good wind and they have at least 2 good places for lessons. The sound has smooth water and you can touch for miles. I was afraid to get too far away from shore when I was starting but I realized I learned alot more when I didn't worry about getting back, just go and go and you'll pick it up quicker. Lessons there come with little Carolina Skiffs that'll bring you back no matter where you end up. I had a cute little hottie for an instructor too...bonus!

[flashpipe]

Brent,

Glad it worked out for you. I'm hoping to get a Hatteras trip in next fall. I went down this spring and had a lesson scheduled at Real 2 different days but there was no wind both of those days...lol...plus, I wasn't thrilled with their non-existent refund policy. Until then, I'll just keep coming out on the high wind days and enjoying playing in the water. I think the main frustration last week was the different kite and the seaweed. I'm thinking of starting to keep my eyes open for a 12 or 13 Waroo since I've got the 9 and 15.

Looks like great wind Saturday, but I'm going to be kayaking on the Salmon river. Might end up getting out to FairHaven in the afternoon, on my way home, if the wind keeps up.

Do you know who was out there with the white Naish kite? Everyone else had wrapped up and headed out after the wind died down some, and he was still out there doing some nice jumps. Looked like a pretty good range on the kite...

[rider1200]

Brian,

Chris has the white & blue 15m Naish. It seems to have good range but he says its more the board than the kite. He's got a Flight Deck by Jimmy Lewis that has enough surface area to keep him up in low winds but somehow still cuts through chop and remains managable in higher winds. I think he told me he only has an 11m Naish and the 15m as well as two boards. He also has a lot of hours on his kiteboarding belt....he can read the wind, hold it down in higher winds and milk it in lower winds. Right now I'm realizing I can go way upwind to wait out gusts that are uncomfotably high and I'm working on getting the most out of the kite when the wind drops...alot of that seems to be keeping speed up to get some apparent wind.

I think David's advice earlier was spot on...stay with one brand of kite while you're learning. Sell your 12m Naish and get 12 or 13 waroo or sell the waroos and stock up on Naish's. Theres so much inconsistency in this sport you need to keep things as similar as possible whenever you can. I know it sucks but you will learn faster that way. I also don't know how much use you'll get out of your 9 around here, you're a big guy. I only have an 11 & a 15; theres been a few days I wish I had a 13, Thursday being one, but its Prob not going to happen this year. There are a couple on ebay right now though!

[flashpipe]

Brent,

Thanks for the info and advice. There are also some 13s up on the classified section of ikitesurf.com It's not going to happen this season, but I'll probably do that next season and stick with the Waroo.

I've only used the 9 twice in the past 2 seasons, but it may work well for snowkiting.

Thanks!