zOMG third day in a row the wind is blowing!
Took the bike out in the morning for a jolly good thrash and did a few chores over lunch time so it was 2:30 by the time I got to the lake... wind was already up and a couple of people were out on the water...
Went for the Speed3 15 but was expecting to ride the Flydoor - but I took both boards to the lake. As it turned out, I didn't need the 'door :o Out on the 'radical...
Easy start, nicely-powered. Let the games begin!
Pootle around for a while. The other guy out clears off, and the Master of Disaster gets off the water so I have the lake to myself for a bit. Down near the marina creek thing, someone is taking photos so I start showing off... carving waves, jumping and throwing rotations. That goes well for a while, really getting the mojo flowing with some big, powered back rolls! All good for an while then...
I balls up... something... and slam myself then the kite. Hard. When I relaunch it, I can see a couple of broken bridle lines. Nuts, better fix them. Still ride to shore though :D
3 lines actually busted, LCLs took the brunt - 2 pinks and a white. No other issues. Fiddle fiddle relaunch and re-ride.
The camera man is gone and so is my mojo, it seems :( by the time I get that back, the wind has lulled right off. Diddle around waiting for it to pick up... Auntie gives up, that directional goof gives up, Miyachi keeps riding... Turkey hits the water but sticks his kite into the trees.
Ooh the wind has picked up! I nearly land on the shore, doing what I thought would be small jump - I got a 2-floor elevator ride and miss the beach by a meter or two :-/ landed it and rode off though. Like a boss!
I get a blast for the rest of the evening until sunset... I get off the water and land my kite just as the 6pm ding-dong goes off.
Epic session! The wind was just fine but the play time was epic!
Moment of the day was the first really big, powered and sent back roll that felt totally under control. Epic!
Mood of the session was surprised, thrilled, beaten.
Song stuck in my head was Wild Flower by the Cult. "CRAzy 'bout you yeah!"
It sucks when you crash your kite trying to loop, right on to the shore break then drag it over the beach, then have to relaunch 6 feet from the shore in knee-deep water with rocks and shit under-foot. But it RULES when you do all that but don't damage yourself or the kite.
Weather was reported as NW 10-14-12-13-11 knots from 2-6pm, gusts to 22 knots at 6; 27-22°C, 55-63%.
Wind felt like I shouldn't have been as powered as I was. Mostly well-powered, rarely over-powered, a few times fuckin skunked. Water was pretty flat too...
What I learned today...
• Bottom end of the 15 is just stunning. I might have been riding with the 21 (instead of sinking) but would have quickly been in survival mode.
• Bah. Need to tune those damned lines. Or maybe the mixer.
• Tip lines are looking shrunk too :-/
• When doing powered back-rolls, having a jolly good look at the horizon behind you to control the rotation, then use body-english and the kite to finish the move, with an easy downwind landing.
• I'm still getting sunburned hands, arms etc :-/ mildly, but noticeably. Feet too.
• Almost time for wetsuits... better put the short john in the basket for next session.
• Concentrated on using my whole body to carve the board upwind instead of 'pushing' it with my feet - my knee doesn't hurt at all. Hmm.
• Distance is your friend - 2 line lengths!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
New old toys!
Ok so there I was standing around in the garden when my 2012 Flydoor XL arrived by courier - sweet! Doodle around for a bit then recheck the forecast... oh myyy! lets go!
Bah, light wind at the beach but 16 knots forecast... so I head out on my remaining light wind kite - the Psycho4 19 - and the new Flydoor!
Well... the FDS is too short. By a bunch :-/ kite won't even launch. So I add in a meter or so I have spare but that's barely long enough... the kite flies, but it's not fun. Take a few tacks - and walks - up and down the beach. Then head back to the car and get the bar from the 21 and use that for the Psycho4.
Mmm, launches ok but is backstalling like a mofo. Full trim helps... I know the bar is wonky but really?
it can't be that bad. Maybe the mixer is screwy...
Mow the lawn for a while, getting used to the board and the kite. Bit tricky at the bottom end... wonder how much wind we got? I'm sure I'd be riding easily on the 21...
Wind picks up a bit later, gets easier to ride but still can't trim the kite out. At least I can park'n'ride now... and get some jumps. First good one on the Psycho - yes, it's more of a yank than the Speed3's lift but it seems less floaty... but that makes landings a little more direct - but still gentle, when I get them right!
