Not bad - about time!

Forecast should have been good but the webcam looked like shit. Checked GPV and it said from 2pm, so I dashed to Immigration and got home just before 2. Check the cam - whoa, there's wind and someone launching! Haul ass...

Bah, it's raining. I forgot to check the rain. From the look of the clouds, it might clear... gear up! Bit of a fight to get into the 6/5/4 AmpIII... yikes.

Gah, the wind has died. Much head scratching... I'll go with the Flite.

By the time I set up and launch, the wind has picked up again. A couple of walks, and then there's enough to ride upwind... mostly.

Bit rusty! Oddly enough, now I can gybe easily port to starboard, but not my "natural" way. Having a great time out there...

Wind keeps building. But it's gusty. But it's not so bad... switch to the Origin, but it's not consistent enough. My forearms are shot, it's gonna get dark soon so I pack it in...

Wind wasn't great but it was good enough. One more session to break a 100 this year.

Oh had to QR right on the shore, as a loop to get power caught a gust and I got rocketed at the shore... board and kite fine, I just splashed down then reset the kite.

---

Weather was reported as 13 to 16 knots, gusts to 26; 5˚C at 79%.
Wind felt like 8 to 18 knots, gusts to 25.

What I learned today...

• NPX boots aren't as grippy as flesh on the soft foam pad for the back foot but are fine on the front foot, with the adhesive "wax", on the Dialer.
• It's remarkable what you can recover from, if you continue to fight to hold onto the board.
• Flite is a great kite to "surf" with - turns well enough to get around and power you out of the carve quite nicely.

The Season of Crap unexpectedly delivers crap

Forecast was good, webcam looked good... but it was gusty as hell. I got 45 solid minutes of riding, the 45 minutes getting into and out of the lake trying to deal with gusty conditions.

Not much else to say, really. I hate this season.

---

Weather was reported as 16 to 12 knots, gusts no more than 30; 7˚C at 61%.
Wind felt like 45% under-powered, 50% powered and 5% Imma gunna die!

What I learned today...

• You really have to just go with the smaller kite so you don't completely ruin it and then just live with working the hell outa it.
• Good to get back on the Dialer...
• The slippers were fine until I was in the water, then my feet were noticeably cold.
• The Switch 4/3 wetsuit was fine... back of my upper arms were, as always, cold. What's up with that?

Took one for the team...

Can sum this session up in one picture, right HERE.

But I had to push out to try and get some pictures for OR . . . I think they want an article out of me :o 16 minutes worth of pictures (one shot per second) and 1/2 of that is me launching and walking up the beach.

Bah. At least I didn't have to swim/tow the kite in, like I thought I was going to have to do when the wind died...

The least boring photos have been uploaded HERE.

Broken the dry spell!

Red arrows forecast in Mie... work in the PM so I headed over early - leave home at 9:50, get there about 10 past 11. Yup, looks good, here we go with the 10!

Start was a bit iffy, but it picked up for a while and I had a lot of fun boosting n' stuff. Then it dropped off a bit so I played the waves, before taking a break to sort my harness, have a drink. It's 12:40 so I go back out.

Wind is up n' down again... the first half was better but I manage to ride a wave into the beach for about 150m, making a half dozen turns :D it was good.

Off the water finally when the wind really turns to custard... home by 3:30, on time for work. Worked out well.

---

Moment of the day was the long surf in... just like I meant to :)
Song stuck in my head was "Yes, I can boogie" by Bacarra. Thanks, wife.

Weather was reported as 18 to 20 knots, gusts to 36; 17˚C at 75%. I measured 16 to 24 knots at the start.
Wind felt like 30 minutes of look out! 60 minutes of verah nace, 30 minutes of ho-hum.

What I learned today...

• Wearing something like a rash guard under a wetsuit isn't the best idea. Yeah, it's toasty-warm but I do believe it causes the harness to move.
• When the harness rides up into armpits, and won't stay down, it's a good bet that the PowerBelt has come undone.
• Doing a backroll up a wave, then landing back on it and surfing it out is fuckin' cool... until you face-plant a second later.
• Distance is your friend... nose-diving your board just after you've dived the kite hard and it's head right into the wharf - I probably should have left even more space cos as I went under the waves, I was thinking "uh oh" but all's well that ends well...

Oh well... to Infinity and Beyond!

Another brilliant forecast ruined by reality.

Got a few tacks back 'n' forth before we all just gave up on it...

---

Weather was reported as 10 to 12 knots, gusts to 24; 10˚C at 61%.
Wind felt like nicely powered for directional riding at the best of times, completely crap the rest.

What I learned today...

• Need to pack gloves from now on.
• Might just be able to get away with using just the 13 on the Dialer.

Oh well... Part 4.

It's never-ending, eh...

Red arrows on the weather forecast. Got to the lake at 2pm... nowt. As in zilch, zip, nothing. There was more wind in my trousers. Sat in the car sulking... was about to drive away for a coffee when the wind arrived. Keen! Geared up and headed over to the lake...

Should be good for the 13. But by the time I'd laid out the lines and pumped up, it was picking up. I launched the kite but it was clear I couldn't ride that...

Pack up, back to the car for the 7m Core. Pump, set up, launch... hmm, a little underpowered. Try the Origin. Huh! going upwind but not powered enough to boost. Crazy!

Go back out on the Dialer... bit rough, bouncing off the chop - gnarly. Have a few good hacks 'n' slashes...

Kite actually pulls enough to ride upwind fine without pulling so hard you need to lean against it, but needs to be worked hard for bursts of speed and it's damned fast! Too fast for me...

Right about the time I decide to sell it on, I fall off doing something simple but the wind blow my board up, into the air and... into my lines. Steering leader gets tangled, the kite loops into the water and r-i-i-i-i-p... nuts.

So that was that. Should have gone out on the 10m XB and had a boost fest. Le sigh.

---

Weather was reported as 16 to 18 knots, gusts to 35 :o 12˚C at 70%.
Wind felt like 10m gusting to 8m weather.

What I learned today...

• If I decide I really don't like a kite and decide to sell it, I should get off the water before something bad happens :-/
• Shame, cos it was a good kite. I bet Miyachi can fix it easy but then who will buy it?
• Maybe I could make a jacket after all...

Oh well... Part frickin' 3

Forecast was good, but there was nothing when I arrived at 2:30 so I tuned all my bars. Wind shifted then picked up at 4, so me, the Grand Master of Disaster, Tall Skinny Guy and Can't Relaunch My Cults - Ever man all headed over to the lake...

Mowed some lawn. That was about it. Got off the water by about 5. Really not having much luck lately, eh!

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Weather was reported as 8 to 12 knots, gusts to 16; 18˚C at 50%.
Wind felt like going upwind o-o-o-ok falling to just holding ground.

What I learned today...

• I really don't like the "fastest" steering setting on the Flite - it really turns fast but almost stalls the kite in doing so which means...
• I prefer kites with a medium turning rate or rather, that turn smoothly and keep making power.
• "Fastest" might be good on the surfboard though...

Oh well... Part 2.

Forecast for good fun but it didn't deliver again... up 'n' down and lots of hard work. Lots of waiting, a little riding...

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Weather was reported as 14 to 18 knots, gusts to 30 (wot-evarz!); 15˚C at 71%.
Wind felt like ok powered, gusting down to crap. It was so on and off that it just sucked.

What I learned today...

• I can heat up water in my wetsuit so much that when it eventually gets to a cold bit of me, it's warm enough to feel like it's burning!
• Ankle straps are vital.
• B-setting on the XBs: faster turning yes but the upwind is borked. Back to A.

Oh well...

Whoa, wind's up - could be good. Hit the lake about 2:30... hmm, might be able to get away with the 13 but I bet I need the 16. Up it goes.

Bah, can't get upwind on the Dialer. Long walks... Picks up, try the Origin... a little better but not enough.

Land the kite and swap the A/B steering etc settings. Take the Dialer back and get the Flydoor3.

Try again... better. Prefer the steering setting - really gets around. Accidentally manage some bankroll kite loops when I'm just trying to do transitions...

... but there's really not enough wind. I keep trying cos I got nothing better to do but now it's getting dark. I pack up...

The wind drops right off and one of the race board guys is swimming in... by the time I've packed up, he's not made much progress so I decide to swim out - I'm always up for an adventure.

Takes about 10 minutes, although I can walk 1/2 the way out. I get to try a deep-water self-rescue with someone else's gear :D I can get on the LE ok, get the opposite tip up into the air but there is NO wind to blow me to shore. Fine... I'm about to suggest we delate the LE, roll the kite up and put it on the race board and push it in (why hasn't he done this already?!?) when Miyachi arrives with the boat.

Whee, a boat ride too!

---

Weather was repotted as 7 to 11 knots, gusts to 16; 18˚C at 49%.
Wind felt like I should have been able to ride... but just couldn't manage it :(

What I learned today...

• Flydoor is locked in TIGHT to it's tack. Feels like the Nugget.
• Crossbow really does turn better on the less depower/more steering setting. Bar pressure is bearable, when so-so powered. We'll see when it picks up...
• Nobody here can self-rescue worth a damn.
• It might not really be worth trying to ride the Dialer with the big kites... seems they pull downwind if they're powered and aren't fast enough to work it... or transition nicely.
• Big kites help with the hover when you change footing though!

We was robbed. Again.

Supposed to be good. Looked like it'd be great. It was actually crap. Put up my 10m then the wind died. Put up my 17.5 and got a few tacks in but it was all up'n'down again.

Bah. Got me nothing but tired, as the Master of Disaster said.

And fucking Taki - 3 of us walk upwind and "queue" to get into the water, and that old bastard jumps in beneath us and proceeds to hold us up cos we can't dive kites to get away. Naturally, the old gimp can't keep his kite in the air so we've got to wait for him to get off the water. FFS I've had it with self-centered thoughtless assholes.

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Weather was reported as 10 to 14 knots, gusts to 28. 18˚C at 68%.
Wind felt like crap.  The 28 knots was the blow that got us all excited and out on 10 or 6m kites... but the 10-14 was inconsistent and just crap.

What I learned today...

• wait for the first gust to pass over, then choose a kite.

Birthday #2 bimble

After the excitement this morning and 3 hours sleep, I thought I wouldn't be interested in the lake... ho ho ho, was I wrong!

Rocked on down about 2pm, jumped on the water and after a slow first few minutes, it was good fun. Started on the Dialer for 15 minutes maybe, but then the wind kicked it up again so I swapped back to the Origin.

