Wasn't thinking about getting a ride in today but when I opened my browser to check mail, the weather tab was open and showed a cracking forecast. I refreshed the tab thinking it was old data but no, the weather has improved over-night! Woot! Luckily, I still have my gear in the car from the aborted session on Monday...
Wind is good up north where I was working, but when I arrive at Locus there's SFA. Looks like a front coming in though... stand around chatting with Soh for a bit then as the wind definitely has picked up, get changed and hit the water!
Head out on the Mako and initially, I'm powered fine but then I'm losing too much ground in the jumps that I can't jump AND get back upwind, so I come back in for the Flydoor.
Better... I enjoy some jumps that all seem to end up as transitions cos I have to downloop the kite to stop from borking the landing.
Soh is riding upwind ok but packs it in slightly earlier than I do. I
keep going and the wind picks up even more - BIG jumps now! Having trouble sticking the landing - think I'm redirecting too early and getting turned to the side.
Have a great session though and come in to pack up in the dark... must have been 90 minutes on the water. Excellent.
Moment of the Day was the "kite loop" that I did on purpose and actually felt the lift and pull downwind... just like a real one. Ok I lie - the big jumps are still giving me wood.
Weather was recorded as 6.2 knots at 5pm, 8.1°C 73% BWA-HAHAhahahaha whatever!!!
Gusts to 16 knots at 10 minutes past 5--yeah that seems more like it.
What I learned today...
• The disadvantage of having loose footstraps is that your feet slip out mid-jump.
• The advantage of having loose footstraps is that you can slip your feet back in--after they slip out mid-jump.
• The Mako isn't really great at going upwind. Well, not as good as the Flyboards... wonder if it's the rocker or the curved rails?
• The kite going to the edge of the window IS what's pulling me around to land backwards.
• I need wrist straps to stop water going up my sleeves and my gloves being peeled off.
• Miyachi sells wrist straps.
• I bought wrist straps.
• On the rooly big jumps, I'm being rotated to land backwards because I'm redirecting the kite too early.
• Maybe.
• Soh broke his wrist over the New Years in Okinawa.
• Miyachi rode on Monday but it was very shitty conditions - I didn't miss anything worth not missing.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
In which I spill the Kool-Aid
:(
Looked like today would be a good time to try out the Infinity in the kind of winds it's supposed to be used it. Pumped it up to 7-8psi or so, nice and firm - tends to flop on its tips otherwise. God I hate those small valves, so much more effort than the big ones!
Got out onto the water and started... then I dropped it in a lull. Now it all starts to go wrong...
I pull the LH steering line and the kite scoots over to the RHS of the window, pops up onto its tip fine then - flops together in a clam :( I wait for it to open for a second but instead, it tumbles back onto its TE and tumbleweeds back into the center of the window.
It opens up on its LE so I'm about to grab the steering line to send it to the edge again when it whips up and down in a loop - WTF? I can see the LH rear leader is wrapped around the tip.
Quickly consider the options (QR, OS handle, hang on for dear life etc) and figure the best thing to do is give the rear lines slack - I pull the QR (with both hands) but it loops again. I start hauling in the depower line to manually pull the center lines but it loops for a final time - and the canopy unzips from TE to LE :o
The power has gone from the canopy now so I can wrap up the lines as the kite drifts to the beach and pack it up. Near as I can tell, the ring on the main bridle (!) conspired with the rear pig-tail and between the two of them, looped one around the other then over the tip during the tumble downwind.
Great. So now I gotta replace the kite and even worse, have to tell the dude who so kindly lent it to me. Man, now I remember why I don't borrow other people's sporting gear!
So I get out the Xbow and go on to have a great session anyway. Started off on the Mako but as the wind fell, swapped for the Flydoor. Man, I can't get over how I'm hating the Flydoor now :o
Got some good jumps in on the gusts, getting the Mako under control now...
Was wearing my long-sleeved rashgaurd under my wetsuit, my rainsuit jacket from the DIY store over the wetsuit then my orange t-shirt over that. I was actually quite warm and I guess cos my torso was warm, my body had extra blood to spare for my hands cos they were warm too. The only chilly thing I noticed back at the beach was my legs...
Mind you, pumping up 2 kites probably kept me warm too. Despite the snow drifting by :o
Moment of the Day was seeing Glove-giver Guy attempting back-spins - way to go that man!
Weather was reported as 14 to 16.2 knots at 3°C 57% but it gusted on either side, mostly lulls towards the end of the session.