New board is nice! VERY light on the feet and in the air - so light that the wind can blow it around on your feet and upset your balance in the air. Carves nice, holds a line well, seems to go upwind better than the old one... also seems more flexible so the ride is smoother. Still can't carve to toeside without slipping out on my face though :D
So I was having a good ol' time... lots of rotations, a few double back-rolls that worked :D and of course goofing around with the jumps. Miyachi was taking pics and snapped the one of me below. I swear, I'm already on the way down ;)
Later on, I fell off the board and as I recovered it, it managed to release the QR... kite went into a loop frenzy and although the mini-5th was long enough, it was clear the FDS was what it should have had. Ended up having to walk to shore and manually unwrap a wicked bowtie. Bloody green bridle snagged on something and messed up the stitching too... otherwise, no apparent harm. Relaunched, dunked the kite a few times to wash the sand off then kept riding :D
Nearly got stuck in the river mouth a few times, trying to make up ground but being unable to resist a good boost up a wave.
Another good day. Only 3 others at the lake... must have got there about 2pm, got back to the carpark at 6!
My right knee is twinging though... I think I'm leveraging myself against it in turns or jumps - have to try carving more with my body maybe?
Moment of the day was that first good YOINK with the Psycho - an Aha! moment.
Mood of the session was frustrated bemused satisfied.
It sucks when Miyachi only takes one photo of moi and it's not a great one :D I SWEAR I was higher!
Weather was reported as 5-8-8-8-14-12 knots from 1–6pm, on the hour, with a peak gust of 18 knots at 5:30pm. 27–24°C, 49–69% for the same time period. Uh?
Wind felt like the above was about right... but cos I'd run out of depower already, I felt a tiny bit overpowered around 5pm - needed a smaller board cos I kept losing my edge too soon.
What I learned today...
• Need more line for the FDS - might use my left-over 5th line from the Switch bar in the interim...
• Pscyho needs the mixer set and a few bridle lines...
• Low end doesn't seem so good on the Psycho4, it doesn't seem that quick in the air so doesn't seem to make up for park'n'ride-ability with apparent wind, upper end isn't so good either.
• Should have had my smaller board at the lake too.
• Weeds stick to the center fin :-/ the drag is very noticeable and feels like sand in wheel bearings!
• A pop and kicking my heels up clears the weeds off nicely.
• Must try the Wide stance - I prefer that on the 2010 'door cos it's easier to weight the back of the board and it feels less wooden, more lively.
• The 2012 'door felt nice to ride in normal width stance though...
• Wet, sandy Flysurfers are unstable and fly badly... till they dry out.
• I'm still getting sunburned :-/
Bah, light wind at the beach but 16 knots forecast... so I head out on my remaining light wind kite - the Psycho4 19 - and the new Flydoor!
Well... the FDS is too short. By a bunch :-/ kite won't even launch. So I add in a meter or so I have spare but that's barely long enough... the kite flies, but it's not fun. Take a few tacks - and walks - up and down the beach. Then head back to the car and get the bar from the 21 and use that for the Psycho4.
Mmm, launches ok but is backstalling like a mofo. Full trim helps... I know the bar is wonky but really?
it can't be that bad. Maybe the mixer is screwy...
Mow the lawn for a while, getting used to the board and the kite. Bit tricky at the bottom end... wonder how much wind we got? I'm sure I'd be riding easily on the 21...
Wind picks up a bit later, gets easier to ride but still can't trim the kite out. At least I can park'n'ride now... and get some jumps. First good one on the Psycho - yes, it's more of a yank than the Speed3's lift but it seems less floaty... but that makes landings a little more direct - but still gentle, when I get them right!
New board is nice! VERY light on the feet and in the air - so light that the wind can blow it around on your feet and upset your balance in the air. Carves nice, holds a line well, seems to go upwind better than the old one... also seems more flexible so the ride is smoother. Still can't carve to toeside without slipping out on my face though :D
So I was having a good ol' time... lots of rotations, a few double back-rolls that worked :D and of course goofing around with the jumps. Miyachi was taking pics and snapped the one of me below. I swear, I'm already on the way down ;)
Later on, I fell off the board and as I recovered it, it managed to release the QR... kite went into a loop frenzy and although the mini-5th was long enough, it was clear the FDS was what it should have had. Ended up having to walk to shore and manually unwrap a wicked bowtie. Bloody green bridle snagged on something and messed up the stitching too... otherwise, no apparent harm. Relaunched, dunked the kite a few times to wash the sand off then kept riding :D
Nearly got stuck in the river mouth a few times, trying to make up ground but being unable to resist a good boost up a wave.
Another good day. Only 3 others at the lake... must have got there about 2pm, got back to the carpark at 6!
My right knee is twinging though... I think I'm leveraging myself against it in turns or jumps - have to try carving more with my body maybe?
Moment of the day was that first good YOINK with the Psycho - an Aha! moment.
Mood of the session was frustrated bemused satisfied.
It sucks when Miyachi only takes one photo of moi and it's not a great one :D I SWEAR I was higher!
