First one at the Home Beach, anyway...
Yesterday had a front or something come through and brought big wind with it - but also a bunch of rain. Despite being forecast to stop raining in the PM it kept right on raining so I came home instead and went out this afternoon.
Took an hour off work, arrived about 3:30pm and got changed... dragged the Flydoor, Mako and Crossbow 13 and Speed3 21 over to the lake - wind was a little up'n'down so kite choice was tough. I opted for the S3 21 and the Mako and it was a good choice - fully trimmed out for power and I was ju-uuust over-powered but loving it!
Just me, Miyachi and erm that other guy there - they're both on surfboards and 7.5 and 10m kites...
Noodled around a bit to 'warm up' then started launching jumps... oh my-yyyy they're all over the place - to someone watching, I bet the launches looked like I got tazered :( messy. Can't figure that board and the water out... got a few epic jumps in, but most were ugly. Best results seemed to be from moderate upwind carve and then just jumping up with both legs - the usual pop from the Flyboards just didn't work ... I think :D
Back-spins worked fine but water is too cold to risk front-spins heh. Wind is dropping and I'm not going upwind easily enough to make up for the massive downwind drift of the jumps, so I swap to the Flydoor. Wow, it's totally like getting on a lump of wood :o smooth riding and edging upwind easily but it's SO HEAVY feeling! Jumps are a little easier to launch but I've still messed myself up but good I think...
Miyachi and the other guy have disappeared already, so as the sun sinks towards the horizon I call it a day... a great day too!
Moment of the Day again has to be either that one perfect huge jump I remember clearly or realizing that I've gotten to grips with the Mako... well riding it at least!
Weather was reported as 7.6 falling to 6 knots - utter bollocks. It was more like 13°C too, not 7. 61% humidity - I have no idea about that :D
My best guess - 10 to 15 knots, gusts to 20... I was powered but reverse landed fine, then just walked hand over hand down the lines to secure the kite... can't do that in big wind and can just drop the kite and walk to it in 6 knots!
What I learned today...
• A week and a few degrees C makes a huge difference in comfort - road sign said 13 and my hands weren't cold at all. I could probably get away with 3mm boots too.
• Simply wearing boots make my feet hurt :(
• The Mako is a nimble, light board.
• The 'door is a plank :o
• I'm weak in the legs after a few weeks off - burning thighs!
• Over-sending the kite causes me to spin around backwards - finally confirmed after all these years! But get it right, and it's fun swinging around under the kite and BUTTAH smooth landings result.
• Flysurfer Speed3 has MASSIVE usable wind-range!
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