What I learned today...
• Don't borrow gear :(
• Those open delta C things are as horrible for me as they are for everyone else - freakin' tumbleweeds!
• You CAN jump the Mako 'in the regular fashion' but it requires aggressive footwork; extra effort from the rear leg needed.
• Ra's al Ghul was right - Keep your core warm and the rest will take care of itself.
Looked like today would be a good time to try out the Infinity in the kind of winds it's supposed to be used it. Pumped it up to 7-8psi or so, nice and firm - tends to flop on its tips otherwise. God I hate those small valves, so much more effort than the big ones!
Got out onto the water and started... then I dropped it in a lull. Now it all starts to go wrong...
I pull the LH steering line and the kite scoots over to the RHS of the window, pops up onto its tip fine then - flops together in a clam :( I wait for it to open for a second but instead, it tumbles back onto its TE and tumbleweeds back into the center of the window.
It opens up on its LE so I'm about to grab the steering line to send it to the edge again when it whips up and down in a loop - WTF? I can see the LH rear leader is wrapped around the tip.
Quickly consider the options (QR, OS handle, hang on for dear life etc) and figure the best thing to do is give the rear lines slack - I pull the QR (with both hands) but it loops again. I start hauling in the depower line to manually pull the center lines but it loops for a final time - and the canopy unzips from TE to LE :o
The power has gone from the canopy now so I can wrap up the lines as the kite drifts to the beach and pack it up. Near as I can tell, the ring on the main bridle (!) conspired with the rear pig-tail and between the two of them, looped one around the other then over the tip during the tumble downwind.
Great. So now I gotta replace the kite and even worse, have to tell the dude who so kindly lent it to me. Man, now I remember why I don't borrow other people's sporting gear!
So I get out the Xbow and go on to have a great session anyway. Started off on the Mako but as the wind fell, swapped for the Flydoor. Man, I can't get over how I'm hating the Flydoor now :o
Got some good jumps in on the gusts, getting the Mako under control now...
Was wearing my long-sleeved rashgaurd under my wetsuit, my rainsuit jacket from the DIY store over the wetsuit then my orange t-shirt over that. I was actually quite warm and I guess cos my torso was warm, my body had extra blood to spare for my hands cos they were warm too. The only chilly thing I noticed back at the beach was my legs...
Mind you, pumping up 2 kites probably kept me warm too. Despite the snow drifting by :o
Moment of the Day was seeing Glove-giver Guy attempting back-spins - way to go that man!
Weather was reported as 14 to 16.2 knots at 3°C 57% but it gusted on either side, mostly lulls towards the end of the session.
What I learned today...
• Don't borrow gear :(
• Those open delta C things are as horrible for me as they are for everyone else - freakin' tumbleweeds!
• You CAN jump the Mako 'in the regular fashion' but it requires aggressive footwork; extra effort from the rear leg needed.
• Ra's al Ghul was right - Keep your core warm and the rest will take care of itself.
Friday, February 24, 2012
First epic session of the year!
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!
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!
Friday, February 17, 2012
First skunkage of the year
:-/
Forecast looked great, out-the-window looked great so I came home at lunchtime to get my wetsuit, harness etc.
Got to the lake at 4:30pm... wind seemed a bit low so I set up Ol' Relentless. Jump in the water on the Mako... tack out, tack back aw crap going way downwind... longer tack out and BUGGER the wind has died and I'm out in the river mouth. Had to body drag back over the river wall, avoiding the trees etc and walk down the beach.
Change to the Flydoor and one tack out, one tack back and the wind has gone again :(
Get out, wait around for a while then pack up. Bollocks. At least there's a hot shower this time...
Weather was recorded as 16 knots at lunch time then 12 at 3pm, falling to 5 at 5pm... and it was lully - the other two guys kites kept falling out of the sky and the 21 kept sliding down the window. Naturally, the wind picked up to 12 knots again after dark. And now it's snowing. It was between 2 and 3°C too...
What I learned today...
• Winter can still bring crap weather.
Forecast looked great, out-the-window looked great so I came home at lunchtime to get my wetsuit, harness etc.
Got to the lake at 4:30pm... wind seemed a bit low so I set up Ol' Relentless. Jump in the water on the Mako... tack out, tack back aw crap going way downwind... longer tack out and BUGGER the wind has died and I'm out in the river mouth. Had to body drag back over the river wall, avoiding the trees etc and walk down the beach.