Weather was reported as 5-8-8-8-14-12 knots from 1–6pm, on the hour, with a peak gust of 18 knots at 5:30pm. 27–24°C, 49–69% for the same time period. Uh?
Wind felt like the above was about right... but cos I'd run out of depower already, I felt a tiny bit overpowered around 5pm - needed a smaller board cos I kept losing my edge too soon.
What I learned today...
• Need more line for the FDS - might use my left-over 5th line from the Switch bar in the interim...
• Pscyho needs the mixer set and a few bridle lines...
• Low end doesn't seem so good on the Psycho4, it doesn't seem that quick in the air so doesn't seem to make up for park'n'ride-ability with apparent wind, upper end isn't so good either.
• Should have had my smaller board at the lake too.
• Weeds stick to the center fin :-/ the drag is very noticeable and feels like sand in wheel bearings!
• A pop and kicking my heels up clears the weeds off nicely.
• Must try the Wide stance - I prefer that on the 2010 'door cos it's easier to weight the back of the board and it feels less wooden, more lively.
• The 2012 'door felt nice to ride in normal width stance though...
• Wet, sandy Flysurfers are unstable and fly badly... till they dry out.
• I'm still getting sunburned :-/
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
No job + wind = happiness!
Being unemployed as it's benefits... not working for scumbags is one, having time during the day to milk the winds is another.
Forecast looked good all day, with the peak around 4pm. I had to work at 5:40pm though (a side-job, as it were) so I went to the lake with my watch on, and work clothes in the car. Naturally, I forgot my shoes and had to go home for them but I still got in a 3-hour session AND got to work on time!
So knowing that the wind was forecast for like, 20 knots plus, I took the Speed3 15 and both Flyboards over to the beach. Initially I thought I should have had the 19, but later I thought I should have had the 12... gusty wind - had the kite trimmed about 1/3 in, which was good for over-powered but equally good when the wind dropped cos the kite got backstall-y...
Anyway. Had to re-rig the kite cos I'd put the 'new' black rope and stopper block on the bar and tuned it. Fiddled with that for a bit... then launched nice'n'easy. Headed out on the 'radical...
Initially a bit tough to get away from the beach - wind was NW this time - but soon was nicely powered. Was thinking that if the wind was going to pick up, I should be on the 12... nah fuck that, can't be bothered - me gusta!
Started off doing some nice rotations and transitions. Very nearly did a heel to toe carve on my goofy side too but messed it up, thinking too much about it.
Then the wind picked up and it was boosting time! Some real good ones :D and I'm getting good at flying the whole thing out with just one hand on the bar, trying to grab the board etc etc. Even started thinking about trying to do foot outs but couldn't get my foot erm out. Rode out a few elevator jumps too, not messing up the descent for a change. Got dropped a fair few times too - frickin gusty!
Managed several double rotations and landed a couple... desperation moves - went up and over-rotated and was like "O SH--" then whipped my head around to try to complete another one. Not classy, but it worked a couple of times ;)
Ji-chan and Master of Disaster were there, but they had buggered off into the distance. I had the beach to myself for nearly 2 hours, then the other turned up. No problems except for fucking Turkey - a disaster on the water, then when I was packing up he wanted me to land him... and proceeded to dump the kite on my head. Literally. Then he launched his smaller kite, then proceeded to dive it into the ground a few feet from me - which he thought was hilarious. Idiot.
4:30pm I packed up and headed off to work. I was good for about 2, 2 and a half hours then got tired and started screwing up. Not so much my legs for once, just a general full body weariness.
Better than a day at work - anytime!
Moment of the day was landing a double rotation... like I meant to do it.
Mood of the session was irritated, elated, tired.
It sucks when you're trying to do the Disco Man and the gust drops you on your head.
Weather was reported as 14 knots at 1pm, building to 16 at 2, falling off to 14 again at 4. Gusts to 26 knots... 28°C at 44%!!!
Wind felt like it was too much for the 15 - or too little. Mostly, I was comfortably over-powered...
What I learned today...
• Heel-to-toe transition on my 'good' size feeling very natural... need to work out how to pop from toe-side!
• Point toes to bring the board within easy grabbing range.
• Turkey is a menace.
• Frickin harness... riding up all the time. Irritating.
• Multiple rotations - I'm betting they're just luck for many people :D
• I think I prefer the 15 on the middle holes of the bar... I'm sure it feels different.
• I might need a smaller board :o
• Backrolls - it's not just pointing your board downwind, it's pointing it more towards the kite than upwind. Like lots of things, really...
Forecast looked good all day, with the peak around 4pm. I had to work at 5:40pm though (a side-job, as it were) so I went to the lake with my watch on, and work clothes in the car. Naturally, I forgot my shoes and had to go home for them but I still got in a 3-hour session AND got to work on time!
