Finally, some northerlies! Forecast looked weak - 10 knots - but I headed to the lake anyway.
Dragged the Silberpfeil and the 16m Crossbow over to the lake (in case the actual wind went either way) and tucked the Flydoor under my arm ... wind was bad when I got on the beach - about 4:45pm - and looking out at the lake, the 5pm 10-knot front didn't look like it was coming so I unpacked the SA2. Put it in the air and hit the water straight away ... may as well get wet and cool!
Was riding, but not going upwind. Tack out, back in, walk it up, get back in the water, oh hello the wind is up! We all start riding it out, but only the little guy on the Slingshot RPM 14 and I are going upwind.
I proceed to have a great time, riding toe-side, monster load'n'pops and working hard on timing the jumps properly. Finally getting it sorted! Boost from the SA in this low wind is impressive ...! I go down the other end of the 'bay' to show-off to the windsurfers but end up looping around and splashing down ... but the kite is still waiting for me when I surface! Boy-oh-boy it's so much better behaved since I got it all tuned up! I manage to get upwind enough to get back across the river mouth and onto 'our' side of the beach ...
LEIs out were the 2011 SS RPM 14, Best Waroo 14 and directional, Cab Switchblade 12 x2, Naish Park 14, LF Havoc 14 ... Poor old Master of Disaster on the Park couldn't even get up on a plane :o he's one of the bigger locals though - Auntie and Taki on the SB's are probably less than 60kg each! Soh on the Havoc was riding but only downwind ... he's no lightweight either though, I think he said 75kg.
A very enjoyable evening - just the mellow, satisfying experience I've been needing. I pack it in as the sun sets and the wind dies off again ...
Windspeed was recorded as 3.2 to 4.3 m/s (6 to 9 knots) from 5 to 8pm. Seems about right - I'm riding downwind at 6, upwind easily at 8 ...
Moment of the Day was finally getting the timing right jumping the SA2 in light winds, sending it from 2 o'clock and kicking a hole in the sky! Enough time up there to think "Holy crap! I'm up high!" and balanced correctly so I could take one hand off the bar, make the 'rock on!' horns hand sign thingy and scream "WOO HOO!" at Soh - just as I reached the zenith of the jump :D
What I learned today ...
• Cost for tune-up at powerzonekitesports.com - well worth the money! Including shipping :) the stability when I mess things up now is just awesome!
• Timing for jumping the slow ol' bus - bear-off downwind a bit, pull the bar back the other way, start loading the edge again as the kite goes up, pop the edge and pull on the bar when you feel the lift ... redirect HARD as you just start to drop.
• Don't show-off :D
• Sheeting in on a load'n'pop increases the height and extends the hang-time ... a lot!
• Riding toe-side ... slowly getting there.
• You don't necessarily need white-caps to ride the Silberpfeil successfully - but it's a very fine line at the bottom end ...
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