Whee! But the wind dropped off after a while and it sucked.

Eventually I thought I'd had enough but then spotted the 2014 North Nugget amongst the demo gear and waited around trying to get a ride... Grandpa ended up chatting the guy up for me. You'd think with such a small market here, they'd be sucking dick to get customers!

So impressions from a couple of underpowered tacks...

• Goes well in low wind - if you can get up on it, get it planning and keep the kite moving.
• Don't know how much better it is that the Dialer but
• The shorter length seems like it could be easier to throw around and
• The fins seem to really lock it in...I might have to mod the Dialer.

Wish I could have gotten on the Rebel 10 too, but didn't have the gumption to ask... it was like pulling teeth to get the Nugget...

Oh well back to reality...

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Weather was reported as 14 knots, gusts to 26; 18˚C at 47%.
Wind felt like an hour of good fun, an hour of slog with the some in the gusts and 30 minutes of time wasted.

What I learned today...

• I want a Nugget now, too.
• Deffo need the 4/3.

Birthday Bat-shit Bonkers Boost-fest!

Forecast looks rad, hit the lake at 12; it's supposed to drop off by 4.

Measure the wind at the shore: 16 knots gusts to 32. Huh... this'll be fun. Think I'll go for the 10 and hope it doesn't gust so much. Other guys are setting up 9, 8, 7, 6m kites...

Easy riding to warm up; then it's time to drop the hammer.

The wind gradually picks up, and so does the elevation of the jumps. Fabu! Pretty sure a few of them, I got a foot for every year since my birth :) even enjoyed a few elevator rides - and landed them. Not so successful were the elevator drops... got slammed down a few times when the wind dropped off as I was descending.

It was all epic for about 90 minutes, then it dropped right off. Sat it out, then tried to go out again but it was mega-gusty and I was tired. I landed a few back-roll kite-loops but got overly aggressive on one and catapulted myself into the water - sphincter first. HE-llo!

Shortly thereafter, I front-roll looped the kite into the water and it inverted. Wind is so gusty now, I had a hard time getting back to shore to reset it. Went back out but I'm too tired to deal with all the on/off bullshit.

Great session though! Happy birthday to me!

---

Moment of the day was huge-ass air!
Mood of the session was rock on!

Weather was reported as 22 knots falling to 13, gusts to 40 (!); 17˚C at 61%. That'll be why I was cold then.
Wind felt like 10% bah-humbug, 50% yeah baby! 37% AW HELLS YEAH! and 3% I'm going to die.

What I learned today...

• Big jumps rule!
• Waist harness is no more hassle (eg. forcing it down) than the seat... unless you ass-plant soundly.
• The key point is to get is to sit over my hipbones... but it doesn't want to stay there.
• Time to fish out the 4/3.
• And maybe the 2mm gloves...

Sissy of a typhoon!

Forecast was for wind at Tsu until 2pm then pissing rain - everywhere. Looked good on the cams so off I go.

Hmm... light drizzle clears up but the wind - well, I go for the 13 hoping the forecasted pick up in wind from 10 to 12 doesn't get the better of me.

It doesn't - the wind gradually drops off over the next hour till I just give up. Better than nowt - but I could have lived without the bolt getting jammed into my tyre on the way, requiring a repair :-/

Weather was reported as 16 - 8 knots; 20˚C at 93%...?
Wind felt like I was going to have fun for about a half hour, then it died right off...

What I learned today...

• I'm completely used to the Origin's straps and pads now... amazing!
• Two days in the ocean - bad for you eyes. Ow.
• Wish I'd tried the Renegade again...

Rain? We don't need no stinkin' rain!

Supposed to be a typhoon thrashing the islands but while it dull and dingy outside, there's not much wind. Check the interweb for Tsu... looks OK. Might even not get the rain that's forecast cos they sky looks clear-ish.

Head out early (damn work) and get on to the water at the Yacht Harbor at just before 11. Bit tough getting out through the waves - dumping right on the shore, one after another. That nailed me a few times today...

But otherwise had a lot of fun. Some good jumps and amusements on the waves. Some nice rotations with good air and even a few kite loop back-rolls.

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Weather was reported as 14-15 knots, gusts to 25; 21˚C at 70%.
Wind felt like underpowered and annoyed 5%, underpowered but coping 15%, ok-powered 60%, woo-hoo 20%.

What I learned today...

• I really like flying the 10m XB.
• Loving the Origin!
• I should really ask the guys who take photos to send them to me.
• You can survive an off-axis launch and rotate to land safely.
• Getting the board ripped off your feet and splashing down... do a bomb! so you take up less water and don't hit the bottom.
• You don't need to wear a t-shirt.
• I have GOT to get a better spreader bar!!!

A small victory but otherwise...

Got stiffed by the wind. 20 minutes of waiting, a few minutes of riding underpowered, then a brief hit of powered fun. Nuts.

---

Weather was reported as 6 to 8 knots, gusts to 16; 21˚C at 70%.
Wind felt like yeah, that seems about right.

What I learned today...

• You CAN transfer your feet from heel to toeside THEN gybe...
• People who zoom into the beach then barrage-blimp their kites while you're trying to walk up the beach piss me off.

Hoo-ray for typhoon-ies!

So... there's a typhoon hammering the coast of Japan. Good news for me! Checking GPV and the webcam, I head down the lake once the rain has stopped and hopefully the wind has stabilized some.

I had fun. Then I came home and got annoyed so I can't be fucked writing anything else.


Weather was reported as 20 to 22 knots, gusts to ... 40 :o 16˚C at 74%
Wind felt like 10% bah 25% ho-hum 60% aw hell yeah 5% OHH MYY GODDD!!!

What I learned today...

• Sometimes, gusty can be good.
• 
  

Mixed bag, in many ways.

Had to work yesterday so was hoping the wind would stick around till today... which it did. Yippee.

Wind filled in about 12 so I shot out the door to the lake. Looks good, maybe my 13 will hit the spot.

Switch back and forth between the Origin and Dialer as the wind rises and falls all afternoon. I get a 4 hour session in but probably only rode for 3, altogether. Did lots of front- and back-rolls though, which was cool.

Mistress of Disaster is now renamed Hag Whore Bitch of Disaster cos I just decided that Mistresses are sexy. And she's not in the slightest and is an annoying fucking bitch. Tacking toward each other, me slightly upwind... if everyone kept going, it would have been fine but she just stopped and put her kite at 12 which forced me to turn away, or my line would have hit hers... cow.

Taki has been relabeled Grand Master of Disaster. He fell over or lost his board or something in the river mouth and was drifting towards the bridge... with his kite at 12 o'clock.

Grandpa launched my kite for me; let go my kite before I was in position and it shot forward, nearly wrapping a line around the tip of other kites on the ground :-/

Jackasses.

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Moment of the day was a perfect double front-roll. And the back-roll kite loops that didn't kill me.
Mood of the session was thrilled chilled spilled.

Weather was reported as 12 to 15 knots, gusts to 26; 23˚C at 43%.
Wind felt like it was gonna be good in the gusts, but the rest of the time was just ok, lulling to shit.

What I learned today...

• We're back into the gusty season.
• A typhoon is coming this week :D
• Missing your front foot and falling face first into the water hurts like a bastard.
• The glasses I bought in Thailand float and are easy to spot.
• Origin can pop so well with speed, that landing from the rotations is hard on the knees. Not bad for a non-freestyle board!
• Windchill in the late afternoon was a bit much... going to cut the legs off my old 3/2

ame no mae blow

Was going to go to Mie in the morning but watching the wind, looked like I was going to be gyped again so I stayed home. Just before 3, I checked the JMA and WTF - forecast has been updated and it looks good! Check the webcam... yup, it's coming.

Got to the lake just after 3 and there's only one other guy there, but the wind looks good. Trying to decide between 13 and 10... go for the 13. Rain just starting as I get on the water...

Get 20 minutes of hucking and blasting - awesome! Then the rain comes DOWN... my word! Vaporizing the water! Worried about lightning and anyway, I can't see :o

Wait the rain out, then head back out... gusty now, but rideable. Start on the Dialer, switch back to the Origin and enjoy!

Before the rain, the wind was powerful but controllable. After, it was powerful but weak - jumps were way better before...

---

Moment of the day was doing a front roll loop transition, then landing on a wave a surfing away :) oh yeah, and all the hucking.
Mood of the session was amped soggy satisfied.

Weather was reported as 12-7knots, gusts to 26; 23˚C at 88%. Scoff!
Wind felt like 10% just-powered, 50% well-powered and 40% woohoo!-powered.

What I learned today...

• Nice to ride around slowly on the Dialer without being over-powered.
• It pays to watch the forecast... sometimes, you get lucky!

Gypped by GPV

Promised 20 knots but got barely 75% of that. Pretty crappy... at least I didn't get sunburnt or rained on.

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Weather was reported as 14 to 7 knots :( 24˚C at 81%.
Wind felt like under-powered to just riding :(

What I learned today...

• Something about my Dialer feels like I've got stuff wrapped around the fins, creating drag - WTF?
• My harness is already starting to fall apart!!!

In which I swear a lot

... at the kite, the wind, the boards, and myself.

God, what frustration. The first half hour was fun on the Origin, but then the wind dropped off. Tried to ride the Dialer but it wasn't working... it got more gusty and annoying from then on, hence the mounting frustration and increasing amount of language.

Wind was up and down, really bad on and off. Got to the point of wanting to break things... I wonder how much of it can be blamed on the kite?

Thoughts on the 2014 Switchblade 12...

• New inflate valve is great - easy to use and good flow; even better than the 2011 Sprint. "New" material on the kite is light and brightly coloured - I like that too.
• New bar... hate the mini-5th. Like the below the bar swivel. Like the trim strap knobs. Don't see the point in the adjustable bar ends; and the added mass, when spinning the bar after rotations, means the bar spins a bit further than necessary. Don't like the blue/grey for the LHS either.
• Stable, smooth, and predictable in the air. Turns around the center of the wingtip. Makes a little power in the loops, but isn't brutal. Low-end seems to drop right off suddenly though and becomes useless and backstally... might be the crap wind, but it felt like my 10m XB. Actually, with the close V and the near-the-tip center lines, it felt a lot like an XB; differences being the SB is smoother and more consistent through a loop (but not much), XB makes more power on the strokes and lifts at the apex better, but is stally going around turns. Meh, I know what I mean.
• Range... seemed a bit narrow and abrupt, especially at the bottom. Could work it on the Dialer but felt like I had something wrapped around my fins, just wouldn't get going.
• I think if you chose the sizes carefully, you'd be happy going from an XB to the new SB... wish I'd had a 14 today though.