So knowing that the wind was forecast for like, 20 knots plus, I took the Speed3 15 and both Flyboards over to the beach. Initially I thought I should have had the 19, but later I thought I should have had the 12... gusty wind - had the kite trimmed about 1/3 in, which was good for over-powered but equally good when the wind dropped cos the kite got backstall-y...
Anyway. Had to re-rig the kite cos I'd put the 'new' black rope and stopper block on the bar and tuned it. Fiddled with that for a bit... then launched nice'n'easy. Headed out on the 'radical...
Initially a bit tough to get away from the beach - wind was NW this time - but soon was nicely powered. Was thinking that if the wind was going to pick up, I should be on the 12... nah fuck that, can't be bothered - me gusta!
Started off doing some nice rotations and transitions. Very nearly did a heel to toe carve on my goofy side too but messed it up, thinking too much about it.
Then the wind picked up and it was boosting time! Some real good ones :D and I'm getting good at flying the whole thing out with just one hand on the bar, trying to grab the board etc etc. Even started thinking about trying to do foot outs but couldn't get my foot erm out. Rode out a few elevator jumps too, not messing up the descent for a change. Got dropped a fair few times too - frickin gusty!
Managed several double rotations and landed a couple... desperation moves - went up and over-rotated and was like "O SH--" then whipped my head around to try to complete another one. Not classy, but it worked a couple of times ;)
Ji-chan and Master of Disaster were there, but they had buggered off into the distance. I had the beach to myself for nearly 2 hours, then the other turned up. No problems except for fucking Turkey - a disaster on the water, then when I was packing up he wanted me to land him... and proceeded to dump the kite on my head. Literally. Then he launched his smaller kite, then proceeded to dive it into the ground a few feet from me - which he thought was hilarious. Idiot.
4:30pm I packed up and headed off to work. I was good for about 2, 2 and a half hours then got tired and started screwing up. Not so much my legs for once, just a general full body weariness.
Better than a day at work - anytime!
Moment of the day was landing a double rotation... like I meant to do it.
Mood of the session was irritated, elated, tired.
It sucks when you're trying to do the Disco Man and the gust drops you on your head.
Weather was reported as 14 knots at 1pm, building to 16 at 2, falling off to 14 again at 4. Gusts to 26 knots... 28°C at 44%!!!
Wind felt like it was too much for the 15 - or too little. Mostly, I was comfortably over-powered...
What I learned today...
• Heel-to-toe transition on my 'good' size feeling very natural... need to work out how to pop from toe-side!
• Point toes to bring the board within easy grabbing range.
• Turkey is a menace.
• Frickin harness... riding up all the time. Irritating.
• Multiple rotations - I'm betting they're just luck for many people :D
• I think I prefer the 15 on the middle holes of the bar... I'm sure it feels different.
• I might need a smaller board :o
• Backrolls - it's not just pointing your board downwind, it's pointing it more towards the kite than upwind. Like lots of things, really...
Friday, September 21, 2012
Stayin' Alive
Well you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm having a day off work and there's wind in the PM. How hip!
Got to the lake a 3, onto the water about 10 past but it was light as - Flydoor and just holding ground, occasional jumps or spins but not much else. Wind picks up around 4 - as it was supposed to - and it's much better now. Big ol' jumps but it's gusty... I switch to the Radical and am happy again.
For a while, it's survival mode - I contemplated getting the S3 15 but decided to stick out the 21... the jumps are fun and floaty though. As the wind drops off, I start doing back rolls - good backrolls! - and frontrolls...
Then it gets punchy - the kite is behaving badly and I'm getting yanked around... then I get dropped from a jump, the kite inverts, nose-dives then bowties - twice - but I manage to untangle the kite and relaunch. After a bit, I notice the lines are wrapped and I'll need to un-invert the kite. I ride around for a bit then the same thing happens. I let the bowtie plop on the shore and pull the safety to flag it out. Reset, sort out the bar & lines then relaunch and get back on the water for another 1/2 hour.
I can't do the Dead Man cos I can only take one hand off the bar - so I do the Disco Man! Imagine this - but a fat guy in a blue t-shirt, hanging upside down from a kite 20 feet above a lake... disco, baby yeah!
Had a great time, did some kick-ass jumps... but I have to pack up and go to work. Oh crap look - I've ripped a seam sometime. That damned short SZ1 line pulled it... there's a bridle line with a broken LCL on it but I can't see it in the dark...
Nuts.
Moment of the day was finally clicking with boosted backrolls!
Mood of the session was elated amused energized.
It sucks when you break your kite :( and have to send it overseas to fix it :((
Song stuck in my head was the closing theme from Star Trek TOS... Oooooooh oooooooh ooh ooh oh ooooooh!