Change to the Flydoor and one tack out, one tack back and the wind has gone again :(
Get out, wait around for a while then pack up. Bollocks. At least there's a hot shower this time...
Weather was recorded as 16 knots at lunch time then 12 at 3pm, falling to 5 at 5pm... and it was lully - the other two guys kites kept falling out of the sky and the 21 kept sliding down the window. Naturally, the wind picked up to 12 knots again after dark. And now it's snowing. It was between 2 and 3°C too...
What I learned today...
• Winter can still bring crap weather.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Nutting up!
Wind was up and it was warm (ish) where I was so I thought I'd head out to the lake for the first session of the year at Locus. Forecast was good; wind didn't look so great though so I didn't get my 10m from the house...
Got to the club house and nobody else was there. Wind was cold making my ears go numb, clouds covered the hills over the other side of the lake which means it's snowing so I thought "Nah!" and got back in the car to go home... as I approached the other way of getting to the club house, I thought "Sissy!!!" at myself and turned the car back around.
Suited up, grabbed my 13m 'bow and the Mako and waddled over to the lake. Bit chilly in the already damp wetsuit (should have hung it up to dry after Saturday :-/ ) but I'm sure I'll warm up with the pumping.
Setting up with gloves on wasn't too difficult and by about 4pm, I'm getting into the water. Bit cold eh :)
Plenty of power, little gusty and I'd have been happier on the 10m for sure but I'm feeling ok. Mako goes upwind nicely but the water is choppy as hell, all over the place! Carves great through the erm carving turns, really locked in and surfy feeling... or at least, how I imagine a surfboard must feel!
Try some jumps and it's all over the place. Water isn't the best, wind is gusty and I'm rusty so it's a pretty mixed bag... a few refreshing face-plants wake me up and I get it under control. Seems the Mako is a very stiff board and you can't 'ollie' it like I do my other Flyboards. Will work on that some more...
Did a solitary back-roll but a blast of icy water down the back of the wetsuit puts paid to that.
Enjoying my ride but my hands have become two unfeeling lumps - time to head back to the shore...
Got another nasty surprise when I got back to the club house, eagerly anticipating a hot shower - no water. At all. Not even cold water to rinse the sand off... WTF Miyachi!!!
Moment of the Day was realizing I can ride in those conditions, still have fun and not freeze to death. 5mm wetsuit and decent gloves (and maybe a hoodie thing) means I might be able to ride almost year round :o
Weather was reported as 8.6m/s (17.2knots) from 4 to 5pm with gusts up to 24knots. It was also 4.6°C, falling to 3.6 when I packed up. Obviously, the colder, denser air of winter means I need to size down my kite selection...
What I learned today...
• 4°C is kiteable which means most of winter is doable... with the right gear.
• NeoGear work gloves are not the right gear. At least, the naval camo ones aren't. My old ones are but have too many holes now... will try to find some more. The bike shop has $30 gloves that might be good too but $30 versus $10 for the NeoGear - I know where I'm shopping first!
• Want 5mm suit and hoodie.
• HyperFlex gear rocks! Seriously, $80 3/2mm wetsuit in winter and I'm cold but only notice it when I stop moving. Or get wet :D
• Mako is going to be a great board - very surfy feel to it and it carves like a knife!
• I think the Mako is very stiff - and I think for jumping, I prefer a flexible board. We'll see - I might need to learn the new technique before I moan too much more :D
• Crossbows are awesome. Even when over-powered they're still super-stable!
Got to the club house and nobody else was there. Wind was cold making my ears go numb, clouds covered the hills over the other side of the lake which means it's snowing so I thought "Nah!" and got back in the car to go home... as I approached the other way of getting to the club house, I thought "Sissy!!!" at myself and turned the car back around.
Suited up, grabbed my 13m 'bow and the Mako and waddled over to the lake. Bit chilly in the already damp wetsuit (should have hung it up to dry after Saturday :-/ ) but I'm sure I'll warm up with the pumping.
Setting up with gloves on wasn't too difficult and by about 4pm, I'm getting into the water. Bit cold eh :)
Plenty of power, little gusty and I'd have been happier on the 10m for sure but I'm feeling ok. Mako goes upwind nicely but the water is choppy as hell, all over the place! Carves great through the erm carving turns, really locked in and surfy feeling... or at least, how I imagine a surfboard must feel!