Got to the point of wanting to tomahawk the kite into the ground and decided to call it a day.

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Weather was reported as 14 to 19 knots, gusts to 25; 23˚C at 55%.
Wind felt like ok-powered to fucking useless. Damned gusty nowhere 20 knots on average...

What I learned today...

• Won't be trading my XBs in any time soon.
• But have an option for the future... maybe.

Murphy's Law

Forecast was identical to yesterday, but the wind never arrived until right on sunset. Handful of tacks out and back...

Spent the time from 3 pm trying to get some riding in on the Catalyst 14. Nice light bar pressure, bit light on the feedback though. Fast, turns quick... doesn't pull in the turns though, at least when it's underpowered. Was making like it'd fold at the tips if I loaded it right up though. Need another ride.

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Weather was reported as 10-11 knots, gusts no more than 20; 25˚C at 66%.
Wind felt like almost under-powered to, at the end, powered.

Physiotherapy? I feel good!

Wind forecast was for some, at the lake. Nice. But I'm feeling banged up - stiff muscles, tendons in the knees, ankle feels like hell, I'm sunburnt... really wondering if I should go at all.

Har! As if... dig out the full bottle of sunblock, my long-sleeve rash guard and toddle off to the lake.

Looks like it might be a Flite day but I'm going to go with my gut and GPV and so I take the Origin and the Dialer over to the lake with the XB13... and the Flite, just in case.

A tad of wind... go with the XB and try a run on the Origin. Riding, but walking some. Amazed that I could ride at all. So I go back out on the Dialer - riding upwind easy enough.

Bit out of sorts, not feeling as slick as I did on Sunday. Getting ok drive upwind though - outriding the lighter guys on 12's and directionals :D yah me!

Wind's picked up, I'm riding upwind way easy so it's time for the Origin. Yes, nicely powered now. But not boosting to the moon... a few ok-ish jumps and then I start in on the rotations. Damn, that board  disguises some nice pop with it's gentle launch! BIG back-rolls - happy!

So happy, that I start in on the double rotations... splash-downs but a hoot nonetheless. Wind drops off again and I nearly get stranded in the marina bay, but I ride the gusts back to the beach. Sun is going down, so I call it a day. I call it a GREAT day...

... as I get off the water, I release that nothing hurts - not my neck, shoulders, forearms, and my ankle only bothers me when I stand on it. Physio I can dig :)

---

Moment of the day was feeling so good I just HAD to throw down some stunts - double front- and back-rolls, kite-loop back-rolls... awesome!
Mood of the session was trepidatious, rapacious, bodacious.

Weather was reported as 9 to 10 knots, gusts to 16; 26˚C at 66%.
Wind felt like just nicely powered to underpowered. But OMG riding a "small" TT and a 13 in this weather? WTF?

What I learned today...

• Origin is AWESOME!
• Tough too - hit bunches of big solid posts floating the water... not a mark on the board.
• Even getting used to the straps. Gotta be better ones around though.
• Can't believe I was riding a 13 when others were on 12s and 10s - and was having fun.
•  Miyachi has a 12m 2014 SB in the shop to play with. But Cab is out of some spares for my big bar :(

Third time's a charm - means, go home.

GPV was saying that the wind would be good from 8 to 12 then fall right off. The live-wind data says 10knots but the webcam doesn't look like much. Nevertheless, I left home after 8 and headed over to Mie for the southerlies.

Well, we got 6+ knots at 10am. I'm going to give it a go anyway so I drag the Flite and Dialer out. Launch near the carpark and toddle off... with the waist harness. Few tacks barely riding then the wind fill in some. Easier riding but can only just get away from the beach on the outward tack - it's dead on-shore and the waves are pushing me in... Then the wind tips the scales and I decide I want my TT and the seat harness.

Let the disasters begin!

1. The beach, kiddie-playground and car-park is more crowded now... hmm. Try to self-launch but there are kids running out to the beach so I wait. Get ready to go, kite starts moving and then - kid runs back at it trying to go through my lines to the parents on the sea wall. :o I yell "Oi!" at the kid and wave it off but it just slows down (parents just stand there) and in the moment of inattention, I've not seen that the line is over the tip - so the kite powers and flips over onto the LE downwind some. Go to relaunch it again and - the kid rushes towards the parents (behind the kite) again... wait for the danger to pass and relaunch. I should have moved further down the beach but didn't expect it to be crowded!

Riding around on the TT is good but still pushed to the shore. Doo-dee-doo, have some fun for a while, then the wind drops off. Get on the Dialer again... feeling more comfy on it now, yeehaa! Too much wind for it, swap to the Origin again.

Ok-ish jumps, some wave-carving but nothing is up to much. Get slammed a few times trying to ride the Origin like a directional... twit.

2. Lose the board on a kicker that broke on me and swing under and front stall the kite - resulting in a good tangle around the kite right on the shore so I walk in and untangle stuff... takes some time! Also put the kite on lighter steering cos I'm tired and still want to ride. Trying to untie knots, got my hands full and guess what - Taki wants me to land his kite. Takes me a few minutes to re-untangle the line I was working on.

"Just one more... just one more... just one more..." and now for number 3.

3. Tide is out, so what used to be a deep near-the-shore band is now much shallower, as I'll discover. On my last tack - honest - and come in to the shore, getting ready to tack. Feel the fins touch down so I sheet out, ease up the edge pressure and drop onto my ass... what I don't feel is the kite going across the top of the window. But I do feel the yoink as I'm yanked at the shore - pull the QR mid-air and shoulder-check the ground. Kite has flagged out and I'm ok so I take it as a sign to go home :D

Four and a half hour session - not bad for me.

Oh bonus disaster - the drinking fountain in the park... I have a drink, wash my boards on the bottom tap. Turn them off walk away - turn around and the tap has fallen out and water is geysering out the top.

---

Moment of the day was getting away with a only a mild spanking.
Mood of the session was bemused satisfied knackered.

Weather was reported as 9 to 16 knots, gusts to 20; 26˚C at 56%.
Wind felt like I mostly would have been happier on the 13.

What I learned today...

• Still getting sunburned :( use more cream. Everywhere.
• "Lightest steering" setting on the Flite in dangerously vague when the wind is up and the kite is trimmed. Better to change kites!
• Driving the Dialer - front foot more on the rail, back foot more centered or even a little over the other side. Seems to push the fins better for easy upwind, easier to carve, less beating up on my ankle (which is starting to hurt). Perhaps!
• The little waves are a good warm-up but I need more practice!
• Think I still prefer my big Door in the ocean...

Core, luv a duck!

Forecast for the same as yesterday, all day today which is good cos I have to be in Seta at 5:30pm so I head out at 12:00pm...

I'm all alone when I reach the beach and the wind is UP. I've got my Core GT 7m on the beach cos I thought I might like to play silly buggers with the 7 and hey, it's little - not too much hassle pumping up the 10 if it can't cope...

Well... it can cope. And then some. A few lulls suck but most of the time it's cracking! There's no way I can get on the Dialer again...

People start arriving... 8s and 6s go up. I think those on 8s are dreaming...

Wind is brutal in the gusts, poor little kite flaps around - it's a good lesson in fine-handling a kite. Do some jumps, ride some waves, plant some face, slam some kite... a lot of hard work, this riding!

Starting to feel tired, so I pack it in. Sand is stinging my legs on the beach... wonder what the wind is blowing at?

Even get to work on time. Good session!

---

Moment of the day was actually riding my 7m for the first time... and some epic jumps.
Mood of the session was I'm ok I'm ok WOAH MY GOD WOAH MY GOD!

Song stuck in my head was "I think we're alone now" by Tiffany. Thanks Ted. Thanks a lot.

Weather was reported as 20 to 22 knots, gusts to 36!!! 21˚C at 53%.
Wind felt like barely powered in the lulls 5% to nicely powered 70% to OMFG! 25%

What I learned today...

• The Origin carves just fine - keep your speed up.
• Never felt like I couldn't control the board, even in the gusts. Really loving that board!
• And starting to get used to the straps... we'll see.
• Keep the kite low if you have to work it when "riding" a wave.
• Jumping with a small kite is, at times, like jumping off the roof of the garage screaming "Catch me, dad!"
• Splat.
• The GT 7 likes a little rear line tension to power up, and doesn't like massive bar turns - the un-loaded tip flaps like mad. I guess all kites do that to some degree, it just more noticeable in mega-wind and small, fast kites.
• Might be able to use it on the Dialer in less wind. Or at least, in more consistent wind!

You gotta come Origin-al!

Great forecast finally, and I get to go to the lake. Thought I might try the Catalyst 14 but by the time I'd pumped it up, I thought the wind was too much. Happy.

So out comes the XB10... yes should be fine so I head out on the Origin for the first time!

Quick review of the 2013 Ocean Rodeo Origin

• Does everything really well, very easy to ride
• Almost no spray in the face!
• Very little spray on my back leg!
• Don't like the straps - cover my toes too much but not the "meat" of my foot and... well, I don't like 'em
• Strong points are easy planing and upwind-ability
• Also handles chop nicely
• Wish it was orange :(

So it's gonna be good I think, I nice all-round free-ride board! Happy.

Had fun on the Origin, then the wind dropped off and and people came in for a break and I could feel it light, so I grab the Dialer and had some fun on that.

Wind feels like it's up again so I jump back on the Origin, but I'm at the bottom end of the wind range for the gear, so I just do some simple rotations and transitions...

Sun is going down... I'm the last on the water. Good session! Happy.

---

Moment of the day was the effortless first big boost on the Origin! Oh no it wasn't... it was doing the kite-loop hand-drag back-rotations and not getting dunked and dragged.
Mood of the session was very satisfied.

Weather was reported as 10 to 14 knots, gusts to 20; 28˚C at 66%.
Wind felt like just going upwind powered to good powered... but not for long :(

What I learned today...

• I might have solved my "small board" problem
• I might have solved my "travel board" problem... I think the Origin has enough bottom end to allow me to use my small bag :)
• There seems to be a trick to carving the Dialer hard... but I can't describe the feeling cos I can't remember it really :D
• I was out on a 10. Everyone else was out on a 10. Goddam!
• Thorns in my foot are picked up on the path between the trees. Bugger!