Weather was reported as 10-8-9-9 knots from 3 to 6pm. Gusts to 18 knots, 26°C at 60%.
Wind felt like I was ok-powered most of the time, occasionally happily overpowered and a few times a bit worried.
What I learned today...
• Don't try to rotate 360° for a back roll and ride back up; aim for 270° and land riding away slightly downwind.
• I think the same goes for front rolls but you need to use the kite more.
• Air transition on the big Speed - keep it right over head, float around under it then redirect hard... you'll need velocity for riding out the landing.
• Heel-to-toe transitions on the Flydoor need more upright body - you can't rely on the toeside fins cos there are none and the edge slides out too easy.
• Relaxing under the kite... makes life easier to ride out the cock-ups. And pull off tricks - like turning over-rotations into doubles :D
Got to the lake a 3, onto the water about 10 past but it was light as - Flydoor and just holding ground, occasional jumps or spins but not much else. Wind picks up around 4 - as it was supposed to - and it's much better now. Big ol' jumps but it's gusty... I switch to the Radical and am happy again.
For a while, it's survival mode - I contemplated getting the S3 15 but decided to stick out the 21... the jumps are fun and floaty though. As the wind drops off, I start doing back rolls - good backrolls! - and frontrolls...
Then it gets punchy - the kite is behaving badly and I'm getting yanked around... then I get dropped from a jump, the kite inverts, nose-dives then bowties - twice - but I manage to untangle the kite and relaunch. After a bit, I notice the lines are wrapped and I'll need to un-invert the kite. I ride around for a bit then the same thing happens. I let the bowtie plop on the shore and pull the safety to flag it out. Reset, sort out the bar & lines then relaunch and get back on the water for another 1/2 hour.
I can't do the Dead Man cos I can only take one hand off the bar - so I do the Disco Man! Imagine this - but a fat guy in a blue t-shirt, hanging upside down from a kite 20 feet above a lake... disco, baby yeah!
Had a great time, did some kick-ass jumps... but I have to pack up and go to work. Oh crap look - I've ripped a seam sometime. That damned short SZ1 line pulled it... there's a bridle line with a broken LCL on it but I can't see it in the dark...
Nuts.
Moment of the day was finally clicking with boosted backrolls!
Mood of the session was elated amused energized.
It sucks when you break your kite :( and have to send it overseas to fix it :((
Song stuck in my head was the closing theme from Star Trek TOS... Oooooooh oooooooh ooh ooh oh ooooooh!
Weather was reported as 10-8-9-9 knots from 3 to 6pm. Gusts to 18 knots, 26°C at 60%.
Wind felt like I was ok-powered most of the time, occasionally happily overpowered and a few times a bit worried.
What I learned today...
• Don't try to rotate 360° for a back roll and ride back up; aim for 270° and land riding away slightly downwind.
• I think the same goes for front rolls but you need to use the kite more.
• Air transition on the big Speed - keep it right over head, float around under it then redirect hard... you'll need velocity for riding out the landing.
• Heel-to-toe transitions on the Flydoor need more upright body - you can't rely on the toeside fins cos there are none and the edge slides out too easy.
• Relaxing under the kite... makes life easier to ride out the cock-ups. And pull off tricks - like turning over-rotations into doubles :D
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Home again
At long bloody last, we've got wind from the north that is forecast to be rideable... probably. I'm at my furtherest away work place but luckily, I got to work 10 minutes early so I clock out 10 minutes early too. Got to the lake about 4:30pm...
Looks ok but The Gloves Guy is on his 15 and doesn't look like he's going upwind well. So it'll be the 21 then... I take both boards to the lake, just in case.
But by the time I've laid out the 21, and dusted off the sand from Thailand, the wind is up enough that I think I might just be able to ride the 'small' board... so I jump in the water ahead of some noob and haul ass out onto the sweet, flat (lumpy), fresh water of Mother Lake.
Well, I'm going upwind but while the jumps are average, I'm losing ground downwind and having to work to get back up the beach. Make the most of the "flat" water and get back into rotations... but they were still easier to do in Thailand! Everything was easier to do on actual flat water LOL
Man, the 21 is slow :D redirecting for jumps is fine cos it's got so much lift but front- or back-rolls just are impossible to use the kite to pull me out of a big one... I get why people like small kites.
Ride till dark, last one off the lake and packed up. Gr-rrravy!
Moment of the day was the kiteloop that wasn't a surprise... I felt the pull when I looped it and sheeted it all perfectly, for a nice yank downwind to a soft, fast landing out the other direction...
Mood of the session was happy.
It sucks when you do a downloop transition but the board digs its nose in and you get dragged on your balls downwind for the rest of the loop...!
Weather was reported as 10 knots, gusts to 18; 67% at 27°C.