Try some jumps and it's all over the place. Water isn't the best, wind is gusty and I'm rusty so it's a pretty mixed bag... a few refreshing face-plants wake me up and I get it under control. Seems the Mako is a very stiff board and you can't 'ollie' it like I do my other Flyboards. Will work on that some more...
Did a solitary back-roll but a blast of icy water down the back of the wetsuit puts paid to that.
Enjoying my ride but my hands have become two unfeeling lumps - time to head back to the shore...
Got another nasty surprise when I got back to the club house, eagerly anticipating a hot shower - no water. At all. Not even cold water to rinse the sand off... WTF Miyachi!!!
Moment of the Day was realizing I can ride in those conditions, still have fun and not freeze to death. 5mm wetsuit and decent gloves (and maybe a hoodie thing) means I might be able to ride almost year round :o
Weather was reported as 8.6m/s (17.2knots) from 4 to 5pm with gusts up to 24knots. It was also 4.6°C, falling to 3.6 when I packed up. Obviously, the colder, denser air of winter means I need to size down my kite selection...
What I learned today...
• 4°C is kiteable which means most of winter is doable... with the right gear.
• NeoGear work gloves are not the right gear. At least, the naval camo ones aren't. My old ones are but have too many holes now... will try to find some more. The bike shop has $30 gloves that might be good too but $30 versus $10 for the NeoGear - I know where I'm shopping first!
• Want 5mm suit and hoodie.
• HyperFlex gear rocks! Seriously, $80 3/2mm wetsuit in winter and I'm cold but only notice it when I stop moving. Or get wet :D
• Mako is going to be a great board - very surfy feel to it and it carves like a knife!
• I think the Mako is very stiff - and I think for jumping, I prefer a flexible board. We'll see - I might need to learn the new technique before I moan too much more :D
• Crossbows are awesome. Even when over-powered they're still super-stable!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
A GULP of the Kool-Aid this time
Long weekend off; that is, we don't have to work Saturday :-/ so we're up in Hamamatsu. I should really know better, I never get much joy from the beach here... anyway here's the story.
Wind was up-ish, waves were down; thought it might be worth breaking out the Infinity... I'll get to see what it's like up the top-end anyway. Cross-off is a bit of a worry though but nothing ventured and all that. Will try out my new Mako 150 too happy joy! Thanks Buzz!!!
Pumped the kite up and set up, easy self-launch. Hmm bit twitchy - probably the wind shadow. And the direction changes. And the gusts. Oh well - nut up. Got in the water - not too cold, good ol' Hyperflexx! Up and riding easily, that's good. Depower some - oh a bit gusty. Yes gusty. OH SHIT GUSTY! yoink off you go down-wind then, as fast as you can... rode the shocks out but aren't having fun. A few half-assed jumps but it's survival mode out here...
And aren't going upwind either :-/ give up, land the kite, pack up the bar and walk back up the beach... I was out on the water for over an hour but it felt like 5 minutes :o
Lucky I got off the water when I did too - the walk up the beach was made worse by an epic headwind... damn Hamamatsu! :(
More thoughts on the Infinity... (relative to today and the usual caveats apply)
• Good pull when it was being worked but I didn't have a lot of joy parking and riding it... tide, current and wind (and new board?) working against me though so we'll see on the lake...
• Vicious bastard when it's over-powered - certainly not as much of a buffer out the top-end as the SLE kites eg. my Xbows; I have never felt so dangerously and uncontrollably over-powered for a very long time indeed! It was a real handful trying to land too and the DISASTER of a QR didn't help.
What I'm talking about is how punchy it got when over-powered but still pulled a lot... Cab's IDS may be for "learners" or "old men in golf pants" but it works to take a battering but not haul on you - I know when I absolutely have to change out my Xbow for a smaller size because the kite is twitchy and jerking when totally depowered... but isn't pulling me off the water :o
Twitchy and rough in the gusts and shifts, lots of flapping and stalling - I'm guessing it's the three-strut design... lots of 'canvas' to flap about. Compared with 7 on the Xbow - I'm beginning to see a pattern here, and why Dimitri says 20 knots is the top end limit! So 30 knots NOT good :D
• Definite rear-line flyer - needs the tension there to keep it under control and on the boil. Feedback is handy (not dropping out of the sky) but it's not taxing - although I was wearing thick gloves, I didn't get the forearm pump I've had from the 16m Xbow.