Hamamatsu... why do I even bother.

Wife wanted to go to Hamamatsu for the long weekend so off we went. I was hoping to get onto the water with the surfboard...

Sunday, there was no wind. Monday we had good cross-on wind but those waves look gnarly. Glad I brought my old Flydoor... hmm, wind feels good - XB13. By the time I finished pumping, I wonder if it shouldn't be the 10... launch, no I'm ok - out we go.

Water is odd... very shallow for a ways, then with 1m+ breakers - get over them easy. The next set are over 2m :o I run at them, thinking I'll just boost over them but the pull from the kite is inconsistent and I get slammed and tumbled by the wave. Reset, try again... same result. Hmm, what's going on with the wind? I had a hard time walking upwind to the water... go canny this time, trying to time it so I can get out over the wave before it breaks.

Manage that, only to discover the even bigger waves just beyond...

I finally get all the way out! Damn, that's a lot of swell on the waves! The sea is rising and falling 3 or 4 meters in hill-sized swells around me... water is choppy too. Take my time to get used to it and go a l-o-n-g way out...

Coming back in, I come in too far and have to fight out through the breakers again - doh! Hitting the white water, my board sinks then gets grabbed and I get tumbled again... this time, my board goes through my lines, at the bar leaders :o I fight to keep the kite in the air with one hand and clear the board, but I can't do it. Kite ends up in the waves and I drag the board clear with two hands - now fighting the pull in the surf :-/

Back out, and from now on I avoid going all the way in. Jumps aren't up to much as the crests aren't sharp, but are wide and choppy. Waves out there are hard to ride, as they're going in different directions. Cruising around...

Looking at the shore - when I can see it! - wondering how I'll get back in past the mountainous, violent dumping breakers... eventually, my legs are giving out so I make a run in, timing it to ride the waves a little then use the speed to build more speed and blast through the danger. Only just works...

Give up the several hundred meters upwind I gained by doing heel-to-toe-to-heel carves in the shallow and flat water between breakers... that was nice!

Crikey, what a session! :(

---

Moment of the day was the final carve-fest.
Mood of the session was AAAAAARGHH!

It sucks when you put your board through your lines - twice.

Weather was mental - over- to under-powered on the 13 - mostly just-powered when I need to be over-powered :-/ but the weather station reckoned 7 knots with gusts to 24 LOL

What I learned today...

• what a "chicken gybe" is...
• if you had a shit of a time getting out, don't come all the way back in! Idiot.
• riding down the back of those huge swells was like snowboarding! Had to be careful not to outrun the kite :o
• what my limits with waves are at this time!

Draft demo

Small chance of wind but I had to go and order replacement parts for my 60cm Cab bar . . .

Wind picked up while I was there, and Miyachi got the 17m Naish Draft for me to play with.

Thoughts on the Draft . . .

• Valves suck. Old School small diameter (but easy to pump) although they don't stay 'closed' when you pull the pump out.
• Quick 'n' easy to pump . . . kite looks small, more like a 13!
• No pulleys.
• Used a race bar . . . it needs a stopper ball. Feels like it wants to stall and fall outa the sky when you sheet right out.
• Bar pressure is . . . horrendous. Like nothing I've felt since the 2006 XB with the pulley bar.
• Turns sharp but like the XB doesn't make any power doing it.
• Apparent wind is where this kite excels.
• And that's the only area it does. All that bar pressure for that small advantage? I'll have my Flite, please. Not that impressed with the jumps or hang time and I'm not really keen to try it out in good wind when I could jump.

Lotsa walking which wasn't fun. Got to the point where I could just hold ground on the Dialler, and swapped to the Flydoor and was just going upwind. The other guys were all still waking at that stage, so I guess the apparent wind the Draft builds is good. Or better, on the flatter 'door.

Rode till dark, which now is about 6:30 :(

---

Moment of the day was riding upwind.
Mood of the session was unsatisfied.

Weather was reported as 6 to 12 knots, gusts to 14. 27˚C at 67%.
Wind felt like it should have been easier to go upwind.

What I learned today . . .

• Draft is not a kite for me.
• Bottom end on the Flydoor is easier to tap than the Dialer.
• I need new shorts.

Dialer joy, Flite wins!

Forecast wasn't too spectacular, but I kept an eye on the webcam and it looked like GPV was on the ball - so worth heading to the lake.

Liiight . . . Gloves Guy is out on his brand new 2014 Zephyr - game on, Garth! And . . . the Flite didn't let me down at all! Considering how much heavier I am, there was nothing in it. And of course, my board was bigger and I'm probably better at riding under-powered . . . but it's good to know ;)

Then I thought I'd try out the Dialer, and the Flite's speed came into it's own. Man, I had a cracking good session on it! Really feeling into it, and even trying some ollies I felt so good! Only ballsed a small percentage of gybes too . . . happy!

Rode till almost dark, when the wind really died off. Two hours out of nothing - not bad!

---

Moment of the day was any time I carved out a phat gybe and didn't fall in.
Mood of the session was hmm? aah! YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH!!!

Weather was reported as 6 to 10 knots, gusts to 18; 25˚C at 75%.
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots, gusts to 20; kite was trimmed when I was on the Dialer (a lot, at one stage) but was rocking around upwind just fine. Wind wasn't that good but the riding was epic. Ok the riding was crap but I had a great time!

What I learned today . . .
• Time for the short john, indeed.
• zomg I'm loving the Dialer!
• Togs need repair or replacement :(
• Should have taken waist harness.
• Need a smaller wave kite :D

Work tomorrow - good, I need a holiday!

Forecast was for kick-ass on JMA but GPV said otherwise. Webcam confirmed. Went out in the morning to try to get some new togs - none in stock because it's now Autumn. Oh, that's why it's over 30 degrees huh? Dumbass.

Got home, wind was up, webcam looked good - headed down to the lake.

Gonna be taking Flite 175 Fun-town I think. Iwai-san offers the 17m Draft, but I decline cos I'm worried about ruining it on all the bamboo trash I think is going to be in the water. I was wrong on that, but had a great time with the Flite.

Went out on Ol' Faithful, some nice rotations but I'm going downwind. Swap out to the Dialer - much more fun! Some lovely carving turns, was flowing some mojo today.

Give up when my legs start to give out. 2 hours on a surfboard is a work out!

---

Moment of the day was all the luv-er-ly carves :)
Mood of the session was unsatisfied satisfied exhausted.

Weather was reported as 6 to 10 knots, gusts to 16. Balls. 27˚C at 67%.
Wind felt like slightly under-powered gusting to nicely powered.

What I learned today . . .
• I'm getting there! Dialer is starting to feel more natural.
• Driving the fins with weight on the back foot, board more flat, seems to be the best way upwind.
• Got some really good gybes in . . . my balance is getting better.
• Loose leg straps is less intrusive.

That makes the hat-trick!

Northerlies today, headed to the lake to get the new grip pads put on the Dialer and hit the lake.

Wind is up'n'down like whore's drawers. But I got the XB13 and Flite out to dry and de-sand so I don't mind. Picks up again around 4pm and it's steadier but still gusty as a mofo.

Big jumps, some playing in the waves; it was fun. Bit hard to deal with the herky-jerky gusts but it was all good! So much crap in the water I didn't risk the Dialer . . .

---

Moment of the day was
Mood of the session was ooh crikey whoopee!

Weather was reported as 10 to 14 knots, gusts to 26; 25˚C at 70%.
Wind felt like 15 to 20 knots with gusts to 30. Seriously, it was mad at times.

What I learned today was . . .
• Need to work on the foot-outs.
• Might be a good idea to wear the ShortJohn cos the water is getting cold in spots.

That's more like it!

Forecast looked great, wind cam looked great, so I headed over to Tsu again, arriving about 11:30. The rain had petered out by the time I got to the beach. Looked good enough for the 13 and forecast was for picking up in the PM.

Perfect! Big jumps, fun carving up the waves... awesome! That went on for about an hour, then the wind got gusty and shifted to cross-shore, making getting out through the crisper breakers harder. Then it got really punchy and I came in. Then it dropped right off . . . and started raining like Noah had finished the ark.

Despite the sodden gear, well worth the trip!

---

Moment of the day was getting into the big jumps again. Ok no it wasn't - it was riding down that wave, "cutting back" and "bottom turning" with the kite drifting, feeling like I was riding a half-pipe! I get it now!
Mood of the session was super-stoked, concerned, annoyed and amused.

Weather was reported as 20 knots, falling to 8 :( gusts no more than 30 knots. 27˚C at 85%.
Wind felt like perfect, building to unhappy, falling to unhappy.

What I learned today . . .
• I'm a bit rusty on the really big airs, but it comes back quickly.
• Why people like waves.
• If big rain is forecast in the surrounding regions, you should probably take a wetsuit.

New location is OK

Wind's forecast to be up in Mie . . . I'm betting Machiya will still be borked, so I'll go have a look anyway and maybe do the Yacht Harbor. The wind hasn't picked up by the time I leave at 12, so I may end up driving around just checking out both locations.

Yep, zero wind at the ocean, but there's white caps moving in from the horizon. So I might wait for it . . . car park is good, though far away from the area where the flags stop. Oh foo, a whole 5 minute walk! Problem is, what to do with my car keys.

Mmm, here's the wind. Light at the car so I go out with the Flite. By the time I reach the beach, I'm wondering if that's a good choice, but it's gusty (lully) so why not? Alone when I launch but by the time I get a tack or two in there's 3 other guys on the water; one keeps waving at me - wonder who that was?

Waves are small and almost at the wrong angle on both tack to use as boost ramps, as they're mostly too 'soft' for great boosts off them but - it's better than sitting around at home!

Doop-de-doo . . . wind is picking up, ceasing to fun and I need a drink anyway, and there's someone to grab my kite so I come in and land it.

Naturally, the wind has dropped by the time I set the XB up :-/ we all wait around for a while, the wind picks up for a brief yeehaw then drops right up . . . until I've completely packed up again. Oh well.

Only thing I don't like about that beach is all the shells. Worried self-launches will bugger the kites. Need an anchor, I guess. There's much, MUCH less trash though!

Here's the beach at the Tsu Yacht Harbor.

---

Moment of the day was a rather slick cut-back (I think it was called) while surfing down a wave. I'm getting good at that. Har har.
Mood of the session was happy worried satisfied.