Wind felt like I was 50% just powered but 100% wanting more. Figure that one out.
What I learned today...
• There's a fucking rock or something at the near end of the beach that I've ridden into with my 'radical now too, fuck it.
• Lines are out of whack on the 21 but that's fine, I got spares...
• I love riding the 'radical!
• Wind-chill is enough that I'll need at least my summer wetsuit soon! Water is still warm though...
Looks ok but The Gloves Guy is on his 15 and doesn't look like he's going upwind well. So it'll be the 21 then... I take both boards to the lake, just in case.
But by the time I've laid out the 21, and dusted off the sand from Thailand, the wind is up enough that I think I might just be able to ride the 'small' board... so I jump in the water ahead of some noob and haul ass out onto the sweet, flat (lumpy), fresh water of Mother Lake.
Well, I'm going upwind but while the jumps are average, I'm losing ground downwind and having to work to get back up the beach. Make the most of the "flat" water and get back into rotations... but they were still easier to do in Thailand! Everything was easier to do on actual flat water LOL
Man, the 21 is slow :D redirecting for jumps is fine cos it's got so much lift but front- or back-rolls just are impossible to use the kite to pull me out of a big one... I get why people like small kites.
Ride till dark, last one off the lake and packed up. Gr-rrravy!
Moment of the day was the kiteloop that wasn't a surprise... I felt the pull when I looped it and sheeted it all perfectly, for a nice yank downwind to a soft, fast landing out the other direction...
Mood of the session was happy.
It sucks when you do a downloop transition but the board digs its nose in and you get dragged on your balls downwind for the rest of the loop...!
Weather was reported as 10 knots, gusts to 18; 67% at 27°C.
Wind felt like I was 50% just powered but 100% wanting more. Figure that one out.
What I learned today...
• There's a fucking rock or something at the near end of the beach that I've ridden into with my 'radical now too, fuck it.
• Lines are out of whack on the 21 but that's fine, I got spares...
• I love riding the 'radical!
• Wind-chill is enough that I'll need at least my summer wetsuit soon! Water is still warm though...
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Big smiles in size 12
Earlier in the week, Miyachi told me there was a typhoon rolling in this weekend so apart from having to work on Saturday, the weekend looked good... Forecast came up to par too so I headed out, aiming for a 12:30 on-the-water start. Highway wasn't co-operating though, with a traffic jam on the important junction to Tsu... a 70-minute traffic jam. So I jumped off at Tsuchiyama and took the bottom roads...
Arrived at around 12:30pm to a good blow - people putting up 6's and 9's. I measured on the shore - dipping to 6m/s, gusting to 13, averaging around 10. Hmm... it's supposed to pick up too. XB 13 is my smallest LEI but wait, I've got the Speed3 12 in car... hope I can get out with that on the small board!
Nuts, forgot I tried to swap the Black Line and hadn't finished tuning the lines... quicker to swap the bar for the S3 15's. So I do that.
Ooh neato - the tide is out, leaving a good size of clean beach to set up on and some flat water just... down... there. Lay the kite out, re-rig the bar... help some people launch :-/ easy launch for me - except for fatty standing right next to the kite and looking like he wanted to help but didn't know what to grab so he just fucking stood right next to it and refused to move. So I launched over his toes...
Into the water... tough to get started - trim the kite, that's better! Ok we're moving and we got some board speed - booOOOST! Gonna be a good day!
And it was! Some epic big boosts, carving nicely up the face of clean waves. Also had fun trying to ride the waves, carving some gybes... even got a few nice back rolls in, I was feeling so brave.
I stuck to what is apparently the appropriate area for kiteboarders (!) cos the water was better anyway. Got a bit crowded as the day progressed - The Fattest Kiteboarder in Japan was there, that gringo from Nagoya and a bunch of people I recognize but don't know the names of. A few occasions of having to do a quick gybe to get out of their ways but otherwise, no problems.
Had some fighting with the kite in the lulls... had to keep it trimmed to stop backstalling it but that didn't seem to affect the jumps :o Had a tip-wrap that I could only solve by flying it to the edge, putting it on the water, letting it drift back onto the LE then relaunching it that way. Dude on the shore looked like he was going to help LOL no thanks! Towards the end of my session, it got punchy as hell - kite was jumping like a summabitch, making like it was going to invert and generally giving me the shits. Add to that the abrasion from the harness and so, I packed it in.
Sat down to reverse land but it behaved itself once it was down... 2 and a half hours on the water! Great session!
As I was wrapping up, I noticed that the guy on the F-one had just ripped a hole LE to TE on his kite... poor bugger!
Moment of the day was, for once, not the massive jumps but actually dropping into a wave and feeling the drive... I can see why those kooks get into it!
