Sunday, December 23, 2012

In which I make a porno soundtrack

Gnnn oooh aaah oh yeah hugh hugh hugh grrr oh come on baby that's it yes yes YES!

If only taking off a winter wetsuit was actually that much fun :-/ what an effort... I'm getting better at it though. Certainly, the damned thing keeps me warm enough... and if it ever actually gets cold, my struggles will keep me warm!

So the forecast was for HOLY SHIT but what we got was BLOODY CRAP.  I could have been happy with 30 knots of gusty death but we got barely 10... waited for the wind to pick up and tuned my Cabrinha bar lines - miles out! And the big bar is out of adjustment :-/

Junkie Sensei was riding, even though the wind was light and it was either ride and walk or go to a Christmas party I didn't want to so... I went and got changed, pumped up the 16m Xbow and had a few tacks. A single back-roll, a 3-foot jump, a moment of panic when the kite hit the water... that was it. Oh well, at least I answered a few questions...



Weather was reported as 11 knots, 8˚C 55%. If you say so, guv.

What I learned today...
• STILL too warm in the whale scrotum suit. The water works liitle chilly fingers inside the suit, but over-all, I think this suit is meant for < 5˚C!!!
• The XCEL Dryloc boots... you still need the straps, if you put them OVER the boots. Water dribbles down the inside. The split-toe is ok but I still don't like things between my toes.
• Boots are so bulky I had to completely open the straps.
• Same goes for the gloves. But over the top is better.
• Impressed with the kite flying in such light wind, but I see the difference between the XB and the Fly or Infinity. Upwind is still miles better than both though.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

About bloody time

10 whole days since the last time out... we've had wind, but it's been off-shore till today. And apparently yesterday but had to work... bastard thing that it is.

Got up early (before 10) and got to the lake by 9:30 and probably onto the water by 10.

Took the 16 and the 13 over to the lake cos the wind seemed a bit light. Measured 12 knots at the beach, gusts to 20. Hmm, supposed to pick up a bit - I should probably go for the 13...

Get into the water with the Flyradical and the 13 and am just a little underpowered. Have a nice time laying out some phat rotations that all go perfectly. Then the wind picks up and other people arrive and I bork up all the rotations. So I just settle for throwing the biggest jumps I can :)

Bloody gusty - getting a tad worried at points, especially with people down-wind of me. After one jump too, I looped the kite to change directions and the LE folded on the outside tip, stopped the kite, then reformed and took off again - superman!

Ride for about 2 and a half hours before my forearms totally give out... hate having to use thick gloves! By this time though, the wind has picked right up and the gusts are making me wish I'd had my 10m up. According to JMA which I check later in the day, I got to ride the peak wind of the day :)

AmpIII is a great suit but so far is total over-kill... hot as Hades if I'm not wet and in the wind. And a bloody effort to get off - I tried to slip it over both shoulders like they say you should but that's just impossible. So I went back to getting one arm out then rolling it off... Easy to put on though. Maybe a 4/3mm would be better...



Moment of the Day was getting a Speed3 worth boost on the Crossbow!
Mood of the session was stoked mildly-anxious sweaty.
It sucks when

Weather was reported as 16 to 18 knots, gusts to 28! 11˚C, 60%.
Wind felt like slightly under-powered to nicely over-powered to BLOODY HELL!

What I learned today...
• AmpIII is much easier to put on using a plastic bag on hands and feet. Still trying to figure out a solution to getting it off!
• Crappy gusty season is not over yet :(
• Need to tune the bar, I think. Kite flew better with a bit of trim on when it was powered.
• I wonder if 2mm fleece gloves would be better than 5mm unlined gloves...?

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Skunking me softly

OMG look at the forecast! Greater than 30 knots forecast all day! Bring it on!

Rush down the beach at midday (cos I gotta work at 5pm) and whaddya know--there's not a puff of bloody wind at all :( went home and had lunch, keeping an eye out the window... when the wind picks up, I rush down the lake again.

That's more like it! In fact... looks a bit scary, ackshully--long, never-ending lines of white caps :o sand flying horizontal across the beach :o trees flapping from east to west :o The other guys (Miyachi, Zephyr guy and Master of Disaster) are rigging 6s and an 8. I've only got the 10 XB in the car so that'll have to do... I figure if the MoD is on a directional and an 8, I'll be fine on the 10 and the 'radical.

Rig and launch... good power! Wind is muy cross-on (for here) so I tack out towards Makino through massive, sharp-cresting waves. Bit bouncy on the way out...

Wind slowly drops off until I can't ride, and stand about on shore looking dumb. Jump back in for a few more rides but the wind is just not picking up :( Other guys give up, pack up and I'm not far behind them... didn't get much excitement out there, a few good jumps (nothing stellar) but mostly bouncing off waves and trying to get a good line.

At least I got to ride. And test out the AmpIII wetsuit!



Moment of the day was simply getting out on the water. Yes I'm that desperate.
Mood of the session was relaxed unsatisfied.

Weather was reported at 1-2-3pm as 18-28-22 knots, gusts to 40 at 2pm; 9˚C at 58%
Wind felt like I was slightly over-powered in the all-too-infrequent gusts, ok-powered most of the time and of course, under-powered when the wind dropped off...

What I learned today...
• 6/5/4mm wetsuit is too thick for 10˚C! Sweating some. 5mm gloves and boots worked fine but forearms got a beating.
• Surprised at how flexible the suit is, despite being so bulky. Don't really notice the difference between the 3/2mm Access once it's on...
• Getting it on wasn't too bad, but getting it off--what an Olympian event that was! Was worried about ripping it but it seems very flexible. The 'flesh' is soft too and it's nice to wear.
• The hood! It's like a nice scarf when it's not up... Up and not secured, water occasionally got in and pooled in my ear holes :-/ but it's also very warm. Odd to not be able to hear much though!
• Worried about my beard ripping the neoprene though--will have to shave before using it. Was worried about my hair pulling but that's no problem...
• 10m XB seems to be best over 25 knots, and is good up to about 35 probably. Will I ever be able to use the 7m?