Weather was reported as 17 knots falling to 12, gusts to 28 at 5pm; 27˚C at 86%. 27 . . . I guess summer is over then, huh?
Wind felt like it was over 20 knots when I changed the kites then was 15 or less when I got back on the water, then struggled up to about 15 :( fickle bitch.

What I learned today . . .
• Fins on Ol' Faithful need replacing! Where ARE those damned spares?
• XB13 is just the greatest kite for doing what I like using it for; I love riding with "small" kites! Going to get a play with the Draft 14 and see . . .
• Straps on Ol' Faithful need work too.
• The Yacht Harbor beach has smaller waves than Machiya.
• Those poles with red flags delineate the swimming area.
• Watch out for old buggers with cameras who like to grab the bar.
• Need a spare key for the car.

Either I've been REALLY spoiled by Thailand . . .

or just today was gusty crap. Cos if it's always like this, then . . . well. I remember Thailand being forever smooth :(

Came and went all afternoon. Got out on the Flydoor, on the Dialer, then had a drink and went back out on the 'door.

Now, I've not much to say cos it wasn't an epic session but FOR THE EVERLASTING LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST why would you take your stupid pre-school brats, walk in a straight line from the break in the trees opposite the carpark at the clubhouse, and park your ass on the beach in the middle of everyone launching and landing AND put your stupid brats in the water in the middle of everyone leaving the beach?

You know you're being a FUCKING MORON when the JAPANESE guys are saying you're a fucking moron. And you should fucking know better cos your husband is a fucking instructor!!!

I'm trying really hard to /rant.

---

Moment of the day was that proper carve!
Mood of the session was whee bah whee!

Weather was reported as 12 knots gusting to 22...? 29˚C at 50%?!?
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots, gusts to 20.

What I learned today . . .
• The XB is slo-ooow!
• Boost height is a little better than the Flite (MAYbe) but you get more loft out of sending it but only if you do it j-u-s-t right.
• Going from the Dialer to the Flydoor - I kept wondering if I'd snagged a fin on one of the little kids. Drag, much?
• Better to put the harness on loose? Certainly easier to wiggle it down and get the straps outa my ass crack.
• Backspin transition no loop - get aggressive and redirect early to get a yank and get planning sooner.
• Oh I remember - loosen the harness off . . . lessens the relentless wedgies.

In which I realize I've been spoiled by Thailand

Forecast looked like it might happen but there was no agreement between GPV and JMA . . . but at 2pm the webcam was going off.

Got down the lake at 2:30pm and headed over with the Dialer, Flydoor and Flite.

Out on the Flydoor - feels different to the v2 eh. So does the rough water :o felt a bit timid, didn't really do much. Knots on the pigtails in the wrong place make the steering vague.

Pull the strap out . . . same bolt, different board. Hmm. Wind's dropped and I ride/walk back for the Dialer. Get a few minutes in then the wind drops again. Up, down, shifting from N to NW then drops right off.

Stand around for a while then head home about 5pm. Water was a bit cool . . .

---

Moment of the day was carving around on the Dialer.
It sucks when you're too lazy to reset the settings.

Weather was reported as 3 to 12 knots, gusts to 20; 24˚C at 85%.
Wind felt like 12 to 15 knots . . . powered in the best bits but I could have done with moar!

What I learned today . . . 
• Check all your screws often if you're not going to Loctite them!
• Or at least, leave the good screwdriver in the car.
• The new-style Airush pump is brilliant.
• The new-style Airush clip is bloody annoying on the Flite cos of the hook in the end, and the strap.
• Second knot.

Good last one

Forecast looked ok for the PM and as it was our last day here, thought we'd just relax at the beach anyway. Got there about 4pm to SFA from the SW . . . changed then slowly picked up to lookin' good from the NW.

Went out about 5pm and had a pretty nicely powered session! Good power to nicely over in the gusts, to just under in the lulls. Only came in cos the sun was setting.

Tried out the Xcaliber and Tronic for a good few minutes . . .
Xcaliber is awesome on flat water, feels really locked in but may be too stiff in the chop - tended to get bounced around if you weren't on the ball.
Tronic is too narrow at the tips - constant spray on the back leg (but none on the front and into the face?!) and tougher to go upwind. Wonder if I shouldn't just go for the XL size :( Tough call now . . .

Dawn patrol is the answer

Again, up early and out to Nathon. Best light wind session so far, riding upwind ok most of the time. A few silly jumps and stunts but I still want more wind!

Dawn and storm

Dawn patrol again, paid off with a just-powered session for a couple of hours.

Storm came through in the afternoon, and I arrived just in time to . . . miss it.

Dawn patrol

Been noticing that the wind comes in at dawn then dies off, so heading out bright n' early today... got some underpowered riding in from 7 to 8am. Flat water is still amazing!

The following few days looks better...

One mad minute

Spent all day humming and harring cos the wind didn't seem quite there. Mark assured me that it'd come in, in the late afternoon. So we went to Angela's for a late lunch then got back to Nathon about 4.

Waited some more, looks like it'll pick up, there's a storm cell out at sea. I decide to be the guinea pig and launch first. Tack out through the flat, 3 inch deep water... mmm, it's coming in but it's gnarly - canopy is twitching like a mad thing.

Get out past the sand bar and let rip. Good jumps, some almost make me go "woohoo" so it's good. I'm just getting used to being well over-powered and then Mark cuts by close and says "Watch out for that"; that, being a big black cloud bank.

Another what felt like 5 minutes of great fun then it started to drop. When I couldn't go upwind any more, I made my way back into the shallows. Landed my kite, then the wind fell right off.

Well, it was awesome for a while there!

Weather was reported as 15 to 20 knots.
Wind felt like 25-30... it was hairy.

What I learned today...
• Mark likes pies.
• Buzz is a wind god. Or whatever it is that when someone comes and sets their gear up, the wind dies.
• Jumping from flat water is tough. I like my kickers.

Nathon again

Early morning trip to the beach was a waste of time, but a storm whipped up some fun in the late afternoon, until dark. Thankfully, the tide had come in some so it was good.

---

Weather was reported as 15 knots.
Wind felt like 15 knots. Comfy powered to wanting more.

What I learned today...
• Don't leave your kite out in the sun! A non-painful lesson, I think.
• Pump that bugger up properly.
• Don't trust that your lines aren't tangled, even though you wrapped them up carefully...
• Tips can fold if you load the kite and haven't pumped it up enough.
• I'm sure there was something else too...

Back in Thailand!

The usual trepidation when heading out to a "new" spot... checked out Twin Peaks but there was no water - tide was wa-aaay out so I went up to Nathon. The KBA boys were there, so quickly caught up then headed out. Walked out through ankle deep water to the deeper part of the bay.

Well, there's enough wind to get up and plane downwind. Slowly picks up over the next two hours but still isn't epic. A few tiddler jumps and rotations but the crowd isn't going wild. Rated it "gravy" cos it was good enough to get me back into the groove.

---

Moment of the day was that first tack out on the perfectly flat water... OMG!
Mood of the session was bemused amused.

Weather was reported as 10-13 knots from the SE,  30˚C.
Wind felt like that. Underpowered but riding downwind to just riding upwind but unable to really do anything cool.

What I learned today...
• Flat water is so damned nice!
• Using a compressor to inflate your kite is so damned nice!
• Having a lawn to pack your kite up on is so damned nice!
• Having a cold beer right after you pack up is so damned nice! And no threat of getting caught by the cops is... so damned nice!

Third time's a PITA

Good wind but the wrong kite - not in a suitable state of tune. Nothing exciting really happened, except having such little low-end that I had to tack way the fuck out to Otsu before I could get out of the Marina bay.

---

Moment of the day was making it back to where I started from :-/
Mood of the session ranged from goddamnitmuthafucka to oh-bah-humbug.

Weather was reported as 10 to 12 knots, gusts to 18; 29˚C at 55%. Huh.
Wind felt like crap. Kite was out of tune so that didn't help.

What I learned today...
• The P4 19 is in dire need of a tune-up!
• Dialer is hard on the legs!
• The Infinity bar mod works great.

Better. Keep working on it

Good forecast for a change, due in around 2pm. Watching the JMA and webcam like a hawk... do some laundry (!) then head off about 2:30pm. Get to the lake and it's still not arrived, really. Take the Flite and the XB13 over the lake with both TTs.

Hum n' harr for a bit... go with the Flite and the Z. Out of the gates it's ok, the water isn't hacked up yet so it's easy upwind but I'm not super-powered.

Wind drops, I swap to the Flydoor. Wind drops right off, I land the kite and wait. Repeat several times.

Get a few multiple rotations, one really good jump but mostly it's just low-level dicking around. Had hoped for so much more... maybe I should have gone with the 13 :(

Wind picks up really well for one last run... not having fun with the Z in the extra slop n' chop so I go back to the Flydoor. Easier to ride!

---

Moment of the day was either the solitary Big Jump or the really phat, lazy, perfect front roll.
Mood of the session was fine hmm whee!

Weather was reported as 12 to 15 knots, gusts to 22; 30˚C at 68%.
Wind felt like I should have been boosting higher, given the effort it was to hang on to the bar.

What I learned today...
• Slow steering = heavy bar pressure but not much slower. Smoother, I think though.
• Those bloody screws in the Z need to be loctited!
• Less extreme penetration deep anal sex with a wetsuit on... it was downright comfortable for the first 2 hours!

Could have been worse...

Forecast wasn't up to much but I was a-prayin' for the thermals... and they delivered.

Watched the webcam all P.M. until 5 when the wind turned and picked up. Rocked on down, decided to go with two TTs and the 21.

Was having an ok session... jumps still can't do well with that damned board. Foot-outs are easy though. Getting upwind fine if I slow it down.

Got stoked cos I was landing backroll board grabs :D so started trying to do backroll kite loops... but now I realize they were doomed from the start, because I wasn't thinking about the right way to do them and had used up the mojo on the triple front- and backrolls and grabs.

So I borked one up, was underwater and thought I'd let the kite finish the loop and then - SPROING - the kite is flying by the RH lines only :( the LH power pig tail has ripped in half. Sigh... kite spirals down onto the beach, with a tip in the water. Wrap up the lines and rescue the kite, bamboo tangled like a mother in the lines... and there's a broken line, so that'll have to be fixed too. Grr. And there's a boo-boo on my finger.