Mood of the session was mellow thrilled surprised.
It sucks when the guys taking photos with the telephoto lens doesn't offer to email you the pics...
Weather was reported as ESE 21-19-20-20 knots at 1-4pm; max gust of 32 knots at 5pm. 28.5°C at 78%.
Wind felt like it was closer to the peak gusts than it was to what was recorded... 30% just underpowered, 60% perfectly powered and 10% slightly worried.
What I learned today...
• That turbulent bit just behind a breaker is not so good to ride it - not enough water?
• Kept landing little hops too much on my front foot = face-plant.
• Sharks stay on even when you get hit in the face by a giant breaker!
• The spreader bar pad is catching on the power belt - that's why it's flipping up.
• The 12 is so quick across the window when you turn that you HAVE to sheet in to slow it down... but be prepared for the power!
• Fancy footwork with the board gets you around waves nicely...
• Maybe I don't need a Nugget after all!
• Almost filling my thermos with ice makes for sweet, sweet cold water!
Arrived at around 12:30pm to a good blow - people putting up 6's and 9's. I measured on the shore - dipping to 6m/s, gusting to 13, averaging around 10. Hmm... it's supposed to pick up too. XB 13 is my smallest LEI but wait, I've got the Speed3 12 in car... hope I can get out with that on the small board!
Nuts, forgot I tried to swap the Black Line and hadn't finished tuning the lines... quicker to swap the bar for the S3 15's. So I do that.
Ooh neato - the tide is out, leaving a good size of clean beach to set up on and some flat water just... down... there. Lay the kite out, re-rig the bar... help some people launch :-/ easy launch for me - except for fatty standing right next to the kite and looking like he wanted to help but didn't know what to grab so he just fucking stood right next to it and refused to move. So I launched over his toes...
Into the water... tough to get started - trim the kite, that's better! Ok we're moving and we got some board speed - booOOOST! Gonna be a good day!
And it was! Some epic big boosts, carving nicely up the face of clean waves. Also had fun trying to ride the waves, carving some gybes... even got a few nice back rolls in, I was feeling so brave.
I stuck to what is apparently the appropriate area for kiteboarders (!) cos the water was better anyway. Got a bit crowded as the day progressed - The Fattest Kiteboarder in Japan was there, that gringo from Nagoya and a bunch of people I recognize but don't know the names of. A few occasions of having to do a quick gybe to get out of their ways but otherwise, no problems.
Had some fighting with the kite in the lulls... had to keep it trimmed to stop backstalling it but that didn't seem to affect the jumps :o Had a tip-wrap that I could only solve by flying it to the edge, putting it on the water, letting it drift back onto the LE then relaunching it that way. Dude on the shore looked like he was going to help LOL no thanks! Towards the end of my session, it got punchy as hell - kite was jumping like a summabitch, making like it was going to invert and generally giving me the shits. Add to that the abrasion from the harness and so, I packed it in.
Sat down to reverse land but it behaved itself once it was down... 2 and a half hours on the water! Great session!
As I was wrapping up, I noticed that the guy on the F-one had just ripped a hole LE to TE on his kite... poor bugger!
Moment of the day was, for once, not the massive jumps but actually dropping into a wave and feeling the drive... I can see why those kooks get into it!
Mood of the session was mellow thrilled surprised.
It sucks when the guys taking photos with the telephoto lens doesn't offer to email you the pics...
Weather was reported as ESE 21-19-20-20 knots at 1-4pm; max gust of 32 knots at 5pm. 28.5°C at 78%.
Wind felt like it was closer to the peak gusts than it was to what was recorded... 30% just underpowered, 60% perfectly powered and 10% slightly worried.
What I learned today...
• That turbulent bit just behind a breaker is not so good to ride it - not enough water?
• Kept landing little hops too much on my front foot = face-plant.
• Sharks stay on even when you get hit in the face by a giant breaker!
• The spreader bar pad is catching on the power belt - that's why it's flipping up.
• The 12 is so quick across the window when you turn that you HAVE to sheet in to slow it down... but be prepared for the power!
• Fancy footwork with the board gets you around waves nicely...
• Maybe I don't need a Nugget after all!
• Almost filling my thermos with ice makes for sweet, sweet cold water!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
The cheese is OOzing! Let's DO this!
Finally, I don't have to work AND the wind is blowing AND it's not pouring rain... but I have to head south to the coast. Which means choppy water :( oh well, it's gotta be better than nothing.
An hour on the highway later...
Mmm, I measure 7 to 10 m/s at the beach - nice! I decide on the Speed3 15 cos I can't be assed pumping up the Crossbows. Toddle off looking for a section of beach free of detritus... best I can do is a patch with grasses and funny little twiggy ground bushes, with a patch of sand to weight a tip. Carefully lay out the lines... easy launch! Pah, who said untidy launch sites were a hassle? Ooh, nicely powered... going to try out the 'radical...