• Landing from the safety - easy! I was worried cos I've never done it before (except on the FSr) It dropped down onto the LE then sat up on the wing tip at the edge of the window. I reached up and pulled the upper flying line and it gradually came back into the window then down onto the LE and sat there... in 30 knots :o
Weather was a nightmare - here's why... cross-offshore to cross-onshore; I got readings of 10 to 20 knots with average around 14 at the water's edge, JMA read 12 to 14 with gusts to 30!!!
Moment of the Day was getting out on the new board. Oh and not dying. Always good, that.
What I learned today...
• Epic Infinity v2 likes 8psi. I know cos I measured :D
• Mako will be awesome when I get used to it!
• New kite and board make a tough combination for riding in rough weather :-/
• Just cos the waves aren't breaking doesn't mean they aren't towering over your head doesn't mean they're not powerful. And big...! Did I say big? Cos they were big.
• Season has started! Wetsuit FTW! Maybe I need a 5mm this year... push the envelope! Roger that, milli vanilli chilly willy!
• That quick release has got to go - when I tried to land, I couldn't release it with my left hand at all and only just managed with the right - What. The. Fuck.
• Walking sucks.
Wind was up-ish, waves were down; thought it might be worth breaking out the Infinity... I'll get to see what it's like up the top-end anyway. Cross-off is a bit of a worry though but nothing ventured and all that. Will try out my new Mako 150 too happy joy! Thanks Buzz!!!
Pumped the kite up and set up, easy self-launch. Hmm bit twitchy - probably the wind shadow. And the direction changes. And the gusts. Oh well - nut up. Got in the water - not too cold, good ol' Hyperflexx! Up and riding easily, that's good. Depower some - oh a bit gusty. Yes gusty. OH SHIT GUSTY! yoink off you go down-wind then, as fast as you can... rode the shocks out but aren't having fun. A few half-assed jumps but it's survival mode out here...
And aren't going upwind either :-/ give up, land the kite, pack up the bar and walk back up the beach... I was out on the water for over an hour but it felt like 5 minutes :o
Lucky I got off the water when I did too - the walk up the beach was made worse by an epic headwind... damn Hamamatsu! :(
More thoughts on the Infinity... (relative to today and the usual caveats apply)
• Good pull when it was being worked but I didn't have a lot of joy parking and riding it... tide, current and wind (and new board?) working against me though so we'll see on the lake...
• Vicious bastard when it's over-powered - certainly not as much of a buffer out the top-end as the SLE kites eg. my Xbows; I have never felt so dangerously and uncontrollably over-powered for a very long time indeed! It was a real handful trying to land too and the DISASTER of a QR didn't help.
What I'm talking about is how punchy it got when over-powered but still pulled a lot... Cab's IDS may be for "learners" or "old men in golf pants" but it works to take a battering but not haul on you - I know when I absolutely have to change out my Xbow for a smaller size because the kite is twitchy and jerking when totally depowered... but isn't pulling me off the water :o
Twitchy and rough in the gusts and shifts, lots of flapping and stalling - I'm guessing it's the three-strut design... lots of 'canvas' to flap about. Compared with 7 on the Xbow - I'm beginning to see a pattern here, and why Dimitri says 20 knots is the top end limit! So 30 knots NOT good :D
• Definite rear-line flyer - needs the tension there to keep it under control and on the boil. Feedback is handy (not dropping out of the sky) but it's not taxing - although I was wearing thick gloves, I didn't get the forearm pump I've had from the 16m Xbow.
• Landing from the safety - easy! I was worried cos I've never done it before (except on the FSr) It dropped down onto the LE then sat up on the wing tip at the edge of the window. I reached up and pulled the upper flying line and it gradually came back into the window then down onto the LE and sat there... in 30 knots :o
Weather was a nightmare - here's why... cross-offshore to cross-onshore; I got readings of 10 to 20 knots with average around 14 at the water's edge, JMA read 12 to 14 with gusts to 30!!!
Moment of the Day was getting out on the new board. Oh and not dying. Always good, that.
What I learned today...
• Epic Infinity v2 likes 8psi. I know cos I measured :D
• Mako will be awesome when I get used to it!
• New kite and board make a tough combination for riding in rough weather :-/
• Just cos the waves aren't breaking doesn't mean they aren't towering over your head doesn't mean they're not powerful. And big...! Did I say big? Cos they were big.
• Season has started! Wetsuit FTW! Maybe I need a 5mm this year... push the envelope! Roger that, milli vanilli chilly willy!
• That quick release has got to go - when I tried to land, I couldn't release it with my left hand at all and only just managed with the right - What. The. Fuck.
• Walking sucks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)