Oh well, I got nothing but time baby! Back to the P4 for light wind then :D

---

Moment of the day was landing the backroll grabs! The multiple backrolls were groovy too.
Mood of the session was ho-ho-ho-doh.

Weather was reported as 10 to 8 knots, gusts to 14; 30˚C at 71%.
Wind felt like an honest 15 knots, with a few knots on either side.

What I learned today...
• The FS pigtails aren't designed for the big boys to throw down the powered submarine moves.
• You can give yourself a lot of pain by smashing your own fist into your harness. Who knew?
• Backroll board grab! without a redirect so I gotta be careful... and they're tough on the starboard tack for some reason.
• Trimming the Z is a tough job.

Well ha bloody ha.

Iffy forecast, but I thought I'd go with GPV and head down the lake around 3. No wind, but people on the beach. Went over to the lake with the Dialer under one arm, the Z under the other and the 21 on my back.

Phew, wind coming in in squalls, nearly binned the kite with the stalls and jerks. Wind, no wind, wind, no wind... pissing with rain.

Gah.

---

Moment of the day was the hang time.
Mood of the session was uh-oh, ho-ho, hmm.

Weather was reported as 12 to 8 knots, gusts to 20; 32˚C at 68%.
Wind felt like crap. Initially I was bit worried, then it sucked, the it really sucked, then it was ok, then it really sucked again.

What I learned today...
• The "problem" with the Z is that it has very good bottom end for a "small" board, but you can't hold it down as the wind picks up. Well, I can't anyway.
• Going upwind is better done slowly on the Z. Which isn't so exciting, especially when you want to boost huge.
• Jumping to the Dialer feels like you're dragging a rope behind you, from all the fin-drag.
• Or maybe the Z is just too lose?
• The 21 is bloody heavy when it's soaked and covered in sand. Needed a wash anyway!

Double skunkage

Forecast looked good for Machiya, so I headed over there aiming to be in time for the 3 o'clock 20 knots... we got - dick. Got a look at the construction going on... god, it's rooted. The construction has made a total mess of the beach and there's almost no parking within miles. God knows how crowded it will be when the new park is up and running. Idiots and assholes!

Drove back to Shiga and... WTF there's wind from the north! Head out to the lake - yup, people are riding. Looks light and they're walking on 10m and directionals, so out comes the 21. Er, think I'm going to be over-powered... nope it's fine!

Try the Z out again. Better, the water is flatter but boosts are still hard to edge into. Then the wind drops, and it's all over. A handful of jumps and rotations, but not enough to get my mojo going.

Head out for one tack on the Flydoor but even that's not doing it. Pack up... sigh, what a day!

---

Moment of the day was getting upwind on the Z :-/
Mood of the session was resigned exciting resigned.

Weather was reported as 12 to 6 knots, gusts to 30 about a 1/2 hour before I go to the beach. 33˚C at 66%.
Wind felt like I'd be over-powered on the 21 but was only just powered enough to work the Z upwind, to being unable to fly the kite.

What I learned today...
• Machiya is F-U-C-K-E-D.
• The 21 needs a wash - a golden brown from the dust on the beach. Goes to show how rarely it goes in the drink!
• The Z can be made to do things right... I'll keep persisting till we get back from Thailand but I think it's just too technically demanding for my dumb ass.
• Need to try new fins and different stance widths too...
• Some dickhead fisherfuck put nets across the beach - got my foot tangled in it.
• The 2012 Fusion is officially dead - straps have broken off the harness.

A lament for the 'radical

Forecast looked crappy so I went out for a ride on the Duke. New brake pads and tyres... what fun! But noticed the wind was up... crikey, quite a blow!

Get home and yes, the wind IS up so I head down the beach. Looks a bit light so I go for the Flite with the Dialer and Z just in case.

Really nice play on the Dialer in light wind. Reading the article on ikitesurf helped to cement what I'm doing/trying to do. Wind seemed to be picking up so I went for the Z...

Man, I just can't get with that. Good blow on but I spent 2-hours tacking out, doing a trick, loosing ground, and basically just trying to get back to where I started from without having to walk.

Spray in the fucking face, unable to load and boost... man, I want my Flyradical back :(

---

Moment of the day was riding the waves into the marina beach like a BAWS.
Mood of the session was la-la yeaaaaah argh.

Weather was reported as 12 to 13 knots, gusts to 19. 30˚C at 66%.
Wind felt like just-under to nicely-powered... I'd say 15-18 knots in the good spots.

What I learned today...
• The Z is not the board for me.
• Dialer is a board for me.
• Riding on the stopper is a good way to build speed.

Pick n' mix

Had some fun, made some gybes, ate some shit, missed the thermals. . . it's all good.

I knew the wind would only come in for an hour so I made sure I was there in time. Went with the Flite cos why not.

Started out on the Dialer, having a nice time. Some kids are waving and squealing at me - think I heard one of them say my name, wonder if they're students. Having fun riding waves.

Wind picked up some so I came back in to get the Z . . . ballsed up a gybe and things got weird - board downwind, me getting pulled at the pointy ends, body-english to avoid it, dive the kite a bit and get dragged up the beach so I half-heartedly hit the QR. Doesn't release so I think it missed it, but as I get my feet under me it goes - I'm hanging onto the kite with both hands but there's no way that I will be able to reset the QR so I just let go the kite. Now I think I could have put it to the edge of the window . . . doh.

So I reset the kite and got on the Z. Under-powered but it was actually feeling really nice . . . less chop?

That was good until the the pad slipped . . . WTH? Oh, the screw has come out - shit! Go back and get the Flydoor, but the wind has dropped.

Back on the Dialer ride around a bit but the wind has really dropped and we're all walking now. Let Miyachi take a run on the Flite and he seems to enjoy it. Thought he was bit over-powered but he seemed ok.

Stand around waiting for the wind to come up but in the end I give up and pack it in.

As I'm driving out of the carpark, it looks like the wind has come up some - could have been riding on the 17 maybe, 21 for sure. Sigh . . . maybe tomorrow.

---

Moment of the day was doing a flawless gybe like I wasn't a tard.
Mood of the session was rah ah? bah gah.

Weather was reported as 12 to 15 knots, gusts to 22 at 3:30pm; 31˚C at 78%.
Wind felt like just powered until I broke the board, to completely under-powered.

What I learned today...
• Probably shoulda waited for the thermals . . .
• Don't try tricky shit right next to the shore.
• Starting to feel comfy on the Dialer - finding the balance.

Enema much?

Forecast for more than yesterday and while that what the weather station said, it didn't feel like it.

Started out on the Flydoor just to see if it would splash me like the Z. It did, but it didn't stall like the other one. I'll have to try it again.

So pootled around on the 'door then when I had trouble going upwind, switched to the Dialer. Nice wee session, getting used to that. Managed a few gybes going from starboard to port but there was a lot of falling over.

Tried out the 2013 Fusion too . . . jesus wept, I hope that thing stretches out soon!

---

Moment of the day was a single semi-decent carving turn.
Mood of the session was whee! wah! ahh.

Weather was reported as 16 to 12 knots, gusts to 24. 28˚C at 69%.
Wind felt like under- to happy-powered but wasn't consistent enough for big fun.

What I learned today . . .
• Should probably wear the short john suit to stop the harness going so far up my ass I can taste neoprene.
• Getting a feel for riding the fins. Noice.
• The old Flydoor . . . what a great bit of kit!

Hmm...

Good wind forecast and we got it too. Left work just after 4 and trotted on down. Wind looked good...

Went with the XB13 in case we get thermals. Have a tack or two on the Z-series, but it's too light. Go out on the Dialer. Great fun! Made one gybe too... beginners luck :)

Wind has picked up so I switch back to the Z. Should have been a good boosting session but I just can't click with the board. Everytime I edge hard, the spray is so great that the board stalls. Not to mention, any time I edge at all or put weight on the front foot, the spray is tremendous :( shame, cos it's really frustrating and otherwise, the board is a charmer - fast (too fast if you can't edge), carves like a knife, smooth as silk through the chop (when you weight the back leg) and the pads/straps are terrific.

Good long session... home for a cold drink. Been a shitty day and it took a bit of the shine off the sesh.

---

Moment of the day was actually setting up for a boost, slamming into a breaking "wave" and leaving my board behind. Amusing. I hope the guy with the camera on the shore got that shot.

Mood of the session was whee hmm gah.

Weather was reported as 10 to 7 knots, gusts to 20. 27˚C at 66%.

Wind felt like I comfy on the Dialer to I should have been boosting sky-high but the board just wouldn't let me.

What I learned today...

• Demo boards before you buy.

• The Flydoor2 is a total machine... or maybe it's just the outline. Or the fins behind the heels.

Mmm...

Supposed to be windy all day... but it wasn't. Contrary weather thankfully didn't rain, as the forecast said it would fine, so I had a dry ride in to RS Taichi to get new tyres.

Got home, went and checked the lake - southerlies. Came home, checked GPV—ah, now the forecast says wind at 5pm.

Go back at 5pm... oh ho! the wind has shifted and there's a blow line coming in...

Looks like it'll be light, so I take the 21 and the Dialer over to the beach... but by the time I arrive, there's fearsome white caps inbound. I dash back for the Z-series... probably should have got a different kite or at least the seat harness but oh well.

Wind was a gusty bitch for the first 20 minutes—lots of kites in the drink until the wind filled in properly.

Waist harness shits me right off, riding into my armpits every time I fall over or do a stunt. Jumping is not going well cos I can't adapt to the shorter and narrower board. But I keep slugging away at it...

The Z-series is a smooth ride. Carves really nice, going to be fun freeriding that. Pads are awesome... good board. But the spray... my god, it's constant. I figure my stance is to blame so I adapt and it seems better. Can't get the hang of edging for the boost, but I think the harness is the problem there...

Nearly dark but the wind has dropped a tad so I risk a run on the Dialer. Much easier to get onto it with some wind! I play with feet position, riding the fins and trying to gybe and tack. Nearly manage one of each. I still suck riding toeside... but it's fun. I shoulda done that with a smaller kite :( but then, I'd be fucking with the fucking harness even fucking more.

Pack up and in the car at 8:20pm... good long session but all the wrong gear!

---

Moment of the day was getting out on the new boards.

Mood of the session was OH-YES-we-got-wind OH-NO-I'm-over-powered OH-GOD-fucking-harness.