And we're off! No problems riding upwind! And the wind is supposed to peak at 3 - neat! Of course, the water is choppy... but we start with a decent jump and that's just fine by me.
Dunno what happened next, but I tooled off down the 'other' end of the beach where the club has their little area and well, well, well - whaddya know? Nice water down here. So I hang out down there, riding between what I guess is the river mouth and the pier at 'our' end. There seems to be 2 semi-flat spots and some decently shaped waves...
I boost some decent jumps but spend about 30-60 minutes getting used to the hang-time of the Speed3 again :D too-early redirects put me on my ass a few times. Once I get into the swing of things, I'm riding the waves, gybing, riding toe-side, and boosting really big airs :D
So it was a great day. Was back in the car at 4:30pm, so maybe 2 and a half hours on the water.
Moment of the Day was boosting a good one, having a pole dancer shoot under me pumping his fist going "Loop! Loop! Do a loop!"... with a huge margin of safety. FYI.
Mood of the session was grateful, psyched, exhausted.
It sucks when you're trying to gybe, weight the front foot too much and fall on your face just as your mouth is wide open, sucking in a big breath of air. No actually that's not true - I can live with that. It sucks when you're getting so psyched and having such a buzz out there... but your body just can't cope. Because old.
Song stuck in my head was Oh My Dayum by Schmoyoho feat. Damn Drops... via Cheezycheese.
Weather was reported as 16-18 knots from 2 to 4pm with gusts to 24 at 3. 29°C at 79%.
Wind felt like 9% almost underpowered 90% perfectly overpowered and 1% uncomfortable.
What I learned today...
• I've been kiting at the wrong end of the beach for all this time...
• Need to check the tune of the 15's lines. Just in case. And check that bridle line.
• Cracked my Flydoor some time in the past... need to send pictures to FS and get a diagnosis.
• Nice fat gybes are the ticket - trying to do them too tight means my knees drag and I loose speed and drive? out of the turn.
• Having fun in the waves... do I really need a Nugget?
• I HAVE to learn riding toe-side and gybing the 'other' way.
An hour on the highway later...
Mmm, I measure 7 to 10 m/s at the beach - nice! I decide on the Speed3 15 cos I can't be assed pumping up the Crossbows. Toddle off looking for a section of beach free of detritus... best I can do is a patch with grasses and funny little twiggy ground bushes, with a patch of sand to weight a tip. Carefully lay out the lines... easy launch! Pah, who said untidy launch sites were a hassle? Ooh, nicely powered... going to try out the 'radical...
And we're off! No problems riding upwind! And the wind is supposed to peak at 3 - neat! Of course, the water is choppy... but we start with a decent jump and that's just fine by me.
Dunno what happened next, but I tooled off down the 'other' end of the beach where the club has their little area and well, well, well - whaddya know? Nice water down here. So I hang out down there, riding between what I guess is the river mouth and the pier at 'our' end. There seems to be 2 semi-flat spots and some decently shaped waves...
I boost some decent jumps but spend about 30-60 minutes getting used to the hang-time of the Speed3 again :D too-early redirects put me on my ass a few times. Once I get into the swing of things, I'm riding the waves, gybing, riding toe-side, and boosting really big airs :D
So it was a great day. Was back in the car at 4:30pm, so maybe 2 and a half hours on the water.
Moment of the Day was boosting a good one, having a pole dancer shoot under me pumping his fist going "Loop! Loop! Do a loop!"... with a huge margin of safety. FYI.
Mood of the session was grateful, psyched, exhausted.
It sucks when you're trying to gybe, weight the front foot too much and fall on your face just as your mouth is wide open, sucking in a big breath of air. No actually that's not true - I can live with that. It sucks when you're getting so psyched and having such a buzz out there... but your body just can't cope. Because old.
Song stuck in my head was Oh My Dayum by Schmoyoho feat. Damn Drops... via Cheezycheese.
Weather was reported as 16-18 knots from 2 to 4pm with gusts to 24 at 3. 29°C at 79%.
Wind felt like 9% almost underpowered 90% perfectly overpowered and 1% uncomfortable.
What I learned today...
• I've been kiting at the wrong end of the beach for all this time...
• Need to check the tune of the 15's lines. Just in case. And check that bridle line.
• Cracked my Flydoor some time in the past... need to send pictures to FS and get a diagnosis.
• Nice fat gybes are the ticket - trying to do them too tight means my knees drag and I loose speed and drive? out of the turn.
• Having fun in the waves... do I really need a Nugget?
• I HAVE to learn riding toe-side and gybing the 'other' way.
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