Weather was reported as 12 to 8 knots, gusts to 18. 28˚C at 76%.
Wind felt like should have been fun over-powered to what would have been comfy powered. Except for the frickin' harness.

What I learned today...
• I am so not interested in waist harnesses.
• Despite the fact that it's SO much easier to move your legs!
• Z-series will take some adapting too. But it has potential.
• Starting with weight on the back foot seems the best way with the Dialer.

Win some...

Supposed to be wind today, so I headed off to the beach. Looked like enough wind to try out the 2011 Slingshot Dialer… and nobody else was around, so it wouldn't be embarrassing. Much.

Not much wind... hot launch the 21 but run out of beach behind me before I get it up and inflated. Reset... try again. Success! REALLY freakin' light... I mentally prepare myself for a wet, messy kite...

Water is flat as, I've got a little bit of power in a dive... might just work.

Bit of a spaz getting the board near my feet and myself up onto it. Eventually get something to work and I get a nice long tack down to the marina. Success!

Walk and body drag back... repeat without as much success. I can get up on a plane sometimes but there's just not enough wind to keep it going. Plenty of mistakes and my shit going every which way but loose... but I had nice attempt!

More wind, please!

---

Moment of the day was that single powered tack to starboard. It lives!
Mood of the session was ho ho ho!

Weather was reported as 6 knots. 33˚C at 55%.
Wind felt like less than that! Tough job keeping the kite in the air... shouldn't have even been trying to ride.

What I learned today…
• It's a hard job getting onto a surfboard!
• With a bit of apparent wind, the bottom end is amazing.
• Strapless ain't so bad. Just wait for the wind though...

Go with your gut, next time

Southerlies again, over to Mie I go.

Supposed to crank around 1pm... it's 15 knots when I arrive. My gut tells me the front came through early but I rig small (13m) to be ready for the 20 knots!

Mmm, looks cracking but there's no waves and I'm really not that powered. I can barely get any height from jumps, there's no float so I won't be able to do multiple rotations, even front-rolls and just hovers over the water :(

Kite-loop back-rolls are a joke, when they work - they're just back-rolls with a loop to keep moving. Or a face plant cos the kite is looping in the bottom half of the window.

I get fed up and try the Mako, cos the waves have decided to make an appearance. Not enough power... go back to the Flydoor.

And to think, I was thinking of rigging the 10!

Keep riding but the wind is right off. Do 4 hours though... should have sunblocked my lower legs. Dang.

---

Moment of the day was that kiteloop backroll that was perfectly timed and felt like an unhooked move looks.

Mood of the session was annoyed not-amused placated.

Weather was reported as 12 to 16 knots, gusts to 20 at 1230 - just as I was measuring the wind, you cheater. 25ºC at 75%.

Wind felt like just powered enough to ride upwind easily enough, but not enough to have any big fun.

What I learned today...

• Gotta fix my S3 15 - I would have been happier on that.
• Except for all the fucking wooden stakes on the beach for all the digging and construction they're doing... uh oh.
• XB doesn't loop worth a damn. For me, anyway.
• Really need a surfboard!
• Even with crappy wind, you can load up and boing pretty well...

You win some, you lose some

Low-wind forecast, hoping for a bit more but got what we got it was ok.

I was the only one constantly riding. Hooray for Jesus! Still, a bit of a struggle for a while, til the thermal kicked in, I guess. Even then it was pretty iffy - only a few double rotations, and even singles were a bit tough.

Then I discovered that by popping when doing hand-drag backrolls, you actually can do a kinda-backroll kiteloop :D so I did a lot of them.

Lost my Sharks doing one. Get this - they fell off my head, the strap looped over my heel and the force of the water pulled the strap off the glasses. So I found the strap, floating... but not the glasses. Gah!

Gave it up after the sun slipped behind the hills.

---

Moment of the day was landing the first kite-loop back-roll. Duh!
Mood of the session was dissapointed greatly amused.

Weather was reported as 6-8 knots, gusts to 16. 25ºC at 73%.
Wind felt like... well, I was only just going upwind most of the time. A trick per tack would be just holding ground, except for the rare occasions the wind picked up.

What I learned today...
• Really gotta secure glasses with a leash for them to be 100% loss proof :
• Kiteloop backrolls!!!

Variations on a theme

There wasn't supposed to be any wind at all, but there was a bit of a puff when I walked out the door at work. So I stopped off at home and grabbed the togs...

Just me and the skinny man at the lake - I reckon I could make a ride out of it.

Out with the great white lumbering Jesus... onto the water with the Flydoor, powered enough to have some yahoos.

Try to perfect my single front-rolls, but just can't get them sorted with big air... only the half-hearted low-level solos work. Doubles work fine :) Even nailed some mighty double back rolls!

Then I start playing with hand-drag back-roll transitions, and discover they're actually easier done as just as back-rolls, the loop being a proper kite-loop :o hmm, maybe I'll be able to dark-slide or back-roll kite-loop eventually!

So it was a loop and roll fest till dark-ish. Back in the car by 8pm.

---

Moment of the day was that double back-roll that was so totally under control. I might have it sussed now, or at least know what I'm looking for ;)
Mood of the session was LOL bah har.

Weather was reported as 10 knots, gusts to 14. 25˚C at 75%.
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots :D just-powered, a few times we got close to having-fun-powered.

What I learned today...
• I'm out of shape... totally exhausted!
• Foot-out loop transition may be a bit ambitious when you've only ever landed two foot-outs on that side! An amusing splash, nonetheless.
• Foot-outs on my other side feel as awkward as trying to use chopsticks with your feet.
• Can kinda do one-handed backrolls, as a stepping stone to grabbed rolls... need a bit of work.
• Carve harder for front-rolls.
• More vertical launch for double back-rolls.
• For the back-roll hand-drag loop thing... just do it!

Flite 175 departing as scheduled

Two different forecasts online today: GPV said a nice peak at 1pm then falling off; JMA said 12-18 all day. Hmm… put my money on GPV and went early.

Arrived about 12:30. Hmm, tough call on the weather—people are out on 9 to 12s… it's supposed to pick up too. I'll go with the Flite, I think.

Hmm, crowded beach—lots of non-regulars. Launch and go, making my way through the gear.

Out with the Flydoor, easy powered but could do with more power. Jumps aren't massive and I can't get double-rotations done. After a few minutes, it picks up though and I'm enjoying myself.

Good double front-spins, definitely different feel to the S3—more direct which shouldn't surprise me. Seems a bit easier to time it too, but it's also easy to send it back too far. Splash!

Had fun for a while then decided to get on the Mako before the wind dropped. Had a nice time playing out there, then decided to head back and get the Flydoor and a drink again, but could hardly get back to the beach, so had to walk a bit.

Went back out but it was light, so I gave up and headed back to the beach. Hironobu was doing his TV thing in the Shiva suit; very amusing! Stood around watching that and waiting for the wind, but I don't think it's going to happen so I pack it in. First back to the showers, that's a first!

---

Moment of the day was… well, there were the perfect 720 front- and back-spins, but I think the long ride into the marina beach on the mutant was the winner.
Mood of the session was well-satisfied.

Weather was reported as 8 knots with gusts to 15; 28˚C at 60%.
Wind felt like 15 dropping to 10, gusts to 18—happy-powered at best, just under-powered when I got off the water.

What I learned today…
• Flite likes speed into the jump with enough edging to load and pop but not so much that your stop the board.  Sheet in, ride downwind a while until you build speed then send the kite and edge.Be gentle with the board!
• Front 720 down-loop transitions. Easier than 360s!
• Hand-drag back-spin transitions… watch the loop! Hand further out.
• Sunburn season is here :( glad I wore my hat!
• Sand burning feet season is here too!
• Accidentally did a kite-loop back-roll and I didn't die. Not sure I want to try it again just yet though.
• Mistress of Disaster is just u-s-e-l-e-s-s: she can't even transition properly. And she nearly dumped her kite on top of kids swimming at the YMCA beach zone. Stupid cow.
• Turkey just can't relaunch any kite. He got blown down to the marina beach and his kite dragged over the rocks on the drain. I spotted 2 holes in his canopy when he tried to relaunch later on…
• Back foot pad further back on the Mako… sticks better into the water but also feels vaguer. Which is odd, cos with it further forward it feels less vague but more slide-y.
• No problem with upwind again.
• The thing with the bottom end Flydoor vs. Mako mutant—the 'door will park 'n' ride for longer but the angle is about the same. You gotta work the kite sooner on the Mako and so you sink. Not much sooner though…

Ehrma-gerd! Ar lurve Jesus!

Fuck work. Let's just get that out of the way.

Got to the lake just after 5, rolled over to the beach with the 21 on my back, the Mako and the 'door under my arms. Wind looks lighter than yesterday, and it's supposed to drop—like yesterday. We'll see…

Yeah, it's fine. Some boosts, rotations etc but I'm worried the wind will go before I get a chance to use the Mako. So I swap board… what a hoot!

Do that for a bit, then the wind drops off—leaves the 10m surf boys with kites in the water, and me looping to get back to shore. Walk up the beach, watch the front come in, head back out on the Flydoor.

More silliness ensues… there's wind "up there" and down that end of the beach; it's shifted to the east. I do all kinds of flukey stuff but get increasingly paranoid about the wind dropping right off and leaving me swimming, so I call it a day.

90 minute session—not bad! Quality, not quantity today! Unlike work, which is just a mountain of shit.

---

Moment of the day was landing the first ever front 1080 down-loop transition :D
Mood of the session was aah rah ooh-er.
It sucks when you're just getting into the zone and the wind dies.

Weather was reported as 4 to 8 knots, gusts to 14; 26˚ at 76%.
Wind felt like 10-15… comfortably well powered.

What I learned today…
• Bottom end of the Mako Mutant is astounding!
• Carving to toe-side, then popping off the lip to switch back to heelside… roolz!
• The board carves so hard and throws such as solid wall of water :o
• It's actually quite a workout riding that board—end up breathing hard on a really fun tack.
• The sets (is that the right word?) of waves go into the crappy beach. So long as the wind is up, it's easy enough to get out…
• It *IS* possible to do hooj phat single front-spins… just not sure how :o
• It is also possible to do hooj phat triples :D
• The line extensions make it possible to catch that good air up there…
• Mako wants MOAR SPEED!
• Jesus saves!

Wanna see my stiffie? It's huge!

So the forecast was for 5 to 10 knots… we got more like 18–20 solid. Well, after I got out on to the water with the S3-21 anyway.

Was light-ish when I got there. Hironobu was being interviewed by a TV crew (of one) and Grandad was showing off.

Beach was crowded so I had to launch in the middle of people's shit, but it went up easy enough. Once it filled, sheeting in with the kite at zenith was an up-lifting experience :D paraglider time!

On the water with the Sumo for shits'n'giggles. Kinda feels like the Mako, sorta skatey unless you get the edge right. Work up to some multiple rotations when…

… I go for the first 720 and halfway through, I here someone whistling. I look around thinking the shit is about to hit the fan, but it's only Miyachi trying to get a beginner under control. The distraction is enough for me to leave the kite out of position, stall it and… twist the tip.

Can't relaunch it, have to drag it across the shore. Get it emptied and the bridle sorted then go to launch and MOTHER FUCKER that beginner has just crashed his kite on the shore right next to where I'm trying to relaunch. So I have to wait for his dumbass… thanks Miyachi.

Kite seems ok, except for a twig stuck in the bridle. I go back and get the Flydoor.

And so, over-powered, I proceed to noodle around lazily and boost some good airs. A few make me go woo-hoo but mostly it's just days of hangtime, grabs and giggling. A few back- and front-spins but mostly it's about the air time. And silly bugger wave-riding…

Ride until dark. I'm so over-powered though that I can't land the kite by backstalling. Was about to do the WTMW method but Hironobu grabbed the kite for a perfect foil landing. Nice!

Grandad is looking old and thin though :( hope he's ok.

---

Moment of the day was jumping right out of the board. It was funny :)
Mood of the session was annoyed lazy amused.
It sucks when you're sure it's not your fault.

Weather was reported as 13 to 15 knots, gusts to 24; 23˚ at 68%.
Wind felt like about as far as I'd want to push the 21. I can't have lost that much weight… maybe it's just tuned better? cos it's a fucking beast now.

What I learned today…
• I need to fix the S3-15.
• I need a smaller board.
• Gotta check over the 21 for damage, but it seems fine. Seems to have stretched in a few places… we know the lines shrink, does the fabric stretch?
• Found a bloody loop knot in a bridle line—cheeky bugger!
• Loops on landing to save a jump… not a good idea when the wind is up. Warp speed, Mr Sulu!
• Can wave-ride ok with the 21, if you don't ride down-wind too much.
• That feeling. When you pendulum under the kite, redirect then sheet in hard and just sorta hover there, with the board just about the water… magic!
• The above is the best way to land a jump. Spend most of the time with the kite behind you!
• Learning that a trick you can do is called a "stiffie"… priceless!

I'm a mutant lover

Good forecast, hit the lake after playing table tennis at school. Musta got on the water about 5pm.

Rather powered with the Flite and the big board, not really feeling in the mood for boosting though. So I land the kite and run back to the car for the Mako.

Have a hoot on that! Likes being so powered up cos it just sinks when you stop it, but it's great fun. Good lord it's fast and stable! Slices up the lake like a katana.

Wind drops off, and I have to walk up the beach. Go back out on the Flydoor but WTF, I have to walk again? Give up and go home. Get in the car about 8pm, musta had a good 2 hours on the water!

---

Moment of the day was actually smacking the lip of a wave. SMACK! it went, in a wet way.
Mood of the session was unconvinced amused impressed.

Weather was reported as 14 to 8 knots, gusts to 20; 23˚C at 61%.
Wind felt like just about to get uncomfortably over-powered, falling to under-powered (no white caps) with the Flydoor.

What I learned today…
• Right time for the short john suit.
• Bottom end of the Mako… pretty impressive ackshully. Couldn't get upwind on it, and couldn't on the Flydoor either!
• Want to try the back foot back as far as it'll go.
• Want to try it as a TT again too!
• Want to try a King too.
• Goddam! the Flite is a great kite for noodling around under… but it really doesn't get a lot of altitude.
• So I'm thinking I might keep the XB16 for boosting in 15-20 knots.
• Buying Cab lines in Japan is expensive.

Back in the saddle

Didn't seem like there'd be much wind today, but the forecast filled in as the day progressed so I headed down the beach after work. Looked like I'd be able to get away with the Flite…

Well, just. Losing ground if I don't work it hard and go without stunts on at least one tack. But I have a good time doing rotations; get some good ones in, bork up some too.

Brain is getting in the way sometimes and I forget which hand I'm supposed to pull to redirect—very nearly do a double front spin kite-loop by accident :o got me thinking though… which is dangerous!

So good session, bit under-powered but happy to be riding again!

---

Moment of the day was that first perfect double front-spin.
Mood of the session was ho-ho-ho! oof!

Weather was reported as 11 knots falling to 4, gusts to 18. 23˚C at 66%.
Wind felt like 15 knots falling to 10 with gusts to 18. Just powered 50%, comfy powered 50%. 100% wanting more!

What I learned today…
• Redirecting the kite gives it some sink when doing front spins.
• Gotta really whip yourself around with the less-floaty kites.
• Power in the kite determines what stunts you can do, or how cool they look.
• Very incomplete front-spin down-loop transition, landing with the board almost backwards upwind, can result in cool powered carves into the other direction!

Enough already!

Another light wind session. Seemed a tad more wind to begin with so I thought I could get out on the Flite. I could but it wasn't inspiring so... Praise Jesus!

4 days in a row; one the same as the other... and sometimes that's not a bad thing.

Golden moonbeams on the water to guide me home… magic!

---

Moment of the day was landing the triples.
Mood of the session was yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…
It sucks when the kite you want to be out on just ain't enough.

Weather was reported as 4 to 8 knots, gusts to 12 (?) 22˚C at 59%.
Wind felt like 10 to 15 in the good bits.

What I learned today…
• Rolls are body more horizontal than vertical; flips, board goes over the head; spins, body more vertical that horizontal. I'm a spinning fool!
• Using your legs for maximum pop is good for jumps and…
• doing the same when going for rotations is the best way to ensure vertical travel instead of flying downwind.
• Timing of the redirect is more important with front-rolls. Sorry, front-spins.
• Double-spins are easy with the Flite too but watch the timing of the redirects.
• Might be over-doing it—my ribs hurt :(

Make mine a triple!

Cracking forecast on both JMA and GPV but the hourly updates aren't looking good. You know I'm going to head down there anyway though… fucking traffic jam on the Kogan Doro! Some dick-tard has had a car accident. Morons.

Only delayed 10 minutes at most but it feels like all day, of course. Oh damn, where's the wind? Not looking good… hump the Flydoor, Flite and S3-21 over to the lake. Not much wind on the horizon, nobody is riding, everyone is setting up their big kite—12s and 14s LOL.

Head out and am surprised that I'm actually going upwind—Jesus saves! Again!—while Taki (50kg) on a 12m RPM and 150x48 board is walking. Hey I think I'll throw some double rotations just to rub your noses in it. Fnar!

Ooh bit more powered now… the doubles are turning into triples and—aw yeah! landed one!

Even more power, so I boost and do foot-outs. I'm extra-careful to clear all around me and make sure I'm not going to scare the sissy-bitches… needn't have worried cos the cry-baby has dumped his kite again, trying another trick he never lands, and can't relaunch it. No wonder he's always in a foul mood.

Start to worry that I should rig a smaller kite, but the wind drops and soon it's just me on the water. Even I can't ride in nothing though, so I come into shore. There's literally no wind, the flags aren't moving but the kite is riding at zenith fine… sweet!

Land the kite then pack up and head home. Ask Miyachi about lines and parts for the Cab bar, and a ride on a directional. He reckons he can get me a demo…

So, not what I was hoping for but still pretty damn good!

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Moment of the day was landing and riding away from the triple. Hell yeah!
Mood of the session was ooh aah aww.

Weather was reported as 16 knots in the good bit then falling to nothing. 19˚C at 59%.
Wind felt like it was heading to being uncomfortably over-powered but stopped short at too much power for rotations (check out the triples!) but enough for big air and foot-outs.

What I learned today…
• Triples are just as "easy" as doubles, although easy may be an overstatement as I don't seem to land them properly too often any more :D
• Forgot I have the Airstyle DVD! Time to watch for inspiration!
• The Great White Lumbering Jesus is an incredible machine!

Hey bartender, hit me with a double!

Forecast was for N-O-T-H-I-N-G… nothing at all! There was a tickle after work though so I thought I'd chance it. Down to the lake!

Hmm, looks a little lighter than yesterday. Oh well why not? Same gear over to the beach… launch the 21—oh yeah, that'll do nicely!

Straight back into the double rolls like yesterday :D little less power actually makes it tricky, cos it's too easy to stall the kite being ham-fisted. So the success rate is down but the fun rate is off the charts!

Even manage a double back-roll at one point, and very nearly land several triple fronts—having trouble getting the kite in the right place for them on landing though.

The wind seems good so I switch boards. Bit of diddling around then I click with the Mako. Oh wow, it really does fly upwind! It loves the magically flat water though, slices through the chop, and just carves lovely. Can get skatey when you do… something… and carves wicked fast when you edge. It'll be surprisingly floaty as a mutant, I think…

Wind has dropped and I have to walk. Get the Flydoor and… what the hey—I'm not actually making that much more ground upwind! Struggle for a bit, worry about dunking myself and the kite, throw a stunt per tack but lose so much ground that I'm thinking of giving up.

So's arrived and… he's bought the wind with him! Keep on riding, throwing some one footers, till after dark again. The moonlight on the water is magic and I'm having great fun stunting but I'm getting tired and hungry. Fight back upwind to the start and call it a night.

A session from nothing… Jesus saves!

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Moment of the day was the double back-roll.
Mood of the session was aw HELL yeah again!

Weather was reported as 6 to 12 knots, gusts to 20 (!) at 6pm; 22˚C at 49%.
Wind felt like 10 to 15 knots, and less: walked a couple of times but never felt over-powered like 20 knots worth!

What I learned today…
• I can do double back-rolls too!
• Might even be able to do triples :o
• Mako rocks upwind and slices through chop but needs board speed—flat water helps, it really doesn't like bouncing around. You can ride it pretty flat too.
• Would I like a King more than a directional?
• Kite skills for landing the stunts are vital. Lost it a bit as I got tired… but was still chuckling!
• Nearly landed an accidental double front-roll kite-loop :o
• One-footers are so easy when you have days of hang-time! Getting used to doing tail grabs the other way too.
• Shore water is warm but it's still chilly out in the depths.